Friend Has Goldfish Problem!

[Keefaz]

Hi, all.

My girlfriend is a carer, and at the home they have this goldfish:



She says it has both a black mouth and fins?


Any help much appreciated!

Keith

 

[fatheadminnow]

Do you know how long she has had the fish for?
What size tank?
Was the tank cycled?
What are the current water stats, i.e. Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate and pH?

-FHM

 

[three-fingers]

Goldfish looks fine for now, black just looks like pigmentaion.

However, the water looks slightly cloudy, and it always worries me when I seen goldfish in small-looking tanks with plastic plants.

I hope your friend realises this fish will need a 20gallon tank within a year.

 

[fatheadminnow]

Goldfish looks fine for now, black just looks like pigmentaion.

However, the water looks slightly cloudy, and it always worries me when I seen goldfish in small-looking tanks with plastic plants.

I hope your friend realises this fish will need a 20gallon tank within a year.

This is exactly why I asked the questions I did, with the same thought in mind as you.

-FHM

 

[kelly528]

Make that 80g if he is what I think he is... a comet?

 

[Keefaz]

No idea on the stats, and can't imagine I'll find out any time soon! Don't think he's a comet, just a bog-standard goldfish. I'll see what more I can find out!

Thanks!

 

[kelly528]

No idea on the stats, and can't imagine I'll find out any time soon! Don't think he's a comet, just a bog-standard goldfish. I'll see what more I can find out!

Thanks!

Comets are bog-standard Goldfish. Teeny, teeny baby bog-standard goldfish who readhan adult size anywhere between 1 and 2 feet. Does he have a 'single tail' or a 'fancy tail'? Singletails have normal fish tails wheras fancytails have a more elaborate, symmetrical tail. You will begin to get the idea if you google a few pictures.

 

[Keefaz]

Thanks for your help so far! My girlfriend has sent me two more photos. She says, "Here is a pic of the tank and fins. It's his bottom fins that look a bit black and raggedy and his mouth looks pretty black."




She says the filter was struggling, but she has since cleaned it and the water is much clearer now. Is there any medicine you would recommend?

Thanks!

Keith

 

[loraxchick]

unfortunately that tank is MUCH too small for your friends goldfish. i would recommend you suggest to her that she rehome him to someone with a pond (ideally). that tank is PERFECT for a betta tho, should she do the right thing and rehome the goldfish, but still want a fish for that particular tank (she will need a heater, tho, for the betta).
cheers

 

[fatheadminnow]

Yup, sorry to say that, that tank is too small for that fish.

I like the suggestion above, get a Betta. They are really colorful, and would love that size of a tank.

To me, the Goldfish looks fine, he may just be stressed out because of how small the tank is in.

It is one of the most common misconceptions, that goldfish can live in such small places, however, instead a Goldfish requires at least a 20 gallons, if not 30 gallons, tank for just ONE goldfish, then another 10 gallons for every goldfish added there after.

So, re-home the goldfish, and then I would look into Bettas!

-FHM

 

[Keefaz]

Sadly, I don't think she's in a position to re-home the fish; she is only staying there for 3 months helping out a lady who has had a stroke. Is there anything she can do otherwise?

 

[fatheadminnow]

Sadly, I don't think she's in a position to re-home the fish; she is only staying there for 3 months helping out a lady who has had a stroke. Is there anything she can do otherwise?

If she is not going to re-home the fish, then I really don't know what else to offer?

I mean, that is the main thing in this situation; that tank is just plain too small for that fish, and as the fish grows, he is going to be exponentially effected by the tank, and the fish will get to the point of stress where he cannot take it anymore and call it quites.

I would try really hard to help her re-home the fish and then she can go for a Betta maybe.

Re-homing the fish is the main priority in this situation.

-FHM

 

[kelly528]

Yep. No amount of medicine is going ot fix this fish; he needs a bigger tank. Perhaps by putting an ad on the classifieds here you will find someone with a nice pond for him to live in? Goldfish are literally twice as messy, pound for pound, than other tropical fish. They need twice the space and twice the filtration. Even though your girfriend cleaned the tank the goldie is going to stink it right bakc up again in a matter of a few days.

My vote goes for a betta/siamese fighting fish. That tank would be perfect for him and a betta will give you a LOT less trouble maintenance-wise.

 

[anshuman]

What happened to this fish? This was classic case of ammonia burn BTW.