Need help with sick goldfish please. Lump, Scales protruding, Hemorrhaging.

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Pichi

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Oct 19, 2021
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Behaving normally, but hemorrhages appear and disappear throughout the day. Lump on one side has rapidly grown, appeared less than a fortnight ago. Today scales around lump sticking out and hemorrhages have appeared at the base of the scales.
 

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Water parameters are: PH 6.6, Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 5.

He looks worse, i'm scared it could be dropsy because he looks like he's pine coning. On the other side of his body his scales have started sticking out.

I have no idea what to do, i'm scared to start any treatment incase it hurts him further.
 
Thank you, I will be treating him with eSHa 2000, eSHa exit and salt. As a side note I don't think it has anything to do with it, but I have been spraying my plants with neem oil in the same room. Would he present like this if it were neem oil poisoning?
 
Im going to assume from your choice of treatments that you are from a country that controls antibiotics, like the UK.

If it is dropsy, it is usually untreatable. And without antibiotic treatments less so. Those treatments arent very likely to be effective, but probably are the most effective available over the counter. Can you find a vet that covers fish who can prescribe effective antibiotics?

Sorry, i dont know what neem oil is and what effects it would have on fish if some got into the water.
 
Yes I am from the UK, I don't have a vet near me that can treat fish sadly. I could also try methylene blue, melafix, or Interpet Anti Bacteria Aquarium Fish Treatment. Can dropsy cause pine coning on mainly one side of the body? Because most of the pictures of dropsy I can find seem to show even pine coning.
 
I think the esha2000 is probably the best bet you can get over the counter in the UK. But i just want you to be aware that it isnt an antibiotic treatment. Nothing in the UK legally obtained without going through a vet is antibiotic. It might have antibacterial properties, and may help, but its a shot in the dark. Think of it as trying to treat organ failure with a herbal remedy. Some people will pull through, most wont.

Dropsy is a symptom rather than a cause, and many things can cause dropsy. Bacterial infection, parasites and organ failure are common causes. You need to treat the cause and its very difficult to determine the cause. Also, by the time your illness shows the dropsy symptoms your fish is often beyond saving. Esha2000 will treat a wide range of issues, salt also. Keeping water pristine will be your best route to recovery.

Hopefully your treatment works ok and your fish recovers.
 
I really hope he recovers too, thank you. I am going to start the treatment (eSHa 2000) tomorrow because I read you shouldn't use it within 24 hours of dechlorinators. I'm unsure whether to use the standard dose or the extra heavy dose though. I am dosing the tank with 3ppt of salt, I have been using aquarium salt but i'm going to switch to epsom - I heard it is more effective. Is that the correct amount of salt or should I use more or less?
 
Ive never done Epsom salt. I was under the impression it was used in short baths of 15 minutes rather than a treatment to leave them in.

Sorry, cant help.
 
Ok, thank you for your help. I have been informed that Epsom salts aren't actually useful in this situation so I am sticking with aquarium salts.
 
There are little white dots poking out from the lump now and I see some white dots floating around in the water.
 

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Update: There is still stuff coming out of the lump. He seems tired now, he is lying at the bottom of the tank more. His poops are now are thin and translucent in some areas.
 
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