Shubunkin can't open mouth....

[BioJammer]

Hello all, I tried the search function first but couldn't find anything close.
I recently acquired a shubunkin goldfish but the poor bugger can't seem to open his mouth. He'll swim up to the food and nudge it around trying to eat it but can't.
He's only 2 in long and I checked his mouth with some tweezers and opened it for him just to verify it wasn't stuck.
Inside his mouth I saw "maybe" some white bulges on the left side. I started treating with Pimafix yesterday.
The other Shubunkin is just fine.
Water parameters are:
PH: 7.5
Ammonia: 0
Nitrate:0
Nitrite: 0
100 gallons

 

[BioJammer]

Here's the fella

 

[Colin_T]

The fish has the equivalent of tonsillitis. Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate. Clean the filter if it hasn't been done in the last 2 weeks. However, if the filter is less than 2 months old, do not clean it.

You can try adding salt to the tank.

You can add rock salt (often sold as aquarium salt), sea salt or swimming pool salt to the aquarium at the dose rate of 1 heaped tablespoon per 20 litres of water. If there is no improvement after 48 hours you can double that dose rate so there is 2 heaped tablespoons of salt per 20 litres.

If you only have livebearers (guppies, platies, swordtails, mollies), goldfish or rainbowfish in the tank you can double that dose rate, so you would add 2 heaped tablespoons per 20 litres and if there is no improvement after 48 hours, then increase it so there is a total of 4 heaped tablespoons of salt per 20 litres.

Keep the salt level like this for at least 2 weeks but no longer than 4 weeks otherwise kidney damage can occur. Kidney damage is more likely to occur in fish from soft water (tetras, Corydoras, angelfish, gouramis, loaches) that are exposed to high levels of salt for an extended period of time, and is not an issue with livebearers, rainbowfish or other salt tolerant species.

The salt will not affect the beneficial filter bacteria but the higher dose rate will affect some plants. The lower dose rate will not affect plants.

After you use salt and the fish have recovered, you do a 10% water change each day for a week. Then do a 20% water change each day for a week. Then you can do bigger water changes after that.

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Try feeding smaller bits of food and use frozen (but defrosted) foods or live foods like brineshrimp and daphnia.

If there's no improvement after a week of salt you can try a broad spectrum medication but do water changes and salt first.

 

[BioJammer]

Thanks for the tips!
I'll have to quarantine him to do the salt trick because I have koi and weather loaches in the tank as well.

 

[BioJammer]

Update:
He didn't make it. I did the water change in the tank just to be on the safe side for the other fish. Loaches still seem hungry and active, the other shubukin is fine, the small koi is normal, but the large koi aren't eating. I'm thinking constipation. If any other issues arise, I'll follow up.

 

[Colin_T]

When you say Koi, I assume you mean Koi Carp?
Koi carp will eventually get too big for your tank and will need rehoming when that happens.

Make sure your fish get plenty of plant matter in their diet.

Koi carp will tolerate salt the same as goldfish. Weather Loaches will also tolerate salt but at the lower dose rate.

Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate every day for a week. Offer plenty of plant matter (Duckweed or other soft leaf aquarium plants). I would add salt too, you will need to add it each time you do a water change. eg: you change 50 gallons of water so you add enough salt to treat the new 50 gallons going into the tank.

If the big Koi doesn't start eating after a couple of days in salt then medicate them with a broad spectrum fish medication that treats fungus, bacteria and protozoan infections.

 

[BioJammer]

I'm looking forward to watching my koi grow bigger, and I have plans for a pond soon.
As per advice from a local koi store, I'm with holding food for a few days before feeding again. I have a heavily planted 100 gallon tank, between the loaches and koi, I often buy new plants.
So do you typically keep salt in the tank at all times? I've never used it, and I've had these fish for several months now; minus the shubunkins.
I appreciate the feedback and followup! Also hope to learn much more about fish keeping through this forum

 

[Colin_T]

You only use salt if the fish are sick. It can be used to treat minor bacterial, fungal and some protozoan infections but should not be used unless there is a problem. Your goldfish had a problem and now a Koi has stopped feeding.

I would add salt and keep it in there for up to 4 weeks. Then discontinue with salt and do small water changes to dilute it out.

The salt may or may not help but it is safer than dumping chemicals into the tank and it has helped in a lot of cases over the years.

 

[BioJammer]

I increased the amount of air into the tank to offset the O2 loss from the "meds" and thr koi are feeding normally again. I'll continue water changes and keep this thread updated for any changes. But for now things look good.
Colin, I sincerely appreciate the advice you offered and I'll remember it in case anything else arises.