Possible Sick Goldfish

[Thedoctor]

The black moor in my Girlfriends fish tank has been fine for over a year until today. Today it seems to just rest on the floor for 10-20 seconds before swimming off like a healthy fish. However, there is floating waste and there was a strange pink blob-like 'matter' (Which we first assumed to be snail eggs) but having now seen the Black moor swimming with an 'air bubble' like substance coming from it's anus, I fear it's come from him.

The pictures aren't great but any one in the know will be able to identify it I'm sure.

Kind regards and thanks in advance for any help.

 

[fluttermoth]

Oh, I don't like the look of that. It's not snail eggs, that's for sure.

What's the moor being fed on? I'd fast it for three or four days and do a couple of massive water changes anyway; always good palliative care if you're not sure what's wrong.

 

[Thedoctor]

Turns out, they are in fact snail eggs. They aren't bumpy like eggs so the only logical explanation I can come to are; they were too fresh and still had a placenta-like sack or they are unfertilised?

 

[fluttermoth]

What kind of snail are they from?!

 

[Thedoctor]

Right, turns out. It isn't the snail. The snail must just have been eating it making it look like it was producing them.

Any Ideas? Over feeding?

 

[Thedoctor]

Right, I have a theory.

A weather loach was added a little over a month ago. Since his introduction he has constantly 'nuzzled' up to the two fish in the tank. When his owners asked me what was happening, I assumed that he was munching on the protective slime-film some fish have (I read this when I first got into Goldfish years ago so unsure if this is indeed true) which would obviously make them more susceptible to parasites and illness.

Is it possible this is happening?

 

[fluttermoth]

It's unlikely that it's the weather loach; I've never heard of them eating other fish's slime coats (although there are fish that do; plecs and Chinese algae eaters, mostly)

The first thing that sprung into my mind was that's a section of bowel that's telescoped and subsequently sloughed off from inside the fish, although it could be uneaten food that has clogged up the fish's gut and been excreted undigested.

 

[Thedoctor]

Ammonia burn from new tank?

I was under the impression that ammonia burns would be visible?

 

[fluttermoth]

No, ammonia burns are black patches on the fish's skin. I'm 99% certain it's something digestive; short bodied fancy goldfish have very weird guts due to their odd shape.