Black growth and bulbous eye

Hi all,

Pic of my goldfish attached.

I’ve had her for about 4 years and she has outlived 2 other fish she shared a tank with. The last fish was with her for the last 18 months and died the other day having suffered from white spot and latterly I believe an internal bacteria illness. The fish in the photo showed no signs of any similar illness during that period.

The eye and growth have been there since the first fish died about 18 months ago and I’ve carried out numerous treatments without any success. She’s happy, swimming and eating bit recently the growth is changing colour to black but has got slightly smaller. I loved her to a 125L aquarium with good filtration 18 months ago and she shared it with only one other small goldfish. The damage you see was there when she was in a 60L tank with another fish.

I’m keen to know if anyone can confirm what the black growth is and also if the eye is the result of damage and not pop eye as it’s never gone away though changes in size? I’m toying with the idea of. 240L tank and adding 3 goldfish rather than leave her alone but hesitant as not sure if the growth is an Illness that could affect new fish.

Grateful for any thoughts or advice.

 

That looks like a cancerous tumor.
As for the eye issue, the Goldfish's immune system is likely getting weaker, which opens it's body up to bacteral infection.
There's really nothing to be done other than keep the water clean & feed nutritious food.

 

Thanks for getting back to me with that information. As the lump had been there for 18 months I thought it was a tumor but wasn’t sure. The eye has just never healed in the last 18 months and suspect an infection has simply damaged it beyond repair. I assume from what you say that in terms of lifespan there is not way to tell how long she will live? Also, is it ok to introduce more smaller goldfish into a tank with her in that condition. I don’t like seeing her alone in there though she is mobile and eating well. She is a comet measuring about 4 inches body length and 7 inches with tail.

Thanks again for the advice.

 

I think it would be fine to add a few more tankmates.

 

Thanks again for taking the time to reply.

 

what are the water parameters?

what is your water change schedule and how much water is removed?

125L is 31g, just big enough for 1 goldfish.

in my experience, 20g/80L per goldfish if you're doing 75-80% weekly water changes. 25g/100L per goldfish if you're doing 50-60% weekly water changes.

 

what are the water parameters?

what is your water change schedule and how much water is removed?

125L is 31g, just big enough for 1 goldfish.

in my experience, 20g/80L per goldfish if you're doing 75-80% weekly water changes. 25g/100L per goldfish if you're doing 50-60% weekly water changes.

Hi,

50-60% water change every 7-10 days. Water parameters tested before each change and always read zero ammonia, zero nitrite and around 5ppm nitrate. I’m very careful monitoring this. The damage to the fish you see in the pics started about 18 months ago when she was in a 60l tank with another fish (who died). I learned from that and got the bigger aquarium. The growth on her back has changed colour from white to black and the shape of it changes over time too. Her eye was cloudy and swollen intermittently over the past 18 months but is now just swollen, clear and black in one corner. I’m fairly sure she is blind on that side now. Her other eye has no issues.