The white fish is swimming upside down more now than last night. Before I fed them tonight, he was swimming normally. As soon as he ate the food, he became unusually buoyant, like an underwater balloon. None of the other fish in the tank seem to have this problem.
I noticed him struggling to swim down to the bottom last night after feeding, and as he tired, he’d bob to the top of the tank, slowly rotating until his belly brushed the surface of the water, then seeking to right himself in a frenzy. In all other respects, he appears healthy.
But as he tires, he swims upside down more and more. I am reasonably certain the white fish will follow the call of an impossibly beautiful black fish looming
in the distance sometime in the next couple of days.
Fish swimming upside-down does not necessarily mean death – it just means their immune system is down and the equilibrium is one of the first things to go.
Call your local pet store and see if they stock any super-duper vitaminny food or medicine that you can put in the tank. Also check the ph levels (although it should be fine if the other fish are okay).
And give him some frozen peas!
http://www.fishdoc.co.uk/FAQ.htm#equillibrium
also:
Loss of equilibrium with fish unable to stay upright. Fish may be able to maintain position when swimming, but turn over when they stop swimming.
1) Swim-bladder disorder / disease caused by viral or bacterial infection, constipation (mainly fancy goldfish) or other organ disease.
2) Internal organ disease, i.e. kidney / intestinal disease or blockage. Usually only established at post mortem
And if he dies, just blame Spencer.
Just please remember Mike:
Never Flush a Fish Down the Toilet.
Sounds like #1, above.
And I’m able to state unequivocally: Spence has nothin’ to do with it.
Try the frozen peas – who knows, it may help.
(and it’s cheap!)
……or is he/she dead now?
Fish still alive. He definitely only swims upside down immediately after eating.
Maybe he’s gluttonous.
The pig.
Okay no maybe he’s constipated after all…