tffy

Hey everyone, hope someone has the time to help me out. My goldfish has had this on and off for about a month now.

The fish spooks easily, so these weren't easy to take. I highlighted the areas of concern on the shots. They're quite a bit more visible with the naked eye, but the camera can only do so much.

www.genegisin.com/images/fish/1.jpg
www.genegisin.com/images/fish/2.jpg
www.genegisin.com/images/fish/3.jpg
www.genegisin.com/images/fish/4.jpg

It's in a 20 gallon tank. Treated it about 2 weeks ago with "Lifeguard" all-in-one 5-day treatment, at half of the recommended concentration. (one tablet per day). Growths didn't seem to go away, well, the ones on the tail did, but they've now come back.

What isn't visible in the pictures is the slight haze of "white cover" that it has over both of its eyes, and well, it has bubbles all over. But in general, the problems are in white cottony growths (they're smaller than what I've seen online). And also, the growths on the head were the hardest to take clear pictures of, but they're pretty prominent as well.

Not sure what this is. Ich? Not likely, I think. Really no evidence of "spotting". Columnaris, perhaps? But nothing red is anywhere near the cotton growths.

Long story short - really unsure what the fish has. Advice? Thanks!

susitna-flower

HI TIFFY, WELCOME TO FISHLORE!

I'm sorry your baby doesn't look very happy...

Your profile says you don't know about the nitrogen cycle. Do you test your water for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate? We will need the readings on these, and Most here recommend the API Master test kit for freshwater (liquid) to test with, they are available at most fish stores and on line.

How is your tank set up? What kind of filter? How often and how much water do you change out?

If you haven't been testing or changing water, I would start with 50% water changes every day for a few days......gold fish are huge waste producers, and eventhough you only have the one fish and it is in the right size tank, if it's been there for awhile, this will help...

I do seem to see red under the white spots, I would suggest starting with Melafix, used as directed for a few days, if you don't see any improvement, run carbon in your filter overnight, discard the carbon, and try a full treatment of either maracyn-two, or Maracyn-Plus. If you use either of these you will need to use the whole treatment like directed on the packaging, then run carbon again afterward for 24 hours to clean the meds out of the tank. Afterward you will also have to keep strict watch on your water tests, as using medications can disrupt the nitrogen cycle.

To read all about the nitrogen cycle you can go to this link.

http://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm Good Luck and I hope he feels better soon.

tffy

The tank is actually my mom's and she tests for stuff... but I'm not super sure what, so I will go ahead and get an API test and report the results. I believe in some testing she did the water was in a normal range. Okay, went and looked, did a test myself just now. It's a Mardel 5-in-1 tester. Results up in tank info and below.

Besides stuff I could enter in the "Tank info", I have:
Nitrate - a bit above 80ppm
Nitrite - 0ppm
Total Hardness - 50-120ppm
Total Alkalinity - 0ppm
pH - below 6.4

Yeah, some of these look quite a bit off. Will be dealing with them when the store opens tomorrow. Suggestions?

Standard filter... not sure what it is, gotta look up. Aqua Clear foam and carbon.

Water was changed (I think about 30% after the last treatment 2 weeks ago). Will change 50% tomorrow. Uhm - let it "stand there", use bottled, or just straight from tap? This is a very stupid question, and I know that. But, I've not been doing much with the fish, just trying to fix this now.

Thanks!

Lucy

Hi tffy,
Welcome to FishLore
There are no stupid questions here, so don't worry.

I'm not familiar with the test you used, is it a strip? If so, they're not very accurate.
You also need to test for ammonia, it is toxic to fish.
Water changes will bring your nitrates down.

You will need to treat your tap water with a conditioner to removes chlorine and other bad stuff.
Some here highly recommend Prime.
I use Stress Coat from API and I have used Right Start from Jungle. When adding new water try to get it close to the tank water temp.

I hope your goldie feels better, good luck.

tffy

Okay, so, just put some tap water into a smaller container, put some conditioner in it, let it get to room temp, and I'm golden? And yes, the test I used is a strip. Will post better results when I've got them. Thanks!

COBettaCouple

Welcome to Fishlore. Rid-Fungus would be a safe treatment for fungus issues.

susitna-flower

Another excellent product to condition your water is Prime.

If you have any way to hook right up to a sink to syphon your water, and fill your tank, it will make water changes lots easier. Adjust your water temp to within a few degrees as it is coming out of the tap, before running it into the tank.

If you do it this way, you would pour the conditioner into the tank after draining out what you are going to discard, then start adding water.

With 80 for nitrates, you need to do several water changes 25-50%, in a row, and vacuum the gravel. Wait 24 hours then repeat.....do this until your tests right before water change time comes down to 10. Then weekly repeat this to maintain nitrates between 10 and 20 at the VERY highest.

The only other thing I can see with your tank is that you may need to swish your filter material in the discarded tank water. (Don't make the mistake of completely changing filter material out, you will lose all your good bacteria)

You also need to discard the carbon that is in the filter and only use carbon in the filter if you are trying to remove medications after treatment. You place it in for 24 hours after treatment then throw it away.....Carbon absorbs lots of things out of the tank water...then if it gets "full" will release it right back into the tank, causing an overload.....

tffy

I've some updated numbers. Bought API Master kit, did tests, changed 50% of the water in the tank once, will do again tomorrow.

pH - 6.4
Ammonia - 0.75 (but, whoops, waited for 10 minutes not 5, hope that's still valid)
Nitrate - 10
Nitrite - still 0

I've also purchased a bottle of Melafix, will use when directed. Also, my mom has been running the filter with carbon in it at all times, except when specifically told to not do so by a medication. That's not a right thing to do, right? susitna-flower definitely says so, as I understand it.

Edit: Re-reading, see no reason not to start Melafix treatment right now. So, first day's dose in tank.

COBettaCouple

It's best to replace carbon once a week if you use it, but we recommend only using it when clearing out meds after treating a tank.

I'd redo the ammonia reading.. it could be off with the extra 5 minutes, but it's likely you have some ammonia.

tffy

Perhaps I didn't notice this before, but the fish seems to be more buoyant now. It keeps trying to swim down and then floats up as soon as it stops paddling. Also, didn't eat any when we fed her. Just swimming around, constantly opening and closing the mouth, as if drinking water. Will redo the ammonia reading in a tad. Thanks!

COBettaCouple

That sounds like a swim bladder issue. Is there any bloating? Does your fish eat normally? Is it possible to get a pic?

tffy

Now it's not floating (as in, it was sitting forlornly on the bottom of the tank this morning). We've put it into a smaller tank, and I think since I really don't know how she's been keeping this, we're draining the whole tank, going to wash the rocks and "plants", and start from square one. PH was 6.0 this morning, so... I figure, drastic measures.

But now in the small tank she's swimming on the side, seems to be turning sideways a lot.

And now it's for the lack of a better word, "shivering"... shaking every few seconds. Baaah!

And having redone the ammonia reading a bit earlier, it's at 0.5

COBettaCouple

I'd recommend daily water changes of about 35-50% and treating the water with Prime to get the ammonia levels lower and protect your fish from the damage the ammonia is causing. One of the causes for that behavior is water chemistry problems.

tffy

The tank has been completely re-filled, stones and fake plants washed. Water re-filled, some API starter medication put in there (5ml/10gal). Fish is in it, not too happy yet, hopefully will get there, hopefully.

Over the past few days we've been also arguing whether the fish has small growths on its lips - I think it does, my mom thinks I'm imagining. Basically, the lips are not "straight", have some dimples and waves in it, and are white. I suppose I could take a picture, if wanted.

tffy

The updates continue. She seems to have relaxed now, no longer swimming belly-up all the time, just laying in the corner, belly down. So, I guess the brand-new tank and 100% new water was the problem. Measuring the new H2O now in the tank, that came straight from the tap, the pH of it was a bit high - around. 7.4 or so, but I figured that wasn't a major problem. I guess I may put another dose of Melafix in tomorrow, if all goes well.

It still is "convulsing" though, and is sitting face-to the wall all the time.

tffy

Well, if anyone's reading this still, an update. She survived the night, still laying on its back/side, mouth constantly open, gills working pretty hard... Added another dose of Melafix. Don't know what else to do. All the water tests are good, Nitrite/Nitrate at zero or close, pH about 7.3, no Ammonia.

COBettaCouple

Have you tried the Rid-Fungus?

tffy

no, is that the recommended next step?

It seems she can't breathe, according to the stuff I read online. And I'm starting the Nitrogen cycle with fish, whoops. Don't have any other choice, as far as that goes.

Nitrite and Nitrogen are still at 0s though.

Melafix, which is in the tank water right now is supposed to threat "body slime and mouth fungus", so she is on an "antifungal" of some sort.