What causes a fish to sink to the bottom and stay motionless?
Fish are ornamental not only because of their gorgeous appearance; swimming back and forth in the water is also a kind of dynamic beauty. But sometimes they lie motionless at the bottom of the tank, and apart from normal sleep, this very likely points to a health problem. Let's take a look below at what is going on when a fish sinks to the bottom and stays motionless.
1. Water temperature changes
Every living creature has its own temperature range for life. For goldfish, water temperature has a very big impact. If the water temperature suddenly rises or drops, it can easily cause goldfish to become inactive, stop eating and so on, and in serious cases it can even lead to illness and death. So when considering why a goldfish is lying motionless at the bottom, this factor needs to be taken into account.
2. Environmental changes
Just like people, who may not talk much or may feel rather subdued when first entering a new environment, goldfish can be the same. This is especially true of goldfish just bought and brought home. They have generally just come into contact with a new environment, and everything around them is unfamiliar, so they should be given a period of time to adapt.
3. Illness factors
If a goldfish being kept becomes ill, it will certainly show signs of not wanting to move and sinking to the bottom. For goldfish, common diseases include fin rot, gill disease and so on. This needs to be judged carefully, since sometimes it may be a parasitic infection. As far as possible, ask fellow goldfish keepers nearby how to deal with this kind of situation.
4. Water quality changes
Most fish live in water, so they are especially sensitive to whether water quality is good or bad. If the water is not changed for a long time, this can very likely lead to too much waste in the water and the fish becoming inactive, and sometimes in serious cases it can even cause parasites to grow on the fish. Therefore, the water needs to be changed regularly.
5. Medication factors
Sometimes, out of worry that the water quality in the pond is not very good, some people will appropriately add water purifiers or other medications that enhance water quality. But not all fish like this kind of medication. When fish live in water full of a medicinal smell, this will certainly greatly affect their alertness, causing the fish to be rather unwilling to move.