One morning in late September my oranda goldfish did not come up to the surface to be fed. They remained on the bottom of the pond.
I brought the red cap oranda up to the surface with a net.
I could not believe what I was seeing. Directly under the dorsal fin, there was a small hole straight through his body.
I can only guess as to who caused the injury to my oranda... It was probably a heron that pierced the oranda. The netting prevented the heron from removing the goldfish from the pond.
I brought both goldfish into the house. As I placed the red cap oranda into the aquarium, he sank to the bottom.
I started treatment, first cleaning the wound with peroxide and then added an antibiotic, Maracyn-two to the aquarium.
October 2003
The injured area is healing. He has no buoyancy or balance.
November 2003
The injured area is completely healed. The scales are growing back.
The swim bladder has been effected by the injury. The oranda remains on the bottom, on his side. He tries to swim but can only scoot along the bottom on his side.
I have to bring him to the surface and feed him by hand.
Mid November 2003
I designed a support harness to help him regain his buoyancy
and balance. With the help of the support, he can now swim
around the surface and can eat on his own.
December 2003
I check daily to see if there is a possibility he can swim on his own,
without the help of the support harness.
Being able to swim is helping him retain his health. His life continues to be as normal as possible.
January 2004
He is active and a little buoyant. I can see his tail rising in the support.
February 2004
He is active. His swim bladder is shifting when the support is off.
I can see, his one side is much larger than his other side.
Adjustment of the support is necessary, so he can lean toward the
larger side. In 12 hours, the swim bladder has recentered itself.
March 2004
He is regaining his buoyancy. I can see his body rising in the support.
The swim bladder is still shifting when the support is off.
This is corrected when the support is placed back on him again.
April 2004
He is very active and more buoyant.
As I let him out of the support, he begins swimming on his own.
For thirty minutes, he could swim at all levels.
The swim bladder is still shifting when the support is off. It is always the same side. It now remains centered for about 12 hours.
Adjustment of the support is still necessary to correct the swim bladder.
The support is placed on him everytime the swim bladder shifts.
The swim bladder recenters itself in about 6 hours.
May 2004
See my oranda's progress, "Photographs of My Orandas"
Next: Photographs of my pond...
