Can Anyone Help Please, My Three Fish With Illnesses (Photos)

[richuk]

Hey everyone,

We have three fishes: two goldfish and one shubunkin, with three different illnesses (not sure if they are symptoms of the same underlying cause). I was wondering if anyone has experienced these illnesses before and could offer their advice on medication, etc. We have tried a couple already but either they haven’t worked or they have made the shubunkins symptoms worse (as far as we can tell). As a result of making the shubunkin's illness worse we have had to abort treatment before we could see any noticeable changes over time with the other fish.

The first goldfish:
Photo A
Photo B

The first goldfish has a large infection on its side. Initially it looked as if a scale had fallen off but the condition developed into a fungus-like growth. It has been this way for several months. The shubunkin often tries to bite the infection; we’re not sure if it makes it worse or better. Recently the growth appears to be getting larger, other lumps have appeared on this fish (the same side of the infection and a similar growth on one of its eyes) and we have noticed that the fish’s movement is reduced on this side. Is this some kind of bacterial infection?

The second goldfish:
Photo C
Photo D
Photo E

The second goldfish does not have the fungus-like growth and appears healthy. However it has a very swollen eye that sticks out a great deal. The fish has been like it for several months and the condition has not gone away.

The shubunkin:
Photo F

The shubunkin does not have any noticeable exterior illness but often keeps swimming upside-down or at the top of the tank. It has been this way for several months. We have tried medication aimed at the other fish’s illnesses but it seems to make this fishe's symptoms worse.

If anyone has any ideas or recommendations for medication they have found to be particularly effective in these cases I would be extremely grateful.

Thank you for your help, this site is excellent

 

[soybean]

These all look likely to be caused by poor water quality.

Can I ask how big the tank is? It doesn't look nearly large enough for all those goldies. You need 20 US gallons per goldie, minimum. They're v messy and get very big. Single tailed fish belong in ponds or giant tanks.

How often do you do a water change and what are your test kit water readings? I see a filter but is it cycled?

I would be doing large daily, or every other day, water changes - at least 70-80% - and keeping the tank scrupulously clean. In fact I'd probably remove the gravel just to make it even easier to keep clean. Treat with a broad spectrum anti fungal treatment such as a King British one, you can pick that up easily from any local fish shop or a pets at home. Remember to remove any black carbon sponges from your filter else it will simply remove the meds.

The shubunkin floating is a swim bladder problem - again, water quality. A small amount of aquarium salt may benefit this, but so will the above changes.

Really the best remedy is very clean water and a healthy environment.

 

[fishyfeet]

Yes i agree, they are all fungal infections caused by poor water quality, you need to change more water more often and maybe upgrade your filter, these are all caused by contaminated water and stress so treating the goldfish is fruitless you need to treat the whole tank with anti-fungal medication, but more importantly unless you change your regime they will just keep re-curring.
I suspect you are overstocked i think the rate for goldfish is 8 gals per fish. Shame they are lovely looking fish. di

 

[fish.mw.breeder]

I have NEVER seen anything like this!!! I really wish I could help, but I have no clue what to do in this situation!!!!

 

[Fishy friend2]

Fungal infection how big is the tank how often do you change the water

 

[fluttermoth]

The problem with the fish's eyes is 'pop eye' and is definitely caused by poor water quality (actually 99% of goldfish health problems are).

They all look to be very, very sick fish...we really do need to know more details of your set up (tank size and filtration, plus results of any water tests) before we can advise you what to do.

 

[richuk]

Hey everyone, thank you so much for your help and advice, we would really like to get these fishes well so we really appreciate your time.

We clean the tank once every two weeks, replacing approximately 2/3 of the water. We clean the pump filters at the same time however we haven't cleaned the gravel in a little while so we will now do this or remove it completely at the moment as soybean suggested. How often would you recommend cleaning a tank of this size if the fish were well?

The tank dimensions and capacity (if I have done my maths correctly):
0.76m (30") x 0.38m (15") x 0.30m (12") = 0.08664 meters cubed (5400" cubed)
= 22.9 US Gallons
= 19.06 UK Gallons

Therefore this tank is too small for our fish based on the suggestions. The fish were much smaller when we purchased the tank a couple of years ago and we assumed they would only grow to a size proportional to the tank however this seems not the case.

I'm unsure if the filter is cycled i'm afraid. We removed the specified parts of the filter when we administered the medicine. The other thing we may be doing wrong is that when we replace the water, we replace it with tap water without adding any treatment to it (the ones we are aware of are so expensive but we will try them if recommended). Could this be another cause? I will purchase a testing kit and investigate this as well.

Thank you very much for everyone's help.

 

[soybean]

We clean the tank once every two weeks, replacing approximately 2/3 of the water. We clean the pump filters at the same time however we haven't cleaned the gravel in a little while so we will now do this or remove it completely at the moment as soybean suggested. How often would you recommend cleaning a tank of this size if the fish were well?

In a healthy tank you would need to be doing weekly water changes, for goldfish in a tank this size at least 50%. This would be if the tank was cycled. If you don't know whether or not your tank is cycled, it probably isn't, and given the state of the fish, I would think it isn't either. Never thoroughly clean the filter - the brown gunk that builds up is good stuff, and by washing it in tap water you are killing the bacteria it needs to cycle the tank.

The tank dimensions and capacity (if I have done my maths correctly):
0.76m (30") x 0.38m (15") x 0.30m (12") = 0.08664 meters cubed (5400" cubed)
= 22.9 US Gallons
= 19.06 UK Gallons

Therefore this tank is too small for our fish based on the suggestions. The fish were much smaller when we purchased the tank a couple of years ago and we assumed they would only grow to a size proportional to the tank however this seems not the case.

Far too small I'm afraid, and goldfish only growing to the size of the tank is a well established myth. They simply end up stunted and very unwell.

The other thing we may be doing wrong is that when we replace the water, we replace it with tap water without adding any treatment to it (the ones we are aware of are so expensive but we will try them if recommended). Could this be another cause? I will purchase a testing kit and investigate this as well.

Tap water contains chlorine, chloramine and other elements which can be extremely irritating and harmful to fish. Tap dechlorinator is very concentrated stuff, a bottle should last you quite a while and is, to be honest, absolutely essential. Untreated tap water will also kill beneficial bacteria in the filter, as already stated.

A testing kit is also essential and lasts a long time. A good all rounder is the API Master test kit (freshwater) which contains all the tests you need to monitor the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate (and ph, less important) of your tank. Ammonia and nitrite are deadly to fish. A cycled filter converts these to less harmful nitrate, which is removed through regular water changes.

So in addition to treating the tank, you need to find out about cycling. There are guides pinned in the 'new freshwater tank' subforum just above this emergencies one. Start here: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/277264-beginners-resource-center/.

You also should consider buying a much larger tank. It may be easier to do this and start cycling a new one, and concentrate on treating the fish in the exisiting small one. Cycling can actually be quite satisfying as a fishkeeping project, lots of people keep logs and diaries.

In the meantime, continue to keep their tank very clean. Two-weekly water changes just wont cut it anymore I'm afraid.

 

[richuk]

Thank you so much for your help, that's brilliant information, I really appreciate it.

I have read about the cycling process in the link you provided me, thank you, that's a great help. I understand that not having a cycled tank is likely to be the reason why our fish are ill and how achieving a cycled environment is likely to be the solution to their illnesses. Is every type of filter able to achieve this cycled tank state or just certain makes and models (sorry if this is a really basic question)? I will now aim to achieve this cycled state.

We are most likely going to upgrade our tank. Does the anti-fungal treatment interfere with the cycling of the tank at all; another words if the tank was correctly cycled would adding the treatment affect this state?

In the meantime would you recommend any of the following products (have chosen King British but other manufacturers offer similar products) to treat our fish (as suggested our fish are likely to have: swim bladder, pop-eye and fungal): Fin Rot & Fungus Control - Aquarium, Bacteria Control - Aquarium or Disease Clear - Aquarium. From the suggestions, am I correct in thinking the Fin Rot & Fungus Control would be the most suitable? Would this treat the fish with the pop-eye condition or would having a cycled tank be the best cure for this particular fish? Can I also add some aquarium salt or alternatively a product like Revitaliser Tonic - Aquarium; or is it important to only add one treatment at a time?

Thank so much for your help and time. I'm really sorry about all the questions, I know what I need to do now to help them thanks to everyone, you have been fantastic.

 

[soybean]

It's great you're asking questions, I hope I can answer them all.

All filters can be cycled. The bacteria grow mainly on the sponges inside which is why it's important never to clean them in tap water. You can give them a light rinse in some tank water in a jug, say once a month, just so they don't get clogged. There's also no need to replace them very often, unless they're falling apart. While treating a tank with medication, always take out carbon from it, the black one, as it removes things from the water. In fact the only time you EVER need carbon in a filter is to remove something from the water, like if you overdose. So forget about it.

I think the best thing to do would be buy a much larger tank - and I'm.serious when I say a couple of hundred litres (you'll be amazed what you can get second hand) - and cycle THAT tank doing a fishless cycle using ammonia - all details in that other link. Continue to do the massive water changes in your small tank as clean water really is the best remedy for many things. I say this because if you put the fish in a larger tank you will still need to do huge water changes, but on a larger scale obviously, because that tank won't be cycled and you'll be transferring the problems.

I would go for fin rot and fungal control meds for now, as they're the biggest problem. The pop eye and bladder problems will hopefully improved due to the clean water. Anti fungal treatment won't interfere with cycling.

 

[fishyfeet]

I think you need a specific fungal treatment not a general tonic, and i think most meds to kill of the bacteria in the filter after all its bacteria you are killing in the tank, so i would treat your tank as per the instuctions on the bottles usually about a week or two, then put a carbon sponge in your filter this removes all nasties from the water including medications, after a few weeks remove the carbon by then the tank will have cycled and you should be fine. In the meantime do regular small water changes to keep ammonia down and prevent further infections.

I think most meds are as good as each other. Good luck and im glad you are now on the right road, look forward to seeing some nice healthy fishes.

 

[volleyg08]

Hey everyone,

We have three fishes: two goldfish and one shubunkin, with three different illnesses (not sure if they are symptoms of the same underlying cause). I was wondering if anyone has experienced these illnesses before and could offer their advice on medication, etc. We have tried a couple already but either they haven’t worked or they have made the shubunkins symptoms worse (as far as we can tell). As a result of making the shubunkin's illness worse we have had to abort treatment before we could see any noticeable changes over time with the other fish.

The first goldfish:
Photo A
Photo B

The first goldfish has a large infection on its side. Initially it looked as if a scale had fallen off but the condition developed into a fungus-like growth. It has been this way for several months. The shubunkin often tries to bite the infection; we’re not sure if it makes it worse or better. Recently the growth appears to be getting larger, other lumps have appeared on this fish (the same side of the infection and a similar growth on one of its eyes) and we have noticed that the fish’s movement is reduced on this side. Is this some kind of bacterial infection?

The second goldfish:
Photo C
Photo D
Photo E

The second goldfish does not have the fungus-like growth and appears healthy. However it has a very swollen eye that sticks out a great deal. The fish has been like it for several months and the condition has not gone away.

The shubunkin:
Photo F

The shubunkin does not have any noticeable exterior illness but often keeps swimming upside-down or at the top of the tank. It has been this way for several months. We have tried medication aimed at the other fish’s illnesses but it seems to make this fishe's symptoms worse.

If anyone has any ideas or recommendations for medication they have found to be particularly effective in these cases I would be extremely grateful.

Thank you for your help, this site is excellent

The shubunkin has what is called either swimmers bladder or swimmers bloat. When goldfish eat the flakes floating on top of the water, they also suck in a lot of air. Over time this accumulates which causes goldfish to start swimming upsidedown. There is no medication for this. The only way to cure it is to poke the goldfish with a small needle to release the air. I have heard this works well and the fish will survive but I would never try it! As I said earlier, I have yet to hear of a "cure" for this but there is a way to prevent it from happening to your other goldfish. Try soaking your food in some of the tank water before placing it in the tank. This allows for the food to slowly sink to the bottom. Fish are then not going to the top sucking in air as they eat. Hope this helps and good luck with your other goldfish!!!

 

[fishyfeet]

The shubunkin does not have any noticeable exterior illness but often keeps swimming upside-down or at the top of the tank. It has been this way for several months. We have tried medication aimed at the other fish's illnesses but it seems to make this fishe's symptoms worse.

If anyone has any ideas or recommendations for medication they have found to be particularly effective in these cases I would be extremely grateful.

Thank you for your help, this site is excellent

The shubunkin has what is called either swimmers bladder or swimmers bloat. When goldfish eat the flakes floating on top of the water, they also suck in a lot of air. Over time this accumulates which causes goldfish to start swimming upsidedown. There is no medication for this. The only way to cure it is to poke the goldfish with a small needle to release the air. I have heard this works well and the fish will survive but I would never try it! As I said earlier, I have yet to hear of a "cure" for this but there is a way to prevent it from happening to your other goldfish. Try soaking your food in some of the tank water before placing it in the tank. This allows for the food to slowly sink to the bottom. Fish are then not going to the top sucking in air as they eat. Hope this helps and good luck with your other goldfish!!!

try soaking food before feeding or add sinking food, do not float flakes, you should starve the fish for two to three days and then feed as i said, its usually due to trapped gas in the swim bladder, dont ignore it di

 

[colleen0309]

I might be wrong, but that shubunkin looks stunted to me. It might just be the pic, but mine look much longer and streamlined. Sorry for your troubles. Lots of good quality water changes should help out alot.

 

[Blubble37]

Hey everyone,

We have three fishes: two goldfish and one shubunkin, with three different illnesses (not sure if they are symptoms of the same underlying cause). I was wondering if anyone has experienced these illnesses before and could offer their advice on medication, etc. We have tried a couple already but either they haven't worked or they have made the shubunkins symptoms worse (as far as we can tell). As a result of making the shubunkin's illness worse we have had to abort treatment before we could see any noticeable changes over time with the other fish.

The first goldfish:
Photo A
Photo B

The first goldfish has a large infection on its side. Initially it looked as if a scale had fallen off but the condition developed into a fungus-like growth. It has been this way for several months. The shubunkin often tries to bite the infection; we're not sure if it makes it worse or better. Recently the growth appears to be getting larger, other lumps have appeared on this fish (the same side of the infection and a similar growth on one of its eyes) and we have noticed that the fish's movement is reduced on this side. Is this some kind of bacterial infection?

The second goldfish:
Photo C
Photo D
Photo E

The second goldfish does not have the fungus-like growth and appears healthy. However it has a very swollen eye that sticks out a great deal. The fish has been like it for several months and the condition has not gone away.

The shubunkin:
Photo F

The shubunkin does not have any noticeable exterior illness but often keeps swimming upside-down or at the top of the tank. It has been this way for several months. We have tried medication aimed at the other fish's illnesses but it seems to make this fishe's symptoms worse.

If anyone has any ideas or recommendations for medication they have found to be particularly effective in these cases I would be extremely grateful.

Thank you for your help, this site is excellent

your first fish has a fungal infection

the second has pop eye (internal bacteria)

The third has a swimbladder problem (again internal bacteria)