Jump to content

Oranda Goldfish Swim Bladder Issue - Choices


Sashi
 Share

Recommended Posts

Good morning my fellow fish folk,

I am currently sorting out my fish (Vivi as seen in the photo's) swim bladder issue.

I have kept fish for many years and this is not my first time around this issue with goldfish. I have never had good success with the usual remedies of peas. So I thought this was a good time to try the Vet. (I live Canada so meds are a bit harder to come by).

We are finished a treatment of Metronidazole with no change. Vivi is currently still on a med in the water column for his fins. (He got caught up in some plants and chewed on by fellow fish when this first happen. His fins / scales seem to be healing up, but he does still look rough.)

The Vet mentioned another med to try but they are currently unable to obtain it. They have suggested a fish harness to keep him upright and seem rather reluctant to physically deflate the swim bladder.

Am I wrong to think that deflating the swim bladder is the best call? I know that there are risks involved sticking a needle into him and deflating it, but I struggle to think that just leaving him like he is is a good idea.

What are your thoughts? I can push for the deflation (which is what I'm leaning towards once his meds are done, but I'm willing to listen to other people's ideas on the matter) or I can pop him in a harness and hope he just survives okay...

image.jpeg

image.jpeg

image.jpeg

Vivi X-Ray 3.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would do Epsom salt baths 1 table spoon for 1 gallon for no more than 15 minutes for 5 days as Epsom salt acts as a muscle relaxant to relieve pressure on the swim bladder   @dasaltemelosguydid some interesting experiments with  sound frequencies to help fish with swim bladder maybe he could chip in with some useful information 

Edited by Colu
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi, @Sashi, this is the article that @Colu is referring to when he was helping me with an aggressive, fast-moving infection:

It's too small a sample to be conclusive but it did indicate a high probability of at least partial success. In addition, @Odd Duck describes similar sonotherapy techniques performed on reptiles, later in the thread. 

In my very limited experience, the Epsom salt and sonotherapy combination largely worked but as @Odd Duck makes note of, swim bladder may have many causes beyond impaction. Still, it can't hurt, and I'm still confused but very interested by the weird calm that came over the tank when applying sonotherapy. 

To that end, also in that thread, @boylesdowntothis uncovered an article where using the same sounds in the ocean increased populations of reefs.

It's so non-invasive, it may be worth a try. This Bluetooth loudspeaker will work but any Bluetooth rated IP7 or higher will works as well. Free test tones are all over YouTube. Good luck. 

Amazon.com: Bluetooth Speaker, Tribit XSound Go Speaker with 16W Loud Sound & Deeper Bass, 24H Playtime, IPX7 Waterproof, Bluetooth 5.0 TWS Pairing Portable Wireless Speaker for Home, Outdoor (Upgraded) : Electronics

 

 

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm trying the epsom salt baths. Also doing a treatment with levamisole to try and check off parasites. (I know it doesn't cover everything, but it's what I have and in Canada it's harder to get ahold of meds).

He is pooping fine, at least there is that. I just want to cover as much as I can before going back to the vet. I don't have an underwater speaker, but that was a fascinating read. Thank you for the idea. Once I have some spare cash I will give that a try too.

So far no change. He's not getting better, (swim wise his fins are looking better) but he's not getting any worse either.

Thank you all for your suggestions. I'll post an update later in the week.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Your goldfish may need both the centesis to pull a bit of gas out of the swim bladder along with a variety of other treatments, including the harness.  The harness can help them stay better oriented and eating, so don’t be too slow to make a harness.  They aren’t difficult to make, but can be a bit tedious to get them adjusted just right. I wish I had saved pics of an Oranda harness I made years ago (her name was Cleo), but there are many pics out there now for you to look at for examples.

Definitely do the Levamisole and I would strongly suggest you try the sonic therapy also.  Swim bladder issues in orandas can be very problematic and are the most common in orandas.  I think because of their anatomy, they have a particularly narrow opening to the swim bladder that makes them more prone to blockages and more difficult to successfully treat.  For sure do the Epsom salt soaks like @Columentioned.

If the Metronidazole doesn’t work, ask your vet about Enrofloxacin injections.  Those helped Cleo more than anything else we did, but she still was better in the harness since nothing would fully resolve her swim bladder issues.  We tried pretty much everything I knew of back then, but there’s a few other things to try now.  You’re getting a good start already.

  • Like 2
  • Love 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I forgot to mention that between Cleo’s owner and I, we worked out using a piece of cork tied to the top of the harness by monofilament to keep her upright and balanced at the depth she preferred.  He would start with a piece that was about right, then shave off bits to get her to the top of her preferred depth range.  The cork would gradually get saturated and need replacing.  You also need to check the skin under and next to the harness frequently and adjust the fit if any damage is seen.

  • Like 1
  • Love 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...