goldfish with lump

[partridgem]

Hi my goldfish has a lump on his side its been there for nearly a year now and doesnt cause him any problems but it seems to be growing. His fellow fish died a few months ago and just wondered if I should get another fish to go with him or if it could be contagious so should keep him on his own thanks for help

 

[GNarnian]

Welcome to AA!

First off, we need to know a couple things.
What kind of goldfish is it?
What size is the tank?
How often do you change the water, and when you do, how much do you change each time?
How long has the tank been set up?

You said the other goldfish passed away. Are there any more fish in with this guy?

Do you test your water parameters?
If you do, what are the:

Ammonia
Nitrite
Nitrate
pH?

Also, do you have a picture of the lump on the goldfish you could maybe post?

 

[jlk]

Welcometo AA, Partrigem!! Answering Gnarnians questions will help us to help you better! A pic would definitely help as well. If you need help answering anything posted, please ask and we will help you out!

 

[partridgem]

thanks

Hi Thanks for reply

Bit new to all this so will try and do some answers, kids got given the goldfish so little bit naive but they have lasted 6 years so far. This one is about 4 inches long, he is on his own now since loosing his mate. Tank is quite large, approx ??30-40 litres (i took advice on this from shop when purchasing it). I water change top section about every 4-6 weeks, and proper clean every few months. I always use the water tonic when i do a change but dont monitor levels.
The kind of goldfish- um!! he is a traditional looking one, not gold but white the type you hopefully dont see anymore at funfairs, interestingly his lump is orange.
Tank has been set up for 6 years, it has a decent filter and air pump.

The lump itself is granular, covered in bumps but doesnt look at all bacterial type infection, no open parts or white areas. I did try to upload a photo but not sure why it didnt load.

I have taken a photo to my local aquatic centre but no-one has any ideas what this could be,

Thanks for all your help

 

[GNarnian]

Well, I think we can give you come answers. 40 liters (approximately 10 US gallons) is much to small for that type of goldfish. The lump you are seeing may be the result of stunting, especially if the fish is that old.

Unfortunately, Local fish stores generally give people the wrong information. What you described seems to be a Common Goldfish, which need a lot more swimming space, as they usually get massive. Under normal circumstances they would need 75 gallons (something like 280 liters I think) minimum, but usually do better in ponds.

The other thing that may be an issue is the water. Goldfish are very, very messy poop machines. In a tank that size, with that fish, it would require 50% water changes almost daily to keep the water healthy for a fish, two or three 50% changes a week at the bare minimum to remove the built up Nitrates and other toxins in the water. Changing the water is the only way to remove these toxins, since a fish tank is a closed system.

If you can, pick up an API Freshwater Master Test Kit and test your water parameters. Most local fish stores carry them, or you can get them cheaper online. They cost about 30 dollars in stores, but last a long time.

Testing for:
Ammonia
Nitrite
Nitrate
pH

Will give us a better understanding of what it is we are dealing with in your tank.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. I hope that information helps! Clean water always helps, but overcoming the stunting will be next to impossible. I know jlk will have more precise answers though!

 

[jlk]

Ok- help with the pics. Are you trying to upload them from a computer or from a cell phone? From computer, hit the 'go advanced' reply button below and a new screen will pop up. On the top of the screen, you will see little symbols. One of them is a 'paperclip'- hit this and you can upload pics from your computer library. From a cell, you will need to download the AA app. When you hit the 'reply' button (little arrow), you will see a '+' button on the top of the screen. Hit this and you can upload pics from your cell library. Hope this helps!

Ok, a pic would help to id what he may have. If it doesnt look infected and it looks more like a bumpy growth, its likely a viral issue called lympthocystis. There are no cures for viruses but providing the best possible environment with super healthy water along with a nutritious diet & limiting stressors will help keep a fish's immune system strong to help fight it. Typically, it will run its course on its own.

As Gnarnian mentioned, a 30-40l tank is very small (7-10g) for most fish, especially a common goldfish and your water change schedule needs definite improvement. Picking up a test kit is a very good idea!! Once we have some idea of your water parameters (amm, nitrite, nitrate, ph), we can make further suggestions to help improve the water quality. What do you normally feed him?