Fish has discolored operculum?

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Agent_Scully

AC Oscar Club Member #1
Jul 9, 2008
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Georgia
One of my more recent goldfish has some balance issues and I was wondering if it could be linked to its gill. One of the operculum's looks great but the other is blood red. Its not the gills and its not coloration because the fish is bright orange and balck spotted. It keeps flipping over but doesn't stay at the top or the bottom. Should I treat with parasite clear or just feed peas and give epsom salt baths? Water parameters are great and so is the fishes tank mate.

Does anyone know why the operculum might be red?
 

Agent_Scully

AC Oscar Club Member #1
Jul 9, 2008
243
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Georgia
Oh, and he is also headstanding.
 

Coler

AC Members
Jan 30, 2007
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Gah.

Does not sound good. Any sign of parasites in/around the gills ? Is it breathing heavily ? Do a google search on anchor worm and gill flukes and see if it looks like that. Does the red colouration look like soft tissue damage at all ?

The headstanding/flipping over would make you think about swim bladder infection...Just because other people will ask, you might confirm your ammonia/nitrite/nitrate readings but I think you've got basically a really chronically sick fishy, which you already know.

I would try searching as per above...if it is not those, I am going to really speculate and say it might be a fairly chronic bacterial infection affecting the swim bladder, and you might as well try maracyn/antibiotics.

Meantime I will move this to coldwater so some proper goldy types will see and whatever they say, if different to me, ignore me.
 

Agent_Scully

AC Oscar Club Member #1
Jul 9, 2008
243
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Georgia
well, I fed him some gel food containing baby food peas and some anti-gas medicide that I can't pronounce. He was pooping bubbles. His swim bladder issue has improved and he is is suffering less with the more gel food he eats. I'll look up flukes and stuff. It doesn't really look like tissue damage.
 

Agent_Scully

AC Oscar Club Member #1
Jul 9, 2008
243
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Georgia
I don't think its flukes because his gills are a healthy red color and aren't pale. I suspected anchor worms but he doesn't have any. Thanks so much for your reply! i'll keep you posted. Is it possible "she" could be reabsorbing eggs? I heard they poop bubbles and she has been very bloated.
 

Coler

AC Members
Jan 30, 2007
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(no prob glad there is an improvement)

Now that (reabsorbing eggs) is a question for a proper coldy goldy type...bump
 

caitylee

Yup....
Mar 12, 2008
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Florida
Interesting ... how is your fish doing today?

Do you have any pictures of the issue ...
 

Inka4040

O_o
Mar 31, 2008
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Real Name
The Silver Slanket
egg reabsorbtion usually manifests itself as stringy zigzag poo. The epsom salt should help either way, whether the bloating is egg/osmotic issue related. What's good though in terms of water quality? Sorry I can't help you more with the discolored operculum, but it sounds like a bacterial infection. Best to wait for FS to sign off on this one... She's like a disease encyclopedia.
 

Agent_Scully

AC Oscar Club Member #1
Jul 9, 2008
243
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Georgia
Thanks so much guys. I think I will begin anti-bacterial treatment just as a precaution.
 
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