My Oranda.

HI guys.
I'm a newbie so I apologise in advance if I'm posting in the wrong section.
I have a 35 gallon tank which had my oranda, Shaemus in, who is about 2 yrs old. I bought 2 small oranda both measuring about 1 inch long. They were fine for the first couple of weeks then one of the small oranda started to attack Shaemus by nipping his tail fins till they had red streaks in them. I moved the small one into another tank that had been running for several weeks. Then the other small oranda started chasing Shaemus. So I took it and put it in the other tank.
Shaemus tail fins have less red streaks in it but instead of resting on the bottom of the tank he has been resting upright. I have included photos. You can just make out the 2 small oranda. Please can you help me. Why is he resting like that. Hope I'm in the right section. Ive also put 3 photos in from before I put the 2 baby oranda in. .




This is what his fins were like before. These should be attached to my previous post. So




Very disappointed I've had no advice on my situation.

 

MADFISH3 hopefully someone else will respond soon. I've been following your thread and hoping you'll get some good advice. Shaemus is a beautiful fish. The following info will help-
Ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate readings.
Is shaemus alone in the 35 gallon tank now?
Flowingfins Coradee Anders247 do you have any advice, or know of another member with goldfish expertise?

 

Megg01
Shaemus is alone in the tank now.
I know Ammonia is 0
I can't remember what the exact numbers for nitrate and nitrite are but I know they were ok yesterday when I took them.
I'm going to try and get a photo of Shaemus now so people can see what I mean about his fins now.
I'm so upset at what has happened to him. I wish he would rest laid properly and not resting upright on his tail fin.

 

Until someone answers, you could remove all decor from the tank so there's nothing for him to bump into.

 

This is what his fins are like this morning. They have cleared up loads but he's still resting upright.
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Megg01
I've checked him this morning and his tail fins are much better. The redness has settled loads but he is still resting upright, standing on his tail fins. See photo attached to original post.

Yes, that's definitely not right but I'm not sure what to do to help him. I've tagged a few other members in a previous post so they'll see this when they log on and will hopefully have some advice or know who to ask.
Sorry I haven't been much help, but I wanted you to know you weren't being ignored. It takes awhile sometimes but we have a lot of very experienced members here and someone will have an answer.

 

Megg01
Thankyou so much for talking to me. ☺

 

HI guys.
I'm a newbie so I apologise in advance if I'm posting in the wrong section.
I have a 35 gallon tank which had my oranda, Shaemus in, who is about 2 yrs old. I bought 2 small oranda both measuring about 1 inch long. They were fine for the first couple of weeks then one of the small oranda started to attack Shaemus by nipping his tail fins till they had red streaks in them. I moved the small one into another tank that had been running for several weeks. Then the other small oranda started chasing Shaemus. So I took it and put it in the other tank.
Shaemus tail fins have less red streaks in it but instead of resting on the bottom of the tank he has been resting upright. I have included photos. You can just make out the 2 small oranda. Please can you help me. Why is he resting like that. Hope I'm in the right section. Ive also put 3 photos in from before I put the 2 baby oranda in. .View attachment 196605View attachment 196606View attachment 196607

Hello and well To fl,
First is the tank cycled?
Second what kind of goldfish do you have?
Third how many fish did you have in the tank?
Forth is their a lot of hiding spots for the injured one to hide in?

 

Sarah73, OP has oranda goldfish. There were 3 in the tank but the 2 bullies were removed so the only one in the 35 gallon is the injured.
I had wondered about swim bladder issues. What do you think?

 

Sarah73
Yes the tank was cycled.
The only fish I have are Oranda. The white one in the photos is a lion head Oranda. The small orange black fin oranda and the one you can see part of is a white orange and black oranda.
After a couple of weeks the white orange and black one was nipping at the big white ones fins causing them to become ragged so I took the small one out and put him in another tank. Couple of days later the small orange black finned oranda started nipping Shaemus(big white one) tail fins so I removed the little one and put her with other small Oranda. That's all that was in the tank. Shaemus is now on his own but insists on resting stood on his tail fins
There were plenty of plants for him to hide in.
I'm at a total loss

 

I'm wondering if you somehow ended up with a female (Shaemus) and two males. Goldfish breeding is fairly rough. Were they bumping and pushing Shaemus around, too?

 

Megg01
The multI coloured oranda (CM Punk) was chasing and bumping under the belly of Shaemus and AJ Lee (the orange oranda with black fins). Once I took CM Punk out AJ Lee chased Shaemus but only to nip at his tail fins.
He was resting normally in the tank until about 2 weeks after I put the other 2 in.

 

@, OP has oranda goldfish. There were 3 in the tank but the 2 bullies were removed so the only one in the 35 gallon is the injured.
I had wondered about swim bladder issues. What do you think?

It depends on how he is swimming. Maybe give him a unshelled pea.

@
The multI coloured oranda (CM Punk) was chasing and bumping under the belly of Shaemus and AJ Lee (the orange oranda with black fins). Once I took CM Punk out AJ Lee chased Shaemus but only to nip at his tail fins.
He was resting normally in the tank until about 2 weeks after I put the other 2 in.

Megg maybe right. Goldfish breeding is pretty aggressive, but it could also be that their isn't enough space, did you say you have enough hiding places? Or it sounds like the one that is bullying is protecting the female and the one that is getting bullied is a male.

 

Megg maybe right. Goldfish breeding is pretty aggressive, but it could also be that their isn't enough space, did you say you have enough hiding places? Or it sounds like the one that is bullying is protecting the female and the one that is getting bullied is a male.

A 35 gallon is pretty small for 3 goldfish, especially full grown. I'd probably stick with 2. Maybe OP can try to get another female?
Goldfish aren't thought of as aggressive fish but I've read at least 2 threads where members just ended up with mean ones. They definitely all have their own personalities.

 

A 35 gallon is pretty small for 3 goldfish, especially full grown. I'd probably stick with 2. Maybe OP can try to get another female?
Goldfish aren't thought of as aggressive fish but I've read at least 2 threads where members just ended up with mean ones. They definitely all have their own personalities.

Well when you put another fish in a tank then that puts even more stress on the injured one. I would maybe say get rid of the bullies and put the female in the same tank plus put a divider in the tank so the injuried one can recover and you don't have a small spike

 

Well when you put another fish in a tank then that puts even more stress on the injured one. I would maybe say get rid of the bullies and put the female in the same tank plus put a divider in the tank so the injuried one can recover and you don't have a small spike

Yes, I'd definitely let Shaemus recuperate before introducing him/her to any fish (new or otherwise). I don't know a way to tell a goldfishes gender but if you know, Sarah73 that could be helpful so OP knows what they have.

 

Yes, I'd definitely let Shaemus recuperate before introducing him/her to any fish (new or otherwise). I don't know a way to tell a goldfishes gender but if you know, Sarah73 that could be helpful so OP knows what they have.

The only reason I am saying to put a divider in the tank is so that Shaemus can recover and so the tank doesn't have a spike from the lack of fish. Now for the gender... Shaemus does look and sound like a female. She is being nudged into the wall, so the male can force her to spawn. The females are usually plumped out more. Here's some helpful ways to see if yours is a male or female

 

The only reason I am saying to put a divider in the tank is so that Shaemus can recover and so the tank doesn't have a spike from the lack of fish. Now for the gender... Shaemus does look and sound like a female. She is being nudged into the wall, so the male can force her to spawn. The females are usually plumped out more. Here's some helpful ways to see if yours is a male or female

Yes there's plenty of hiding places.
When he's swimming he swims normally. He doesn't struggle to swim. Swims along bottom of the tank swims all over the tank with out any problem. I won't put any more fish in until he's fully healed.

 

Looks like septicemia. Goldfish seem very prone to it.

 

Looks like septicemia. Goldfish seem very prone to it.

His/her fins have been worse that. It started after my 2 new small oranda started to nip at his/her tail fin. I have since removed them and his tail fins are a lot better. At one point his tail fins were streaked with blood as well as being very red at the end. They are slowly improving. They would improve a lot quicker if he didn't spend all his time stood up on his tail fins

 

So are you saying you don't think it's septicemia? Septicemia can show up in differing degrees of severity.

Can you get numbers for nitrite and nitrate?

He's hanging out on the bottom for a reason.

 

So are you saying you don't think it's septicemia? Septicemia can show up in differing degrees of severity.

Can you get numbers for nitrite and nitrate?

He's hanging out on the bottom for a reason.

TexasDomer
He has always rested at the bottom but normally laid flat and not rested on Tail Fins. He does plenty of swimming around. He is feeding fine and as soon as I go upto the tank he's swimming all over.
Nitrite is 0
Nitrate is 50
pH is 6.8
Ammonia is 0
Here is a video of Shaemus swimming around.

He swims around a lot. Also the bits floating around in the water were from a couple of plants that got disrupted during a clean out. So I had to replant them. I left a few hrs from clean out till I replanted them.

 

I'd do more water changes to get the nitrates below 10 ppm. Hopefully the septicemia goes away soon.

 

I'd do more water changes to get the nitrates below 10 ppm. Hopefully the septicemia goes away soon.

It's okay to have nitrates at 20, but 10 is better.

 

It's okay to have nitrates at 20, but 10 is better.

Normally, yes, but with a goldfish with septicemia, you want pristine water and nitrates as low as possible (same with any sick fish).

 

Normally, yes, but with a goldfish with septicemia, you want pristine water and nitrates as low as possible (same with any sick fish).

True

 

True

Thanks everyone for your advice. Ive bought some Tetra Nitrateminus. It's highly recommended to bring Nitrate levels down quickly. Also I'm getting more plants to put in as I know they help lower the Nitrate levels.
I will still do more water changes and keep you updated.
Thankyou

 

Thanks everyone for your advice. Ive bought some Tetra Nitrateminus. It's highly recommended to bring Nitrate levels down quickly. Also I'm getting more plants to put in as I know they help lower the Nitrate levels.
I will still do more water changes and keep you updated.
Thankyou

I'm not sure I'd use that - it doesn't get it below 40-50 ppm (not that helpful), and it's another chemical to add to the tank. Water changes are best for reducing nitrates. If you have high nitrates in your tap, there are things you can do to reduce it in the tank, but I would stay away from that chemical.

 

I'm not sure I'd use that - it doesn't get it below 40-50 ppm (not that helpful), and it's another chemical to add to the tank. Water changes are best for reducing nitrates. If you have high nitrates in your tap, there are things you can do to reduce it in the tank, but I would stay away from that chemical.

I've been reading the reviews of this product Tetra Nitrateminus and here are some of the reviews. Ive pick a few from different dates.
I will still be doing the water changes more often but it's not easy for me as I am chronically disabled and need to wait for my son to able to come and help me.
Thank you for all your help. X

Here are the reviews









I will keep you upto date with how it's going with Shaemus

 

I will keep you upto date with how it's going with Shaemus

The reason why your nitrates are so high is because the goldfish are pooping and leaving food on the gravel, so the nitrites are turning into nitrates, so that is good. But that means their is to much poop and the filtration can't handle it all. try getting another filter to aid the other filter.

 

The reason why your nitrates are so high is because the goldfish are pooping and leaving food on the gravel, so the nitrites are turning into nitrates, so that is good. But that means their is to much poop and the filtration can't handle it all. try getting another filter to aid the other filter.

There is only the 1 fish in the tank and that is Shaemus. He gets fed a few flakes on a morning which he eats the majority of if not all. He then spends the day sifting through the gravel picking the few bits he didn't get at breakfast.
How can 1 fish cause the nitrates to be 50ppm?
I use a Fluval 3 underwater filter. I only rinse mess filters when really bad and I wash them in the water from the tank. I don't wash carbon filters. The middle of the filter has Biomax in and I never wash that out. I don't need another filter. That's big enough to cope with my tank.
What more can I do?

 

Goldfish are messy fish so it's definitely possible to accumulate nitrates that high and that quickly. Have you tested your water source for nitrates? It's a possibility that it's coming from there as well.

And I agree that adding those chemicals that claim to remove waste can do more harm than good.

 

Goldfish are messy fish so it's definitely possible to accumulate nitrates that high and that quickly. Have you tested your water source for nitrates? It's a possibility that it's coming from there as well.

And I agree that adding those chemicals that claim to remove waste can do more harm than good.

I haven't checked water source but I will do that. I've had Shaemus from him being about 1 inch long. He has gone through several tanks never have I had this happen till I put the other 2 oranda in this tank with him. They were all fine for a while then the 2 little ones started attacking his tail fins and they have ended up like that.

 

I'm sorry if you've already mentioned it but do you also vacuum your substrate with your water changes?

 

I'm sorry if you've already mentioned it but do you also vacuum your substrate with your water changes?

Yes I do vacuum it.
Shouldn't I do it?

 

Yes, you should. I was just wondering if you weren't because excess food and detritus can increase nitrates.

 

Yes, you should. I was just wondering if you weren't because excess food and detritus can increase nitrates.

So what else should I do apart from increase water changes

 

Water changes would be the best way to lower nitrates and overall healthier for your fish to have regular clean water. Try testing as well. If high nitrates are coming from your tap, you'll have to mix in 50/50 RO/DI, use nitrate reducing media and nitrate absorbing plants to help reduce them.

 

Water changes would be the best way to lower nitrates and overall healthier for your fish to have regular clean water. Try testing as well. If high nitrates are coming from your tap, you'll have to mix in 50/50 RO/DI, use nitrate reducing media and nitrate absorbing plants to help reduce them.

Ok. Thankyou for everyone help.

 

Ok. Thankyou for everyone help.

don't put live plants in the gravel. let them float or the goldfish will get them out of the gravel. They dig out plants and will eat some, so do some research on the plants.