LadyScattergun
Aquarium Advice Newbie
- Joined
- Nov 13, 2013
- Messages
- 3
Hello! I am new to forums but glad to have found this site! I need your help with my trio of rescued goldfish! Please play slueth for me and help my three refugees; The Fatty, NoFin, and Jasonfish.
So here comes a real challenge for you goldfish pros!
History: I was staying with a family member when I stole these fish. They were uncared for and left unfed for a very long time, to the effect that one had almost no fins. Thus I dubbed him NoFin. He has no dorsal fin at all. I don't know if his fins were eaten off or if they rotted off or what. But anyway, I started feeding them, bought them a bigger tank, and they started to grow and flourish. NoFin has had a persistant lumpy bumpy back and Ive never known what to do for him more than proper nutrition and keeping the water parameters correct. Other than that, no real problems. Jasonfish was a tiny, tiny thing but seemed perky and otherwise fine. The Fatty, the big girl, has always been the largest and used to bully the others out of her way when it was feeding time. She does not do this anymore. About 6 months ago, the Fatty had a red welt or protrusion on her chest that came, and then almost as quickly was gone. Aside from that, no issues. Then, I moved half way across the country and brought them with me. Transported them in bags with plenty of air and they all survived the trip and made it into a 60 gallon new home. They did fine and now 2 months later, problems. I keep the water about 81-82 degrees, they share their 60 gallons tank with a baby dragon bichir (very small new guy), and a baby pleco, and 1 living plant, a water lilly.
The Mystery Begins!
Okay, most of the problems, I assume, stem from NoFins ever prevailing lack of fins? Anyway, NoFin had his lumpyBumpy area get really cloudy and puffy. It didnt have threads or anything, but it was like a thick white film. I treated for fungus and it did nothing. Then, a week or so after, they started getting white spots (not like salt) on their fins along with red streaks in their tails that seemed to lead from the base of the body to the white smudges and spots on their fins. The red streaks would come and go. I treated with Pimafix and Melafix. Nothing changed. A few weeks later and NoFins fuzzy white area went away and left this nasty, peeling looking wound, there are pics below. There was no blood and it wasnt red, but it looked like his layers of skin were peeling! I did an immediate water change and stress coat and he seems to have returned to his normal lumpy bumpy state.
Now....Heres the status of the fish today. The Jasonfish seems to be suffering fin damage, and the Fatty seems to be in critical condition.
NOFIN: He continues to have his lumpy bumpy area, but is perky and normal and gets around just fine.
JASONFISH: (The smallest one with normalish fins) He has that white stuff on his fins (does NOT look like ich) and the occasional red streak appears going from his tail fin base to one of the white spots. On occassion he super twitches out like hes darting around scared for no reason. Sometimes he will also rapidly twitch his fins, really really fast! He will also bump into the Fatty and shove her around sometimes. (Once he chased her around until she blew out eggs all over!!) Most recently, a new development, his dorsal fin has a huge split from the front and the rest of the fin, pic enclosed. What the hecks going on!?
FATTY: She is in serious trouble. She seemed a little less perky and started to hang at the top of the tank with her head up toward the surface and her tailfin down. (but not gulping air) Then she started a habit of sinking to the bottom and just resting there, but if you came near or when it was feeding time, she would quickly return to normal. She started this sitting on the bottom on the gravel habit and also, when she swims, she super fast twitches her fins sometimes! Like Lightning fast!! What is that all about? Why do they super fast twitch their dorsal or under fins?! They have all started flashing against the gravel, and now the Jasonfish is also twitching out his fins super fast. The Fatty has most recently begun to swell up now too, but only on one side it seems. Asymetrically. And now she has become very lethargic and does not eat much. She hangs at the top of the tank, mostly beneath where the water filter water pours out. She doesnt swim with the others like she used too and ive never caught her gulping air. She swims around sometimes but seems to not use her tailfin very much, as if shes favoring it. ANd most recently, black or dark spots have appeared along her back where her dorsal fin begins, and one on the underside where her vent fin is. Its like an everygrowing band of dark, red or black that traces her body where her fins start. A dark or red spot has appeared on her chest again now too, but this one does not protrude like that one from six months ago. She seems to be swelling but the scales do NOT seem to be standing up very much, so she does NOT have the pinecone effect of dropsy but dropsy may be starting. I would almost say she has some popeye too and her gill beats per minute are also higher than normal!
So what could be going on here? Did her kidneys shut down? Is she filling with fluid? Is it fish tuberculosis? Is she constipated? Is she eggbound? Why turn colors where the fins start? Why would they super spasm twitch their fins like that? This is what I get for saving them from neglect and not knowing their history at all I suppose, but they did so well for over a year. I have enclosed many pictures...please help. I want to give them the best life I can. I have tried malachite green, pimafix and melafix and quick cure (not all at once of course) and plenty of water changes. PLEASE view my pictures and scrutinize. Whats going on here???
Whitish specks on fin, but they didnt clear up with quick cure or malachite green. They dont seem salt like....
NoFin in the middle there with his missing dorsal fin and lumpy, peeling area, this was when it looked its worst.
This picture shows how few fins NoFin has. This is how I found him.
You can see some of those whiteish spots on Jasonfish's tail here. Occassionally, a red streak would appear from the tail base and lead to the largest of the whitish smudges. Then it would go away.
NoFin on the right here, his patchy terrible area there. Ive never seen it bleed but nothing seems to heal it. It stays lumpy and whitish when not peeling like this.
Theres a good shot of the white dots on the Fatty's top fin. What the heck are they? They dont respond to any treatments I've used.
The white smudgy stuff on JasonFish's tail. Could this be contributing to Fattys current state?
A shot of NoFins terrible back. Why would he stay lumpy and bumpy and whitish, then all of a sudden for the first time start to peel?
Their 2 month old new home. No other fish appear to be showing symptoms.
The beginning to swell Fatty. Notice her tailfin kinda droops downward! She started off puffy only on one side, but shes still getting bigger and Im really worried. Her eyes seem to pop out a bit too.
And now Jasonfishes top fin is spliting, whats going on!?
One more shot of the Fatty who looks like shes exploding. What do I do?! She doesnt seem to be pooping, she is hanging out with slightly elevated breathing just below the filter output, always watchiung me when Im near, top fin almost always clamped down and not standing up!
HELP ME FISH SLEUTHS! I rescued these guys and they did wonderful for about a year! I wanot to give them a wonderful fish life!!!
So here comes a real challenge for you goldfish pros!
History: I was staying with a family member when I stole these fish. They were uncared for and left unfed for a very long time, to the effect that one had almost no fins. Thus I dubbed him NoFin. He has no dorsal fin at all. I don't know if his fins were eaten off or if they rotted off or what. But anyway, I started feeding them, bought them a bigger tank, and they started to grow and flourish. NoFin has had a persistant lumpy bumpy back and Ive never known what to do for him more than proper nutrition and keeping the water parameters correct. Other than that, no real problems. Jasonfish was a tiny, tiny thing but seemed perky and otherwise fine. The Fatty, the big girl, has always been the largest and used to bully the others out of her way when it was feeding time. She does not do this anymore. About 6 months ago, the Fatty had a red welt or protrusion on her chest that came, and then almost as quickly was gone. Aside from that, no issues. Then, I moved half way across the country and brought them with me. Transported them in bags with plenty of air and they all survived the trip and made it into a 60 gallon new home. They did fine and now 2 months later, problems. I keep the water about 81-82 degrees, they share their 60 gallons tank with a baby dragon bichir (very small new guy), and a baby pleco, and 1 living plant, a water lilly.
The Mystery Begins!
Okay, most of the problems, I assume, stem from NoFins ever prevailing lack of fins? Anyway, NoFin had his lumpyBumpy area get really cloudy and puffy. It didnt have threads or anything, but it was like a thick white film. I treated for fungus and it did nothing. Then, a week or so after, they started getting white spots (not like salt) on their fins along with red streaks in their tails that seemed to lead from the base of the body to the white smudges and spots on their fins. The red streaks would come and go. I treated with Pimafix and Melafix. Nothing changed. A few weeks later and NoFins fuzzy white area went away and left this nasty, peeling looking wound, there are pics below. There was no blood and it wasnt red, but it looked like his layers of skin were peeling! I did an immediate water change and stress coat and he seems to have returned to his normal lumpy bumpy state.
Now....Heres the status of the fish today. The Jasonfish seems to be suffering fin damage, and the Fatty seems to be in critical condition.
NOFIN: He continues to have his lumpy bumpy area, but is perky and normal and gets around just fine.
JASONFISH: (The smallest one with normalish fins) He has that white stuff on his fins (does NOT look like ich) and the occasional red streak appears going from his tail fin base to one of the white spots. On occassion he super twitches out like hes darting around scared for no reason. Sometimes he will also rapidly twitch his fins, really really fast! He will also bump into the Fatty and shove her around sometimes. (Once he chased her around until she blew out eggs all over!!) Most recently, a new development, his dorsal fin has a huge split from the front and the rest of the fin, pic enclosed. What the hecks going on!?
FATTY: She is in serious trouble. She seemed a little less perky and started to hang at the top of the tank with her head up toward the surface and her tailfin down. (but not gulping air) Then she started a habit of sinking to the bottom and just resting there, but if you came near or when it was feeding time, she would quickly return to normal. She started this sitting on the bottom on the gravel habit and also, when she swims, she super fast twitches her fins sometimes! Like Lightning fast!! What is that all about? Why do they super fast twitch their dorsal or under fins?! They have all started flashing against the gravel, and now the Jasonfish is also twitching out his fins super fast. The Fatty has most recently begun to swell up now too, but only on one side it seems. Asymetrically. And now she has become very lethargic and does not eat much. She hangs at the top of the tank, mostly beneath where the water filter water pours out. She doesnt swim with the others like she used too and ive never caught her gulping air. She swims around sometimes but seems to not use her tailfin very much, as if shes favoring it. ANd most recently, black or dark spots have appeared along her back where her dorsal fin begins, and one on the underside where her vent fin is. Its like an everygrowing band of dark, red or black that traces her body where her fins start. A dark or red spot has appeared on her chest again now too, but this one does not protrude like that one from six months ago. She seems to be swelling but the scales do NOT seem to be standing up very much, so she does NOT have the pinecone effect of dropsy but dropsy may be starting. I would almost say she has some popeye too and her gill beats per minute are also higher than normal!
So what could be going on here? Did her kidneys shut down? Is she filling with fluid? Is it fish tuberculosis? Is she constipated? Is she eggbound? Why turn colors where the fins start? Why would they super spasm twitch their fins like that? This is what I get for saving them from neglect and not knowing their history at all I suppose, but they did so well for over a year. I have enclosed many pictures...please help. I want to give them the best life I can. I have tried malachite green, pimafix and melafix and quick cure (not all at once of course) and plenty of water changes. PLEASE view my pictures and scrutinize. Whats going on here???
Whitish specks on fin, but they didnt clear up with quick cure or malachite green. They dont seem salt like....
NoFin in the middle there with his missing dorsal fin and lumpy, peeling area, this was when it looked its worst.
This picture shows how few fins NoFin has. This is how I found him.
You can see some of those whiteish spots on Jasonfish's tail here. Occassionally, a red streak would appear from the tail base and lead to the largest of the whitish smudges. Then it would go away.
NoFin on the right here, his patchy terrible area there. Ive never seen it bleed but nothing seems to heal it. It stays lumpy and whitish when not peeling like this.
Theres a good shot of the white dots on the Fatty's top fin. What the heck are they? They dont respond to any treatments I've used.
The white smudgy stuff on JasonFish's tail. Could this be contributing to Fattys current state?
A shot of NoFins terrible back. Why would he stay lumpy and bumpy and whitish, then all of a sudden for the first time start to peel?
Their 2 month old new home. No other fish appear to be showing symptoms.
The beginning to swell Fatty. Notice her tailfin kinda droops downward! She started off puffy only on one side, but shes still getting bigger and Im really worried. Her eyes seem to pop out a bit too.
And now Jasonfishes top fin is spliting, whats going on!?
One more shot of the Fatty who looks like shes exploding.
What do I do?! She doesnt seem to be pooping, she is hanging out with slightly elevated breathing just below the filter output, always watchiung me when Im near, top fin almost always clamped down and not standing up!HELP ME FISH SLEUTHS! I rescued these guys and they did wonderful for about a year! I wanot to give them a wonderful fish life!!!
