Goldfish Fin rot(maybe)..help!

[saulog]

ok..so i have a common goldfish about 5 inchs long....and for a little while he is being losing scales and also now i noticed that he is missing two little chunchs of the end of his tail..is this fin rot?? he is being like hiding and not really active for a couple of days and i dont want him to die...what could be a good treatment if it was fin rot?....i dont have quarantine tank but i have a big bucket with an air pump..would that work or should i just put the treatment in my 75 gal? i have a pleco and three more shubunkin goldfish.

 

[jsoong]

Hard to tell from just the description ...

What is your water parameters? Generally, goldfish don't get into fin rot unless there is poor water conditions (either ammonia or nitrites, or high organic load.)

So, clean water is the first place to start.

Next, examine the fish closely for anything else wrong ... spots, lumps, clamped fins, etc. Is the fish still eating & pooping? What color is the ragged fin edge - red, white or black? Any red veins in the fins? Also, anything you see in the shubunkins?

Mild cases of finrot (if that is what it is) usually respond to clean water and a bit of salt (0.1%). Severe cases are best treated with anti-biotic containing foods. <However, I would not recommend antibiotics unless you have a good diagnosis.>