Constipation is a common problem associated with caring and taking care of pet fish. Goldfish are not entirely out in this scene. Goldfish also suffer constipation. Constipation is a digestive problem that can be associated with difficulty, little or no bowel movement.
You can treat constipation in goldfish by adding a tablespoon of suitable aquarium salt to every 5 gallons of water. Changing the food diet can also be efficient in treating constipation. Likewise, withholding and regulating the fish’s food can also be very valuable as it allows undigested food to digest and prevents accumulation.
Goldfish constipation is associated with indigestion. This condition sometimes results in overfeeding. Constipation in goldfish is a critical condition, and if you don’t treat it in time, it might be difficult for the fish to recover.
Constipation is a condition that aquarists can easily prevent in their goldfish. It is all about regulated feeding, and adding an appropriate supply of food to the fish tank. However, in the case where the goldfish is already suffering from constipation, you need to take swift actions.
To ensure the safety and right health conditions of the fishes, you must take specific steps to treat and prevent goldfish constipation. Below is a video which shows you a few steps you can take.
Goldfish Constipation Symptoms
Constipation mainly occurs when the food eaten by a fish does not digest. This indigestion can cause restlessness and disturbance to the fish. Goldfish mostly encounter this problem when they have too much food supply in their tank.
Constipation isn’t a thing that isn’t visible to good observers. The symptoms of constipation are very easy to know. They can be detected easily. Some of the symptoms include:
- Swollen Abdominal : One of the most prominent signs is the swollen abdomen. When a goldfish starts having a swollen belly, and it is not in its spawning period, then it shows that it is constipating.
- Reduced Activity : When a goldfish is constipating, its exercise reduces. It swims much less than it did before. Constipation dramatically affects the movement of goldfish.
- Resting At The Bottom Of The Tank : Relaxing at the bottom of the tank is characterized by constipation. When a goldfish rests at the bottom of the tank and does not swim much, then it is likely to be constipating.
- Abnormal Swimming : Constipating goldfish usually encounter swimming difficulty. Goldfish find it hard to swim as they typically do. You can either find them swimming sluggishly, taking rest at intervals during swimming, and you can also find them in awkward swimming positions.
- Loss Of Appetite : Constipating goldfish will lose interest in eating any more food. They will spend time trying to get rid of their discomfort instead. Also, constipating goldfish shows a general sign of distress.
Aside from the points above, some other physical signs can also indicate constipation. Constipating goldfish can appear physically bloated and also look very lethargic.
They can also let out uncontrollable feces, which is not typical of them. You can find the wastes trailing them as they struggle with obvious discomfort.
How Do You Treat Constipation In Goldfish
Getting rid of constipation and fixing its effect should be the next line of action as soon as you discover constipation in your goldfish. If you find out on time, you can easily take viable action to treat and prevent further occurrence of such conditions.
There are different ways of treating constipation in goldfish. The efficiency of the modified method of curing the illness varies. But there is a guarantee that any of the methods below will be useful in getting rid of this condition.
The different method of treating constipation includes the following:
- Withholding Food : You can get rid of constipation in goldfish by withholding food from the goldfish. Although it is not advisable to starve goldfish, it is better to skip a couple of meals than overfeed them. Goldfish can still survive up to 10-14 days without food as long as other parameters are in optimal condition.
- Regulating Diet : Regulating the goldfish diet is another practical approach to constipation. During the period of resolving the constipation issue, it is best to stop feeding your goldfish with pellets and fish food. Eating plants as well as foods that are easy to digest and foods that aid digestion should be better. Salt and sugar-free tinned peas are also useful in helping goldfish out of constipation because of their mild laxative effect.
- Increase The Fiber Content In Their Diet : Increasing the amount of fiber in the diet of goldfish is also useful in getting rid of constipation. This effectiveness is because grains naturally aid digestion. You can get an adequate supply of fibers in diets such as roughage and greenery.
- Treating With Suitable Aquarium Salt : This approach is better when you have all or almost all of the fish in your tank suffering from constipation. In a case where you have only one goldfish as a victim, you can separate them into a treatment or hospital tanks. Add an appropriate amount of the aquarium salt into tank conditions according to the manufacturer’s instruction. The significance of this method is that it helps the muscle relax; hence, it aids the smooth passage of feces.
What Can Help A Constipated Goldfish?
If your goldfish is constipated you can help them by feeding them soft food that is high in fiber such as peas. The fiber will act as a laxative and will help to ease the constipation.
Other foods you can use are
- Plants
- Small Live Food Such As Shrimp
- Lettuce
- Spinach
- Cucumber
- Zucchini
- Carrotts
Another thing you can do is add aquarium salt to the water (Available on Amazon) the salt will help to reduce the stress the fish might have as the salt acts as a muscle relaxer.
Can You Squeeze a Constipated Goldfish?
No, You can not squeeze a constipated goldfish as you will most likely cause serious damage to your goldfish insides and this could even lead to death of your goldfish.
I know it can be very tempting to try to squeeze your goldfish but please do not do it.
You will most likely damage an internal organ if you try to squeeze the goldfish, There is no quick fix for constipation.
Why Does My Goldfish Have Long Poop?
A long poop hanging from your goldfish is a sign that there is some issue with the fishes indigestion system. The most likely reason is due to overfeeding or constipation.
Another reason could be that the fish has not eaten enough fiber recently.
Typically a goldfish poop will be thin and soft and will have no problem comming out, it shouldnt be long and stringy.
If the poop is long and thick this is not healthy for the fish and you should take action right away, The best thing you can do is feed the goldfish soft food that is high in fiber such as peas.
Conclusion
Constipation is a condition that you can easily avoid in goldfish. It involves the creation of a suitable feeding routine with appropriate supply. A different diet can also help prevent the occurrence of constipation in goldfish.
However, once constipation hit your goldfish, you should take swift action towards finding a solution. You should proceed by regulating and withholding the diet of goldfish before applying other treatment strategies in the points highlighted above.
Just like humans, when we fall sick, there are always signs that indicate the type of disease and how you can go about the treatment. The same goes for goldfish. Whenever the goldfish is constipating, some symptoms will show that it is constipating.
The ability to identify these signs will make it easier for you to figure out when your goldfish is constipating. This identification will enable you to take swift action and curb the problem before getting too lethal.
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