Just as an update, I took a video of FrankenChu for reference:

http://youtu.be/cgh3rNi8Bpc

Not looking too healthy, are we :/

Please ignore the noises in the video, our neighbour seems to be trying to remove our shared wall.

Is that ammonia in your drinking water? I'd be making phonecalls!

How do you do water changes, and how much do you change weekly?

I'm wondering though, if the water you're putting in is that bad, then perhaps you should start using Seachem Prime as a water conditioner?

Hi,

I'm sure someone will be along to give you more advice, but in the meantime, as a ranchu owner, I can tell you that the statue, the skull, and the large rock ornament on the right hand side need to go. Ranchus are incredibly clumsy and excitable, and will bash into / rub against / get stuck in anything they can.

If he is being bullied by the other fish, they will push him up against things and he will get scrapes and scratches, and lose scales.

I have a blind ranchu who doesn't know where he is most of the time, I've had to remove everything from the tank that isn't plants or mossballs, as he has hurt himself off them at some point. Anything with sharp or rough edges will scrape delicate fins and scales.

Yikes! I'm not so sure, but with the way tank glass works, if it's cracked, it's been weakened for some reason and isn't really repairable.

In the meantime, you could try get some of the storage boxes from Staples, they come in some really large sizes so if the crack does spread, at least you have a backup.

Hopefully someone else will be able to tell you more about how safe it is now.

Hi Mel,

Sorry to hear you're having trouble,

What size tank is the fish currently in? Do you have a test kit, or any water test results? How often do you do water changes, and how much do you change?

Red patches are (mostly) due to toxic water conditions, and while melafix can help with the healing process, unless the conditions change, it won't do very much.

Lol, yes, I remember the first time I celebrated a weekday birthday and realised that would be the last time I'd be doing that!

Happy birthday, and enjoy yourself at the weekend!

No I haven't, and my DIY skills are poor at best - but it does seem like an economical way of keeping large volumes of water.

I am planning on trying something like this from PFK: Jaywickrob's raised pond , which is absolutely stunning.

I'd just be afraid that the smallest leak could weaken the plywood, and the whole kit goes splosh :/

Cake! I think I'll be mainly focusing on 1) Standing upright and not collapsing and 2) not gibbering like a fool!

We can definitely do the coffee, Mr V (S?) is a coffee buff so that we can do at least! Now I'm fretting, it'll be like doing an exam, are my tanks okay, does my house smell of Prime, where did we put the red carpet...

I'll ask lots of questions and try not to call him 'Your Honour'. He studied in the UK so he may have contacts.

He did say though that goldfish can mend themselves if left to it with lumps and bumps, it may just go away by itself. I suppose I'm just extra jumpy after losing Ronnie and Little Fishy for what seemed like no reason. At least this is external so it's not affecting any organs, however that doesn't mean it's not internal as well. We'll see what he says.

Oh my gosh, you guys, I phoned the guy the vet recommended today, he's the head of the fish pathology unit for the Irish Dept. of Marine and Natural Resources.

My little chu is going straight to the top

He's coming to my house on Saturday morning, panic stations, I'm a little overwhelmed!

I hope so, I can't keep turning up to people clutching bags of fish going 'fix it!'

Did you ever get your dog sorted in the end? Sounds distressing :(