Shubunkin with a Bad Fin

[Kateey]

I am very new to looking after fish, and I got my first fishes 2-3 weeks ago. I only have 2 fish, one is a yellow goldfish, and the other is a shubunkin. A couple of days ago my shubunkin began to act very oddly, such as staying nearer to the top of the tank and not moving very much. He does still sometimes swim quickly, so he has not lost the ability to do so. Today I have noticed that his top fin is no longer the way it was when i first got him. The fin is very short and red. I really need help on finding out what is wrong with him as I am really worried. His other fins are also different from the first picture, but the top is the most drastic. I have attached a before and after picture to help. Please let me know if it is damaged, completely missing or if this is a sign he is sick. I am scared that the yellow goldfish he shares the tank with could have done this.
Thankyou very much!

 

[loki azrial]

Looks like finrot to me, it's treatable with medication from pet shop and his fins will go back to normal, it's not the other fish to blame, but they will both need treated, I've got a shubunkin and he's had finrot and his fins are beautiful now, hope this helps xx

 

[Kateey]

Thankyou!
should i go to the pet shop and ask for fin rot medication? or should i take him to the pet shop incase its a symptom of another issue?
also do you know what could have caused it? i really try to look after them, would hate to think i was making them unhealthy

 

[loki azrial]

Maybe take a picture with you to pet shop and see what they think he maybe got a wee rip in his tail or something and that's how infection got in, or by fin nipping but u would have noticed if the other was doin that im sure ur other fish is innocent haha

 

[Kateey]

the other one does chase him alot, but they seem happy together!

 

[loki azrial]

Has the other one bit his fins at all?

 

[jlk]

Do you have a liquid test kit for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and ph? What do these read? I do not believe the issue is fin rot directly but the result of an uncycled tank and high toxin levels. Did you cycle the tank with an ammonia source before adding them? How big is the tank? Some more info will help!

 

[Kateey]

not that ive noticed..

 

[Kateey]

no i dont, i was planning on getting one when going to get the medicine.
i did not cycle the tank with ammonia, dont fish get ammonia poisoning? so why would add more?
and its a 19L tank

 

[jlk]

Your fish do not need meds, they need lots of healthy water. 19l is a 5g tank. Unfortunately, this is much too small for any goldfish. Goldfish are messy fish with a hefty bioload that grow quite large.

As this tank is not properly cycled and toxin levels are likely quite high, the best thing you can do right now are water changes-lots of them. A liquid test kit such as the API fw master test kit and a bottle of Prime will be the most helpful until you can address your stocking/tank situation. Please read the link below and ask any questions!

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/artic...g-but-I-already-have-fish-What-now/Page2.html

 

[Kateey]

i'm really annoyed, because i made a big deal in the petshop about it being enough for the fish because i was worried it was too small, and was told it was plenty big for atleast a few years before they grow, wish theyd tell you whats good for the fish and not what makes them money the fastest :/
unfortunately i wont be able to buy a new tank for a couple of months due to funding..
i currently change 20% of the water every two days. is this too small? and what should i change it to?
as his fins are problematic do you suggest i get the medication and cycle the tank ?
thankyou for your help by the way!

 

[Mcor]

Yeah I'd say its definitely water quality. Ammonia is probably sky high. What water conditioner do you use? If you don't already, get some prime. That will at least detoxify the ammonia, nitrites and nitrates as well as removing the chlorine. It works for 24-48 hours on the ammonia so if you continue to do a water change every day you should be able to keep a handle on the situation. Clean water is all he should need to recover but definitely look into getting a bigger tank sooner rather than later.

 

[Kateey]

i use bioactive tap safe. the description says it instantly makes tap water safe for all fish and adds aloe vera and beneficial bacteria

 

[Kateey]

I have tested my water with a 6 in 1 test kit, and all my levels are fine.

 

[jlk]

Strips are not very accurate. These strips also do not test for ammonia. As this is a new tank and your fish are having health issues, your ammonia is likely very high at this point. Your going to have a difficult, if not impossible, time trying to cycle this size tank with two high bioload, messy fish. I would stick to big wcs atleast daily but more often would be better.