That could work too, would give it some more detail at least.

highway to helltower uses an animated spinning sprite, it's not really 3d. Though i suppose i could make the fish fat(sorry) for next year if it doesnt get added

I don't know exactly how it is done since I don't make effects myself but i do know that is possible in some fashion from what i have seen before such as here: https://psteamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2823499496
I think a 3D illusion to this would greatly improve the quality of this effect.

Cinder, you cant put 3d models in particle editor. The best thing you can do is put alot of the same sprite together so that it has an illusion of thickness and size

my goldfish drowned

Not normally a fan in circling effect but i do think that this can be improved apon. Instead of having a flat 2D picture of a fish i think it would look much nicer if the fish had a 3D model to it that makes the circling motion look cleaner as if it was really swimming. The trail behind the fish i think can be made a bit less messy and more straight.