I've had my goldfish for a little over a month and a half and she is alone in a 5 gallon tank with a filter. I change her water 50% every other day. A few weeks ago she seemed to be getting plump so I asked one of my friends who owns many fish if something was wrong. He said it just looked like she was full of eggs. but then over the past two weeks i noticed (since her skin and scales are translucent) that there seem to be small white blobs or something in her abdomen, and then today one of them got bigger and ruptured, and it looks like a fungus of some sort. what's wrong? does anyone know? what should I do?
Something wrong with sarasa goldfish
- Thread starter Rainel
- Start date
Kinda sounds like HITH/HLLE. FYI depeding on the type of goldfish you need a 30-75 gallon. They get very large and produce a lot of waste. What are your water params and the type of goldfish?
Goldfish bowls and goldfish in a small tank are a joke. Executives need to stop pushing that image.
Goldfish bowls and goldfish in a small tank are a joke. Executives need to stop pushing that image.
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sarasa is a comet.
my white with red spots is a sarasa. you can see it in the post about our goldfish
kk. a 50 gallon isn't enough simply because there isn't enough room for a foot long fish to turn around in. Thanks for letting us know, not everyone is aware of the size goldfish grow to when they come here. But yeah, look into those diseases.
What are your water parameters?
What are your water parameters?
:welcome: Hey Rainel, welcome to the forum!
It's fantastic that you're doing some research about goldfish care. Hopefully we can help you out and not scare you off!
As other members have already stated, you need to look into a larger tank for your goldfish. It's important that you find her a larger tank soon, even a 10 gallon or 20 gallon, since she is so young.
The environment in which a goldfish lives for the first year of his or her life can have lasting effects throughout its 20 to 50 year lifespan. Goldfish do much of their growing in that first year and being that cramped for even a month or two can trigger diseases and infections that can cause problems in years to come.
In the long run, you're right to look at 50 gallon and larger tanks. One sarasa would be comfortable in a 70 or 75 gallon tank for its entire life, but there's nothing wrong with starting smaller and working up to that as the fish grows.
Now then. The symptoms you describe could be a result of many things... the most probable is ulcer disease, which is caused by poor water conditions, overcrowding, and inadequate maintenance. Although you are doing large water changes, depending on your filter type, maintenance, and feeding regimen, harmful chemicals can build up to toxic levels within even one day in an aquarium that small.
If could also be tumors, lymphocitis, or fish TB. Tumors are fairly common in goldfish, but usually don't 'burst' as you described.
If you can give us a little more information about your water parameters - which you can test with any good test kit available from your pet store - your feeding regimen, and perhaps a clear photo of the fish, I can try to confirm whether or not it is ulcer disease. Also - are you using any dechlorinator on your water when you do water changes?
Good luck and keep us updated! Once we identify the illness, we can talk about appropriate treatment.
It's fantastic that you're doing some research about goldfish care. Hopefully we can help you out and not scare you off!
As other members have already stated, you need to look into a larger tank for your goldfish. It's important that you find her a larger tank soon, even a 10 gallon or 20 gallon, since she is so young.
The environment in which a goldfish lives for the first year of his or her life can have lasting effects throughout its 20 to 50 year lifespan. Goldfish do much of their growing in that first year and being that cramped for even a month or two can trigger diseases and infections that can cause problems in years to come.
In the long run, you're right to look at 50 gallon and larger tanks. One sarasa would be comfortable in a 70 or 75 gallon tank for its entire life, but there's nothing wrong with starting smaller and working up to that as the fish grows.
Now then. The symptoms you describe could be a result of many things... the most probable is ulcer disease, which is caused by poor water conditions, overcrowding, and inadequate maintenance. Although you are doing large water changes, depending on your filter type, maintenance, and feeding regimen, harmful chemicals can build up to toxic levels within even one day in an aquarium that small.
If could also be tumors, lymphocitis, or fish TB. Tumors are fairly common in goldfish, but usually don't 'burst' as you described.
If you can give us a little more information about your water parameters - which you can test with any good test kit available from your pet store - your feeding regimen, and perhaps a clear photo of the fish, I can try to confirm whether or not it is ulcer disease. Also - are you using any dechlorinator on your water when you do water changes?
Good luck and keep us updated! Once we identify the illness, we can talk about appropriate treatment.
Yes, I do use a dechlorinator when I change the water, and I'll try to get a good photo as soon as possible. I'm waiting for my digital camera to charge right now. The water is at 7.4 PH, and I check the amonia and nitrate levels daily to make sure that the water isn't toxic for the fish. are there any other tests that i should know about/get?
Also the fish (her name is Amaterasu) has been acting normally. She's swimming and feeding normally.
by the way thank you very much for the help
Also the fish (her name is Amaterasu) has been acting normally. She's swimming and feeding normally.
by the way thank you very much for the help
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a nitrite test would be helpful in addition to the ammonia and nitrate tests that you have. ammonia turns into nitrite before it becomes nitrate.
yep, definitely nitrite would be helpful... you could get a kit that tests for pH, kH, gH as well but those aren't likely causes of your fish's problems.
since she is acting normally i'm almost sure it's ulcer disease. it's common in goldfish and usually doesn't cause any change in behavior.
you'll want to use at least two of three approaches in treating ulcer disease:
-topical antibacterial/antiseptic. i've actually used neosporin successfully. net the fish and hold her with her gills underwater and the wounded area above the water. you may need to hold her there for a minute or two so she will calm down. carefully dry the wounds with a paper towel. dab on neosporin and carefully let her go, trying to keep it from rubbing off on the net.
-antibacterial food. i've used Jungle Labs with great success, but any decent antibacterial food will be fine.
-antibacterial med in the water. any medication with tetracycline as the main ingredient will be great.
like this one: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=14713
or this one: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=16818
definitely treat the water, but you can either feed medicated food or apply the topical as the second prong of treatment.
best of luck. keep us updated.
since she is acting normally i'm almost sure it's ulcer disease. it's common in goldfish and usually doesn't cause any change in behavior.
you'll want to use at least two of three approaches in treating ulcer disease:
-topical antibacterial/antiseptic. i've actually used neosporin successfully. net the fish and hold her with her gills underwater and the wounded area above the water. you may need to hold her there for a minute or two so she will calm down. carefully dry the wounds with a paper towel. dab on neosporin and carefully let her go, trying to keep it from rubbing off on the net.
-antibacterial food. i've used Jungle Labs with great success, but any decent antibacterial food will be fine.
-antibacterial med in the water. any medication with tetracycline as the main ingredient will be great.
like this one: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=14713
or this one: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=16818
definitely treat the water, but you can either feed medicated food or apply the topical as the second prong of treatment.
best of luck. keep us updated.