Do I need to starve my gold fish first or give it peas first for swim bladder disease?
“Swim blader disease” could be anything from a bacterial or viral infection of the swim blader to mere constipation. Assuming you’re dealing with constipation (which would result in some abdominal swelling), split peas would be a good choice. If the fish refuses to eat the peas, then fast it. Drop the medication, as there isn’t any infection to deal with if it’s just constipation. Continue the aquarium salt, though, as the reduced osmotic stress will make the blockage easier to pass. EDIT: Starving the fish will not help a bacterial infection– medicated food is necessary for this purpose.
