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xNina xNina
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  • Posted on: 18/1/2017 5:15
Sick goldfish - red streaks in tail and slight swelling #1
Hello!

I am seeking some help on my poor sick goldfish :( recently, I noticed my goldfish has some red streaks on its tail. It stays at the bottle for the whole day and only gets up when it's time to eat. When he does get up and swim around, he goes "crazy" and just swims really fast around the tank like he's in big pain. This happened a little over a month ago. There was a red puffy bump on the side of his body near the tail. We treated it with Tetra Lifeguard all in one bacterial and fungus treatment. It got better. Now, it looks like the same thing is happening. The tail and the end of his body is getting red. We have been treating it with the same thing. It has been 2 days since we have been treating him with it. Also, a good thing to mention is that he has been like this for almost a week, and it seems to have not gotten better nor worse. He is in a 10 gallon tank with 2 other goldfish. We have had him for 4-5 years. Please help! I hate seeing the little guy suffer.
xNina xNina
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  • Posted on: 18/1/2017 5:45
Re: Sick goldfish - red streaks in tail and slight swelling #2
http://imgur.com/a/Mxh74

http://imgur.com/a/5zkIp


IMAGES OF THE FISH ^^
fcmf fcmf
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  • Posted on: 19/1/2017 7:57
Re: Sick goldfish - red streaks in tail and slight swelling #3
Very sorry to read about this, especially as he looks a lovely fish (very similar to my own one - RIP).

What you're describing in terms of not getting up to swim around, then swimming fast, behaving as though he's in pain, the red streaks/bump, all sound very much to me like the consequences of impaired water quality, most likely high nitrates. The fact that this has returned after treating him with the medication which you have (bacterial/fungus/finrot type treatment) suggests this all the more.

When I read what size your tank is and that there are 3 goldfish in it, it seems as though that's where the problem lies - read this article: http://injaf.org/care-and-information ... t-size-tank-for-goldfish/ What happens is that the toxins - ammonia produced by the fish and which then converts to nitrite and nitrates - build up in the water and, in a tiny tank like yours, happen all the more quickly. Any level of ammonia or nitrite, and nitrates more than 20ppm (or more than 20ppm above whatever they are for your tap water), is toxic to fish, and result in them succumbing to illness (often chronically) or death, with the weakest succumbing first.

What I strongly advise, for the sake of this fish and before the others follow by succumbing to an illness to, is for you to do:
* daily water changes of 50%, replacing with dechlorinated water [Seachem Prime would be the best dechlorinator in this instance, as it helps detoxify ammonia/nitrite/nitrates for 24hrs following its use]
* buy a liquid-based (not paper-based) test kit, to be able to monitor ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels daily - if there is any level above what I describe above, then do more frequent water changes to reduce that (eg 2 x 40% water changes per day rather than 1 x 50% water change)

This will be more beneficial than treating further with medication - try it and see, as you ought to see the benefits starting almost immediately.

However, what is most important is for you to upgrade the fishes' tank to a larger one - something like the Fluval Roma 240 litre tank is just about big enough to house 3 goldfish, and its benefit is that it's a long tank for the water volume which is what goldfish need. Alternatively, if they're all common/comet goldfish, they are actually better suited to ponds if you know of anyone with a pond. Very importantly, when you do upgrade the tank, make sure that all the filter media (sponge, foam) with the beneficial bacteria built up on that is transferred into the new filter, otherwise the filter cycling process will start all over again.

Hope this helps but keep us posted in how things are going. Best of luck!
xNina xNina
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  • Posted on: 20/1/2017 1:20
Re: Sick goldfish - red streaks in tail and slight swelling #4
Very sorry to hear what happened to your fish.
Yes, I am aware that we need a bigger tank
A day after I posted this here, this is what happened -
Yes, it may be. We have 3 goldfish in a 10 gallon tank. We will start changing 25% of the water every day. Is that fine?
http://imgur.com/a/rykEE

This was our 5th and last day of treating the fish with Tetra All-in-one treatment. Should we start changing the water tomorrow? We are having guests tomorrow and do not have time to get a bigger tank any time soon. Next time we will be free is in a couple of days. Will my sick goldfish still be alive and ok?
One question... we have had these 3 goldfish in our 10 gallon tank for over 3 years. Why hasn't it happened before?
Again, thank you very much! Keep in touch!
fcmf fcmf
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  • Posted on: 20/1/2017 21:51
Re: Sick goldfish - red streaks in tail and slight swelling #5
Goodness - that's quite severe.

In all honesty, I think 25% water change per day won't be enough - I think you'll need to go for 50%. It's better than nothing but I think 50% would give your fish a better chance of recuperation.

As for whether your sick goldfish will be alive and ok in a couple of days' time, I can't answer that. I sincerely hope so but, if you keep up the water changes I've described, that will certainly give him the best possible chance.

As for why this hasn't happened before now, fish, like humans, are more resilient when they're younger and heal more quickly but this changes as they get older. It may be that they were just about ok because they were still very young, but now that they're a little older, they may be producing more waste and it's (ie the presence of ammonia and possibly nitrites and high nitrates) taking its toll.

Hope that helps - fingers crossed.
xNina xNina
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  • Posted on: 21/1/2017 22:13
Re: Sick goldfish - red streaks in tail and slight swelling #6
Hello! We will get a 20 gallon tank on Monday. I wish we could get a bigger one, but our kitchen counter will not be able to hold a bigger one. At least 20 will be a bit bigger and will help for now until we find another place in our house to keep the tank.
As for what I can see now, the swelling and fuzziness has gone down a little bit, but still not quite recovered. There is much dark red on the top of his lower part of body on both sides. He may be getting worse, or better. I have no idea what is going on. Please help! Once again, thank you for everything :) I will keep you updated

http://imgur.com/a/Kp9ML
http://imgur.com/a/JLeX1
http://imgur.com/a/4R7Vo
http://imgur.com/a/gRDZ4
http://imgur.com/a/QqyNE
fcmf fcmf
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  • Posted on: 22/1/2017 17:06
Re: Sick goldfish - red streaks in tail and slight swelling #7
Great re the new tank. Be very careful to ensure that you move across the filter media as I described before - that will be crucial.

I would keep up the water changes as I've described. You could consider treating with a medication for bacterial/fungus/finrot such as eSHa 2000 or Waterlife Myxazin - something stronger than API Melafix - as well but the water changes are more important. [NB. I'm unsure what medications are available in the US.]
xNina xNina
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  • Posted on: 21/2/2017 0:27
Re: Sick goldfish - red streaks in tail and slight swelling #8
Hi, very sorry for not keeping in touch. We got a 29 gallon tank and he has been doing well. But today, I noticed a big white steak in his tail. He seems to glue getting jolts of "jitters" frequently.I have no idea what is going on. He was fine till this day. Here's some pictures

http://imgur.com/Bn95Mum
http://imgur.com/zA12Bkg
http://imgur.com/G7k0svy
http://imgur.com/s4cn1Vf
http://imgur.com/MwpMtBj
http://imgur.com/v5DDIV5
http://imgur.com/pxOR07I
http://imgur.com/yYKQHFv
http://imgur.com/pOsxmqz
http://imgur.com/0IXTlG9
http://imgur.com/tIEFEkO
fcmf fcmf
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  • Posted on: 21/2/2017 18:54
Re: Sick goldfish - red streaks in tail and slight swelling #9
Glad to read that he's in a larger tank - that ought to help a lot.

As for the jolts/jitters, that sounds very like ammonia/nitrite/nitrate poisoning to me ie being subjected to toxic levels of ammonia or nitrite (above 0 in either case) or high levels of nitrates. What are your readings for ammonia, nitrite and nitrates before doing your regular water change and what are they once you've done your regular water change? [As previously advised, liquid-based test kits are the best ones, so hopefully you have those now.]

Did you follow the advice and move across all the filter media from the old filter/tank into the new one, and leave it in place there? If not, how did you cycle the new filter? What is your current water changing regime (ie how often, what percentage of water is removed)?

It's almost certain that the problems are caused by impaired water quality, so the more precise you can be about answering these questions, the better - and then hopefully we'll get to the root of the problem and get it sorted ASAP before this takes its toll on your fish.
xNina xNina
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  • Posted on: 22/2/2017 22:09
Re: Sick goldfish - red streaks in tail and slight swelling #10
Hello, we got the 5 in 1 api test kit. Unfortunately I was not able to get the liquid based one, so I had to get the paper.
Here are the results:
Nitrate 20-40
Nitrite 0
Ph 7
Kh 80 to 120
Gh 30

We first put the fish in a little plastic box. We put the rocks and plants in. We transfered some water from the old tank into the new tank, and added dechlorinated water from our faucet into the tank. After the rocks, plants, and clean water was in there, we put the fish back in. I must admit that the last water change was 2 weeks ago.

For now, we will be putting him back in the 10 gallon tank until we solve this problem