Why is my fish not eating, has yellow poop, and a growth under eye?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Charlie is not eating anymore. I fed him yesterday morning,after school, and just now and he is not eating he has a poop hanging from his but but it is yellow not clear I am very worried because he is very special to me I think you relate to how I am feeling also he has a groth under his eye
2 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on May 4th, 2018
Check the water temperature. Low temps can affect appetite and digestion in fish. Angels do best between 78 F and 80 F. You can soak food in garlic juice to stimulate his appetite. Next, check the water chemistry. This can be done using a home test kit or by submitting a water sample for testing. Most pet stores will do this for free or for a small fee. Confirm 0 ppm ammonia and nitrites with nitrates at 40ppm or less in a tank with live plants or 20 ppm or less in an unplanted tank. Partial water changes can be done, if indicated, to stabilize chemistry and/or maintain water quality. use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent stress or shock. Although they do best in slightly acidic and soft water, they are quite adaptable. Fast him for 2-3 days then feed bits of cooked and shelled green peas. if he is constipated then this should him him get regular again. A broad spectrum parasite medication, such as PraziPro, should be considered. You can find it in the aquarium section of the local Petco. Follow label directions carefully.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on December 3rd, 2017
Check the water chemistry. Confirm ammonia and nitrite levels are 0.25ppm or less and nitrates are 40ppm or less. Use a liquid test kit or submit a sample for testing. Most pet stores or aquarists will do this for free or for a small fee. Partial water changes, about 30% can be done to decrease high levels. Use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent further stress or shock. My preferences for water conditioning are AmQuel Plus and NovAqua in addition to StressCoat. Confirm water temperature between 78F and 80F. You can soak pellets in some garlic juice to stimulate his appetite.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Health & Wellbeing
Hi I recently got six fish and four of them are good but two of them which are the same type of fish haven't eaten anything ever since I got them I don't know if it's the food. And one seems lost and keeps bumping into the tank and they usually stay
The fish pictured are incompatible in the same tank. Angelfish (black ones) are tropical fish and do best in temps between 73 F and 84 F. Goldfish (white and orange) are cold water fish thriving in temps between 65 F and 72 F. It also appears as if one of your angels has some damage to a tail fin. This is typically due to fin nipping by other fish. You will need to remove either the angels or the goldfish and place them in a different tank. Check the water chemistry for elevated levels of ammonia or nitrites. This can occur in an uncycled tank or a tank that is overstocked. Partial water changes (30-50%) daily can decrease toxin levels. Use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent stress or shock. Confirm your filter is rated for at least twice the water volume of the tank, especially for the goldfish. The links below provide additional information for care of angels and goldfish. http://aquariumtidings.com/angelfish-care/ http://aquariumtidings.com/al
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Training & Behavior
My fancy goldfish has a huge belly, is sitting on the bottom of the tank and hasn't eaten in 3-4 days. What do I do?
Check the water chemistry and quality. This can be done by using a home test kit ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/api-freshwater-master-test-kit ) or by submitting a water sample for testing. The local Petco may do this for free or for a small fee. Aim for an absence (0 ppm) of ammonia and nitrites. Nitrates can be 20 ppm or less. Perform a partial water change if necessary. use conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent additional stress or shock. Goldfish are cold water fish and do best between 65 F and 72 F. You can add plain aquarium salt (NOT table or Epsom salt) as a general tonic. Dissolve 1 teaspoon per gallon of water in a cup or two of tank water and gently pour it into the tank. It can improve gill function, reduce stress, treat minor infection and aid in any recovery. Treat for 14 days then reassess the condition. Perform more partial water changes afterwards to reduce salinity. In case he is constipated, you can offer bits of cooked and sh
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
I have a fighter fish it's red but this morning it's color turned yellow he won't eat and he swims crazily as if he's scared and then stops and looks dead but he's not. Can you tell me what's wrong with him and how can I help him?
He appears stressed. When a fish has it's fine clamped, this means something is wrong. Check the water parameters. Temp should be between 78 F and 80 F. Chemistry should read 0 ppm (parts per million) for ammonia and nitrites, nitrates should be 40 ppm or less. You can use a home test kit or submit a sample for testing. Most pet stores or aquarists will do this for free or for a nominal fee. Correct any imbalances via partial water changes. Use aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent further stress or shock. If he has a bacterial, parasitic or fungal infection, you will need to treat him using an appropriate medication that can be purchased online or in the aquarium section of your local pet store.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
I have an angelfish and a red tail shark in a 15 gallon tank for about 4 days and they get along great. The angel fish has been almost swimming kind of lazy like almost floating and then will swim when off balance. And belly kinda looks swollen as we
Check the water chemistry and temperature. Use a home test kit or submit a water sample to test fro elevated ammonia or nitrite levels. Most pet stores will do this for free or for a small fee. Partial water changes can be done, if indicated, to stabilize chemistry and improve or maintain water quality. Ideally, you want 0 ppm ammonia and nitrites with nitrates at 20 ppm or less in a non-planted tank or 40 ppm or less in a planted tank. Use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent stress or shock. You'll need to keep the temp at the upper limits for Red Tails in order to keep the Angelfish comfortable. That would be in the 78F to 80 F range. Both have similar pH requirements, 6.8 to 7.5. You can fast the Angel for 2-3 days then feed bits of cooked, shelled green peas. This will usually resolve constipation and bloating. Pristine water quality may resolve the patch on your shark. Recommending a medication without more information or a clear image would be
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
I went on vacation and put a vacation feeder in the tank when I came home his tank was a sandy color. After cleaning his tank complete I put him back in and after that he hasn't been the same going on a week with out eating. What did I do wrong? Now
Check the water chemistry. Confirm ammonia and nitrite levels are 0.25ppm or less and nitrates are 40ppm or less. Use a liquid test kit or submit a sample for testing. Most pet stores or aquarists will do this for free or for a small fee. Partial water changes, about 30% can be done to decrease high levels. Use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent further stress or shock. My preferences for water conditioning are AmQuel Plus and NovAqua in addition to StressCoat. Confirm water temperature between 78F and 80F. You can soak pellets in some garlic juice to stimulate his appetite.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My pond goldfish had swim bladder issues so has been inside for 6 weeks. He was pretty active and I brought in another to keep him company. Since Feb 1st, he is at the bottom, eating a bit especially when I drop it right in from of him. No external
Potential causes include overfeeding, low water temps, constipation, parasites or other infection. Confirm proper water chemistry, again if necessary and continue with the treatments described. Fast the the for 3 days then feed bits of cooked and shelled green peas. This will help with constipation. Make sure the water temperature is not too chilly. Low temps may affect digestion in fish. A medicated food can be fed to clear any parasites or infection. Look in the aquarium section of the local pet store for these medications. If you do not use medicated food and instead treat the tank, be sure to remove the carbon filter insert during treatment.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
I do not know if anybody knows much about betta fish but I think there is something wrong with my male betta. I bought him at a large petstore about 2ish years ago. He is kept in a heated, filtered, 2.5 gallon aquarium. Lately, he hasn't been eating
Check the water chemistry to confirm 0 ppm ammonia and nitrites with a 40ppm or less nitrate level. A partial water change can be done daily if necessary to stabilize chemistry and maintain water quality. Use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent stress or shock. For Bettas, a temp between 78F and 80F is recommended. Plain aquarium salt (NOT table salt) can be used as a general tonic to reduce stress, increase gill function and aid in any recovery. It may also treat minor infection. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt per gallon of water in a cup of tank water and gently pour it into the tank. Treat for 10-14 days. When performing water changes, treat only the amount of water being replaced, not the entire tank volume. Soaking pellets in garlic juice may stimulate the appetite and can provide a boost to the immune system. Fasting him for 2-3 5ays then feeding bits of cooked and shelled green peas may relieve constipation. He's pretty old for a Betta. Most
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Food & Nutrition
My flower horn fish is not eating food I changed the aquarium 2 days back and I also changed the water but also it's not eating food properly
This is a quite generic but concerning presentation. Begin by submitting a water sample for quality testing. Most pet stores will do this for free or a nominal fee. Clinical examination should always include a water quality check, even if you have done so already. Water testing should be performed with a quality test kit, measuring NH4, NO2 and NO3. High ammonia levels, PH imbalances may be responsible for these signs. Oxygen concentration and quality of the filters should be determined as well. If water quality is good and there are no major imbalances, your fish should get examined to look for any sign of bacterial/fungal infection and eventually water should be treated. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Hi I'm really scared because I went to my boyfriends parents house and I left my sister to look after my 7 Fish and she sent me a photo and I saw (HEAPS) of food layers on the to and I had to cut my holiday short my 11 days and I get back to sad babi
Check the water chemistry to rule out elevated ammonia or nitrite levels. You can do this using a home test kit or by submitting a water sample for testing. Most pet stores will do this for free or for a small fee. Perform partial water changes (no more than 30% total volume at a time) to stabilize chemistry and/or to improve water quality. use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent further stress or shock. If all 7 fish are goldfish, a large tank is strongly recommended. The general rule is 20 gallons for the first fish and 10 additional gallons per extra fish. This is due to the goldfish producing a larger than average bio load (wastes) which can quickly overwhelm a small tank. Check the water temperature as well. Goldfish are cold water fish and do best between 65 F (18.3 C) and 72 F (22.2 C). The use of antibiotics or other medications would not be recommended in the absence of symptoms of illness or infection. Plain aquarium salt (NOT table or Epsom
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Food & Nutrition
Hello I have a koi Betta fish and when I got it it use to eat all the time. Now it has stop eating for a week almost. It is bloated and hides in her house most of the time. I can't tell if its dropsy or ick or something else. I did treat it with salt
Check water temperature first. Low temps can affect activity and appetite in fish. Bettas are tropical fish and do best between 78 F and 80 F. Next, confirm stable water chemistry. Use a home test kit or submit a water sample for testing. Aim for an absence ( 0 ppm) of ammonia and nitrites, with nitrates at 20 ppm or less. The local Petco may test water for free or for a small fee. Perform partial water changes to stabilize chemistry and/or to improve water quality. Use only conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent further stress or shock. By the images, it does not appear to be ich. If it is, it is early on in the infection. Dropsy is characterized by swelling, lethargy and a loss of appetite. A classic sign is a pinecone appearance. If you see this symptom, chances for recovery are very slim. Offer live or frozen blood worms to stimulate the appetite. She should only need 1 or 2 at each feeding. An antibiotic that is effective against gram negative bacteria can be us
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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