One goldfish lying at bottom of tank, other one swimming around help please?

**valleyzboy89** · 10-12-2012, 06:17 PM

Hi,

One of my goldfish has been lying at the bottom of the tank all day, moving around now and and again with spasming but the other goldfish is swimming around fine even trying to pick up the other fish... I have done a 50% water change today, it perked up a little but is now back to the bottom.

Any help please??

Thanks in advance

**SW Florida Kid** · 10-12-2012, 06:33 PM

both of my goldfish just lay at the bottom together and chill... my params are 0, 0, 5 in the tank and it's fully cycled and established. no heater no chiller... tank is at room temp. When I come in the room to feed, they swim all around catching the flakes... i dont know why mine do that but they like to lay down all the time... are they lazy? lol.

in for others to give answers... im interested too

**Brhino** · 10-12-2012, 06:34 PM

A few questions to help us diagnose the problem. Please answer all of them as best as you can.

size of tank?
What all is in the tank?
How long has the tank been set up?
What are your water parameters (ammonia/nitrite/nitrate)?
Did you use a decholorinator when you did a water change?

**valleyzboy89** · 10-12-2012, 06:37 PM

Size of tank is 12 litres but they are still small so will be upgrading soon,
tank has been set up for a week now
don't know the parameters
and used tap safe, and added easy balance into the water when i did the water change

**SW Florida Kid** · 10-12-2012, 06:40 PM

Originally Posted by valleyzboy89

Size of tank is 12 litres but they are still small so will be upgrading soon,
tank has been set up for a week now
don't know the parameters
and used tap safe, and added easy balance into the water when i did the water change

I strongly suggest you get the API Master Test Kit from your local fish store immediately and check the parameters.... ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. That will give us a good indication of what is going on... I'm thinking it may be new tank syndrome. You probably have an ammonia spike going on from a noncycled tank.

**valleyzboy89** · 10-12-2012, 06:46 PM

wouldn't this cause a problem to the other goldfish as well though??

**Goes to 11!** · 10-12-2012, 06:54 PM

One hurting fish isn't enough?

Read this sticky about cycling with fish.

Just get the kit. You need the information it can give you.

**valleyzboy89** · 10-12-2012, 06:58 PM

i didnt mean it like that, i meant that if there was a ammonia spike wouldnt this affect both fish not just one? and i am going to get the test tomorrow shops are closed now

**Goes to 11!** · 10-12-2012, 07:04 PM

I understand that but lets not get all invested in or distracted by any preemptive diagnosis before we see what's going on.

**valleyzboy89** · 10-13-2012, 12:23 PM

i have done an ammonia test and it reads between 1.0 and 2.0, so not very good, and i have bought a 24 litre tank to help, so the fish have more room with also a better filter, going to be using both filters to help as well