goldfish has bloody vent {help}

[Phoenixphire55]

My 3 inch fantail goldfish has a red dot on its vent. It looks like blood in the vent but no blood is coming out of it. He just pooped so I dont think constipation is the problem. Anybody know what causes this? or how to treat it?

[Zagz]

I don't know exactly what it may be, is there any rocks or sharp ornaments he may have scraped up on?

[Phoenixphire55]

There are volcanic rocks in the tank that he might have scraped against, but I'm worried that its something internal because the bloodiness is on his vent (surrounding the actual hole). He's still acting normal, but the spot is still there. Not growing or diminishing. Should I continue to feed him as normal? I heard boiled peas are good for goldfish but I think thats usually a constipation remedy.

[jsoong]

What was the poop like? How big is the spot - just under one scale? or something more extensive? Check your water parameters & make sure that they're good.

Although there is no harm in feeding peas, I don't think that will solve the problem .... as bloody vent is not due to constipation.

If there is blood under just one scale near the vent, this could be trauma, or possibly bacterial infection under the scale. Surface injury or infection usu. just need clean water & maybe a little salt.

Extensive bleeding under the scales may be costia ... although usu. this is seen under the chin.

If there is red anal vent, this might be columnaris - according to Joann at Puregold (I have not seen this before).
BY NAME, DISEASES OF GOLDFISH AND KOI

If there is bloody stool (or white stringy stool) this is also indication of an internal infection as well.

For internal bacterial infection (including columnaris), it is best to feed an antibiotic laced food. Meds added to water are generally ineffective for goldies.

[Phoenixphire55]

thanks for the help as always. the bloody area is not extensive, but it looks like the inside of his vent is bloody, maybe its just under a couple scales around his vent. I'm really the opposite of an expert, but from what I can see I'd guess that its something internal. Would it be dangerous to feed him medicated food even if its just some trauma to his vent? What would this medicated food be called? (pellet? flake?)

If I have to give him medicated food I'd probably put him in my only spare tank which is just 5 gallons. Do you know for how long I should feed him the medicated food?

[jsoong]

Romet B is a brand that is recommended by the goldfish gurus on the net, although I have not found it locally. It is best to read the ingredient in the med. For goldies, you should avoid tetracyclines (most bugs are resistent), erythromycin is recommended although there are others. I have used Jungle's anti-bacterial food (a combination of a Sulfonamide & nitroflurazone) as I cannot find erythromycin food except in 1 Lb tubs (for pond fish). For bad infections (like septecemia) you might also add Jungle's anti-parasite food, which has metronidazole .... a good antibiotic for gram negatives.

There is no great risk in giving an antibiotics (some use it routinely in QT). However, if you use it, you need to do it for 10-14 days (even if the fish is better) or you risk selecting out resistent super-bugs. Personally, I try not to over-use antibiotics. If it looks minor, I would rather watch & wait.

A 5 gal is rather too small for a 3" goldie. If you must QT, it would be better to have at least 10 gal - even a cheap rubbermaid tub will do. Goldies will foul a 5 gal quickely, and the resulting bad water might be worse than the original disease.

[Phoenixphire55]

This may sound silly, but I have goldfish crumble-things for fish food, and I work at a lab so I have access to erythrymicin. You wouldn't happen to know how many microliters of the antibiotic I could add with water + the goldfish food do you? I know its probably a long shot but figured I might as well ask.

[jsoong]

Most hobbysit website just say add a "little bit" of antibiotics to the food & feed.

The commercial conc. of erythromycin food is 2.25%, so you would add 2.25g of drug to 100g of food. <You can calculate the ml of drug pre g of food depending on your drug concentration.>

Note also that injectable dose of erythromycin in vet lit is 20mg/Kg. If your 3" gold weigh 100g, the dose is 2mg. Since you are not injecting, you need may be 2-3x that in food .... so aim for maybe 5-10mg of drug in feed a day orally .....

[Phoenixphire55]

His vent is now black looking. I'm still watching him to see if he poops. Is this a good sign that the bloody color is gone and is now blackish?

[jsoong]

Black is the colour of healing. Cuts & scrapes (or ammonia burns) in goldies turns black as it heals. As long as the black isn't spreading, it should be fine.