Goldfish swelled up like a ball

[ellebea]

Hi All

I have a 200 gallon pond with 5 small ordinary goldfish. One of them has been swollen up like a ball for a year now. I've tried various treatments but to no avail and I was too squeamish to try and euthanise the fish. Anyway the fish is still eating and lively and acting normal but it doesn't get better. I feel sorry for it and I don't know what to do. The other 4 seem very healthy and the water quality is good and checked regularly. Has anyone any ideas what might be wrong?

 

[JRS]

Sorry to hear about your fish. Swelling could be dropsy which can have different possible causes which are often hard to treat. Another possibility is swim bladder disease although usually happens in fancy short bodied goldfish.

Clove oil, which acts as an anesthetic, can be used to euthanize a fish if needed.

What is the most humane way to euthanase aquarium fish? – RSPCA Knowledgebase

 

[Lisak1]

Could be dropsy, but that usually has the characteristic pine cone look to the scales. Maybe just chubby? Who can't related to that? Haha!

If I have a fish that seems to be living life, I just let nature take it's course. We have a shubunkin right now that is more tumor than fish, but it swims and eats and acts like every other fish in the pond. Eventually things will come to a head, but for now I just leave it be.

 

[j.w]

I just let nature take it's course and let it eat, swim, live and enjoy the life it has left.

 

[ellebea]

Could be dropsy, but that usually has the characteristic pine cone look to the scales. Maybe just chubby? Who can't related to that? Haha!

If I have a fish that seems to be living life, I just let nature take it's course. We have a shubunkin right now that is more tumor than fish, but it swims and eats and acts like every other fish in the pond. Eventually things will come to a head, but for now I just leave it be.

I think the same, just let it be, but worried in case it was suffering, although it seems to be ok, although I don't think it's just chubby as it is a bit pine coney. Also just recently noticed one of its eyes is very red/orange. Thank you for your help.

 

[ellebea]

I just let nature take it's course and let it eat, swim, live and enjoy the life it has left.

I just hope it's not in pain but otherwise quite happy to let it be.

 

[ellebea]

Not a good picture, water is good although you can't tell from the pic, but at least you can get an idea of the bloating.

 

[ellebea]

A better pic ??

 

[Lisak1]

Oh that's dropsy. No question. When you say "treatments" what are you trying? I've seen recommendations for salt bath, but not sure how effective that would be. How sure are you about your water quality? Remember clear water does not mean healthy water. Dropsy is a symptom, not a disease in and of itself and one cause could be poor water quality.

 

[Laaf]

I do not think it could survive dropsy for a year, and it's scales do not look bristly as they would with dropsy. Whatever it is, your fish is alive and eating and swimming around. I would leave it alone to live out it's natural life. There are some naturally rounder goldfish. It could be that or a cross with one, or a tumor, or ? But it is compatible with life as evidenced by having it and living for a year already. So maybe give it a name like balloon fish or ball fish or tumor fish, and see how long it survives as long as it seems to be eating and swimming and doing fishy things. Think of it as a unique body shape since it doesn't sound like a health or lifestyle issue.

 

[ellebea]

Oh that's dropsy. No question. When you say "treatments" what are you trying? I've seen recommendations for salt bath, but not sure how effective that would be. How sure are you about your water quality? Remember clear water does not mean healthy water. Dropsy is a symptom, not a disease in and of itself and one cause could be poor water quality.

Thank you. I test the quality of the water all the time and water change regularly. The other fish look and act perfectly healthy. I've tried salt, and a aquarium recommended antibiotic.

 

[ellebea]

I do not think it could survive dropsy for a year, and it's scales do not look bristly as they would with dropsy. Whatever it is, your fish is alive and eating and swimming around. I would leave it alone to live out it's natural life. There are some naturally rounder goldfish. It could be that or a cross with one, or a tumor, or ? But it is compatible with life as evidenced by having it and living for a year already. So maybe give it a name like balloon fish or ball fish or tumor fish, and see how long it survives as long as it seems to be eating and swimming and doing fishy things. Think of it as a unique body shape since it doesn't sound like a health or lifestyle issue.

I think I will just have to let him live as he seems happy and the others are healthy. I was worried because I couldn't seem to help him, and he doesn't seem to have too much of a bristley body. I don't want to be cruel to him. He survived the winter when I thought he'd die so I suppose I should just keep an eye on water health etc and let him be. Thank you so much.

 

[Lisak1]

I do not think it could survive dropsy for a year

I thought the same thing but the look seems to be classic dropsy. Who knows. Fish can be weird!

 

[j.w]

Thank you. I test the quality of the water all the time and water change regularly. The other fish look and act perfectly healthy. I've tried salt, and a aquarium recommended antibiotic.

Changing water regularly is not a good thing to do and do you mean you take all the old water out and add all new? If you have a good filter and lots of plants and let nature do it's thing it would be a lot better for the fish. The only water you need to add is when the level goes down due to evaporation. Scoop out gunk on the bottom as needed or use Sodium Percarbonate to raise the gunk off the bottom and then scoop easier right off the top. There is a thread @Lisak1 started about this product: https://www.gardenpondforum.com/threads/easy-pond-clean-out-for-spring.34190/