Swim bladder disease is a malfunction of the air-filled organ that controls fish buoyancy. Affected fish float at the top, sink to the bottom, or swim sideways/upside down.
Constipation (most common), bacterial infection, physical injury, water temperature shock, or genetic deformity (common in fancy goldfish).
Always treat in a separate quarantine tank.
Pre-soak dry pellets to prevent expansion in the gut. Feed varied diet. Don't overfeed.
Floating sideways or upside down. Sinking and unable to swim up. Difficulty maintaining position.
Constipation (most common), bacterial infection, physical injury, water temperature shock, or genetic deformity (common in fancy goldfish).
Fasting + peas: Skip feeding for 2-3 days. Then offer skinned cooked peas (deshelled). Resolves 70%+ of cases (constipation-related).
Pre-soak dry pellets to prevent expansion in the gut. Feed varied diet. Don't overfeed.
Moderate - usually treatable except in genetic-deformity goldfish
Browse the full disease database for 45 aquarium conditions with treatment protocols, or check the care library for prevention-focused husbandry guides. Use our symptom matcher to rank likely diseases from observed signs, the water parameter checker to diagnose related water-quality issues, or the QT timeline calculator to plan a treatment schedule.