orenishimo
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Request Help
Tank size: 40 gallons
pH: Always a little low, from 6.8-7
ammonia:0
nitrite:0
nitrate:60 - Always this number or higher, I think it's just my tap water
kH:40 (usually always, even with water changes)
gH:120 (always too high...)
tank temp:72~
Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior):
I've had this goldfish a few years now, and his fins are never perfect becaue they're really long (no other goldfish's fins are affected). He first started with redness above his mouth, and within 2 days it became a huge red uneven sore and he could barely open his mouth. I isolated him in another tank and heated it, put a tad of salt, and used melafix as directed. After 5 days he didn't die from the sore so I readded him to the tank. At this time, his large sore was gone and it because more of an indent in his head, and there's a hole now too (so when he eats some of it escapes from his face...) (sort of like a zombie fish lol). He can open his mouth though, but the area still doesn't look good. He swims in place near the back of the tank facing the wall alone, in place. When he paces the tank with the other fish (when they want food), he has twitchy motions. Since I readded him his fins mainly stay against his body now too. He has no lifted scales or other spots on his body or fins.
So, my questions are:
Will he die?
Is he contagious?
If he'll live, will the sore/open hole eventually heal?
Volume and Frequency of water changes: 25% once a week if not a little more
Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: I add the directed amount of aquasafe plus with water changes, plus occasionally melafix to help fish fins. I have a good sized fluval filter with... round media with holes in the middle?? I have a friend who knows much more than me about fish and he said it was good. I had carbon in the filter, but have removed it until the fish gets better.
When I extracted the fish for quarantine, I wiped all the walls of the main tank, filtered all the gravel, and removed everything in the tank seperately to give it a good scrub down (with water).
Tank inhabitants:I know, there's too many fish in a tank my size. I also know, that goldfish like cold and tropical like warm. But, the goldfish and everything else has been fine for years at 72~.
I have: 4 goldfish, 3 cory catfish, 2 chinese algae eaters (added November), 3 upside down catfish, 1 white cloud, 1 long fin danio, and 3 small snails. The snails are VERY important to me therefore I can't add salt to the whole tank. I have no plants because they always get eaten. I've tried many different kinds, the snails eat most of them, including moss balls. The goldfish eventually also eat the moss balls if food gets dropped in them by accident.
I live in a basement with no natural light at all. The tank is set on a timer for about 8 hours of light and bubbles. A lot of algae builds on the walls within the last few months, but I do my best to take care of it (I lost my main cleaner snails a while back I guess that's why).
The only sharp things in the tank are old snail shells (like 2). I leave them in their for calcium for my current snails.
Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration): 2 chinese algae eaters, November
Exposure to chemicals: melafix sometimes, and aquasafe plus with water changes
Digital photo (include if possible):
4 attached:
2 before quarantine showing bubble above mouth, one before quarantine showing his fins, and one after showing the collapsed mouth area (also shows "sharp" snail shell example).
Thank you for your time and help!
Laura
Tank size: 40 gallons
pH: Always a little low, from 6.8-7
ammonia:0
nitrite:0
nitrate:60 - Always this number or higher, I think it's just my tap water
kH:40 (usually always, even with water changes)
gH:120 (always too high...)
tank temp:72~
Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior):
I've had this goldfish a few years now, and his fins are never perfect becaue they're really long (no other goldfish's fins are affected). He first started with redness above his mouth, and within 2 days it became a huge red uneven sore and he could barely open his mouth. I isolated him in another tank and heated it, put a tad of salt, and used melafix as directed. After 5 days he didn't die from the sore so I readded him to the tank. At this time, his large sore was gone and it because more of an indent in his head, and there's a hole now too (so when he eats some of it escapes from his face...) (sort of like a zombie fish lol). He can open his mouth though, but the area still doesn't look good. He swims in place near the back of the tank facing the wall alone, in place. When he paces the tank with the other fish (when they want food), he has twitchy motions. Since I readded him his fins mainly stay against his body now too. He has no lifted scales or other spots on his body or fins.
So, my questions are:
Will he die?
Is he contagious?
If he'll live, will the sore/open hole eventually heal?
Volume and Frequency of water changes: 25% once a week if not a little more
Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: I add the directed amount of aquasafe plus with water changes, plus occasionally melafix to help fish fins. I have a good sized fluval filter with... round media with holes in the middle?? I have a friend who knows much more than me about fish and he said it was good. I had carbon in the filter, but have removed it until the fish gets better.
When I extracted the fish for quarantine, I wiped all the walls of the main tank, filtered all the gravel, and removed everything in the tank seperately to give it a good scrub down (with water).
Tank inhabitants:I know, there's too many fish in a tank my size. I also know, that goldfish like cold and tropical like warm. But, the goldfish and everything else has been fine for years at 72~.
I have: 4 goldfish, 3 cory catfish, 2 chinese algae eaters (added November), 3 upside down catfish, 1 white cloud, 1 long fin danio, and 3 small snails. The snails are VERY important to me therefore I can't add salt to the whole tank. I have no plants because they always get eaten. I've tried many different kinds, the snails eat most of them, including moss balls. The goldfish eventually also eat the moss balls if food gets dropped in them by accident.
I live in a basement with no natural light at all. The tank is set on a timer for about 8 hours of light and bubbles. A lot of algae builds on the walls within the last few months, but I do my best to take care of it (I lost my main cleaner snails a while back I guess that's why).
The only sharp things in the tank are old snail shells (like 2). I leave them in their for calcium for my current snails.
Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration): 2 chinese algae eaters, November
Exposure to chemicals: melafix sometimes, and aquasafe plus with water changes
Digital photo (include if possible):
4 attached:
2 before quarantine showing bubble above mouth, one before quarantine showing his fins, and one after showing the collapsed mouth area (also shows "sharp" snail shell example).
Thank you for your time and help!
Laura
/www.kokosgol
