hi, Im not sure i can help exactly but...

the tail is breaking down, and you can see white threads?
does it look like the little bones in the tail are the white threads and the flesh between has gone, giving an almost ragged effect?

also the white spots you have been treating... im pretty sure you said you saw them on the tail also? are they furry? almost like cotton wool?

Im not sure but it almost sounds like fin rot? im sure someone will beable to confirm or tell you im wrong, is it possible you can get a pic of the tail? it would help the people on here help you.

Could be fin rot. Could be injury. A pic should help ascertain which. Do you have current test results for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH? Date of last water change, and how much you did change?

Either way, don't panic just yet. Fins regrow (although if it's fin rot, you'll need to treat).

How's the whitespot treatment going?

Yes what you've described is the exactly right. The white spots are abit cottony but look more like salt grains. Yeh the tail is covered in these white spots I rang my local aquarium who said I can try esha exit instead of protozin?

I have a 3.2 MP camera and it's not picking up the detail on the fish and you can't distinguish the white spots either. I';; try and borrow a mates camera and get a good clear picture ASAP.

Thanks.

try not to worry too much then, it sounds like it prob is fin rot, if you could post the info tetraLinz has asked for and get a pic sometime soon, i'm sure someone will advise you of the best treatment to use, there are a couple.

Hi, I have the same problem as you with my goldfish, so I'm hoping that by posting this picture we can both get this problem solved. Sorry for hijacking your thread, but I noticed you said you didnt have a photo yet, so if its the same thing, people can help you sooner understand what it is and what treatment we should both proceed with

My fish hiding by the fake plant (as he always does)




Close up of his poor tail

No worries mate it's a common cause we both want our fish to be healthy! Mine has the exact same problem you can see threads floating around, I will get the water test results tomorrow and hopefully a picture.

I would also seriously advise a bigger tank than that, the fish can barely move in that and plus less volume means more toxin concentration. I had a 4.4L tank conned to me by the pet shop now I have a 72L tank, which is still abit small for coldwater fish but it'll do for now.

If anything you should be looking at the same size, check ebay for a tank because I got mine from there and pretty cheap! I beat you that setup cost around ?20 from the shop?
I got my tank with filter, heater, gravel cleaner and a few rocks for ?30. So if its money holding you back from buying a new one try ebay as you can get nice ones for cheap :)

to tetralinz,

the whitespot treatment is not going too well, its spreading further making me think that it might not be whitespot. Im taking the fish to be checked by my local aquarium and hopefully they can diagnose it.

If the spots are turning into something resembling cotton wool, it's not whitespot, which leaves either fungal infection, or a bacterial condition, possibly flavobacterium.

When was the last dose of whitespot medication? I think it's time to put carbon in the filter, take the meds out and rethink treatment.

PM LHG, darknite. IF it's flavo or similar bacterial infection, you'll need to take the fish to the vet for some serious meds.

Btw, 72ltrs isn't big enough for goldfish long-term. They shouldn't be in less than 30gal/137ltrs, and commons such as conets need 55gal minimum.

They are begining to look abit like cotton now, im on day 6 of treatment (since i bought protozin) and day 3 of treatment since he's been put in the big tank and removed carbon filter.

I will PM LHG as I think you might be right that it could be something other than whitespot. I will get the water test results and pictures before I PM LHG so he gets a clear picture whats going on.

Your right 72Ltrs is still small for the fish but i've bought it as a short-term aquarium as they are small yet. I will be saving up for and investing in a 200L tank for next year and by that time i'll be confident in fish keeping (hopefully). I never knew that pet shops spoke so much rubbish because they first sold me a 4.4ltr bowl and said its more than enough for a fish! Thanks for your ongoing help tetra :)