Hello; I cannot be specific. How big is the tank, how many goldfish, how dirty was their tank before you cleaned it ? The fish do not like something! 1. One is the water is not good or was not good and they are breathing oxygenated water at the surface. Or, they are in cooler water at the surface. 2. The temperature is too high --- 55 to 74 degrees. 3. Goldfish need room and good water ---- they eat a lot of food, grow fast, and produce a lot of waste. They need for the long term 5-gallons of water per fish! 4. The water used is soft water. Very bad, goldfish grow so fast they use up minerals in the water and the water needs to be changed often because of this. Also, do not use salt in their water and always add some cheap plants for them to snack on. Some people keep goldfish in a bowl. They live a few months to a year or two. It depends on the quality of the water and the waste removal, and the care. If waste is removed every couple of days and the water changed they have a good chance. They swim around and around and people think they are stupid fish. Goldfish are very smart fish --- they watch me a lot of the time and know how to ask me for food. They will swim around and feed off the bottom and munch on plants most of the time. When they want food they get real exited, splash, and open and close their mouths at me. :-) Enjoy! OFM

Maybe they like the view ;^D

SOUNDS LIKE YOUR PH IS LOW. THE SAME PROBLEM HAPPENED WITH ME BUT ONLY ONE OF MY THREE GOLDFISH WAS DOING THE SAME, SPENDING THERE TIME AT THE TOP AND IN THE SAME SPOT. WHAT U NEED IS SOMETHING CALLED SEA BUFFER INSTANT OCEAN, PH & ALKALINITY BOOSTER AND YES YOU CAN USE IT IN FRESHWATER TANKS. WITHIN HOURS THE PH WAS GOING UP AND THE GOLDFISH STOPPED THAT HABBIT OF STAYING AT THE TOP. THIS WORKS GREAT!