Flukes?

[ArtistGardener]

I set up a new 10 gallon aquarium several weeks ago, treated the water, waited a week, then put in a Sarasa comet and Shubunkin. Both seemed very healthy when I bought them. A friend wanted to get rid of his ten year old fancy comet and I said I would take it. The fish was in a 2.5 gallon tank and had a mild spinal deformity, but otherwise looked and acted very healthy. I was anxious to get that guy out of his small prison cell, so put him in with the pet store fish right after adopting him (I know, I should have waited to make sure everyone was healthy). A few days later, the Shubunkin started to get lethargic, but I couldn't see anything particularly wrong--he wasn't flashing, not gasping, nothing, but he hid away constantly. After a few days, I gave him a 3 minute salt bath (1/4 tsp in 1 quart of tank water) and he seemed to perk up, but then was as bad or worse the next day. I repeated this bath once a day for three or four days. A few days later I found him dead in the tank. Shortly after that, I noticed both the Sarasa and the old comet were "shimmying" and "yawning" but otherwise active, feeding, etc. In the meantime, I was getting a 29 gallon tank set up for their new home. While I was waiting for that tank to acclimate, the old fish really started going downhill fast. I have been testing the water in both tanks and all is well with ammonia, nitrite, nitrate levels and I have been removing 10-20% of the water every 5-7 days. Today I put the two fish in the new tank. They look miserable--both hanging out at the bottom, gasping with clamped fins. What is going on? What should I do?

 

[Wiggles24]

First there is no goldfish of any type that brings in a 10 gallon tank! Not only do they get way too big they also produce a ton of bio waste. Second it doesn't sound like you cycled your tank. So you have three huge waste producing fish in a tank that's too small without any beneficial bacteria to convert any of it. You need to be testing your water and doing LARGE water changes daily if you have any hope of saving the other two.

 

[ArtistGardener]

The remaining two are in the 29 gallon tank now and I have been testing my water---it is 0 for all three nasties. The two small fish were in the 10 gallon tank for a week before the old guy was brought in, and I had done two 20% water changes by then already as well as inoculating the tank with bacteria (not sure about those bottled products, tho). None of these fish have (or had) been gasping at the surface. The first one to die showed almost no signs of any problem except lethargy. The other two were normal acting until a few days ago--and the first sign of trouble was flashing---rubbing against rocks and plants.

 

[Wiggles24]

Ok though those still are not cycled readings. Unless you have your tank super heavily planted there should be nitrites

 

[jlk]

Welcome to AA! Let's start with basics. What are you using to test your water (liquid or strips)? What are the exact numbers including ph for both your tank and tap? What are you using as a water conditioner? What other products are you adding (any other chemicals, bottled products, salt etc)? Do you know the temp of the tank? The more information you can provide, the better we can help!

 

[Hholly]

Ok though those still are not cycled readings. Unless you have your tank super heavily planted there should be nitrites

You mean nitrates, but yeah Wiggles, you're right.
To OP, listen to jlk. Very knowledgeable about goldies, among other things.

 

[ArtistGardener]

You guys are completely correct that the tank hasn't cycled--and I appreciate your help. My mistake was putting in more than one in there to start with (I put in the small shubunkin and sarasa comet, then added the old guy because someone wanted to dump him one week later--he came to me in a 2.5 gallon tank half full of water). I was doing 25% water changes every few days, but obviously that wasn't enough. The two remaining fish are in the new 29H tank, which also hasn't cycled, but at this point, it will have to be the hospital tank. Right now the old guy still looks pretty bad, but he isn't gulping anymore. The Sarasa is swimming around and will eat, but has clamped fins.

Jlk, I WAS using strips--they are junk, aren't they?. Today I purchased the liquid testing kit and here are my results: old 10 gallon tank, Ammonia - 2.5 (that was after I had done another 25% water exchange, so it had to have been higher earlier; Nitrite - 0; Nitrate - 0. Obviously bacteria weren't working in there yet (or at least not enough). I am angry at myself about this!

New tank: Ammonia, less than .25; Nitrite and Nitrate are 0, so again, bacteria haven't started to work. I introduced bacteria with Top Fin bacteria supplement a day after I filled the tank. Two days later I put in the very sick goldfish in the hopes that the larger tank and fresh water would help.

Our tap water is very hard, 7.8, and both tanks test for that number. All water put into tanks initially and in exchanges was treated with Tetra AquaSafe Plus. Exchange water was also left out for many hours until same temperature as tanks.

When I did the salt bath on the shubunkin, I used tank water, then dumped it back in to the tank hoping the mild salt solution would be helpful (it was 1/4 tsp aquarium salt to 1 quart water). I repeated that three or four times so there was 3/4 - 1 tsp of salt in the 10 gallon aquarium before I did that last water exchange before I took the fish out.

So… in addition to not having cycled tanks, do you think I can save these two fish? By the way, my hubby reminded me that the shubunkin WAS acting sickly within days of getting him, days before adding the old fish and more than a week before either of them started shimmying and yawning like they had something stuck in their mouths.

Also, today after testing the big tank, I did a 20% water change because of the .25 (it was less, barely changed color but wasn't 0 either).

 

[jlk]

Thanks! I would start by working on keeping their water as healthy as possible. A good water conditioner that detoxes ammonia and nitrite will be of a big help, too. Prime or Amquel Plus are suggested. Ammonia burns the gills and makes acquiring oxygen difficult for a fish. Lets see how they do over the next week or so and see if the yawning and gasping improve with lots of healthy water. If it doesnt, then you can consider treating them with praziquantel (Prazipro). Water changes daily will be likely until your tank cycles. please ask if you have questions!