Goldfish are the most commonly kept type of fish in the world and although the betta fish has been surging in popularity, we doubt that it will ever be able to take the number one spot from goldfish.
Due to goldfish being so popular within the fish keeping community, we constantly see people reaching out and asking various questions about the various problems they are having with their gold fish.
We always try to answer the questions that we see our readers asking for advice on and we have noticed a number of people asking about what causes clear goldfish poop recently.
Although the symptom of clear poop in a goldfish can be due to a number of different reasons, it is usually due to a lack of food in the diet of the fish, internal parasites or a digestive blockage.
Still, we will be going over the various things that can cause clear goldfish poop as well as a number of things that you are able to try to fix the issue as fast as possible.
Is Clear Goldfish Poop Normal?
The short answer to this question is no, it is not normal for your goldfish to have clear poop.
In most cases, you are going to find that goldfish poop is going to be brown in coloration.
This is because the food that they are eating contains a lot of pigment and when digested, this pigment comes out in their poop.
The only time that you are likely to see clear goldfish poop is if your fish has not been eating properly or if there is some sort of digestive issue going on.
As we covered in our article on what causes red fish poop, some fish flakes use a strong red dye for their red flakes that can cause your goldfish to have red poop so in some situations, red poop can be normal for your goldfish too.
If you notice that your fish’s poop is clear, then you should take a closer look at the other signs and symptoms that your fish is exhibiting to get a better understanding of what is going on.
What Causes Clear Goldfish Poop?
As we briefly mentioned before, there are a number of different things that can cause clear goldfish poop with the following being the most common causes:-
- A lack of food in the diet of the fish.
- Internal parasites.
- Digestive blockages.
There are some less common causes but the majority of people will notice that their problem is due to one of these three things.
A Lack Of Food
The most common reason for this symptom is going to be a lack of food in the diet of your fish.
If your fish is not eating properly, then it is going to start to lose weight and you will notice that its poop is going to be clear.
This causes excess mucus in the poop of your goldfish giving it a transparent appearance.
Just because you are putting food in the tank of your goldfish does not mean that the fish is actually eating it so this can be more common in tanks with plenty of food than many people think.
Internal Parasites
Another reason that your goldfish might have clear poop is if it has some sort of internal parasite.
Internal parasites are fairly common in goldfish and they can cause a number of different problems, including clear poop.
These parasites are usually passed on to your fish when they eat infected food or if they come into contact with an infected fish.
Some parasites cause a blockage in your goldfish causing the mucus issue we covered earlier in the article where as others will eat too much food from the digestive system of your fish encouraging mucus production.
If you think that your fish might have some sort of internal parasite, then you should take a trip to your local fish store as they will have a number of anti-parasitic treatments that you can use on your fish.
Digestive Blockages
The third most common reason for this symptom is going to be a digestive blockage.
Digestive blockages are usually caused by your fish eating something that it should not have or if it has some sort of internal parasite.
As you may be able to guess from this stage of the article, a blockage will cause excess mucus to be produced by your goldfish causing it to have clear poop.
How To Treat Clear Goldfish Poop!
All of the common causes of clear goldfish poop can be treat by getting the digestive system of the goldfish moving again but this can be more difficult than you initially think.
If your goldfish is not eating then you can try switching over to live bloodworms of daphina as most goldfish love them and they will eat plenty of them.
If you choose this strategy then don’t be surprised if the clear goldfish poop turns to red goldfish poop.
The red color is not blood, it’s just the red husks of the bloodworm that can be difficult for a goldfish to digest correctly.
Parasites are the easiest cause of clear goldfish poop to treat and the majority of people will be able to use an anti-parasitic treatment for fish and solve the issue quickly.
Blockages can be a real problem though an you should usually try to get professional help as they can be difficult to move.
Although many people do jut try to feed the fish more food, a goldfish with a blockage will usually not eat much and even if it does, it is unlikely to shift the blockage and will usually make the issue worse.
How Long Does It Take for Goldfish Poop to Get Back to Normal?
If you have treated the cause of your clear goldfish poop then it should only take a day or two for things to get back to normal.
As we covered earlier in the article, most goldfish will poop between one and three times per day so if this number starts to increase then you know that things are getting back to normal.
Should I Be Worried if My Goldfish Has Clear Poop?
If your goldfish has clear poop then you should not be overly worried as it is a common issue that is usually easy to treat.
Although it might not look great, it is not going to kill your fish and as long as you act quickly, you should be able to get things back to normal in no time.
Just remember, the key to success is identifying the cause of the clear goldfish poop and then treating that issue.
If you can do that then you should have no problems getting your fish back to normal in no time.
Good luck!
