GOLDFISH VERY FUNGIFIED, need help

[tini25tom]

My son has a goldfish he won from a carnival about 3 years ago. We just recently switched tanks and that’s when the problem started. I forgot all about the nitrogen cycle in a tank and added the fish too soon. I also added another fish (sand dollar fish). The sand dollar fish and the algae eater both died and my goldfish started getting black spots, stopped eating and laying on the bottom. I was told to empty my tank since it hasn’t cycled and start over (BAD IDEA). I put the fish in a 5 gallon bucket over night with the filter hung on it. Another rookie mistake I didn’t cover the bucket and the fish jumped out. I am not sure how long he was out of the water but he landed on a piece of cardboard and was almost dry on one side. He fell about 2 ft. He was actually stuck to the cardboard until I submerged it in water for a bit and then he released. He then started getting cloudy eyes and tail rot. I was told to treat with erythromycin, but this did NOT work at all. His back fin is almost completely gone and he started getting a white cottony growth on the side (the entire side of his body). I was then told to use melafix and pimafix along with aquarium salt. I used as directed and this did not work at all. I kept doing 25% water changes every day as well to help nitrogen cycle. I then was told to use fungal cure. I am on the second dose and will finish changing 25% of water tomorrow. I have not done a water change in 3 days (based on med directions and took out carbon filter). Some of the white stuff was coming off after the first day, but now has kind of slowed down. He is very energetic now, much more than before and he is eating. He also has black spots all over his body. Should I start another dose of the fungal cure? I am trying everything cause my 7 yr old loves his goldie so much. Any help is greatly appreciated. The run around has been expensive and very time consuming.

 

[tini25tom]

Pic of goldie

Here is the cottony stuff. The patch by the top of his head is what cam off after first day of fungal treatment.

 

[Roz]

Poor little guy! I'm wondering whether just changing 50% of his water once to twice a day might do the trick, without any more medicines? JLK and Greta1981 are a great help and so I hope they see your thread. To give you more expert advice than mine.

I do hope the little fellow recovers soon. Fingers crossed from Melbourne (Aust).

 

[jlk]

Hi! Can I ask if the white side in the pic is the side he was laying on that dried out? Or do both sides look like this? Next, exactly what type of fungal meds are you using right now (brand/ingredients)? Do you have a test kit for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and ph? How do these numbers look? The more info you can provide, the better we can help!

 

[tini25tom]

The white stuff is only on this one side, he is now mainly black on his other side?? The side with the white stuff was the side dried out. I am now using fungal cure from API. My last dose was Wed morning and I just finished the treatment today doing the water change. Before that I was using pimafix and melafix along with aquarium salt. I do not for ammonia but will get strips on way home. ph is lower now that I used the meds it reads about 6, NO2 NO3 read 0, KH b/w 40-80 closer to 80. GH 180. Hope this helps and thanks for both of your concerns and replies.

 

[Greta1981]

I answered your original question here:
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f17/fighting-columnaris-white-fluff-need-help-294873.html

Thanks for the kind words, Roz.