My Monster has a problem

[Alicia]

Hi. I have a 9 inch Goldfish (whose name is Monster) that has a problem with one of his eyes. His one eye is swollen to about the size of a dime and that whole side of his head is swollen to about the size of a quarter. I have him in a 72 gallon bow front tank. It has been like this on and off for about 3 or 4 months. The swelling will go away for about 3 days and then it will come back, but it has never been this bad before and I am really worried about him. Plus every once in awhile there is something that looks like a a bone that comes out of the side of the swollen part of his eye and this time his eye looks bloody. He has 4 other goldfish in his tank that range from 1 to 3 inches and a Pleco that is about 8 inches. Please can someone tell me what might be wrong with him

[PumaWard]

Sounds like popeye to me, the white bone like stuff is actually the tissue which holes the eye and moves it. I believe that it is an internal bacterial infection.

Can you tell us your water perameters? (mainly ammonia, nitrite, nitrate) and your cleaning/feeding schedule? What is the temperature in the tank?

Popeye usually is a result of poor water quality, but not always. Many water changes, like 40% every other day seem to help greatly with the swelling and the fishes stress levels.

[Alicia]

I don't know those parameters because I can't afford to buy the kits to find out that kind of stuff. It all happened after I put those other fish in the tank. I got them from my mom and dads neighbors because they needed to get rid of them and since I was getting a much bigger tank in a few weeks I figured that it wouldn't hurt them to be crowded for that small period of time. I had them in a 30 gallon tank with a power filter designed for a 70 gallon tank, and did water changes every other day. Now, like I said they are in a 72 gallon tank with 2 power filters for 70 gallon tanks. I clean water 1 time every week. Please tell me what I can do to help him or even possibly cure him. These other fish don't seem to be effected by what is wrong with him, is it contagious at all?

[PumaWard]

Take a ziploc bag with your tank water to your LFS, they'll usually do the testing for you.

Did you cycle the new tank?

I don't know for sure if the disease is contageous, sorry.

As for helping him, you can add 1 tablespoon of non-iodized salt for every 5-10g. Do it slowly, like 1 tablespoon every 1-2 hours.

[Alicia]

I did cycle my tank. I will go to the LFS tomorrow and take some water down there.

[Alicia]

Ok guys here are the numbers for my tank. I used a saltwater testing kit that I got from a friend of mine (hope that it would work for freshwater) Nitrite: 0ppm Nitrate: 20 ppm :( Ammonia: .50 ppm :(
ok, now what should I do for treatment of his popeye ? Please help me. His eye seems to be getting worse :shake:

[travelinman1969]

I'm not sure if popeye is contagious either but sounds like whatever he got it doesn't sound like it came from the other fish, seeing as how he had it before introducing the other fish. Marcydan make really good popeye medicine. You can get it at just about any lfs or petsmart. Follow the direction closely and you should start to see results fairly quick. Good Luck!!

[Alicia]

I will probably go to my LFS somtime this week and get some. I've used that medication before for numerous things and never had much luck with it, but I will try it again. Also, I have to be able to leave the other fish in with him becuase I have no where else to keep them while he is being treated. The only tank that I have available is a 10 gallon tank. So, I hope that the other fish being treated for it won't hurt them. Thank you for the info... but how do I lower the ammonia and the nitrate, or are those numbers ok in a 72 gallon tank?

[travelinman1969]

The amonia is dependent on your ph. The lower the ph the less effect it has, the higher the ph the more effect it has on your fish. If your ph is 7.4 or lower your okay. Water changes are the only remedy to lower both the ammonia and nitrate. Don't wait too long on getting the meds, time is critical. The meds shouldn't effect your other fish. Good Luck.

[Alicia]

ok, I will go to the pet shop tomorrow and get some. Should I get Marcyan 1 or 2?

[Alicia]

Alright. I used Melafix for 5 days now, and my Goldfishs' eye isn't any better... in fact, it's gotten considerably worse. You said to use Maricyn, but my LFS said to use Melafix. my question now is Is this really Pop Eye? And how much of a water change is needed to change medications?
Here is a real good description of his eye. It i about the size of a quarter now and it comes out of his head about the size of a penny if you would stand it on it's side. The tissue around it is pink and red and the eye itself looks fine, it's not cloudy at all, that's what makes me wonder if it is really pop eye. Please respond quickly. Thank you

[dethjam316]

melafix is only good for certain fungal infections and perhaps healing ripped fins and scales, and even that has been called into question. it is certainly not a cure for pop-eye. their advice was bad. you don't always get good advice at a lfs, you're much better listening to what people say on here that actually know what they're doing. get the med recommended on here.

[Alicia]

ok, I will go get Maricyn. But how much of a water change do I need to do to change meds?

[lark]

Hi Alicia,

Plecos are known to bully goldfish, especially large ones. If you have the space, I would move the pleco.

[PumaWard]

Melafix is compatible with most medications. When you go down to the LFS, take a water sample and have them test it.Not all salt and freshwater kits are the same.

Also, how many water changes have you been doing?

[Alicia]

I've had that Pleco in with my Goldfish for years, before that he was in with my Gourami in a 20 gallon tank. Moved the Pleco so he would have more room... he has never bothered my Goldies. I did weekly water changes until I put in the medication and the directions said not to do any water changes til after I was done medicating.

[LMOUTHBASS]

my monster has a problem LOL - sounds like a personal problem hahaha
sorry coulnt resist

[PumaWard]

With ammonia reading the water changes are a must do thing. Water changes are just as important as medication when dealing with popeye and ammonia. Salt (without iodine) should also help, add 1 tablespoon for every 10g.

HTH

[OrionGirl]

It's not a problem to use regular table salt. The amount of anti-caking agnets and iodine are minute, and will not harm your fish in anyway. This is an old myth, with no truth to it. Iodine is essential to ALL life forms, including fish, and is included in most fish foods (it's included in the catch all phrase of "trace elements").

[lark]

I would still be aware of the possibility that the Pleco may harm your goldfish. Be extra observant, especially while Monster is sick and being medicated. What the Plecos like is the slime coat.

What kind of goldies do you have?

Also, the reason I was told never to use table salt wasn't just the iodine, but that the smaller cyrstals, if added too quickly would quickly dissolve and harm the gills. Also, whether right or wrong, every goldfish book I have read has said no iodine. There is non iodized table salt. If you use it remember to add it slowly. A better alternative would be to use "solar salt." It has more minerals and the larger crystals dissolve more slowly. It is available cheaply from most water softening companies, just make sure it doesn't have any additives.

A couple good resources for goldfish online are:

puregold.aquaria.net (no www)
rec.aquaria.freshwater.goldfish (viewable with google groups)

[Alicia]

I use Dr.Wellfish's Aquarium Salt.. while medicating any fish. I also use it for my Brackish tanks, I think that it works really well.
I am gonna put Monster in a 20 gallon tank for the 5 days that I have to medicate him, don't wanna put him in a tank that small, but that's the only one that I have available.
As for the other goldfish that I have are just your standard goldfish. Monster was a feeder that I got at WalMart 2 years ago, and the other 5 I got from my parents neighbors about 4 months ago, they were outgrow from their pond. Monster is about 6 or 7 inches (that's why I call him Monster) and the others range from 2 to 4 inches.
I will keep an eye on the Pleco, but I still think that he isn't doing anything to them

[dethjam316]

Originally posted by lark
I would still be aware of the possibility that the Pleco may harm your goldfish. Be extra observant, especially while Monster is sick and being medicated. What the Plecos like is the slime coat.i've never seen or heard of this behavior among plecos, though i have heard stories of large ones being aggressive in rare cases. are you sure you're not confusing them with the chinese algae eaters? this slime-coat eating activity seems relatively common among larger CAEs...

[OrionGirl]

No salt should ever be added directly to the tank. It should always be pre-dissolved in a jar of tank water and then poured in.

[lark]

I am sure it is Plecos, though I have also heard this about chinese algae eaters. The reason I brought it up was because I remember reading that Plecos will for some reason target the eyes of goldfish. The book dealt with fancy varieties however, which tend not to swim as well as common goldies and many have protruding eyes. Still, a fish would be at danger when at rest, so if you put Monster back with the Pleco, make several observations over several nights, just to be cautious.

One reason that Plecos may get aggressive is that they are not fed properly. Plecos need lots of fresh veggie matter.

The freshwater newsgroup archives, searchable with Google, are full of stories of this behavior. Many of them had been kept with goldfish for several years before it started.

I have also used Dr. Wellfish salt, but you can buy 40-50 pound bags of solar salt for a few bucks. It helps them fish keeping dollars go a little bit further.

[Alicia]

His eye is bleeding so bad right now. I put the Maricyn in today, and it looks like a hole broke open and blood and a lot of tissue is coming out of it, now what do I do... please help fast !!!!