William H Wildgoose MRCVS
Pet fish vet
Buoyancy disorders
These are common problems, particularly in goldfish and affects long-bodied and short-bodied fancy fish equally. Affected fish may either float uncontrollably at the surface or lie on the bottom and be unable to reach the surface. It can be caused by various problems: polycystic kidneys, excess gas in the bowel, or problems of the swim bladder where it is full of fluid, ruptured, or over-/under-inflated with gas. Taking an X-ray is the main method of diagnosis but most cases are not treatable Click here for a review and case reports.
A fancy goldfish variety with positive buoyancy floating at the surface due to an over-inflated swim bladder
X-ray of a fancy goldfish (ranchu) with over-inflation of the anterior chamber of the swim bladder, which was later found to have granulomatous disease
Common goldfish with a normal swim bladder but excessive gas in the bowel that failed to respond to treatment. No obvious cause was found at post mortem
A fancy goldfish variety with positive buoyancy floating at the surface due to an over-inflated swim bladder