I think my Goldfish is choking to death??

[dzap79]

Sometime this afternoon I noticed that my small goldfish was choking. It looks like he is gasping for air and his mouth keeps going in and out. He will not eat and is staying towards the back of the tank. I thought he might have a small pebble stuck in his mouth so I caught him with a net and tried to open his mouth with some small tweezers. Unfortunately I could not see anything and too make things worse, a lot of his scales rubbed off.

I am completely panicking here and have no idea what to do. Please help me. I love this little guy, he has such a personality.

The water is fine and the other goldfish in the tank is fine. It is not a water issue.

 

[iapetus]

Well, what do your water parameters look like? Are you sure that your nitrites and ammonia are in check? What you write sounds like it could be ammonia or nitrite poisoning.

 

[iapetus]

Keep in mind that fish breathe entirely through their gills. They can't choke like we can. So, the apparent choking is likely related to something else altogether.

Did you add some Stress Coat or something in there after you handled him? That can be rough on a fish.

You say that he's hanging at the back of the tank. Is he at the bottom or the top? I also wonder what the water temperature is. But, if the other one is OK, I guess that the temperature is OK, too. Hmm ....

 

[dzap79]

Yes i Have added stress coat and some salt. Anything else I might want to add? The water is fine and so is the temperature. I think he has something caught in his mouth but I cant see anything. Do you think he will get it out eventually?

He is swimming around fairly normally but is not afraid when I go near the tank. I think he hates me now.

 

[iapetus]

I was hoping someone else might chime in. I'm not really sure what's going on. What's going on with his mouth? Has the worrisome behavior stopped?

 

[TabMorte]

You say the temp and water is fine could you tell us what fine means to you?

I know it sounds kind of condecending, and I apologize if that's the case, but a lot of people have misconceptions about those things when they first come here.

Also have you noticed any changes in his body - marks, clamping of fins?

 

[ninamarie]

gold fish like cold water not warm and I think that he was just breathing. if his owner can't see anything them maybe there is nothing there.

gold fish do weird things some times. just leave him be and don't do anymore to him to stress him.

 

[skratikans]

sounds like ammonia poisoning to me, how long have you had him, where are the actual numbers for ammonia, nitrates, nitrites?