Goldfish Swim Bladder Disease

A goldfish's swim bladder is an organ used to adjust its buoyancy in the water so that it does not sink to the bottom of the tank or rise to the top. If it cannot adjust its swim bladder, it will be unable to properly search for food, which usually results in death. The following are the leading causes of goldfish swim bladder disease.

  1. Infections

    • Goldfish swim bladder disease is usually caused by a parasitic or bacterial infection. Treating the underlying cause will usually resolve the problem if it is caught early enough.

    Genetics

    • Breeders sometimes unwittingly create a strain of goldfish with a genetic predisposition to swim bladder disease as they try to establish a certain trait, such as a particular color or tail shape.

    Nutritional Factors

    • Goldfish fed a diet lacking in proper nutrients are very susceptible to swim bladder disease, although if the diet is improved it will often recover. Also, a diet that leads to constipation can swell the abdomen to such an extent that the swim bladder cannot function.

    Disease

    • Cancer and tuberculosis can cause swim bladder problems if they attack organs near the swim bladder.

    External Factors

    • A rapid change in water temperature or blunt trauma sometimes caused by fighting can cause swim bladder disease.