Please Help my goldie is sick!

[freakinfishgeek]

I wrote a few days ago about my goldie who was pooing like crazy! Now she has had a long sold milky white string comming out of her for over 24 hours. She is a little interested in food but not like normal and she seems sluggish. What on earth could be wrong with her? I have had her for almost a year and she has always been alone. Nothing new to bring toxins. I really adore this fish you guys she had become so special to me and I will not let her die. I am very new to keeping fish so this is my only sorce of information. Please advise what should I do first. I fed her a few blanched peas this morning. After that is when I noticed her tummy looking a bit more bloated that usual and that she is a bit lethargic. Is it just that the peas gave her a tummy ache? Help!

 

[dkpate]

Is there no possible way she could have an internal parasite? Stress also causes white stringy poo. I hope JSoong sees this for you! Good luck!

 

[Jgeezer1986]

If the peas are the only thing that has changed, then i would say thats what did not agree with her. Do a water change with her , give her some fresh water. For now , thats about all i can give to ya. Someone a little more experienced with the situation can give you some more help.

usually the change in Poo is a sign that something changed. if you give her the peas more often , then i would say its probably not the problem.

What are the colors of the gills? If they are a blood color then its a sign of ammonia poisoning.

If she is hanging at the top of the tank , it could be a disease that prevents her from getting oxygen.

At times , if the fish is stressed , their slime coat will diminish, at which they have a harder time fighting disease. Without their slime coat, they will have to use more energy to move through the water,which can leave the fish in a lethargic state. Something such as Stress Coat can help that.

That is a general fish observation. It may not apply to your Goldy.

Water change and stress coat would be my suggestion

 

[freakinfishgeek]

Her ammonia levels are as low as they get. The stringy thing did come off but she is not acting herself. She isn't staying at the top or bottom of the tank . She is acting like I would expect a fish with a tummy ache to act. I was watching her for a while and she nibbled a bit of pea then spit it out. The pease are the only new thing so I'm guessing that is the problem. I usually feed her apple, cucumber, melon and brocoli a few times a week but not peas. I have a black moore in QT and when I fed him pease to treat constipation and decided to see if Fanny liked them. Then the tummy trouble started. But the long thick sausage poo that is litterally 5 to 6 inches long has been happenening with her since I have had her. But way more often now. I am thinking that I am feeding her too much flake food. I have been advised by my fish keeping guru to fast her for three days then feed sinking pellet and see how she does but cut out the peas. As far as an internal parisite how would she catch that? I mean I moved her to a new tank a few weeks ago but I don't see a down size to that right? Anyway let me know I need help I adore Fanny and I want her to live to a ripe old age and get huge just not because she is bloated! What about eggs? Someone told me she could be re absorbing eggs. But I just guessed that she is a girl and really don't know how to tell

 

[jsoong]

First, read this to see if you can narrow down the symptom:
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES

I rather think that peas are NOT the problem. Goldfish have a very short gut, and basically poo out whatever is eaten within a few minutes. So seeing abnormal poo days after feeding peas would not implicate the peas. <BTW, how did you feed the peas? blanched, shelled & chopped is the way goldies should have them.>

Long white strings can be:
1. reabsorbed egg casing - this usually has a bit of a lumpiness to it, like a drawn out pearl necklace. To tell the sex - males will have breeding stars on the gill cover & leading ray of the pectoral fins during breeding season after ~ 6-12 months old. See this : Sexing Goldfish | Goldfish
2. An intestinal infection - either bacterial or parasite. The fact that the fish is lethargic & off food makes me think this is more likely.

First thing to do is to check your water parameters. you should check ammonia & nitrites. Sometimes moving tanks can cause a mini-cycle and stress the fish, bringing on disease.

You might consider doing a water change just on spec.

you might consider treating with an antibiotic containing food if the fish does not turn around within a day or two. <I agree that a parasite is less likely as you have added nothing new in the tank.> If you decided to go the antibiotic route, I would suggest a food containing kanamycin. (Eg Medi-Gold).

More info on medicated food:
Medicated Food Explained and Explored | Illness and Treatment

 

[freakinfishgeek]

Hey guys, so Fanny has been on a three day fast and this being the third day she is still pooping! This morning she has another long thick poop attatched to her. Her lethargy is gone though so I am thinking that maybe it was a good old fashion case of over feeding. My idea is to start her back with the peas when I do feed her again. Oh and when I fed peas before I fed frozen blanched peas ans squishe them out of the shell first. So would it be a good idea to keep the flakes and pellets to a real minimum and feed lots of fresh fruit and veggies for a few days? I think she was kust full of poop

 

[jsoong]

Glad that Fanny is feeling better!

Most goldies people would say NEVER to feed flakes. They gulp too much air eating flakes & get into gut trouble. Plus flakes are not too nutrient dense ... If you must use flakes, soak them till they are water logged & squish thenm to make small pellets.

Floating pellets may give same problems, but not as bad as flakes. Again, soak floating pellets before feeding. I feed good quality sinking pellets (+ whole foods). But yes, fresh whole food is best for goldies.

 

[Mark Hewitt]

Most goldies people would say NEVER to feed flakes. They gulp too much air eating flakes & get into gut trouble.

Ah, perhaps that's why my fancy contracted swim bladder problems, as we always fed him on flakes.

 

[freakinfishgeek]

I went to the LFS and bought slow sinking pellets. The pet store oerson said they will be very good for her and for my black moore. Especially the black moore he never eats off the top of the tank he always waits untill it falls down. Thanks for your help!