Fish Swim Bladder Problems - Possible Cause and Treatment

I came home last week and saw one of my mollies vertical, head down in the water. She is otherwise perfectly healthy, and I had never seen this before out of her. This was a swim bladder issue, which has now been solved. I learned a few things from the experience that I wanted to share........
Links to the products referenced in the video, below:
***dmichaelsfishden is an Amazon affiliate
amzn.to/2hQ48R9 - Westlab 2.2lb Bag Epsom Salt
amzn.to/2h1cJCv - API Melafix, 8 Ounce
amzn.to/2h2gNE6 - API Melafix, 16 Ounce
Thanks for watching! I hope this helps someone!
d -

[@deborahjeanne2141]

Just an update - the Repashy food arrived today and I put some together for the guppies. They attacked it like they hadn’t eaten in days! I think it was a big hit. I made some for the cherry shrimp and ramshorn, nerite, and trumpet snails, and it was a hit with them as well. Im really excited about this food. I ran some blanched spinach and green beans through the food processor and added it to the shrimp mix as well. I really don’t mind cooking for my fish. I heat up my dog’s food as well as my cat’s in the microwave before I feed them - they like it warmed up - I mean, would you like eating your food right from the can stone cold? Course not! I’m happy to do it. Thanks again for such great advice.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Glad it came! Smells great, doesn't it? ;) GREAT idea running the spinach and green beans through the processor and adding them. I'm not surprised it was such a huge hit - All of my fish love Repashy. Even my Betta - he goes nuts for it, especially the community plus or bug grub...Enjoy!

[@portiaholliday8741]

This video is VERY helpful. Thank You🌹After 10" I am seeing some life back in my pregnant molly! I did a 50% water change which I NEVER DO:-( I only change 20% of my tanks. The water was yellow:-( Bc I took the water change water from my 30 tall. She was swimming in cloudy yellow water. The sponges were cycled so I didn't have to worry but you know over worry:-( I am going to get some frozen peas today and blanch them for her. I was advised to ALWAYS have frozen peas on hand BUT if didn't do it:-( Hallelujah! It worked! My pregnant black molly is up and swimmin'! One-half tsp of Epsom salt in my 10 gallon tank did the trick! I followed up with peas w/o the shells. I'm sure she'll nibble at them since that's all I'm feedin''. I was over the moon to see her rear tail fannin' and her swimmin' ! Thank you SO much! My water is nice and clear. I will go back to only doin' 20% water changes:-)

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Glad to hear it was helpful! Years ago I switched from wafers to Repashy food - since it is water based in the first place it doesn't expand much. BUT I've also learned to feed peas once a week, regardless. It cleans them out - kinda like fish "prunes." If they have a hard time adjusting to peas you can use Seachem garlic guard to entice them. Just mix some tank water with some peas and garlic guard - but I've found most fish really like peas anyway. I know it's a lot of work, but if you do peas one day of the week, you shouldn't have as many constipation problems. And....sometimes we have to do the 50% water changes...those are ok. You did all the right things!

[@portiaholliday8741]

@@dmichaelsfishden Thank you! I am repeating this in my (20) gallon next to the (9) babies in the (10) gallon. One of the expecting mothers went into the same lethargic trance state. Salfin says this is not an unusual expectant Molly behavior. She too is up swimming around. She is yet to bear. I added an expecting Dalmation Molly to the (20) gallon. I will not get alarmed if she sits on the bottom like the other (2). Magnesium, Epsom Salt, is used to induce human labor. How interesting:-) I am going to get Zoo Med 20 food for my Mollies. Salfin uses this too. It made a top listing on a 2019 Molly food review: Mollies love to graze and feed all day/best fish food for Mollies (Omega Flakes are our top pick)/ Zoo Med Spirulina 20 4oz $9.16/ API Tropical Greens 2.1 oz $6.55, 5.7 oz $11.78/Tetra Pro Algae Fish Food unavailable/Super Betta Floating BIT Mix 4oz $9.99 drfoxmag.com/5-best-molly-foods-compared-reviewed/

[@paulateixeira7033]

Super fantastic information. The wafers have done the same thing to my mollies. The other fish seem to be unaffected but the mollies tend to be pigs and try to eat everything in the tank. Now they are paying for it. Thank you so much. Best info on KZbin for swim bladder condition.

[@lilymoore72]

Thank you so much for this video my Molly had same problem nearly a week after watching this vedio yesterday I put epson salt and peas she is fully better. God bless you 🙂

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Very glad it was helpful!

[@deborahjeanne2141]

I followed your advice, and finally found some 100% Epsom salt with no additives yesterday. Both guppies are doing so much better today, about 95% back to normal. My Santa Dumbo female is swimming more normally, with very little “body bend”, eating well, my laser female is still a bit quiet, but is no longer swimming vertical. I’m looking forward to the Repashy foods, should be here Friday. I ordered the 2 you recommended and the grub mix for my bettas. I’m going to take your advice and have a “pea day” once a week as well as a “fasting day”. That sounds like a really good idea, and it certainly can’t hurt. Thanks again, and I’m so glad I stumbled on your video or I would have been clueless, and they might very well have died.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

My pleasure, Deborah, and glad the video was helpful! And yes, a "pea day" and a "fasting day" should help a lot - it will help keep your fish cleaned out and constipation less of an issue. Can't wait until you get the repashy!

[@soupbonep]

All the dried foods expand when wet. I always soak my fish food in a scoop of tank water before I feed. Even for my shrimp tank! I think you did the right thing and have given me a good practice when feeding my pleco. Soak his wafer! I've stopped soaking it and haven't had any issues until I recently introduced some glow light tetras and one has swim bladder disease. That fish may have eaten some wafer at night when the lights were out. That is when I put the wafer in for the my Bristle nose. Thanks for this video.

[@TexasGirl-Z71]

Thank you this helped so much! Same thing happened with one of my mollies. I love your tank by the way it gave me an idea for my new tank. ❤️

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Hi Melissa - glad it was helpful! Thank you for the kind words on the tank and glad that also gave you an idea! 😀

[@reubeneden3818]

Great video, cheers for the help it's just happened to my fish and I'm panicing of what's best to do he's swimming slowly every now and then and then just floating on the surface not moving. Hopefully your tips work

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Thanks for the kind words, Reuben! I have another video that might be helpful - kzbin.info/www/bejne/o3qxqYt_ZsR5edk When fish get constipated or when food expands in their stomach, the stomach can sometimes press up against the swim bladder - this causes buoyancy issues. The goal here is to use the Epsom Salt bath to try to bring down the constipation enough for them to eat peas...its the peas that will really clean them out (super high in fiber). That hopefully stops the stomach pressing up against the swim bladder, solving the buoyancy issue....Hope all that helps more!

[@dominicborrelli6625]

I just noticed my yellow molly swimming vertically head up today. Worried cuz shes my favorite so i will be trying your tips!

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Hi Dominic - Let me know if I can help further!

[@strnvii]

@@dmichaelsfishden hey my catfish jus died and I couldnt do anything Kinda looked like a seizure but catfish was still breathing but the gills move surprisingly fast for no reason He would do circles and the stop till he got caught on the tank decorations It's not bcuz of oxygen tho or other fish nor stress Do you the reason(s) this couldve happen

[@MarysPlace]

I know this is a old video my fish was near death with dropsy/ bloat so I experimented with 2 drops of lemon essential oil and and 1 drop of tea tree oil and a half teaspoon in his tank of water of epson salt, I put my fish in 1 gal and a half of water. He was swimming upside down bloated near death when I did this and the next morning he was pooping and eating and swimming upright. I also change the water daily and will continue the treatment till he looks 100 percent. This was his second round of dropsy so I will be treating the community tank of 10 gallon with the mix weekly to keep the bacteria away. Lemon and tea tree oil fights bacteria so I took the risk and so glad I did. Make sure its organic oil.

[@liferoxx9783]

Thanks for sharing your experiences .....

[@trevorcole460]

I have the same problem with three of my Neon Tetra’s but all the other Tetra’s and Guppies look fine. As it is a new tank I was thinking that was the problem so I did a fifty percent water change and was shocked that the water was a light brown. I am positive it is down to the pellet feed and also one of the Guppies had some fry and all I can see is three in the tank, so I guess the Tetra’s have stuffed themselves. I will try the Epsom salt today, and I am thinking of not feeding them for two days hoping that will help. From what I have seen online they say a Pea is also good for clearing up the digestive track. Just hope I don’t loose any fish, thanks for the tips.

[@trevorcole460]

Just wanted too add a update on my Tetra’s, I mixed two tablespoons of Epsom Salt for the 15lt in my tank, also I have not feed them all day and for the last hour they are all swimming normally. Thanks again for the video, was scared as hell putting the Epsom in but clearly worked. 🍻

[@gloriauselton9897]

You are so right. I have kept fancy goldfish for 60 years. I learned to NEVER give them dry food. I feed gel food I make, NLS brand pellets I soak in garlic guard, blook worms and peas.

[@creepy6208]

Thank you so much for sharing this! I woke up this morning and when I looked at my tank, one of my big female, guppie was swimming sideways. I will try this method, and hopefully she gets better! :)

[@dmichaelsfishden]

My pleasure! Good luck! Let me know if I can be of any further help - hopefully it is just a constipation and/or bloating issue

[@dianesmits604]

So glad I found your video. We've just got fish for the first time. We lost one after a couple of days and almost lost another till I found your video. Did the pea feeding and quarantined the fish added an airator to tank and fish has come good again. Other 2 fish also have a bit more life in them too. Just wanted to say thank you for your post helped us out 👍👍

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Diane Smits my pleasure! Very glad to hear! Thank you for watching 😀

[@dianesmits604]

@@dmichaelsfishden since then he's had another turn and think he has ammonia poisoning now. He's just hanging on have tried the things recommended online and not working. Other 2 fish are all ok so not sure. Have him isolated in separate tank and still no good. Learning lots. Thanks again for your help

[@cr4zym3x1c4n]

I’ve had my betta for about 3 years and kept bettas since 2004 but I tried bringing in those tiny tetras and it seems that I over fed them because they ended up upside down 1 by 1. I didn’t think of the expansion of pellets in the water, great idea I’ll make sure to feed my fish less or even let it expand first

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Really sorry to hear about your tetras. yeah, those wafers do tend to expand - can cause bloating, constipation, then later infections if it doesn't pass. Glad the video was helpful! Ever since I've halved the amount of wafters I feed, or I feed Repashy foods more. Did the trick 👍 Thanks for checking out the video!

[@lilsafmusic]

That makes sense since my cichlid does sometimes steal the pellet and cause the bloat.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Lil Saf - absolutely. Same thing happens with my fish - those wafers expand quite a bit....Appreciate you checking out the video!

[@jancavalieri5444]

Same problem and using similar solutions. She hasn't eaten in 3 weeks won't eat the peas (none of the fish would eat the peas - tried that for 2 days Currently giving her an antibiotic. Her swim bladder is somewhat improved since she stopped eating. She's also a Gourami and she had the added problem of not being able to get air - they say they MUST have air, well this one hasn't regularly for nearly a month so I guess that kills that so-called scientific fact. If lift her to the top of the tank (and I moved her to a small tank ) she takes several breaths and I just hold her until it's clear she's done. Today she ate a couple of dried/reconstituted bloodworms and a small flake. She only floats on her side once in a while and can right herself. Today she also swam one time to the top and got air (first time I've observed) so I think she's getting better. I have heard the pea cure works fabulously if you can get them to eat them. Originally in her old tank I was going to buy Epsom salts but then recalled that they can kill many species of cory's - I have several and din't want to risk it - but now she is in her own tank so I make give it a try if this doesn't work.

[@darrensimon6107]

This is old and glad it's still here I have tropical fish and 4 have died in 4 days woz confused why fish woz pointing straight down I have two doing the same so I tried pea's and made mushy peas and added to the 70 litre tank and the fish went for the pea's even the sick ones did this in the evening next morning all better and swimming with other fish one happy tank . And thank you for your video you saved my tropical fish thats not cheap to buy 👍👍👌👌💯% top guy . .. 🇬🇧🇬🇧

[@imgonnahavetoaskyoutoexitt4619]

Thank you so much! I know it's 5 years later but I also have these algae wafers and I put it in my tank for my pleco, my guppies picked at it and I think this is what happened!!!!!

[@estherahn8546]

Me too!!

[@micksmusicchannel]

Good video and something to be aware of.

[@jacquelinekariuki4055]

Had the same thing happen to one of my goldfish. She was on her side, I started to see another goldfish messing with her. I did m.j medicate the tank, but decided to take her out and get a hospital tank of her own. I started giving her peas also for a couple of days. She's swimming fine, but will keep her by herself for a week or so.

[@stevokay156]

my fish is having problems and I think this will help me. THANKS😀

[@dmichaelsfishden]

My pleasure, Stevo! Let me know if I can be of any further help through the process :)

[@rodolfogarro]

It’s happening the same to my koi fish, he is on the top of the fish tank upwards and without moving, obviously i can see he is alive. I’m gonna try to do what you showed in this video, cuz we bought this new food and they don’t eat it that much so they leave it there and i can see it expand...

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Give it a try, RHINO! I've also have a video out on giving your fish a salt bath as well. Does your koi look constipated? Hopefully it's not true swim bladder disease as that is very hard to remedy. If this is constipation, the fish's stomach could be pressing up against the swim bladder and the best remedies, in my experience, is to give epsom salt baths until the constipation goes down, then try feeding a lot of peas to help clean the fish out. Let me know if I can help further, and I'm glad the video was helpful 👍

[@lindaobrien6513]

You were very helpful. I used the wafers also had the same problem you did.

[@sagrath1982]

it didn't damage your plants? very informative video

[@dmichaelsfishden]

sagrath1982 - no damage to plants. 😏 All good to go 👍

[@alcoco3551]

This literally happened to my SAEs. I fed them an algae wafer and the next day they were swimming erratically. I lost two, I wish I knew about this earlier. At least now I can prevent it from happening again 😔

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Alcoco - Really sorry to hear about your SAEs. Yeah, they have a tendency to eat more than their fair share, and the wafers expanding really makes it hard for them to pass them sometimes. I feed much more Repashy food than wafers now (being a water based gel, the Repashy doesn't expand once added to the water). I do still feed wafers, but only about once a week, and they are more for my pleco. One other thing that has been helping is that the fish get peas twice a week, even if they are pooping like champs. The peas are so high in fiber, they really help to keep them cleaned out. I had to learn this the hard way, and lost a lot of fish to overfeeding wafers, so I hear ya and can relate. Glad the video was helpful and thanks for checking it out!

[@lavendersblue2716]

Hello Michael! Thank you so much for this very great video..i need this as i deal with this kind of issue eith my goldfish..... By the way, is it alright to feed them with cannred green peas? ...and another question is, does it matter if i treat the goldfish with swim bladder issue at night? Because right now, she's struggling to swim and its 8:23 pm.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Hi lavenders blue - my pleasure! Canned green peas would work just fine but you do want to make sure you remove the outside skin of the pea. You can certainly treat the swim bladder issue at night, morning, whenever you can give the salt baths. Here is a video on the salt baths that I hope is helpful:kzbin.info/www/bejne/o3qxqYt_ZsR5edk

[@jamestaylor3500]

Your saying break up wafers,, will pre-soaking them help? We have a sucker fish along with our other fish o we drop the wafers in every day

[@TheBelovedJohn]

really a big help for my fish problem, maybe I can save more fish from this on going problem.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Joseph - thanks for checking out the video - as always, prevention is the best method. I do still feed algae wafers, but sparingly, preferring repashy food over them. While it's true that all processed food expands a bit in the water, repashy is softer, appears easier for the fish to pass, and I've never had a problem with bloating while feeding it. I've also made it a habit, no matter what, to feed my fish peas at least once a week for the extra fiber, whether I have bloating issues or not....it's a preventative action to help clean them out - It's the "jolly green laxative" for your fish :)

[@amandagustin1420]

I have a male guppy who I found today straight up and down in the corner head up and he's been having trouble swimming, hopefully I can try to help him.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Amanda - so sorry to hear that. Definitely sounds like a swim bladder issue. I have another video on the channel on how to give your fish a salt bath. Check that out and give that a try. And let me know if I can help further! 🙏. Sending good thoughts to your guppy. 😌

[@amandagustin1420]

dmichaels fish den Yeah thanks I checked that out! Around a day or more later he passed though but now I know what to do if it happens again. Hopefully it helped ease any pain he was in.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Amanda Gustin you’ll know what to do next time. Please don’t be hard on yourself. Before I learned the treatment and adjusted my feeding schedule, I lost several fish to this. Just think how well your future fish will have it! You’ll give them a great home and great tender loving care. Sometimes we lose fish in the hobby. Happens to all of us. That’s how we learn...I haven’t had this issue in a long time after switching the food schedule. Sinking wafers are only once a week (still a great food). Other days I feed peas once a week, repashy, frozen bribe shrimp, frozen bloodworms. Let me know if I can ever help with anything else! 😊👍

[@dearstat]

Hello! I have female guppy and I have her in a quarantine tank and her head is up but her tail is down hopefully you'll know how what it is or what is wrong with her I'm only one year into the aquarium Hobby

[@dmichaelsfishden]

So sorry for the late reply here - Glad to hear you joined the hobby! I'm sorry to hear about your guppy. How is she doing now? It's hard to know what it might be without seeing her. It could be her stomach pressing against her swim bladder - this causes them to have a hard time staying level. I would try to fast her for a few days, then see if she will eat some peas - she may just be a little bloated

[@priyapriya2919]

my Angelfishes are not that much active and their fins are uneven..may be that is fin rot... can you please tell me simpl and effective way of treating them without any risk or side-effects

[@BlueWithoutBiu]

I was shocked to see my betta fish tilting upside, and he seemed to have a rather arched back. Staying in the bottom od the bowl or floating upside, unmoving. My friend was laughing it off when I told him the other day. But thanks to Googling, I found some articles on this, your video, and found about swim bladder disorder for the first time in my life 😥🤣 Thanks for the tips, will have my fish on fast (some peas later if it's not improving) and see how it's going. Glad that your girl is doing fine! 🥰 P.S.: I read that feeding the pellet that has been soaked in water beforehand helps. As fish could catch air when they eat the floating pellets. Having drowning food helps too, they said. Hope it helps in your case.

[@virginiagatehouse1956]

That's kinda like my male molly fish cream he's been going strait up doing a spin in the air and going back and kept doing that I'm realy concered

[@itzjayjay4006]

my beta has horrible fin rot and is having trouble swimming correctly and lately ive noticed hes been staying up at the surface of the tank and i dont think hes able to swim down. i dont know what to do...

[@dmichaelsfishden]

rj - I'm sorry to hear about your Betta - this can happen. It sounds like it can be several different things, with the fin rot and the swimming issues. The swimming issues could be from the loss of fin tissue. If he can't swim down, that could be a swim bladder issue. In cases like these, where multiple things are going on, a few different options: First, make sure the water is absolutely clean - 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites. Is he by himself or any tank mates? The best thing to do is quarantine him if he isn't by himself in a small hospital tank. Just a bare bottom tank with a heater (keep him at 76 - 78 degrees), and a small airstone for air. Since this could be a bacterial infection and/or swim bladder issue, you could try a medication from Seachem called Polyguard. It is a broad spectrum antibiotic and gets bacterial, fungal, and parasitic issues. That would be my first remedy. Is he really bloated? Is he eating? I would say you can try a concentrated aquarium salt bath where you put in 1 tablespoon per gallon and keep him in that bath for about 7 - 10 days, doing daily water changes and replacing the salt you take out during a water change...in other words, if you water change out 1 gallon, you put another tablespoon of salt back in - BUT aquarium salt can sometimes be bad with swim bladder issues. I would try the Polyguard first and see if that helps with the fin rot and brings him around....just follow the directions on the medication. I would also add some beneficial bacteria to the tank every other day (Fluval Biological enhancer, Seachem stability, etc...) to keep your beneficial bacteria colony up. Unfortunately, when our bettas get to this state, we usually have to medicate. Hope that helps a little!

[@celestialcecilia]

Ok i will try to use the peas 😭 what happened if my fish is bleeding and swimming sideways too....

[@Raez_XL]

My tiger barb is also not swimming 😢

[@srccretdude123]

Hey I’m having the same issue rn what happen to your fish? Please respond if I can save mine (

[@celestialcecilia]

my fish was already dead... T-T

[@armyfishguy4074]

My Bala Shark is doing this. Im going to try this out and hope for the best.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Hope so too, Army! Remember..this is a fix for bloating only. Keep me posted on how you are doing 👍

[@armyfishguy4074]

dmichaels fish den Well I have good news and bad news Day 1 was Treatment did Exact same thing your fish did. Day 2 PERFECTLYA Fine no issues. How ever couldnt get my Bala to eat peas or romaine lettuce. Fed my Pleco and Pictus Catfish wafers before bed. Day 3 Bala is back up and down again :( I did the Melafix too just in case but after seeing this I think it is juat bloated how do I prevent him from eating the wafers? Or how do I get him to eat Peas?

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Army - this is good news. In my experience, my fish did not start eating peas until 3 to 4 days into treatment. Just like you and me, if we are bloated and feeling terrible, we don't feel like eating, do we? 😉 I would also cut off feeding while you are undergoing the treatment. All of your fish will be fine. Keep up the baths for a few more days, don't worry about feeding any of the other fish. Then try to feed them all peas. Good job with the Melafix - that will help with any bacterial infection. Keep me posted!

[@deborahjeanne2141]

OMG! I came across this video quite by accident and I can’t believe it - I put a couple wafers in my tank just yesterday for my bottom feeders and my guppies went after them like crazy. I thought it would be ok. Today I have several guppies that are hanging at the top of the tank, almost bent in half, not looking well. One is swimming straight up but nose down. Now I’m wondering if it’s the wafers. I feel horrible. But now I’m going to put a couple peas in the tank and see if that makes a difference. Thank you so much for this video.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Deborah - my pleasure, and sorry to hear about the guppies - I've been through this same situation many, many times, especially with livebearers - mollies, platies, swordtails, etc...just like guppies. It could be that the wafers expanded and the guppy's stomachs are now pressing up against their swim bladders, causing some issues. But don't feel horrible - this happens, and it has certainly happened to me. What I've done now - in tanks with livebearers, I've switched to repashy food for the bottom dwellers - Soilent Green is a great choice, and you can mix that with a little community plus. Or you can use Repashy super green mixed with a little community plus. (what kind of bottom feeders? Plecos?) Repashy food is water based and doesn't expand like wafers, so if your guppies go after it, it is easy food for them to get through their digestive systems. There is always the battle between getting the bottom feeders their food, knowing guppies or other livebearers will go after it also. Don't get me wrong, wafers are great, and I do still use wafers occasionally in one tank where I have a large Bristlenose Pleco, clown loaches, and only a few livebearers. But I've found that with in tanks with a lot of livebearers, they will always go after the wafers, so switching to Repahsy food has been a great help - Repashy takes a little more time to prepare, but I've never had constipation issues in fish using it because there is no expansion. I have an older video on it, if its helpful: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pnmXdn2kiNqaiMU The peas are a great idea, and one other tip - I've found it is helpful to feed peas once a week, regardless of constipation issues. Peas are highest in fiber, and they help to clean out the digestive systems of my fish, as a preventative measure. So one day is their "peas" day, where everyone gets nothing but peas :)

[@boscoitalics]

i will try that with my favorite guppy, Michael Scott. Ive been doing the epsom salt baths. but I will fast them today and just do the peas because hes my favorite guppy. all black and white guppy

[@dmichaelsfishden]

I LOVE the name Michael Scott....lol. That's great! Any luck with the peas? If they don't take them right away or are hesitant eating them (guppies should go right after peas), you can always add a little Seachem Garlic Guard to them. Gives them a garlic flavor that fish find irresistible. :)

[@boscoitalics]

@@dmichaelsfishden he passed away last night sadly :*(

[@akisuper2730]

thank you for making this video! i’m really worried about my platy :-(

[@dmichaelsfishden]

My pleasure! Hope it helps!

[@trojan550]

I'm so glad I saw this video I have a firemouth chiclid that was doing the same thing, after eating half a pleco tablet. I will do the same thing with Epsom salts and peas.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Glad it was helpful! Those tablets really expand. I was shocked when I saw how much that tablet expanded overnight in a bowl. Imagine what it does inside fish's stomach. I have modified my feeding regimen to include peas once a week. It really helps "clean" the fish out. Really appreciate you watching!

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Are you a USC fan? Just guessing from the KZbin handle?

[@wilbyteng2292]

Hi sir I'm really worried because I fen my 4 inch koi grilled corn. I wanted to ask if is that anything to be worried about?

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Wilby - Since it was grilled and softer, I think it may be ok. I don't have any experience with fish eating corn, but yours certainly isn't picky and has a good appetite. I know this comment is a little late and hope he is doing well now. At the time, and again, sorry this is late, I would fast him for a few days then see if he would take some peas to try to get that corn cleaned out....peas are high in fiber and can help clean out a fish's system

[@loriroeser8320]

I've been feeding my pleco nothing but wafers all his life and I have a tank full of generation of Molly's and I just seen this happen he's floating vertically straight up not down so I'll throw in there was some Epsom salts thanks so much I'll have my babies for a long time long time also have a big huge goldfish named Goldie bigger than my foot and I love my babies hahaha

[@mschell2007]

Thank you so much I will do this because my fish is vertical I hope it works I don’t want her to die

[@dmichaelsfishden]

My pleasure, Melissa! Good luck - hope everything works out! 😀

[@hehehsshhwhaushzbshdhdhshs8767]

Hey my goldfish has been like upside down/ on the side for 14 hours now. I gave it a mushed pea to help the constipation if it is constipation but it didn’t do anything and I can’t go to my local vet or fish store because they are shut due to corona. What do I do?

[@Sabriel3632]

Did you see the video about giving salt baths?

[@dmichaelsfishden]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/o3qxqYt_ZsR5edk hopefully this video helps. Just like us, if we feel horribly constipated and full, eating isn't something we always want to do. Same with fish....so the goal of the salt bath is to try to bring the constipation down just enough so the fish is comfortable eating, then we try the peas. It is really the peas that cleans the fish out. Hope that helps!

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Thanks, Kyrra! I linked that video in the comments - hopefully it isn't too late to still try to help!

[@EyezLikaFox̌]

I dont know if my baby koi has this or is dying. He/she is curled and floating on the top. I dont know if it will be willing to eat or not, my wife is getting epsom salt and peas right now!!! :( heart broken, we have had her for only 16 days. Shes just a baby, 4". This was very sudden. Came home today to her floating curled up. Dont have much hope 😭

[@sierra7635]

Question! Need help: one of my glo tetras has a slight swim bladder issue, every time she stops actively swimming she starts to float slightly to the top, and she ate a little more than usual today so I think the swim bladder issue may be caused by eating too much. I heard a pea is a good way to go; my only question is if the problem is caused by overeating how long should I wait until I feed her the pea?

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Hi Sierra - a few things you can try. You can try faster for a few days. She may "clean herself out" in a few days. I would try that first, 2 or 3 day fast. Then I would try to pea and she if she takes it. If she doesn't take it yet, wait one more day - hopefully she will be hungry enough then. Peas are super high in fiber and help clean out the fish 😀

[@fishdogsandotherpets6839]

@@dmichaelsfishden hey, my dwarf gourami is eating and looks healthy, but is swimming up and down the corner of the tank. Any idea?

[@Spider_nut]

My commet gold is doing the same thing. But it's been about a month and still floating forward. Whould you recommend the same process?

[@KFrost-fx7dt]

All prepared food expand in water. Some fish seem to be able to deal with it better than others. I always soak pellets overnight.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Right you are, sir!! At the time I wasn't aware of this - great idea soaking pellets overnight. Now I've mostly gone to frozen food, repashy, or daphnia when I can get it 👍 Keep spreading the word on this. Thanks for commenting!

[@arielrickers4757]

My fish is having constipation problems to were she will eat for a few days, then she will float at the top until she poops then she's fine. I'm not sure how to fix this unless I dont feed them for a few days then I just feed them again and it happens again so idk

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Hi Ariel - if she is still eating, that is a good sign - hard to tell sometimes, but a few things you can do - if she is eating, I would try feeding the peas - they are highest in fiber and will help clean her out. If you suspect it might be an internal bacterial infection somewhere in the digestive tract, you can use medication with the peas. You would put a little tank water in a bowl, mix that with some Seachem Metroplex and Seachem Focus (Focus helps the medication bind to the peas), and let the peas soak it up a little. To entice her to eat it, you could add some Seachem Garlic Guard for flavor. If you don't want to feed peas, you can do the same thing with flakes or other food, but the peas should really help clean things out. Sounds like she might have a small blockage in there somewhere - Hope that helps a little!

[@kalifields4897]

I have an x-ray tetra who’s swimming kinda strange. He’s swimming with his head crooked to the side. I’m thinking maybe he’s been gasping air from feeding on the surface... all my other fish are healthy. They are in a 20 gallon long. I hope and pray that this can fix him. I’ve had them for over a year ;-; I have those 6 tetras and a female betta named Aurora. The heater I have in there is working and the filter is flowing great. I came home after work tonight and a started to tear up. I’m gonna try everything you listed except for the heater thing. I can’t change the temp and it sits at 72-74 F. If anyone knows what to do about the temp, I’m all ears.

[@kellyf.653]

We are having this same issue! Our fancy guppies got into the algae wafers we were feeding the snails. Thank you so much for this video.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

My pleasure, Kelly! Glad it was helpful!

[@chrispalmer9802]

What is your staple food for the mollies? Flake or pellets?

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Hey Chris - I never feed pellets to mollies anymore. I find they if they eat too much the food expands in their stomach and I’ll have swim bladder problems. Pellets are a lot denser of a food. So now I feed flakes and a lot of Repashy food 👍

[@chrispalmer9802]

@@dmichaelsfishden Ahh. The Repashy could be my answer. That's the kind you make into a gelatin or cake? What type of repashy do you feed to mollies and could it be used as a staple food if I possibly used two types? I have a 125g with two fx4s and I'm not wanting to put intake sponges on so I'm trying to figure out a type of food that wont be as easily sucked into the filters like a flake food would. Mollies are all in QT right now (10g) eating flake food.

[@Stellarrrr927]

I gave my green diano zebra fish peas but she didnt eat it and my fish cant swim like when it tries to swim up it sinks down kinda fast

[@Stellarrrr927]

My fish died.... 😭😢😭😭😢 i really miss her

[@kevinbrislawn5918]

this sounds logical

[@nikkopresley5168]

Would this work ok a goldfish? I don't know what type he is but he's 11 years old and is just hanging on his side with the part of his body were the tail fin is bent, any advise?

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Nikko - so sorry to hear about your goldfish. Is he floating on the surface? Is his tail fin bent? Unfortunately, this doesn't sound like a swim bladder issue caused from constipation, if his tail is bent. Did this just start? Is your goldfish still eating?

[@nikkopresley5168]

dmichaels fish den he's at the bottom of the tank on his side but he's barley moving around and not eating

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Nikko - Really sorry to hear that. Unfortunately, this sounds more like another infection/illness. Are his scales protruding out, everywhere, like a pine cone? Does he have any white cottony patchy looking growths on him?

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Nikko - sounds like a fungus infection, which is what the cottony stuff is....those are hard on fish. He obviously isn't too happy 😢 This is why he is lying on his side. The medication is about all you can do with a fungus infection. You are doing the right thing 👍 Fish can recover from that. I'm very glad he doesn't have dropsy (scales protruding). Dropsy is almost impossible to cure/recover from. Keep up the meds, do your water change and monitor your guy. You are doing the same thing I would do...If I can help any further, let me know 👍

[@karlidemarco1746]

Do i have to separate my sick fish or should i just treat my whole tank of fish?

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Karli - sorry for the late reply here. Generally, it is best to separate the sick fish, if you can. You can put them in a 2.6 or 3 gallon tank for quarantine. You can even use a bucket, if you have an airstone you can run in it. If you can't separate, you can still treat the whole tank. Meds stress the fish a little, but all the fish should be just fine if you are only doing a few rounds of dosing. Hope that helps a little

[@Jrob90]

My silver molly is doing the same but head facing up seems to swim fine but when the male is near her she will go facing up

[@larryellis2698]

used pea 'salt and melafix on my guppy in a 1 gallon tank that was not able to swim yesterday and now today is swimming and eating again. got pic but wont let me post

[@jmantkd87]

Thank you! Just did the same thing for my guppy. I was wondering how many days do you give them the bath? Once per day until they get better? Or only do it 1 time?

[@lloydwilliamz3792]

I can't get any epsome salt or melafix because of the coronavirus, is there anything I can do to save my fish?

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Hi Lloyd - the coronavirus has certainly made things very difficult for us. Unfortunately, Epsom Salt is the only salt I know of that helps with bloating. If you can't get it at all, the only thing we can do is to fast the fish for several days, then try to see if your fish will eat peas. The peas will help clean its system out. I think you should be able to find Epsom Salt at most grocery stores though - you may have to look for it, but it should be there somewhere. Sorry for the late reply here. I wish I had a better alternate solution if you aren't able to get the epsom salt...

[@lloydwilliamz3792]

@@dmichaelsfishden cheers mate

[@mota307]

Hi !! Thank you!! That was absolutely wonderful!! And my fish liked it!!

[@dmichaelsfishden]

My pleasure, mota307! Thank you for watching!

[@charlotterimer4611]

Are all fish okay eating peas and having a salt bath? Great video by the way! :)

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Hi Charlotte - so sorry for the late reply here - yep, it is ok for most fish to eat peas and get salt baths. The only fish that would get a little more stressed are "scaleless" fish like Clown Loaches, etc...Otherwise, most fish are fine with the salt baths and peas :)

[@charlotterimer4611]

@@dmichaelsfishden that's brilliant - thank you!!

[@TheGamer-jd5sh]

Ok, so I have a 10 gallon tank and one of my glofish is just swimming very oddly. I don't know what to do and I don't feel like putting him in a different tank because I just got this tank like last week. So would it be ok if I put a pea on a pan until it gets soft and put it in my 10 gal tank?

[@sheilaporter3003]

just saw this today. my huge goldfish is suffering from swim bladder for sure. I don't want to treat the whole aquarium so I'm thinking of getting a hospital tank for treatment. I know you said you treated the fish with a little epsom, but would you think a salt bath and then peas would work?

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Hi Sheila - Thanks for the message! Depending on the cause of the swim bladder, yes, epsom salt and peas can work. This type of treatment helps fish that are bloated, when their stomach starts pressing up against their swim bladder, affecting the fish's ability to swim correctly, ascend, or descend in the water. Is your goldfish eating anything at all? The idea is to use the salt baths (once or twice a day, depending on severity, for no longer than 7 straight days, in my experience) to try to reduce the fish's bloating and try to relieve any constipation. If the bloating can be relieved and your fish is eating, peas are high in fiber and will help clean out her system. 👍 Kinda - their version of a laxative. 😀 You can also dip peas in the diluted Epsom Salt solution (the second solution I used in the video) and then feed to your goldfish. I don't usually treat my whole tank with the epsom salt, nor do i usually set up a hospital tank. The baths have worked best for me in the past. Is your goldfish otherwise healthy? Let me know how things go, and if I can help any further 😀

[@sheilaporter3003]

he's active but swimming disoriented for 2 days. I just did the Epsom bath. he didn't look like he ate the peas at all. but the other fish liked them. I will try again tomorrow and see if there is any improvement. I did a 1 tsp to 1 gallon for 15 mins

[@sheilaporter3003]

oh... and I did give a similar pleco food in the tank a few days ago. :S

[@dmichaelsfishden]

That should be fine - remember, it might take a few baths to do the trick. Try once a day...we are trying to get him to eat...reduce the bloating enough so he'll go for the peas. Like us, if he's constipated and bloated, he probably doesn't feel like eating much 🤢 I wouldn't go anymore than 7 days, though. I always stopped my baths once the fish started eating again, which was usually after 3 or 4 days 😀

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Yep - All processed food expands to a certain degree - but those pleco wafers seem to expand more - and they are really mean for plecos, bottom feeders, etc..I hear ya...same thing happened to me again and again - I ended up switching to Repashy food....I still have wafers but only use them in an emergency or when I'm in a rush 😀

[@andersonpozzatti793]

Thank you. I thought the opposite of the algae wafers. Going to stop give my fish that and hopefully it will do the trick

[@mjade1673]

Why is turning the heat up useful🤔🤷🏻‍♀️ ?

[@racing7m]

How often do I need to add the Epsom salt in my 20 gallon tank

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Use 1/4 - 1/2 a teaspoon per 10 gallons but only about 7 days max. Long term exposure to Epsom may cause Anemia. Watch the fish and note improvements. You may not need to go the full 7 days. After the treatment, do a water change to remove the salt. Epsom salt does not evaporate. It needs to be removed through a water change. If you would rather try a salt dip rather than treating the entire tank, I have a video on my channel on giving your fish a salt dip/bath. Good luck! If I can be of more help let me know!

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Typo above! 1/4 - 1/2 a tablespoon, not teaspoon. I used 1/2 tablespoon in my 20

[@fpvyu9772]

will the pea get stuck in the fish and not come out i have a danio

[@dmichaelsfishden]

After you peel off the shell of the pea (after blanching it) just cut the pea up into tiny little pieces - that will make it easier for the danio to eat. Almost mash the pea up between two of your fingers - if your danio goes after the little particles, he/she will still get the fiber 👍

[@narusasuhugefan]

My rummy nose tetra is upside down but she’s still breathing I can’t buy peas because the stores are all closed What should I do?

[@dmichaelsfishden]

I'm so sorry for the late reply. If your rummy nose is upside down, that is a big swim bladder issue. Unfortunately, it's probably swim bladder disease. I hope this isn't too late, but please check out my video on giving fish a salt bath with espom salt. I'm so sorry to hear, and I'm sorry I got to this late. Work has been super busy. Please let me know if I can help further

[@narusasuhugefan]

dmichaels fish den hi Michael! I’m a young subscriber from Hong Kong and I love your videos!🤩 Thanks for replying and don’t worry my fish is fine now! I’ve been feeding it peas for two days and now all her colours are back and she’s swimming properly, she actually looks even better than when I first got her😂 Anyways thank you for replying! I think your probably replied later than you wanted to cuz of the time difference haha Cheers!

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Thanks, Brostop! Appreciate the kind words and proud to have you as a subscriber! Very glad to hear your fish is doing much better! 👍

[@rayeatsnoodlez6172]

People have been saying that peas kill their fish

[@manohar9855]

Help: I have a zebra which is having trouble staying horizontal as its body tends to go vertical. but when its swimming around seems to be fine. is this a swim bladder issue? any help is appreciated thanks.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Manohar - it certainly could be...it is always a little hard to tell, but if it is trying to stay horizontal but its body goes vertical, it definitely could be. The questions is, is the fish constipated, with the stomach pressing up against the swim bladder, or is it actual swim bladder disease.....if it is actual swim bladder disease, which could be brought on by a bacterial infection, or it simply could be genetics, it is a tough one to cure. A lot of the "treatment" is beyond my pay grade, which involves using a needle to remove excess fluid or build up from the swim bladder, but that has to be done over and over again. The only medication I've heard that has helped sometimes is Seachem Kanaplex, which is a med that is absorbed internally by the fish and could get a bacterial infection handled, but it's a 50/50 thing at best. If it is constipation, you can handle that with some epsom salt baths to try to bring the bloating down until the fish can eat some tiny pieces of peas, which will help clean him out...Hope that all helps a little

[@devildevil930]

Mine bala fish goes on rolling upside down Can you tell me what's wrong with it

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Devil devil - sorry for the late reply here. If its rolling upside down, I have to assume this is a swim bladder issue. Sorry to hear about that. It seems like your bala is having a hard time keeping its buoyancy. Either that or it might have some type of internal bacterial infection - It's definitely not feeling well. Without seeing it or knowing a little more, I'm not sure I can diagnose what's going on, but usually in these cases medication is called for. If it helps there is a really great medication out there you can use if you don't know what the issue is - it's called Seachem Polyguard. Treats a wide range of diseases, infections, and issues. I might give that a try...if it was me and I had no idea what my fish had, that's what I would try. Hope that helps a little and again sorry to hear about your bala.

[@devildevil930]

Thank you for your reply but my bala fish is already dead😣

[@pareenganbayanglen1609]

pls tell me dose it also work for guppies

[@dmichaelsfishden]

It will, absolutely. But only to help with bloating, if it is constipation. If it really is swim bladder disease, that's tougher. I have a recent video introducing a new series on disease. But this should definitely help if your guppy is constipated...seems to happen fairly often with livebearers as they have enormous appetites and will eat just about anything in the tank...

[@laithprod9789]

That is same thing that happened to my molly it kept on eating it and has swim bladder Edit: right after I finished the video I checked on my Malloy it was dead I buried it in my yard

[@dmichaelsfishden]

I'm sorry to hear about your Molly. Don't feel bad - we've all been through it. I've lost a few fish this way myself too. I'm glad you gave it a good burial though..😀 Don't let this discourage you - keep tankin on 😀

[@laithprod9789]

Thank you

[@dmichaelsfishden]

My pleasure!

[@crystalstrata]

I'm at my wit's end with one of my Lemon Tetras. He /She has been having swim bladder problems for a good couple of months now. It hovers head up, frantically swimming on the spot. It has problems feeding because of the difficulty manoeuvring and can't eat from the bottom as head always up. Peas are no good for this reason. How it's still alive I just don't know! I have tried three times to catch it to give an Epsom salts bath but it's like streak lightening when I go near so it has no problem swimming in a straight line if it has to. I'm not sure about the Epsom salts in tthe tank because of my shrimp. Can you offer any advice please? xxx

[@miguelnastor2364]

Hi I just bought a black moor 2 days ago and he swims ok but today he doesn't look so good and he just floats at the top and he only moves normal when it's feeding time so I hope you can help me with this.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Miguel - Black Moors can be tough due to breeding. They often have a lot of issues with swim bladder. You can try to reduce the swelling, through Epsom salt baths. But if he is floating at the top, that might not be a good sign. This could be a real swim bladder issue. This video deals with constipation. Actual real swim bladder disease is another story. Is he upside down? Sideways? Or can he stay somewhat normal?

[@miguelnastor2364]

dmichaels fish den my fish is normal when he floats but he doesn't move at all and I'm curious why is he floating straight not upside down or sideways I don't know why

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Miguel - if he is floating at all, that's a bad sign, man. You can try an epsom bath to get him to try to eat, but then you'll need the fiber from the peas. Constipation or swim bladder disease does no† care about wha† position you fish is in.....I wish it did...I could give you a better answer. Try a few epsom salt baths for a few days...if he looks better...try to feed peas...if he doesn't take the peas and is still swollen....it's a bacterial deal...and we are too late. Please keep in touch with me and let me know how it goes. I'm really sorry, brotha...

[@miguelnastor2364]

dmichaels fish den I'm to late he's dead😭

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Really sorry man...it's the hardest thing we go through. I'm really sorry. Here if you need to vent...

[@jennifermcneill7792]

Will this work for goldfish

[@anuraagyarramreddy1690]

does this work for bettas?

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Absolutely, if you can get them to eat the peas, it should. VERY high in fiber and cleans them out. Epsom salt treatments for 4 or 5 days will work as well, in addition to the Melafix, if your Betta won't touch the peas (they are more carnivorous, as you know). I've gone away from wafers, except in an emergency. One of my new favorite foods is the Repashy line of products. www.repashy.com Try the "Meat Pie" for fish. Doesn't smell very delicious, but your Betta should love it! Hope that helps! Best thing we can do is find the root of the problem and eradicate that, then, hopefully, we won't need to use these treatments. And as a disclaimer: Wafers are great, when given in appropriate amounts. My Molly in the video was not supposed to eat as much of the wafer as she did (it was for my Bristlenose Pleco), and you can see the expansion once that wafer is in water overnight. Her eyes were bigger than her stomach, as usual.....

[@etoic4384]

dmichaels23 can you use frozen soy bean?

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Johnathan - a great question. Here's the deal with soy bean: Soy Beans have about 2 grams of dietary fiber in them per cup. Peas have 16 grams of dietary fiber in them per cup. So while the short answer is yes, you can try soy beans, they aren't as high in fiber as peas. Remember, the reason we use the peas is for their high fiber content, which helps "clean out" the fish. Kind of like giving your fish immodium. There is also less sodium in peas (4mg per cup) than soy beans (140mg per cup), so the reduced sodium is helpful. Don't want to add to the constipation or bloating :) I'd go with the peas :)

[@marielephant1]

Anuraag Yarramreddy Please do not use melafix to treat betta fish. Yes melafix does work on bettas, but it can also cause lots of issues. It can cause gill burn (which I have seen in my own fish when I use to use it) and it can make it hard for them to breathe

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Good advice, marielephant1!

[@micksmusicchannel]

Good video thanks for Posting

[@jamesodonoghue7018]

This has just happened to 2 of my colombian tetra I see one of them eat a big piece it bit off now it has swim bladder

[@986maggie]

Hi, did you put the Epsom in that tank or did you take the effected fish into a temporary tank?

[@indreshprajapati9095]

Friend my flowerhorn is swimming sideways and have bumb in stomach he is ill for 2 week and i started epsom slat treatment and tetracycline 1week ago in 10 gallon tank and temp is 32 degree celcius but still no sign of cure i am seeing he is not eating any thing pea also. I also use a medicine for internal parasite his stomach and Gill flap is exposed to air and turning white like burn because of continuous exposer to air. Can you please help me 😭😭😭. Before the disease he was not eating food and had white poop after this he got the floating disease because i did not clean the water for many days because of some reason, this was may flaut. If you this comment please reply.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Indresh - I'm sorry to hear about your flowerhorn. At this point, the epsom salt baths won't do much for him and could cause more stress. The epsom salt baths are intended to bring down bloating and constipation so your fish is able to eat and take peas. Unfortunately, this sounds like a possible internal bacterial infection, which could be affecting his swim bladder. The white poop is a sign of an internal bacterial infection. If he isn't eating, the best medication I know of that is absorbed internally by the fish is Seachem Kanaplex, which is what I would try, especially if he isn't eating. If he was eating, I would feed him medicated food with Seachem Metroplex using Seachem Focus to help the medication attach to the food. At this point, though, I would try Seachem Kanaplex....definitely keep his water clean as well. I would do a 40 - 50% water change, then add the Kanaplex to the water column. In my experience, that is probably the best option at this point and that is what I would do. Hope he pulls through! Let me know if I can help further, and again, sorry to hear he got ill 😔

[@indreshprajapati9095]

dmichaels fish den thanks for your suggestion 😊👍

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Indresh prajapati my pleasure! Hope it helps!

[@indreshprajapati9095]

dmichaels fish den i am still using WORM OUT medicine for internal parasite, would it not work? Can you check this medicine on net and tell me.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Indresh prajapati in my experience worn out likely won’t work - white poop is a sign of an intestinal bacterial infection. Worm out is intended for parasites. Kanaplex is a broad spectrum antibiotic that should help with the bacterial infection. That’s what it sounds like. If you want an all in one if you suspect he has parasites as well, my best advice is Seachem Polyguard. Treats bacterial, fungal, and parasitic infections. You might try that, though I would give your guy a few days rest with meds before polyguard. It’s a strong medication and meds can sometimes be hard in a fish’s internal organs.

[@Mskittey]

This exact thing happened to my discus. I gave him a epson salt bath and now he’s fine

[@cmharper5049]

My female guppy has a problem i think its sb but she was fine yesterday and today she’s upside down and has a little chunk of her tail fin missing how dobi treat this and have your fish ever had this problem?

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Oh boy...a chunk of her tail fin could cause swimming issues but wouldn't make her go upside down. Do you know how a chunk of her tail fin went missing? Any big aggressive fish in the tank? Anything sharp that could have torn it in the tank? This has never happened to me but I have had fish get injured many times. One got stuck in the top whole of a coconut cave and ripped most of its scales off. If you have a quarantine tank, I'd move your fish to that tank and immediately treat for bacterial infection: Erthythromycin or Triple Sulfa. Erthythro is the best in my experience. If you don't have a quarantine tank, you can treat the show tank. After treating for bacterial infection, you can use Melafix to help heal the wound further. As for the upside down issue, this does sound like swim bladder - is your guppy eating? If this is a swim bladder issue due to constipation Epsom Salt baths will help, as well as peas (after the bacterial treatment noted above). If this isn't constipation, and if it is swim bladder disease that is a tough one....awfully hard to cure without minor surgeries, and even then...tough. If it is something inside the fish that is bacterial, the Erthythromycin will help with that. Really sorry to hear about your fish :( This is a tough one. Hope that helps. Let me know if I can help further...

[@cmharper5049]

I will try to do as you say i have only had this problem once and the fish passed away because my family and i didnt know how to treat this issue thank you for the advice and i will infact kepp u posted on this

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Cmharper 50 this is the toughest of all diseases. Sometimes, no matter what we do, we may lose our fish. All we can do is the best we can, based on our experience. Keep in touch. Let me know if I can help further.

[@cmharper5049]

I will and i got meds for her the fin is going to be fine i think ( ive had fish with ripped fins worse than hers) and as for the swim bladder i still am not sure and she will be getting her first empsom salt bath as soon as her fin is better thank you for all the help like you said it is really tough losing a fish especially one that you had just long enough for her personality to come out. And im going to treat the whole tank for bacterial infection as my male guppy is showing signs of tail rot. I seriously can not thank you enough

[@dmichaelsfishden]

It's my pleasure. I've been there, many times. Tough to go through, but...sounds like you have a great plan in place! All we can do is the best we can for our fish. Sometimes we cure them, sometimes we don't. But no one can fault us for not trying all we can 👍 Let me know if I can help further and keep up the great work!!

[@theajtruth]

Thanks for this video, now I'm not going to give them a dry one. I'm going to soak them near the top then I'll let it sink down.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

My pleasure! Definitely soak them and let them expand a little first. 😀 You won't get the bloating issues!

[@taukirahmed1270]

@@dmichaelsfishden I am Taukir from Bangladesh.I need to contact your number, Please.I have a big problem.My what's app number is [phone]

[@gabrielaacevedo4107]

Great tutorial! You have a great week as well! #SaturdayandWiggly

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Thank you, Gabriela! Glad it was helpful!

[@lauraslifejourney238]

Will canned peas work?

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Laura - personally, I avoid canned peas (due to the sodium). If you can find canned peas with low sodium, you can try, but I personally always stick to frozen peas. Good question! :)

[@dmichaelsfishden]

That being said, Laura, it is effective when peas are soaked in a diluted Epsom Salt solution, but I would just be careful about the ingredients in the canned peas - I get nervous about the preservatives in the can - I always like to err on the safe side, which for me is the frozen peas. Hope all that helped!

[@delaw2xoxo269]

THANK YOU SO MUCH !

[@dmichaelsfishden]

My pleasure!

[@MR-wy4wh]

How much epsom salt do i put in my 10 gallon tank?

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Really sorry for the late reply here - I wouldn't add it directly into the tank as long exposure to epsom salt isn't great for fish - What I would do is a bath...I have a video on that here kzbin.info/www/bejne/o3qxqYt_ZsR5edk Hope that helps a little!

[@shyamKumar-cf6jt]

what are tips to avoid it

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Shyam - you can pre-soak them, but fish are sometimes less apt to "dig in" when the food is pre-soaked. In my experience, my best solution has been to feed wafers less. As a substitute, I now use Repashy food as my staple - since it's a water based gel, prepared, it doesn't expand to the extent wafers will. I haven't taken wafers out of the fish's diet, just feed them once a week now. For the plecos, otos, etc...I'll use Repashy's bottom scratcher or morning wood combined with soilent green...Hope that helps! Appreciate you checking out the video!

[@cdstiojuoo9048]

Thank you! This helped my molly fry.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

I'm glad it helped!!! Keep me posted 😀

[@cdstiojuoo9048]

Now she's back to normal, and swimming with the others. :D

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Yes!!! 💯

[@jairocampos2584]

Great video

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Thanks, Jairo! Hope it was helpful. Appreciate you checking it out!

[@ankumishra8429]

nice video thanks...

[@dmichaelsfishden]

My pleasure, Anku. Hope it was helpful!

[@IWU447]

Will my fish die if I can't cure it?

[@dmichaelsfishden]

I Wolfy - there is always a chance, but it depends on the issue. If it's actual swim bladder disease, that's tough to cure. If it's constipation and the fish can't poop, and its stomach is pressing up against it's swim bladder, that can be cured by getting rid of the constipation. The other problem with a constipated fish with food just sitting in its stomach is that this can cause an infection in its digestive tract or stomach. I have another video on the channel on how to give your fish a salt bath, which might be helpful for you - it's a way to give epsom salt baths enough to take swelling down to get the fish to eat some peas, which should help clean the fish out. You can add medication to the peas as well, and that will cure any internal bacterial disease. If the fish won't eat, you can do salt baths and try Kanaplex medication, which is absorbed internally by the fish. So if its actual swim bladder disease, there is really no cure for that. If its bloating and/or constipation, yes, this can be cured, and your fish will be just fine. What's going on with your fish?

[@IWU447]

dmichaels fish den well i just bought him from walmart (you know how they don't take care of their fish but whatever) and when I first looked at him he spends most of the time by the surface. When he tries to swim down it seems like he has trouble moving. Also yesterday when I got him he would eat and today in the morning I gave him some pellets and he still hasn't eaten one. I tried giving him peas too but they all sank and he's still at the surface without an interest of eating.

[@IWU447]

dmichaels fish den well he spends most of the time by the surface. When he tries to swim down it seems like he has trouble moving. I only had him for a day and when I got him I gave him food and he ate it. Today in the morning I gave him food and he still hasn't eaten one single pellet. In the evening I gave him peas and they sank to the bottom but my Betta still doesn't have an interest of eating.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

does he look swollen, bloated? It definitely sounds like he isn't feeling good, especially if he isn't eating. Sorry to hear that 😔 If it was me, I would medicate him (especially if he is from Walmart) with a combination of: Seachem Kanaplex (absorbed internally by the fish) with Seachem Metroplex. If your local store only carries API medications, I would use both general cure and erythromycin at the same time. If he isn't bloated or swollen in his belly, this isn't a constipation issue - the fact that he isn't eating isn't good and he definitely sounds sick. Using either of the two medication options will provide a broad base of antibiotics. Bettas are tough, so he might pull through, but it sounds like he definitely needs some medication to help cure him.

[@dmichaelsfishden]

I would also take out any food that is remaining in the tank so it doesn't decompose in there. If he can't swim down and has trouble moving, this could be actual swim bladder disease, which is really hard to cure - there are ways to help by poking his swim bladder and releasing air, etc...but it's so complicated for most of us we stand the risk of killing the fish that way...it's risky and it's not permanent. In this case, a broad spectrum antibiotic of Seachem Kanaplex with Seachem Metroplex might help. But also - please know, whatever it is making him sick, he could have had it for awhile at the store as well, so it could be kind of far along....all you can do is the best you can for him right now. Keep his water nice and clean and the water temperature between 75 - 82 degrees 👍Sometimes we get fish from the store that wouldn't have made it anyway, sometimes they pull through, sometimes there are perfectly fine and healthy....you just never know, but whatever happens, don't let it discourage you! 😀

[@bibatakouanda8442]

My fish is sick and hes swiming upside down can you help me and thank you your the best and stay save from covid 19 thank you again🤗🤗

[@hannahgreenbrook6033]

One of my guppies is doing that but its head up instead

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Hannah - yep, it can be head up, head down, or both. I'm sorry to hear that! Sounds like a swim bladder issue, definitely. Did it start just recently?

[@hannahgreenbrook6033]

dmichaels fish den yeah

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Hannah - the good news is you caught it early. I have another video on how to give your fish a salt bath - give that a try and let me know how it goes. Some epsom salt baths can help 😀 let me know how I can help further

[@yungsnup]

my new tetra is swimming sideways and swimming up and down and side ways

[@SarthakC7]

Now I realise 62k people's have heart 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 I can understand that happen to me today My parrot cichlid is 😓

[@dmichaelsfishden]

So sorry to hear. Hope your girl gets better!

[@charlieyates7533]

Plz help I tried peas but it didn't work and it is getting worse

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Charlie - is he still eating peas?

[@maralyn4403]

trying this today for my platy..

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Maralyn - thanks for checking out the video! Let me know how things go and if I can be of further help. I do have another video on the channel about how to give your fish an epsom salt bath (it's an older video). If it is not true swim bladder disease, but constipation (which could push up against the swim bladder) the most effective treatment I know of in my experience are epsom salt baths to get swelling and constipation down until the fish can eat. Once eating, peas will help completely clean things out. On another note, though I still feed wafers to my bottom feeders, I only do that occasionally. I've switched to Repashy foods - as a water based gelatin, there isn't nearly as much expansion 😀

[@aquariummasters5389]

My silver mollie has swim blatter too

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Sorry to hear that - it can be common with Mollies sometimes (Since they eat everything). Hopefully it is just constipation and the stomach is just pushing up against the swim bladder....you can try an epsom salt bath to reduce the bloating and try to feed peas 👍I've had a lot of mollies in the past, and I had to completely stop feeding them wafers - they expanded too much in their stomachs and caused too much bloating....I switched to repashy food

[@aquariummasters5389]

It was constipation she is fine now

[@sharikshaikh30]

How to fix it for flowerhorn??

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Sharik - I have another video on the channel on how to give a fish a salt bath, with the measurements. Of course, with a flowerhorn, you will need more water and perhaps a bigger bucket - but it's the same process. Really sorry you are going through this - I assume your flowerhorn is bloated? One other thing that helped me. I stopped feeding these wafers and switched to Repashy food - I also started feeding peas to all my fish once a week - It helps clean them out. I hope that helps!

[@sharikshaikh30]

dmichaels fish den can I feed peas to my flowerhorn?

[@dmichaelsfishden]

Sharik - sure can! Thought I'm not sure if your Flowerhorn will take to them right away - but give it a try! How is he doing?

[@sharikshaikh30]

dmichaels fish den thx to you, now he's a bit better 👍

[@dmichaelsfishden]

So glad to hear!! Keep up the good work!