Something Is Wrong With Little Goldfish

[argoma]

Hi,
 
my girlfriend's black moor, Sinead, has been acting a little weird about 4 days now.
She first suspected that she had fungus due to a white fuzzy ball in the fish's torsal (?) fin, she used treatment for fungus and the fuzzy ball disappeared.
Then when she was changing the water of the tank, she scooped it out but it jumped out of the container where she was placing it so she had to get it back in the cointainer by hand.
Ever since the fish has been lethargic or something. It doesnt eat anything, doesnt swim actively anymore and is always in the bottom.
My girlfriend has bought three different types of food thinking the fish would eat the new ones and the fish doesnt seem to be capable of eating it. The flakes or pellets go in it's mouth but then the fish spits it out..
We're very worried and my girlfriend is very obsessed about that cute little fish and would be devastated if the fish died.
Is there anything we can do? Was it because of the jump? Should we give it a bit of a pea?
 
Update: She tried to give it the pea and it didnt eat it. She cant get it to eat anything.

 

[Ninjouzata]

Tank size? Water parameters? How long has the tank been set up, was it cycled when she added the fish? Water change schedule? How long has she had the fish? Anything new added recently such as chemicals?

 

[argoma]

Tank size? Water parameters? How long has the tank been set up, was it cycled when she added the fish? Water change schedule? How long has she had the fish? Anything new added recently such as chemicals?

 
It's a 2,5 gallon (we know it's small). Change water almost everyday, we dont know the water parameters. Anything but fungus treatment was added. She has the fish about 3 or so months now. She doesnt have a filter so she didnt cycle.

 

[Ninjouzata]

I see. Since you know it's small, do you intend to do something about it?

This fish requires, at the minimum, a 30g tank, with a filter that is rated higher than that I believe since they are very messy.
You should definitely pick up a liquid test kit when able, this will help you know when you need to be changing the water.
Has she been dechlorinating the water?
 
I'm sorry I'm not quite sure what to do about it not eating, do you remember what foods it was that she's tried?

 

[argoma]

I see. Since you know it's small, do you intend to do something about it?

This fish requires, at the minimum, a 30g tank, with a filter that is rated higher than that I believe since they are very messy.
You should definitely pick up a liquid test kit when able, this will help you know when you need to be changing the water.
Has she been dechlorinating the water?
 
I'm sorry I'm not quite sure what to do about it not eating, do you remember what foods it was that she's tried?

 
We are buying a bigger tank next week, yes.
The water sit for a day before she puts it in the tank.
She gave it Nutrafin Basis flakes and pellets.
Could it be constipated?

 

[Wildbetta]

How often are you doing water changes on this tiny tank for such a big messy fish?  You need to be doing 100% changes on that size tank with that kind of fish until you get a tank of at least 30 gallons.  Otherwise the ammonia will end up really hurting the fish.  That is probably one of the reasons it will not eat plus the fact of being treated with medication AND having a tumble all in the same time period.  Really stressful for the fish which normally means it will not eat.  Oh and you need a declorinator.  Setting the water out to "degass" doesn't work like it used to because of the chemicals added to water nowadays. 

 

[ech0o]

Yea Wildbetta is right, your dechlorinator is also detoxifying some heavy metals, as well as chloramine, which you will not remove by simply gassing out the water.   Sounds like the fish is extremely stressed out!

 

[argoma]

How often are you doing water changes on this tiny tank for such a big messy fish?  You need to be doing 100% changes on that size tank with that kind of fish until you get a tank of at least 30 gallons.  Otherwise the ammonia will end up really hurting the fish.  That is probably one of the reasons it will not eat plus the fact of being treated with medication AND having a tumble all in the same time period.  Really stressful for the fish which normally means it will not eat.  Oh and you need a declorinator.  Setting the water out to "degass" doesn't work like it used to because of the chemicals added to water nowadays. 

 

Yea Wildbetta is right, your dechlorinator is also detoxifying some heavy metals, as well as chloramine, which you will not remove by simply gassing out the water.   Sounds like the fish is extremely stressed out!

 
Okay, new tank is already in the plans and dechlorinator will be added next water change, what can i do to calm it down and how can i get it to eat?

 

[Ninjouzata]

You may want to wait for someone else to say they agree on this, but have heard some people soaking the food in garlic juice. I think it makes it tastier to the fish and boosts their immune system?

 

[argoma]

You may want to wait for someone else to say they agree on this, but have heard some people soaking the food in garlic juice. I think it makes it tastier to the fish and boosts their immune system?

 
If we give him some stress coat, could it help?

 

[Ninjouzata]

I'm honestly not sure. Sorry!

 

[eaglesaquarium]

"Stress Coat+" is a dechlorinator that also detoxifies ammonia as well.  It also has aloe vera added to it, but I'm not sure the effect that would have with goldfish, either for the good or bad.   Sorry.
 
 
The best thing to do for now is to keep up the water changes, increase the size of the tank as quickly as possible and keep the stress on the fish as low as possible.  You really need a proper test kit, especially in a case like this, so that you only change the water when necessary, but you make sure that you are changing enough.  There's no need to change 100% of the water, so no need to remove the fish from the tank.  Remove the water by siphon until the fish can just swim and then refill with temp matched water.  The problem may be related to temp swings as much as anything else.  Not to mention netting a fish repeatedly adds extra stress as well.  It would be far better to change only 80% of the water and leave the fish in the tank, than 100% of the water and continually net the fish.
 
 
 
As for food... not many fish can resist bloodworms.  Not sure about goldies, but that seems to be the cure for fish that won't eat on the tropical side.

 

[argoma]

"Stress Coat+" is a dechlorinator that also detoxifies ammonia as well.  It also has aloe vera added to it, but I'm not sure the effect that would have with goldfish, either for the good or bad.

  Sorry.
 
 
The best thing to do for now is to keep up the water changes, increase the size of the tank as quickly as possible and keep the stress on the fish as low as possible.  You really need a proper test kit, especially in a case like this, so that you only change the water when necessary, but you make sure that you are changing enough.  There's no need to change 100% of the water, so no need to remove the fish from the tank.  Remove the water by siphon until the fish can just swim and then refill with temp matched water.  The problem may be related to temp swings as much as anything else.  Not to mention netting a fish repeatedly adds extra stress as well.  It would be far better to change only 80% of the water and leave the fish in the tank, than 100% of the water and continually net the fish.
 
 
 
As for food... not many fish can resist bloodworms.  Not sure about goldies, but that seems to be the cure for fish that won't eat on the tropical side.

 
Goldfish are not carnivors so i dont believe it would eat the bloodworm. Could try tho.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Goldies aren't my area of expertise... but it seems that all fish will eat them... or just about.

 

[fluttermoth]

Goldfish will happily eat bloodworm; they're more opportunist scavengers than truly herbivorous.