Goldfish Emergency

[EliK]

I know this is not about a tropical fish, but since that's all I've kept until now, this is the resource I know and trust.
In the past I have kept, fairly successfully, several tanks of various tropical fish (mostly angels, mollies, and various tetras).

Two weeks ago, my three year old son came home from nursery school with a single 3-inch goldfish, in a 1/4 lb deli container. The teacher apparently gave fish out to all of the kids! (Not so smart, in my opinion - and presumably all of yours as well.)

I immediately set up a 5 gallon tank (the largest I had available) as best as I could in the limited time, and placed the goldfish alone in the tank, with gravel on the bottom, minimal decorations, a 250L/hour internal canister filter (not a particularly good one, I must admit, but what I had on hand), and no heater or light.

As I had expected (since there had been no opportunity to properly cycle the tank) after about a week, the ammonia level in the tank began to rise sharply. I added zeolite to the filter, and have been doing frequent small water changes (about 20%/day). The ammonia level, which had been about 1.5ppm three days ago, is now about .75ppm and dropping. Yesterday, I also added API AmmoLock to the tank.

For that entire period, the fish has been alternating between normal swimming and lethargically siting at the bottom with clenched fins.
As of now, it does not appear to be gasping.

All other water parameters are normal (using API test kit)
78'F (the ambient temperature for this time of year - I understand it's hot for a goldfish, but there's nothing I can do about it)
7.4 pH
0 (or very minimal) nitrite
5-10ppm nitrate
I did not measure gH or kH

This morning, I woke up to find the goldfish lying on its side at the bottom of the tank, covered in white spots.
When I came very close to the tank to take the picture below, it righted and began to swim.
It is alive, and now intermittently lies on the bottom of the tank, while the rest of the time it swims normally.

Could this be something connected to the ammonia, or is this a new problem - maybe ich or something similar?
I have never seen this with any of my fish before, and I have no prior experience with goldfish at all.
What can I do?

Thank you!!

 

[Salty&Onion]

That'll be ICK or ICH. Raise the temperature to 83 F (32 C) and add 2 heaped tablespoons of aquarium, rock or filter pool salt per 20 gallons of water. Leave the salt in the tank for two weeks, and if you do any water changes make sure its dechlorinated before putting in back to the tank. Also when doing water changes, vacuum up any waste from the substrate as well as adding salt to keep salinity level stable. I'm sure you know goldfish are messy and require 30 gallons (114L) of water per goldfish. Golfish are also social fish so if you want to get a second one I'd reckmmend you either getting a pond, the golfish you have is a pond kind of goldfish, or getting a 60 gallon tank for the two goldfish if you were to get a 60 gallon tank or a pond along with a friend for your current one. Let's get back to the emergency, I'd recommend you doing one 75% water change today and another one tommorow, to lower the ammonia levels, before adding the salt to the tank.

 

[EliK]

Thanks

I know about the tank size. As I wrote, I got the fish unexpectedly, and could only use what I had on hand. I don't even want to think about what all the other parents may have with the goldfish they received - probably fishbowls or worse.

As far as the temperature - is that supposed to say 32'C, or 82'F ?

And about water changes - you wrote "if you do any" - should I continue to do regular water changes, or is it better to wait until after the two weeks?

 

[Salty&Onion]

That's really good you are aware about the tank size
Yes, I meant 82 F / 32 C. Thank you for noticing, I will edit this right away.

 

[EliK]

Sorry - just to verify the temperature . . .

82'F = 27.8'C
OR
32'C = 89.6'F

Which one is correct?

 

[Salty&Onion]

Sorry - just to verify the temperature . . .

82'F = 27.8'C
OR
32'C = 89.6'F

Which one is correct?

82 F = 32 C

 

[Colin_T]

If you treat white spot with heat, you need the water temperature at 30C (86F) for 2 weeks. However, you don't normally use heat for goldfish if they are in cold water because the sudden temperature rise can kill the fish.

If the water temperature with the goldfish is above 20C, you can raise it up to 30C over 2 days, but if the temperature is below 20C, use medications for white spot.

Before you raise the temperature, do a 80-90% water change and gravel clean the substrate. Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

Increase aeration/ surface turbulence to maximise the oxygen levels in the water.