Fantail Goldfish Tails

[Mfish123]

Hi,

I've a rescue fantail goldfish, she's been wth me a year and has one shubunkin (I'm guessing his breed) mate. Both 3 years old now, in a 140mls tanks. Last week I noticed the ends of her tail had red patterning and, the black mark in her tail has shrunk in size. I diagnosed fin rot and am treating with Melafix and, aquarium salt, wth 2 water changes. Ive done the usual tank tests for pH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, all good. But it seems not to be spreading or reducing quickly after 2 days treatment (full course being 7).
I'm thinking she may be crossed with a shubunkin and maybe her tail is simply changing colour now, but I'm not totally sure.
Is it normal for a fantail tail to change colours, esp with red as they grow. Please help, they are much adored fish.

Thank you in advance

 

[Colin_T]

What are the pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate results in numbers?
What sort of filter is on the tank?
How often and how do you clean the filter?

How often do you do water changes and how much do you change?
Do you have substrate on the bottom of the aquarium?
If yes, do you gravel clean the substrate when you do a water change?
Do you dechlorinate the new water before adding it to the aquarium?

How much salt did you add?
What are the tank dimensions (length x width x height)?

I've a rescue fantail goldfish, she's been wth me a year and has one shubunkin (I'm guessing his breed) mate. Both 3 years old now, in a 140mls tanks. Last week I noticed the ends of her tail had red patterning and, the black mark in her tail has shrunk in size. I diagnosed fin rot and am treating with Melafix and, aquarium salt, wth 2 water changes. Ive done the usual tank tests for pH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, all good. But it seems not to be spreading or reducing quickly after 2 days treatment (full course being 7).

I'm assuming that is meant to be 140 litres not mls?

----------------------

Fantail goldfish have 2 tails. Your fish only appear to have 1 tail each and they are long tails, which means they are comet goldfish. The comet part of the name is due to the long tail. Neither appear to be shubunkins but they could have some shubunkin blood in them if one of their ancestors was a shubunkin. Goldfish can change colour as they age.

The white fish with a red head is a male and has white breeding tubercles on the side of his gill cover and they should be on the edge of the pectoral (side) fins too.

The primarily orange fish has a dark red patch on the bottom of the tail and also on the top edge of the tail and these are the wrong colour to be normal colouration and appear to be blood. It could be colouration but looks more blood coloured to me. The black patch getting smaller is nothing to worry about. The red might be.

 

[Mfish123]

Hi,
Thank u for your message. Yes 140 litres, sorry.
Ammonia 0ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate 80ppm

Did have large pebbles not substrate, took out last week and soaked in boiling water, in two minds whether to keep relatively clear bottom of tank, might put pebbles in corner.

Filter is Fluval U4, 240 litres capacity, underwater filter, cleaned weekly.

Water change was 1/3 (well 25litres) every 3 weeks, am thinking to change to 50% every 2 weeks. Each water change add 6 tblsp salt.

 

[Mfish123]

.. Yes I dechlorinator before water change and tank dimensions are 38cm x91cmx40cm

 

[Mfish123]

What are the pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate results in numbers?
What sort of filter is on the tank?
How often and how do you clean the filter?

How often do you do water changes and how much do you change?
Do you have substrate on the bottom of the aquarium?
If yes, do you gravel clean the substrate when you do a water change?
Do you dechlorinate the new water before adding it to the aquarium?

How much salt did you add?
What are the tank dimensions (length x width x height)?


I'm assuming that is meant to be 140 litres not mls?

----------------------

Fantail goldfish have 2 tails. Your fish only appear to have 1 tail each and they are long tails, which means they are comet goldfish. The comet part of the name is due to the long tail. Neither appear to be shubunkins but they could have some shubunkin blood in them if one of their ancestors was a shubunkin. Goldfish can change colour as they age.

The white fish with a red head is a male and has white breeding tubercles on the side of his gill cover and they should be on the edge of the pectoral (side) fins too.

The primarily orange fish has a dark red patch on the bottom of the tail and also on the top edge of the tail and these are the wrong colour to be normal colouration and appear to be blood. It could be colouration but looks more blood coloured to me. The black patch getting smaller is nothing to worry about. The red might be.

Ah, thank you, that's incredibly helpful

 

[Mfish123]

I will continue wth Melafix then and watch for shrinkage of the red maybe best, would you agree?

 

[Mfish123]

Hi Colin,

Just redone their PH levels and the High PH seems neutral? at 8 but the PH seems a little elevated at 7.6+ but, that is with two '1/3 (that is 25litres) water changes' this week, and medications of Melafix and 6tblspns salt each water change

 

[CassCats]

80ppm nitrate is very high, I'd do water changes as soon as your nitrates hit 20ppm.

I would not be surprised if this is the root cause of the fin damage here.

 

[Mfish123]

Oh no, great, thank you, I am not experienced but I'm really trying to do the best for them.
I really appreciate your advice

 

[Mfish123]

I have this de-nitrate but never used it, as I don't think I've the right filter, do u think it's safe to use alongside Melafix and current water changes wth salt?

I do also have Prime and stablity but haven't been using prime to dechlorinate nor using stability to balance aquarium after water changes. I try not to use what they don't need to avoid overly altering the natural balance . Just water change wth salt and Aquarian Tap Safe and cleaning filters.

I'm wondering if it's safe to put in in the holding box for the biomax that goes in the middle of the Fluval filter?
There's surely alot to learn.

Thank you

 

[CassCats]

It will help, but the best way to manage nitrates is water changes and plants.

Goldfish eat plants, so there are struggles there, but you can put pothos roots in the water that they won't eat, as well as lucky bamboo roots too, grow them out the top of the tank.

They also don't eat anubias and you may even get lucky with some larger cryptocoryne such as usteriana or aponogetifolia (this one is more money though, so it's a gamble).

I'd work on increasing how much water you remove a week. Goldfish are high bioload and need a lot of space, especially since yours are single tails. Ideally, they'd have a tank at least 100 gallons or more. Fancies with the curved spines and double tails tend to be fine with smaller, but the single tails can swim really fast and well.

They can reach 12-14 inches when full grown as long as they're not stunted, and stunting isn't healthy either. In case people have told you they "grow to their tank size". It's not true, as their organs get cramped in a stunted body and cause all sorts of health issues. So consider this as well if it's something you aren't aware of.

We all start somewhere, and what matters isn't how we start but how we go forward.


With this information, I'd start on the water changes first and foremost. Don't do a huge amount at once, gradually increase it. Even if it's daily and doing just a little bit more each day.

 

[Mfish123]

Thank you, that's helpful.
I will look up the natural plants you suggested for them and, definitely increase water changes/volume too.

No, I hadn't realised the tank size impaired their natural growth nor that these two need bigger (although increasing the tank size may not be possible due to space, the only option would be to rehome them to a zoo/aquarium for their health in the future but, I would miss them terribly and, would only do this this for their health if I have to.

However, starting wth water change increases and MUST get the nitrate down.

Thanks again, for the detailed plant recommendations

 

[MaloK]

but haven't been using prime to dechlorinate

If you are using tap water, You need to always treat it for chlorine & chloramine.

 

[Mfish123]

Thank u, yes I do always dechlorinate, been using Aquarian Tap Safe but, will be changing to Prime as it reads as, better for hoping reduce nitrate levels in general.

 

[MaloK]

The choice of tap water conditioner is not really related to the nitrogen cycle.

The best way to manage nitrates are, Plants. Denitrifican bacteria. And water changes.