Goldfish problems

[Amanda1226]

I am not an advanced fish owner but I try. My kids won a goldfish at the fair about 6 years ago. The last 2 months have been terrible for the poor thing. First off, I had an ammonia spike and she got black spots (they are slowly going away). After the ammonia poisoning it started having what seem like seizures. There is no trigger, she just rapidly flops all over the tank, sometimes knocking herself out, then is fine. She eats fine, seems happy. Then, about a month or so ago she got stuck in a decoration that she knocked over. I woke up and she was in it. I had to physically pull her out. Being in there overnight caused her to rub her skin down to bare flesh and broke off part of her front fins. She also has scrapes on her head. There doesn't appear to be any infection or fungus. She is healing but it seems to be slowly. I guess my question is what can I do to help with her seizures and help her heal faster?

 

[ChrissFishes01]

Well, the healing bit is pretty easy. Clean water and some salt will help quite a bit - I'd add around 1 tbsp of aquarium salt per 2 gallons. It'll help fight off infections and other opportunistic bugs while the fish heals.

It's hard to say for the seizures. Fish can definitely have neurological issues, but it could also be something else entirely with just that behavior. I'd try to limit stress and see if it improves. Remove any decorations it can get stuck in.

What're your water parameters like?

 

[jtjgg]

not enough info, please fill out the emergency template


when there's anything wrong, test the water and do a large water change.

 

[Amanda1226]

Well, the healing bit is pretty easy. Clean water and some salt will help quite a bit - I'd add around 1 tbsp of aquarium salt per 2 gallons. It'll help fight off infections and other opportunistic bugs while the fish heals.

It's hard to say for the seizures. Fish can definitely have neurological issues, but it could also be something else entirely with just that behavior. I'd try to limit stress and see if it improves. Remove any decorations it can get stuck in.

What're your water parameters like?

My parameters are always bad in this tank. Idk what to do with this one. It is a 35 gallon hexagon tank. I have a hob 40 gallon filter and a 40 gallon submersible filter. But no matter how many water changes I do the water is still green.

I just took test strips and the ammonia is very slightly elevated maybe .25.
Nitrates are about 80.
Nitrites are zero.
Hardness is 300 very hard.
Chlorine is zero.
Alkalinity is 300 high.
PH is 8.4.

I just did a 50% water change 4 days ago made sure to add dress coat plus. She did get treated with melafix when she got stuck about a month ago but I've done two 50% water changes since then.

Her tank mates are a very fat koi and a plecostamus. Other than a swim bladder problem the koi has had since we got him the pleco and the koi are fine.

not enough info, please fill out the emergency template


when there's anything wrong, test the water and do a large water change.

They are almost all off but I just did a 50% water change 4 days ago.
This tank also has rocks from the mountains in it. Should I remove those? I am planning to get a uv sterilizer for the green water. There is no algae growing anywhere else and the water isn't cloudy, just green. I had to order aquarium salt. Is the salt safe for the other fish? I don't have a quarantine tank.

 

[MyFishAddiction]

Salt is fine for those other fish IMO, just don't add to much.

 

[jtjgg]

35g for a comet goldfish, koi, and pleco, is way too small. actually that might not be a koi, probably a shubunkin. but 35g is still too small. does it sit at the bottom a lot?

80ppm nitrate is too high, the EPA max is 40ppm, but most of us keep it below 20ppm. the algae is feeding off the high nitrates, and most likely high phosphates in the water.

you need to start doing two 50% water changes per week to get the nitrate down to around 20ppm.

 

[Natalie666]

Part of the reason ur parameters are wack is probably bc of the stocking. All of those fish need a pond-sized permanent home. Your best off rehoming/upgrading, but I can see just the affected Goldie living in ur current tank since she requires more attention. If you relocate the other two, you may be able to keep your parameters more stable.

 

[Amanda1226]

35g for a comet goldfish, koi, and pleco, is way too small. actually that might not be a koi, probably a shubunkin. but 35g is still too small. does it sit at the bottom a lot?

80ppm nitrate is too high, the EPA max is 40ppm, but most of us keep it below 20ppm. the algae is feeding off the high nitrates, and most likely high phosphates in the water.

you need to start doing two 50% water changes per week to get the nitrate down to around 20ppm.

Yes he is always on the bottom unless he's eating. I'm not sure what he is. I bought him from Walmart about 3 years ago and he was labeled a butterfly koi.

Would a 55 gallon be big enough? I may be able to get ahold of one of those.

 

[jtjgg]

could you post a close up shot of the koi's head? if he's a koi, then he should be much bigger. if he's not a koi, then a 55g would be ok.