"Nitrite was next to Zero" isn't good. What's the ammonia level? I wouldn't worry about hardness at all, but it would be nice to have actual values rather than "very high". The ProForm-C isn't be used with salt. I don't know what your salt level is, only what you added/plan to add. Formalin, part of ProForm-C, lowers O2 in the water and salt increases slime on the gills making it more difficult for the fish to take in O2. At some point these two issues can kill stressed fish. It's hard to tell what salt level in your pond would start killing fish. Throwing stuff into the pond without knowing what problem your fish actually has...very good way to kill fish. When healthy they can take that kind of needless abuse, but when already stressed, it can be a real killer. It can be very difficult to figure out what the problem is, but for certain you get make a small problem into a huge problem. Step 1. Water quality. If ammonia and nitrite aren't zero that's what you fix. You do nothing else. Fish, like people, can often recover if in a good environment. Fish immune system is the best tool you have for figuring out a problem and fixing it. Step 2. Add an air pump. It's safe. It may not be needed, but if it does increase O2 it will enable the fish to better fight whatever the problem is. Step 3. If water is cold, say under 60F, you can move sick fish to warmer water in a hospital tank. Slowly warming the water. Fish immune systems don't work very well the colder the water. Optimal I think is 75F but you'd have to check that. Step 4. Try and figure out the actual problem. Step 5. Treat the actual problem in a hospital tank. If you can't figure out the problem or a hospital tank seems like too much hassle but you really want to dump something into the pond go ahead. Then go shopping for new fish. Here is a link that might be useful: Videos on helping sick fish

My goldfish for about a week has had a problem staying right side up as well. He was very active at swimming upside down. He can't seem to eat anything upside down. I have tried the peas crushed and fed them to him manually. He eats them and holds them in his mouth area for a while before expelling them out. He has slowed down a lot and sits upside down at the bottom of the tank. He does move around slowly from time to time. Does anyone else know what I can do do get him to eat? Someone told me the reason his belly looks bigger is he's bloated from sucking in the air from eating the food floating at the top of the tank. They said the peas would help relieve the gas, but I can't make him eat it. Any suggestions? It's my 12 year daughters fish. I don't want him to die. She will be heart broken.

Hi Sherry, Thanks for all the info, but actually I was up all night did a lot of research. It seems as though they were having trouble breathing. Something in the water was not allowing the water to retain oxygen. That is why they were swimming sideways at the top trying to get oxygen in the gills, but now after 4 water changes that night, and removing the tank top, keeping the temperature cool and leaving our fan on the whole time in that room, they are okay. I am really happy I didn't give up! They are swimming happy now :)

I thought I'd write an update since a lot has happened since I posted just the other day. Studying Ellie's test results and everything online about it, the finger pointed directly at FIP. I'm guessing the "dry" variety since the doctor didn't see any fluid accumulation in Ellie. About the time I came to this sad conclusion, Anne-Marie read this post and emailed me directly, reminding me of the helpful Yahoo communities, of which they had an FIP group. Once there, I read an update by a woman named Karin whose kitty, Gracie, was diagnosed with dry FIP 26 months ago. She was enrolled in a Univ. of Tenn. study for a new drug, and today the kitty is free of FIP! Anyway, from her I got the contact information for the study director and the drug mfg. Finally, I called my vet who admitted he thought it was FIP. Since he knows it to be a death sentence, he hadn't wanted to leave me with no hope, so he just said FIP could be one of the reasons for her test results. I was initially upset that he could've told me this a month ago, but if he had, I'd have probably accepted his prognosis (since I've read enough about FIP in the past on this board) and not gone searching on my own, which led me to the drug, a polyprenyl immunostimulant (PI). Anyway, I've contacted the study leader and am trying to obtain the drug for my kitty. This evening, my vet contacted him also to see what was needed (by the way of further testing) to get her considered. It's a long-shot, I know--but it's the only one we have. My vet hadn't even heard of the study, much less the drug's potential. Heck, he obviously didn't even know much about FIP (which I guess is good--not many kitties around here having it hopefully). Here's something about it: "Recently, a new drug tested in three cats with the dry form of FIP demonstrated efficacy in prolonging life and alleviating signs.38 The drug, a polyprenyl immunostimulant, is an investigatory veterinary biologic that upregulates mRNA expression of T helper lymphocytes responsible for effective cell-mediated immunity. In this study, two cats with FIP were still alive two years after diagnosis, while one cat survived 14 months. Further studies are under way to assess this drug's potential for FIP treatment.38" So, there IS hope for some kitties.....and my prayers are that there is hope for Ellie, too. Tracey