Please help! I have a very sick Gold fish

[Bowmandanni]

I need help- very sick Goldfish

I have a 4 foot tank x 2 foot wide x 2 foot high.
I use to have 4 goldfish in there but 3 have died in the last 2 weeks. Now the last one is severely not well.
He is about a foot long and is 9 years old. Just a normal comet goldfish. I got him when he was only 3 cm long from a feeder tank as I couldn't stand the thought of him being someone's dinner.
The other fish died with no real good reason. I came home and found 2 had dived themselfs into opposite corners of the tank and became stuck. My goldfish are not aggressive at all so it couldn't be that they were scared or frightened. I took them out and buried them. Done a 25% water change and monitored the 2 remaining closely. Came home on Thursday night and both fish still alive had done the same thing, except one was in a panting state, the other dead.
I buried the dead one. Took the live one (Tigo) out and gave him a breif salt bath in a big bucket. I took 4/5 of the water out of the tank and refilled it.
Tigo was upside down on the bottom panting.
Then Friday I done another 10% water change. Tigo still upside down. When I would go near the tank he would try move but wouldn't get far. I did not feed him at all Friday. I noticed he was starting to get a fluffy eye and fluffy gills and small red dots on his nose. His fins were starting to fray and looked sore.
Then today (Saturday) I awoke to find the red has gotten worse and is all around his gills. He fins are ripping and shredding. He is laying on his side panting, totally unresponsive. I went to the pet store who suggested I buy 3 plants to try help eliminate nitrates. And put 50ml of both primafix and mealafix in and repeat daily for 7 days without taking any water out.
I read online to try feed him peas. I had to hand feed him but he really didn't react. He would eat it only because I put it in his mouth. But then spit it out whole 5 mins later. I put it back in his mouth but he spat it out again.
I hate seeing him this way. I just want to know how long can he stay this way? How long does it take for this to pass? It will pass right?
I know it's pathetic but I seriously love this fish. I have had him for nearly 10 years please offer help.

 

[Bowmandanni]

Hi i hope you can help.
I have a 4 foot tank x 2 foot wide x 2 foot high.
I use to have 4 goldfish in there but 3 have died in the last 2 weeks. Now the last one is severely not well.
He is about a foot long and is 9 years old. Just a normal comet goldfish. I got him when he was only 3 cm long from a feeder tank as I couldn't stand the thought of him being someone's dinner.
The other fish died with no real good reason. I came home and found 2 had dived themselfs into opposite corners of the tank and became stuck. My goldfish are not aggressive at all so it couldn't be that they were scared or frightened. I took them out and buried them. Done a 25% water change and monitored the 2 remaining closely. Came home on Thursday night and both fish still alive had done the same thing, except one was in a panting state, the other dead.
I buried the dead one. Took the live one (Tigo) out and gave him a breif salt bath in a big bucket. I took 4/5 of the water out of the tank and refilled it.
Tigo was upside down on the bottom panting.
Then Friday I done another 10% water change. Tigo still upside down. When I would go near the tank he would try move but wouldn't get far. I did not feed him at all Friday. I noticed he was starting to get a fluffy eye and fluffy gills and small red dots on his nose. His fins were starting to fray and looked sore.
Then today (Saturday) I awoke to find the red has gotten worse and is all around his gills. He fins are ripping and shredding. He is laying on his side panting, totally unresponsive. I went to the pet store who suggested I buy 3 plants to try help eliminate nitrates. And put 50ml of both primafix and mealafix in and repeat daily for 7 days without taking any water out.
I read online to try feed him peas. I had to hand feed him but he really didn't react. He would eat it only because I put it in his mouth. But then spit it out whole 5 mins later. I put it back in his mouth but he spat it out again.
I hate seeing him this way. I just want to know how long can he stay this way? How long does it take for this to pass? It will pass right?
I know it's pathetic but I seriously love this fish. I have had him for nearly 10 years.
please offer help.

The tank is approx 400L. I have always had this tank. I have moved houses 3 times in last 9 years with same fish. Have been in this house now for 5 yrs. fishtank has not been moved.
Sure he has been sick before. Ick, fin rot, Etc. But all not serious.
I have a filter which pumps air throughout the whole tank.
I usually do 25% water change every 2 weeks and a 65% water change + clean rocks ever 4-5 weeks.

I have not added anything to the tank prior to the fish getting sick. I think it may have been the heat? Maybe?
I usually feed my fish dry flake. And once a fortnight give frozen blood worms.
This has been his diet for 9 years.

 

[Bowmandanni]

Anyone please help

 

[Roz]

The poor sweetheart! He really looks poorly :-(

Until the experts can help you, let me try and assist a little.

I would say the problem is with your water quality. Perhaps the partial water changes have not been enough, and over the past 5 years, toxins have really built up?

I have noticed myself that unless I do 50% water changes every few days in my tank (which is now cycled), my water starts getting more discoloured and toxic. Small water changes, even if every other day, weren't enough.

Could you try doing 50% water changes at least once everyday to see if that helps?

I hope the experts can advise you also.

Will keep online for you with my fingers crossed.

 

[Roz]

Ps,

So that the experts can help you more quickly, it would be a good idea to post your water parameters.

 

[Roz]

PPS

You mentioned the heat - are you in the Southern Hemisphere? I'm in Melbourne, Australia, and we had a severe heat wave last week, which you may also have had?

I have read that with warmer water, Ammonia gets more toxic and oxygen becomes depleted. Both of these issues may explain the symptoms your little guy is presenting with.

 

[GIZMOSPAZZ]

Oh, the poor thing looks very sickly.
Please test your water ASAP and post parameters - Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates, pH, and Temp.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[Bowmandanni]

I don't have water tester. I ran out of the drops you use. I went to buy more but the pet store had also ran out. Lady at the store says she has been selling them so fast as everyone's fish seem to be ill at the moment and her guess is it's the heat.
I am in south East Queensland and we were hit with the heat wave. Not as bad as you but it was over 41 degrees.
I forgot to mention every 3 months I do a full clean, filter, rocks, tank etc.
I hate seeing him suffer like this. I don't know what to do. My partner says we need to leave him. We have done everything we can (new water, put plants in, salt bath, put 50ml melafix and primafix in water, tried feeding him peas) now we just have to wait and see if he gets better or worse.

I just wish he was responding. I know his sores will heal in good water in time, but it's almost like he is in a coma or brain dead.

 

[Bowmandanni]

The water temp is 27 degrees

 

[Roz]

Even though it may seem a little mean to fiddle with his tank right now, I would definitely try large water changes and perhaps hold off on anymore meds until you hear from the goldfish experts that advise on this forum.

I found with my tanks last week, the water changes really helped my little guys by giving them cooler, fresher and more oxygenated water (despite my attempts to keep them cool, it was still easily 40 in the house and their water got as hot as the high 20s).

I ended up buying my water test kit online - loads cheaper, and it came quickly from a storefront lfs

 

[Hubert90]

I don't have water tester. I ran out of the drops you use. I went to buy more but the pet store had also ran out. Lady at the store says she has been selling them so fast as everyone's fish seem to be ill at the moment and her guess is it's the heat.
I am in south East Queensland and we were hit with the heat wave. Not as bad as you but it was over 41 degrees.
I forgot to mention every 3 months I do a full clean, filter, rocks, tank etc.
I hate seeing him suffer like this. I don't know what to do. My partner says we need to leave him. We have done everything we can (new water, put plants in, salt bath, put 50ml melafix and primafix in water, tried feeding him peas) now we just have to wait and see if he gets better or worse.

I just wish he was responding. I know his sores will heal in good water in time, but it's almost like he is in a coma or brain dead.

Just out of curiosity, do u clean the filter under tap water? Looking at the photos, I see cloudy eyes normally causes by poor water quality, red strikes in fins is the results of nitrite poisoning. If possible I would do water changes daily, until he gets better. Unfortunately, daily water changes is your best bet because you don't have a test kit.

Hmm.. I don't think the temperature is the culprit here, goldfish can withstand high temperature fine for a short period of time and 27 degrees isn't considered "high". Do u have an air pump? I would add as much aeration as I can.

 

[Bowmandanni]

Thank you Roz. I will get up early tomorrow and do another 50% water change.

 

[Bowmandanni]

Yes big pump which pushes air bubbles all through the water.
I did clean the pump under fresh water from tap but I made sure to keep the balls inside all grubby as I know this is 'good bacteria'

 

[Roz]

I'll be thinking if you! Let us know how he is going!

The question about the filter is a good one - the tank wouldn't be cycled unless you have cleaned the filter with tank water, and your pal shouldn't have nitrite poisoning if the tank is cycled, because nitrite would be at 0.

 

[Hubert90]

Yes big pump which pushes air bubbles all through the water.
I did clean the pump under fresh water from tap but I made sure to keep the balls inside all grubby as I know this is 'good bacteria'

Hmm.. As long as u are cleaning the media with water taken out of your tank than all should be good. What kinda pump do u run?

 

[Bowmandanni]

We use to have an aqua one filter. The usual one you see under a 4ft tank. But it broke after 2 yrs. so we went for a massive sump and filter set up but felt it just wasn't necessary after 2 yrs. Plus it was loud as hell.
Then we decided on a smaller one that doesn't need a whole cupboard underneath the tank. It went good for years but eventually died.
Now we have a resun sp-2500L internal power filter
Have had this one about a year

 

[Bowmandanni]

For the first time all day he has just moved. He leaped off his side (shown in picture) and lunged forwards.
He certainly didn't do it gracefully but this has to be a good sign? He is now sitting on a rock up the back pointing up. Don't think it was how he wanted to land but he moved.
Should I sigh relief or be worried still

 

[Roz]

I'm not sure, but I would do water changes regularly and ASAP.

 

[Bowmandanni]

Mmm. False alarm. He is upside down again.
I have to wait til morning to change water.
Hope he makes it through the night

 

[Greta1981]

Hi,
I'll do my best to help you. I have my own comets and you are absolutely NOT pathetic for loving your fish. I absolutely love mine.
Is there a chance you can confirm for me a few details? I think that aquarium is about a 90 or 100 gallon. Is that right?
Are there any other fish in the tank now besides your goldfish?
Do you know your ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels right now?