Desperate need of help!

[GoldfishLover123]

I've been dealing with a major problem for about a week now that only seems to be getting worse! I have a black moor goldfish that developed a lump with white between the scales on his back. When we first called the local pet store to ask about it they said it could be a parasite or fungus and recommended tetra fungus and parasite however when my husband went in and talked with them further they decided it was a tumor and there was nothing we could do and that he should be fine. Well the day after that happened I found him laying in the plants basically dead. I took him out and was about to euthanize him when I decided he deserved at the very least a chance. I put him in my quarentine tank and bought the medicine and gave it to him promptly. The whole first day of the medicine he looked like he was dead, just laying in the tank. But the next morning I noticed him moving a bit more every time I checked on him, by this point his lump was getting more white between the scales. By the end of day two of the medicine he was swimming around like nothing had ever happened! He has gone through 3 treatments of tetra fungus and parasite total. I thought it was a miracle! But the lump has never gone away and there is a lot of white on it, well there was. This is where my story takes a terrible turn for the worse, my husband was vacuuming the gravel cleaning the tank and Batman (my fish) got sucked up in the vacuum. We got him out as quick as humanly possible and to our complete horror the lump is gone and now there is just a fleshy hole in his back! I dont know what to do! We put Melafix in hoping to soothe what I could imagine is horrible pain but I'm finding myself stuck at the corner of should I euthanize him or is this something we can nurse him back from without him being in agonizing pain! Please, has anyone ever heard of something like this or know what we should do?! I have never seen a fish's flesh ripped off like this! He is swimming around still, seemed a bit confused and shaken up but I'm just at a loss here! Please anyone help me!!!

 

[LadyApril83]

I don't have gold fish but I know stresscoat can help with wounds and salt can act as an antimicrobial/healing agent...I would let him prove himself and see if that spot heals. If he eats and starts acting normal soon just wait and see. (maybe the vacuum did a lump-ectomy) just keep his water pristine as possible and know that u know ur fish best! Hope he gets better

 

[20GL]

I agree with ladyapril. Unless you can tell he is in pain (not swimming or eating), I would give him a chance to heal. Keep the water very clean so his wound does not get infected.

 

[SandyCheeks]

The poor little guy, it sure looks sore. That seems strange to me that the lump came off like that, makes me think it was a fatty cyst and not a tumor. Mine got his nose stuck in the vacuum and his face was bruised for days. He was really stuck in it, too, I thought he would have lost some skin, but he was just bruised.

I think the melafix will help sooth it, we use tea tree oil on our dogs scrapes, but it won't prevent infection. I wonder if a round of antibiotics would be a good idea to keep infection off until he heals up?

 

[Cactuspixie]

Could it have been an abscess? If so the accidental removal of the dead tissue might just have saved his life. I would do daily water changes and add stress guard to provide some extra protection. Definitely have antibiotics on hand in case it shows any sign of deteriorating. He's a lucky fish to have you

 

[GoldfishLover123]

Batman update

What should I be looking for as far as deterioration? I looked at him this morning and hes is still in the spot he was last night but hes still breathing! The flesh however is less pink and more white with what looks like some blood and I feel like that is a bad sign so please anyone let me know if thats a good sign or a bad sign. I'd imagine that took a lot out of him so I hope he is just building up his strength. My thought and hope is that the lump was necrotic flesh and maybe now that it is gone the flesh under it has a chance to heal. My fear is that I'm just being a wishful thinker though. I will go to the pet store today and buy some stress coat. I had read that its now that hes got an open sore its more likely for him to develop a fungus so I gave another dose of the tetra fungus after the cleaning last night. How often would you guys suggest I clean his water? I dont want to stress him anymore but I want to make sure hes got the absolute best water conditions, whether its for him to have the best chance at healing or to be nothing but comfortable if he cannot pull through it. I get a lot of crap from other people about this but I really do love my fish. As far as I'm concerned they are just as much a part of my family as I consider my cats and dog! Thanks everyone for your concern and help!

 

[jlk]

Do you have any pics of the growth prior to the gravel vac accident? It sounds like it was lymphocystis. Its a common viral disease that causes cells to enlarge resulting in odd growths. Its not fatal but unattractive and it can be spread to similar species (ie, goldfish in this case) when its actively present. There is no medical treatment for it. Treatment consists of supportive management to help boost the immune system which means keeping the water pristine (zero ammonia/nitrite, less than 5ppm nitrate), feeding a super nutritious diet and limiting stress.

As he now has an open sore, I suggest continuing with the fungus med (it actually consists of 2 mild antibiotics and an anti-fungal) for atleast another full 7-10 days. Melafix is useless and may actually impair healing. A antibiotic medicated food such as Medi-Gold or Medi-Koi would be a better option here if this is possible. Please ask any questions!

 

[GoldfishLover123]

I do not have any picture of the growth before the accident. Should I give him the stress coat along with the tetra fungus medicine or just the fungus medicine? I dont want to crazy over medicate him but I want to do everything possible to increase his chances of getting through this. Another thing I was wondering is if he does pull through this what am I to expect? Will his back heal and return to having a lump on it or will it be flat or even a dent in his back? I just want to make sure I know what is to be expected and what is not normal so I can make sure to do all I can for him.

 

[bminnow]

I agree with jlk. The change in flesh colour may possibly be signs of healing, much like us whwn we get big gaping open wounds. If it is healing i would expect the blood spot to start shrinking. I would be doing a 1/4 to 1/3 water change in the morning adding prime before putting in fresh water back in. Use enough for total volume of tank not for the amount your putting back in. You could put a few extra drops in for good measure. If you work in the am just do this in the evening, you want him swimming in the med for as long as possible
Let your water cycle for and hour or two then add your fungus med. Dont forget to remove your carbon or it will filter out your med.
Good luck hope he pulls theough and keep us postes

 

[jlk]

I do not have any picture of the growth before the accident. Should I give him the stress coat along with the tetra fungus medicine or just the fungus medicine? I dont want to crazy over medicate him but I want to do everything possible to increase his chances of getting through this. Another thing I was wondering is if he does pull through this what am I to expect? Will his back heal and return to having a lump on it or will it be flat or even a dent in his back? I just want to make sure I know what is to be expected and what is not normal so I can make sure to do all I can for him.

Boost his immune system to help him fight the virus. I would switch his food to NLS Thera-A or Hikari Saki in addition to lots of daily fruits & veggies (full of vit C and antioxidants). Stress Coat is just a water conditioner with slime coat aid. Nothing special. Kordon does make a slime coat aid as well (I think its called 'fish protector') that may be more helpful though its not a water conditioner.

Time will tell how he heals. Most fish with lymphocystic growths will have a scar after the growth is gone. I expect he will as well. Some, however, will have return growths or develop new growths in different places. Staying on top of his care and making sure he has an excellent diet will be the most helpful in preventing reoccurrences. Please keep us posted!

 

[GoldfishLover123]

I spoke to a girl at our local pet store and like most other people I have talked to she had never heard of such a thing. She did however recommend a medication that helps to fight secondary infections and protects against viral, parasitic, bacterial and fungal infections. I was thinking of getting that along with regular water changes and aquarium salt. I'm not a pro at this so if that is a bad plan please let me know. I am also planning on buying the better fish food. I looked up the medigold but the only place I can buy it is online and I'm afraid I wont have the time for that. I've been feeding him algae tabs because he really loves it and its easy for him to get since it sinks so he doesnt have to exert too much energy to get to it. I have to say this is one of the strongest fish I have ever had! His will to live is just amazing! Considering all he has been through its really a miracle that he is swimming around as much as he is!

 

[GoldfishLover123]

I just called another pet store by us and they suggested that we take him out of the tank, put in him a wet towel and put mercurochrome on the wound and stick him back in the tank. I feel like that'll just stress him out even more but like I said before, I'm no expert so I'd love to hear your input on that treatment course.

 

[jlk]

Yes, you can only order medicated foods such as MediGold online. A better lfs 'may' carry another brand of antibiotic medicated food but he still needs a quality sinking pellet as soon as possible.

Most algae tabs are garbage and lack anything nutritionally worth even mentioning. I recall someone posting recently about feeding Tetra algae tabs to their goldfish and I asked the ingredients. I believe the main ingredients were chicken by-products and corn/potatoes. Fish do not eat chicken feet and 'other' parts and potatoes in the wild and they certainly should not be fed them in an aquarium.

What exactly did your lfs recommend? There isn't a single medicine on the market that works as an antibiotic, anti-parasitic, anti-fungal and anti-viral in one product. There is not a single OTC med available for fish that is anti-viral.

 

[jlk]

I just called another pet store by us and they suggested that we take him out of the tank, put in him a wet towel and put mercurochrome on the wound and stick him back in the tank. I feel like that'll just stress him out even more but like I said before, I'm no expert so I'd love to hear your input on that treatment course.

If your using the fungus med and keeping the water pristine, I would not recommend doing anything else at this point. Wounds can be cleaned with hydrogen peroxide if necessary but lets see how he does on his own before considering any additional measures. Limiting stress is vital right now as part of his recovery in addition to pristine water and super healthy nutritious diet.

As I mentioned earlier, the tetra fungus med contains two mild antibiotics and an anti-fungal which should be sufficient to facilitate healing. If he does not improve or the wound becomes worse, then stronger antibiotics may be necessary.

 

[GoldfishLover123]

Tetra Lifeguard. She read right off the back of the package that it takes care all those things. I'm not saying shes right or wrong I'm just telling you thats what she read on the package.

 

[GoldfishLover123]

Also I've tried to find the fish foods your recommended and seems I cannot find them anywhere but online. Is there any food you suggest I buy for the time I'm waiting on the food to get here?

 

[jlk]

Tetra Lifeguard. She read right off the back of the package that it takes care all those things. I'm not saying shes right or wrong I'm just telling you thats what she read on the package.

Horrible stuff. I am not sure why chain stores love to recommend it. The only thing the active ingredient has been approved for by the FDA is as a mild contact lens disinfectant. Its a stabilized form of chlorine. There isn't any scientific evidence that supports chlorine 'helping' fish in any manner what so ever. Defeats the purpose of using water conditioner in our tanks in the first place.

 

[jlk]

Also I've tried to find the fish foods your recommended and seems I cannot find them anywhere but online. Is there any food you suggest I buy for the time I'm waiting on the food to get here?

You can try making him some food. Get a box of plain gelatin, 1-2 large cans of whole salmon in water, a bag of frozen spinach, a bag of frozen peas and bag of broccoli & carrots. This isn't exact but in a pot mix the salmon, spinach, and about 1/4-1/2 bag of broccoli and peas. Added a few spoons of crushed garlic, some orange (if you have it), 2-3 crushed human multi-vitamins, a couple of probiotic capsules (human) and couple of crushed vit-c. Mix well and heat to near simmer. Add the packs of gelatin and mix. Puree mix in a blender and pour into flat trays to cool in the fridge. Cut into squares after it has firmly set. Keep a few aside for feeding and freeze the rest to use as needed. The cubes will keep for a few days in the fridge.

Once again, this is NOT an exact recipe here. You can google gelfood recipes for goldfish or check U-Tube, too. I am mad scientist when I make new batches of gelfood and basically throw in what ever I happen to have on hand. Mackerel or unsalted sardines can be also be used as well. If you find a recipe you like, add some extra gelatin as the food not setting properly (or adding additional liquids) seems to be the biggest problem people encounter. Good luck!

 

[GoldfishLover123]

I have to admit, that is way over my head! Is there any food that I could buy in the store that would be suitable? I want something to switch all of my fish to, preferably some sort of sinking pellet. I dont like flakes because it seems to always end in swim bladder. I dont want to give the medigold to all my fish because it is very expensive! Maybe one day I'll try to make the food but for right now it is too much for me. Thanks so much!

 

[jlk]

I do not know what your stores carry or what type of stores you have access to. My better stores (not chain) carry Hikari, NLS and Omega One plus some other more local brands of goldfish food that are regionally based. You may find NLS sinking pellets or Omega One sinking pellets in a chain store. I have seen some Hikari foods in chain stores but they are generally cichlid formulas or Koi pellets. None of them carry Saki or Lionhead formulas. Most food I buy online as its much less expensive than stores that charge 2-3x the price.