Sick Fish! What to do?

[MNora0586]

I have a fancy gold fish and I am at a lost on what do to help him. I have pics and a vid Fancy Goldfish (Bubbles) - YouTube for you to see him to help me. Also here is some info that I know you will need to know as well.






10gl tank (aquaclear 30 filter)
Bubbler

I feed Bubbles Pro-Gold and also have medi-gold too.

I will also be posting the testing results of the water in his tank as well.

 

[MNora0586]

here are his tank water results and products I have on hand at the present time.

 

[jpchin]

most people say you need a 20gal. minimum for each fancy goldfish. i would guess your 10gal is too small. i really can't tell from the photos what your test numbers are. can you post them?

 

[jpchin]

also it would help if you can give more background on your tank. is it cycled? how long have you had it set up? how long have you had the fish in this tank? also as stated above please give water parameter numbers. ph,ammonia,nitrate and nitrite.

 

[jlk]

Thanks for the info! Lets start with this- what exactly is wrong/different with him besides the minor fin rot on his tail? In the video, his gills look extremely red/inflamed- is this the case? Are there wen issues as well? I would start by doing atleast a 50% wc with temperature matched properly conditioned water. You have what looks like in the pic detectable ammonia & nitrite. Start by addressing any water quality issues first- meds do not help if theres issues with the water. I would then add some aq salt & start feeding him a full course of treatment of the medi-gold. Premix 2 flat tablespoons of aq salt in a cup of tank water & add slowly over 48hrs. When you do a water change, add back only the salt you remove (ie, 50% wc, add back 1/2 original dose or 1 flat tablesp). Make sure you test your water daily & do a water change if theres any detectable ammonia and/or nitrite- if theres none, I would do a water change every other day to provide the healthiest water you can for him so he can heal up quickly. Please ask if you have any questions!

 

[MNora0586]

He will will be moved to a 55gl tank soon. Just waiting for it to cycle.

 

[MNora0586]

He has been in the 10gl tank for almost a year. He was ill when I got him. the fin rot and red lines in his fins have been there from the start and have struggled to get him 100% since then. what happening now is the black spots on his face and the right side of his face is so swollen that you cant see his eye.

The results of the tests were

Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrates - 30
PH - 8.2

His tank was cycled but with the meds I've been using and the water changes I know it not in top form right now.

 

[MNora0586]

JLK thats why I posted the vid. Because other then the black spots on his face, his right side of his face is so swollen you can't see his eye. I'm not sure what to do becuase everything I have done before has worked but only temporary. This is the worst I've seen and I feel that I've been missing something. As a matter of fact he's the fish that I will be putting in my 55gl tank that you've been helping me cycle. He's not going to be in the 10gl for long, but I just want to be sure that he's 100% (if possible) before I put him in the 55gl tank.

Also, thank you for pointing out about his gills because honestly, I didn't even realize. So yea thats something new too.

 

[jlk]

Thank you for pointing this out. I thought it was his natural coloring (black spots) & he just had some extreme wen growth. Did this occur overnight or has it been gradual swelling? What exactly have you used to try treating so far?

 

[maestromad]

Why don't you move him into the new tank and do a fish in cycle. Surely that would be better than him in a small tank?

 

[MNora0586]

I haven't been able to see his right eye for about a week now. I did read that goldfish will change color as they grow. I just dont know if that is the case with him or if it is ammonia burns. I have been testing his water and I have gotten 0 for ammonia and 0 for nitrites.
Normally his face will swell up and then I know something is wrong and so I do what I think I should and then the swelling goes down. This time is hasn't. What I have been treating him with API TC Tetracycline Ani bacterial fish medication. It didn't work. Swelling still there, fin rot still there and red lines on his fins are still there. What is new that I havent seen before is he as these black dot like things on his tail fins that has a mold like quality to it. Its so hard to explain and I couldn't get a good photo of it, with him moving around so much. But their round, black in the middle with a pale/white ring around the black part.

 

[MNora0586]

The cycle is almost done and the ammonia and nitrites going up and down and with him been ill he would die. At least thats what I think.

 

[MNora0586]

Why don't you move him into the new tank and do a fish in cycle. Surely that would be better than him in a small tank?

The cycle is almost done and the ammonia and nitrites going up and down and with him been ill he would die. At least thats what I think.

 

[maestromad]

Hopefully someone else will jump in but I would think he needs a much large tank which will stress him less than the small one. Just my opinion

 

[jlk]

Its possible because you have been treating the same infection with the same med repeatedly that the bad bacteria have now developed a resistance to this particular antibiotic which is why it is no longer effective. Have you tried treating with the Medi-gold yet? It needs to be fed as the only food for a minimum of 14 days (possibily up to 30 days). I am honestly not sure what you are describing on his tail- does it look like it may be worm or other parasite or is it more of a sore or a bump/growth? Start with healthy water (lots of water changes) & aq salt along with the med food & lets see how he does over the next week. Let us know if anything changes or gets worse!

 

[MNora0586]

Ok, I was able to get a picture of the spots on his tail fin. It might be nothing extreme, it just I've never seen it before.

I have tried the medi-gold once but I don't think I did it long enough. I will feed him that for now, with the water changes and the salt treatments. I will keep you posted on his progress.

thanks everyone for your advice

 

[chagoi]

I had fancy goldfish for 20 years. I would forget the cycle take the water & everything out off the 55. Fill it declor or what ever you need to make your water safe temp and so on. Put him in keep the tank bare. Put the old filter with bio on the new tank. Keep making water changes. when you can get a bigger filter not to powerfull. Maestromad opinion is a fact!!! I hope it's not to late good luck.

 

[jlk]

The fish does need to be moved but the OP is just about done cycling the new tank. The issue becomes one of treatment- the expense of possibiliy having to treat a 55g vs 10g is a huge one. Lets see how the fish does with lots of healthy water & med food- if he doesnt start to improve or stops eating, a different course will have to be taken & treating the water in 10g will be much more plausible.

 

[MNora0586]

thanks for pointing that out jlk. I was thinking the exact same thing. Believe me when I say, I can't wait to put Bubbles in his new 55gl tank. I was just afraid to do that and possibly contaminate the 55gl tank and have a bigger problem.


I appreciate everyones help on this as I really do want whats best for Bubbles.