Read About Fish on Bottom of Tank

Finding your fish sitting at the bottom of the tank or struggling to swim can be quite distressing. Several issues could be in play here, and action should be taken as soon as possible. If the affected fish is new to the aquarium, immediately remove it from the tank, and transfer it to another container. Do this by filling the container with water from the tank first (to prevent shock), and very gently move the fish to the new container. This is imperative as the fish may be contagious to others in the tank. It will also keep the other fish from trying to attack the weaker fish. Although there are a number of issues that can cause a fish to wind up sitting at the bottom of the tank, Swim Bladder Disease is the most common. The swim bladder, or gas bladder, is an internal organ or sac in the abdomen of fish that controls its buoyancy or ability to swim. Swim Bladder disease can be caused by a bacterial infection or constipation (mainly in goldfish such as Shubunkins, Orandas, and Ryunkins). A bacterial infection in the swim bladder can cause inflammation or thickening in the walls of the sac, causing gas dispersion to become difficult. This results in the buoyancy of the fish being affected, making swimming difficult or even impossible. Constipation in the swim bladder is primarily caused by feeding the fish low-quality foods which can collect water like a sponge in the bladder, causing it to expand. This results in food impactions, which again, will affect the ability of the fish to swim. As far as treatment of Swim Bladder Disease goes, there are several common recommendations. You can try feeding your fish frozen peas, which have been thawed and the skin taken off. Peas encourage the obstruction to dissolve and purge the system of the blockage. Another remedy is to fast the fish for several days, which may return it to its normal, happy self. Prevention of Swim Bladder is the key to avoiding the issue altogether. Water quality is of the utmost importance, with regular testing and water changes a must. Changes in the diet may also be helpful as well. Presoaking your pellet or flake food in water prior to feeding will allow expansion to happen before the fish eats it. Also, switching to foods that sink to the bottom of the tank rather than floating on top will prevent the fish from inhaling too much air. Following these few simple tips should help to keep your fish off of the bottom of the tank and up where they belong!