Bloat can be a serious health issue for aquarium fish — especially goldfish.
How do you know if your goldfish has bloat? The following symptoms are common at various stages of bloat:
- Bloating or swelling of the body.
- Passing clear, bubbly strings of feces (in early bloat).
- Refusal to eat.
- Inability to poop (in advanced bloat).
- Difficulty swimming.
- Reddish areas on the skin (in advanced bloat — often an indication of internal bleeding, which can lead to life-threatening infection).
A goldfish doesn’t have a stomach that uses acid to break down foods, like humans do. Goldfish don’t have stomachs at all! Their digestive tract is one long tube — like a large intestine. Food is ground up some by the mouth and digestive tract, but large pieces can become blockages in the winding intestine. Dry foods can also absorb water in the digestive tract and swell, becoming blockages.
Treating bloat depends on how early you catch it. The earlier you catch it, the easier it will be to treat and the better chance your fish has of survival.
If the fish is still eating, offering different foods can help move the blockage along. Try offering chopped earthworms or shrimp, or dry food soaked in oil (like castor oil). You can also mix magnesium sulfate (Epsom salts) into food as a digestive aid.
If the fish has stopped eating, move your fish to a quarantine tank and slowly increase the temperature to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The warmer temperature can be a digestive aid. You can also try mixing magnesium sulfate (Epsom salts) into the tank water. Keep the water well aerated.
If you detect signs of internal bleeding (as described above), you’ll most likely need expert assistance. When a fish has internal bleeding, serious infection can quickly develop. A fish that is still eating can take medicated food, but a fish that is refusing to eat will need the medicine injected. Your veterinarian or fish specialist can help administer the appropriate medication without injuring your fish.
Bloat is a serious health issue in dogs. To learn more about bloat (also known as twisted stomach or gastric distention) in dogs, the Families.com Pets Blog is a good place to start. If you suspect that your dog is suffering from bloat, call your vet’s office immediately.