What does it mean when their fins turn red?

[Kotick]

This happened once before with a couple of my puffers years ago before I found out that they were brackish fish and needed some salt in the water. Once I did the water change and added salt, they're fins cleared up.

But now I'm having the same problem with my goldfish. The fins used to be all white but now the spines that connect the webbing (I don't know the name for it) have turned red at the base and its creeping further towards the tip of the fin. It looks like blood honestly.

I've already done 2 water changes in less than 2 weeks because the tank is full of ich at the moment. The ich came first and then the fins started to turn red. What is wrong with my goldfish? The temp is slightly above 86F to help get rid of the ich. I also used some ich treatment but stopped a couple of days ago (which is when I noticed the fins starting to turn red).

[mellawson]

I might be wrong but it sounds like you have too much ammonia in your tank, look up ammonia poising and test your water using a liquid test kit (if you haven't already) and do DAILY pwc's hopefully some one with more experience will chime in.

[Kotick]

That kind of sounds like it cause I have seen him gasping for air at the surface although I read that it's impossible to cure. If it's impossible to cure then how come my other fish in the past were fine? I imagine that this one will be too.

This tank and the fish were a gift and I don't have the money for test kits. Horrible I know but you have to admit this is an expensive hobby. So currently I don't know the levels of the tank but I'd imagine its not good. Most I can do right now is water changes while vacuuming the gravel.

[HN1]

What size tank?

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums...ow-116287.html

[mellawson]

You can take a sample to your LFS and they will test it for you. I understand it always seems like I'm in dire need of the most expensive thing at my most broke moment but fortunately unless you get struck by MTS you usually only have to buy everything once.

[Kotick]

The tank is 20g.

I'll try to take a sample of the water to Petco (closest place and it's at least 20 min away).

[HN1]

Your problem is likely the bioload. Goldfish are very messy fish and should be kept in larger tanks or ponds. How many & what fish total?

[Kotick]

Got 10 fish, 4 are goldfish and the rest are guppies. The filter is for a 40g tank.

[DragonFish71]

Yep, I agree with HN1. Too many fish, even though it doesn't sound like it for a 20g. Yah know, 1 fish per gallon right? Pfft.

The goldfish are heavy bioloaders. I'd start with taking the sample to your LFS. I'm gonna bet that you get a high ammonia reading. Solution, water changes, water changes, water changes. (and re-home the goldfish)

[mfdrookie516]

since you're going to the lfs for a water sample, take the goldfish with ya or bring back a 55g+ tank. Now when you say you've done 2 water changes in less than 2 weeks, is that not normal for you? You should be doing daily water changes at this point, and weekly once things get settled.

[Kotick]

I thought you could have more fish in your tank if you had a better filter. Least that's what I was told from someone here in another thread. I also thought it was one fish per 10g. :P

I assumed that you shouldn't do so many water changes cause it affects the tanks cycling but I have to do it once a week now anyway I think. Also, the fins and ich have started to clear up after the last water change and salt treatments. Still two of the guppies have a lot of white spots that have yet to clear up. Maybe it's too late for them. I dunno.

My parents used to keep fish just fine and did nothing but add more tap water with a few drops of dechlorinator when the water would get too low. The fish were always fine and lived forever. Now that I fuss with a tank, the fish all get sick and die.

[HN1]

Read that thread that I linked earlier. It should give you some fair guidance. Doing water changes will NOT adversely impact the cycle. You can house more fish with a better filter to a degree. The problem is that in order to do so, you need to build things up gradually. You may very well be able to do 9 (or more) fish eventually. To me, one of the most compelling reasons to rehome the goldies is that they need different water temp and food requirements than the guppies.

Don't get too down about it, I started off in this hobby with 5 Koi in a 5G Eclipse tank. The LFS never had a problem selling me replacement fish or many random products to "fix" things.