GoldFish Gill is strange looking

Wondering what's up with it... he (or she) acts fine but the gill is a little strange looking.

 

Has it always been this way, or is this a new condition?

 

It's been that way since we got him. I didn't realize it in the store. He was the most active, so we bought him.

 

Hmm.. how long have you had the goldie? Nothing else odd about him or anything that might be sickness? Does it like to hang around at the top of the tank? What is the ammonia reading on the tank?

 

He goes to the top once in a while for food but hangs out in the middle. We bought him last weekend, so not too long. Ammonia was 0ppm, then .25ppm (before fish), and I did a water test 1/16/08 Ammonia read 0ppm.The water is a little cloudy today, but I did a 15% water change on Tues. and 25% today. I thought maybe he was born with one gill covering or it was damaged? Wanderlei, the smaller Moor, keeps pecking at him for some reason. They weren't in the same tank at the store.

 

They might need to be seperated. Sometimes fish pick on weaker ones.

What are you using for water conditioner?

 

I use prime for my water. I seperated them today. I put Wanderlei, the smaller one, in a 10 gallon temporarily. Mercelo is a lot bigger, but he is missing scales and has fugus. Poor guy. I have been giving him fugus meds all week.

 

What meds are you using? I find Rid-Fungus to be effective and if you can get Vita-Chem or Fish Protector, both would help with his scales growing back.

 

Mardel brand Maracyn for fugus. He had long, white poo, but that it normal now. He's been on Maracyn for about a week now. I should try Rid-Fungus.

 

Maracyn is good. Rid-Fungus is organic & herbal so it's less harsh on the fish. Often white poo indicates internal parasites, but that's gone now so that's good.

Mardel brand Maracyn for fugus. He had long, white poo, but that it normal now. He's been on Maracyn for about a week now. I should try Rid-Fungus.

 

Now his fugus is alomst gone. But now he's on the bottom like he has swim bladder. ahh! Poor thing. I have him in the hospital tank with peas.

 

How is he doing now? Is he better and if not, what symptoms does he have?

 

Hi everyone - I’m very new to fish keeping and also new to this forum and need some help with one of my fish.
I have this little guy who I noticed had this exposed gill from when we got him home from the shop. He was otherwise behaving normally and looked otherwise healthy & I did some reading and thought it was maybe a congenital issue (sorry I don’t have a picture from before). Today though it’s looking a little worse with this small notched area. He’s still swimming well and looks otherwise fine, is eating. My friend google is proving unhelpful. My best guess is one of the other fish nipped him? Keen to know if others agree or have other ideas. I have him with a couple of other goldfish & a school of white clouds. I haven’t noticed any of them being aggressive. Thinking of moving him to a quarantine tank for a bit. Have tested the water and it’s fine.
Thoughts? Thanks in advance.

edited post: realised I said fin instead of gill i blame child induced sleeplessness, embarrassing, sorry

 

Is it me or is his gill cover severely damaged? Was it like that when it was in the store?

 

This looks like severe ammonia poisoning to me, the gills are super red right?

 

Is it me or is his gill cover severely damaged? Was it like that when it was in the store?

I’ve had him for about 4 weeks - I didn’t notice it in the store but as soon as we got home there was a crescent area that was bright red like the gills were exposed. I wasn’t sure if it was damaged or a congenital thing but it looked like maybe it was getting a bit better or at least not getting worse so just kept an eye on it. But then this morning it’s worse like this with the little notched area.

This looks like severe ammonia poisoning to me, the gills are super red right?

I tested the ammonia, pH & nitrite levels all this morning which were all fine. The his gills on the other side are fine and all the other fish look healthy - would that happen in ammonia poisoning?

 

I’ve had him for about 4 weeks - I didn’t notice it in the store but as soon as we got home there was a crescent area that was bright red like the gills were exposed. I wasn’t sure if it was damaged or a congenital thing but it looked like maybe it was getting a bit better or at least not getting worse so just kept an eye on it. But then this morning it’s worse like this with the little notched area.


I tested the ammonia, pH & nitrite levels all this morning which were all fine. The his gills on the other side are fine and all the other fish look healthy - would that happen in ammonia poisoning?

With ammonia poisoning, the fish will most likely have red gills, be gasping for air at the surface, and lethargic/laying on the bottom of the tank. From what I see from the pictures, it does look to me like ammonia poisoning...

 

With ammonia poisoning, the fish will most likely have red gills, be gasping for air at the surface, and lethargic/laying on the bottom of the tank. From what I see from the pictures, it does look to me like ammonia poisoning...

Ammonia levels are 0 ppm today & the fish is so active he’s hard to photograph! He’s definitely not lethargic or been gasping. And it’s looked like that for 4 weeks so I don’t think it’s ammonia poisoning. Also all the other fish he’s been living with for the past 4 weeks are completely fine.

 

Ammonia levels are 0 ppm today & the fish is so active he’s hard to photograph! He’s definitely not lethargic or been gasping. And it’s looked like that for 4 weeks so I don’t think it’s ammonia poisoning. Also all the other fish he’s been living with for the past 4 weeks are completely fine.

Maybe gill flukes then?

 

A bit better photo

 

A bit better photo

Was he like that when you bought him? Where did you get him from? A quick google search for "ammonia poisoning goldfish" will reveal images like that...

 

Was he like that when you bought him? Where did you get him from? A quick google search for "ammonia poisoning goldfish" will reveal images like that...

Yeah it was like it when I got him but a bit more exaggerated now. I got him from a local large pet store. I did a 40% water change on Tuesday & the ammonia is measuring 0ppm, has never been more than that so I don’t quite understand how it could be ammonia poisoning, unless it’s an old ammonia burn from before I had him that is healing? Is that a thing? But then why would it be worse today?

 

Yeah it was like it when I got him but a bit more exaggerated now. I got him from a local large pet store. I did a 40% water change on Tuesday & the ammonia is measuring 0ppm, has never been more than that so I don’t quite understand how it could be ammonia poisoning, unless it’s an old ammonia burn from before I had him that is healing? Is that a thing? But then why would it be worse today?

He could have gotten the poisoning at the pet store...

 

It doesn't look like ammonia poisoning. There's a defect on the gill cover. It might be congenital. Keep an eye on it. If it gets worse it may be bacterial. Same if the fin doesn't regenerate.

 

It doesn't look like ammonia poisoning. There's a defect on the gill cover. It might be congenital. Keep an eye on it. If it gets worse it may be bacterial. Same if the fin doesn't regenerate.

Thanks. It was getting better I thought but now getting worse. If it is a bacterial thing could it spread to the other fish? Do you think I should quarantine it?

 

Thanks. It was getting better I thought but now getting worse. If it is a bacterial thing could it spread to the other fish? Do you think I should quarantine it?

Hard to tell, as it seems to be active and anatomically sound (normal posture, full belly, no discoloration, no sores etc). What do you mean when you say worse?

 

Hard to tell, as it seems to be active and anatomically sound (normal posture, full belly, no discoloration, no sores etc). What do you mean when you say worse?

Yeah, it is eating and behaving normally, no other signs of disease. The red area is larger, and before it was like a smooth edged crescent all around but now since yesterday it has that ragged notched area.

 

If you are sure it is progressing, it may be easier to rule out flukes (suspicion due to the specific location) before considering bacterial issues. I did not have to deal with gill flukes, I believe there are specific medications for it but other anti parasitic medications should work.