My comet goldfish just sits in the back of the tank an stares at the wall all day. How to get him swimming?

If he's eating and pooping, I think his problem is that he is bored and sleeping. Get a few more fish to liven him up.

If your tank is still cycling, and you have the fish in a small tank, he's probably being posioned by his own Ammonia output. Goldfish produce a lot of waste and it comes in bursts. They need their waste to be heavily diluted immediately or they become ill, and being lethargic is the first sign of illness.

Changing the water could help remove some toxins and dilute left over toxins.

Second, add in some more hiding spots. In the wild, goldfish (well, in the wild there are carp, which is what all goldfish are) are prey to many fish. They easily get scared and need hiding places to retreat too. He could merely be hiding under the filter because that's the only good hiding place for him.

Third, how big is this tank? Goldfish need a minimum of 20-25 gallons per fancy and if they're commons (which your comet is) he will need a much bigger tank, at least a 55 gallon, but ideally more. A 55 gallon is just 1 foot deep. This fish can top 1 foot in length so turning around is difficult in a 55 gallon tank.

The most obvious sign of Swim Bladder disorder is the fish losing its ability to freely control its orientation of swim. Given that your fish is not floating upside in the water I don't think this is the case.

How big is your tank?

This symptom is common with Goldfish if they are housed in a fish tank that is too small for them.

I'd say the minimum for the goldfish is 10 gallons.

In the mean time, clean out your filter, do a water change (use dechlorinator!), and purchase some swim bladder treatment, and hope for the best.

It all depends on how big your tank is and if you have any other fish in there with your goldfish. BARE MINIMUM for a goldfish is 20-25g. Temperature wise , goldfish can stand up to 25c. Signs of swim bladder = your fish is swimming face down, literally vertical, as they cant balance properly.

Change about 20% of your water. You NEED to do this twice a week at least. Goldfish produce high amounts of ammonia. Also, you should have a carbon filter in his tank. If all else fails, a company named API makes a fishy antibiotic called Melafix. (http://aquariumpharm.com/Products/Product.aspx?Pro... I saved countless number of fish using this stuff.

Did you provide the goldfish a proper temperature / tank size / food >??

what size tank do you have is your water clean your gold fish might be going by the filter because the water might me cleaner

is that the only goldfish you have ? if it is u should get another one for it goldfish get board alone