Ulcer, Sore, Maybe Hith On My Goldfish

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imppy25rs

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Oct 3, 2009
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[*]Ammonia Level? - 0
[*]Nitrite Level? - 0
[*]Nitrate level? - 35
[*]Ph Level, Tank (If possible, KH, GH and chloramines)- 6.5

Yesterday morning I noticed one of my crowned pearlscales had developed a white sore on his wen. I did an immediate 25% PWC. He's been hanging out at the surface more than usual. Today, he seems to have gotten worse and looks more like a pimple and is now red. Should I move him to the QT? Will this affect any of the other inhabitants?









I recently added some plants last week and I was wondering if stirring up the gravel caused a spike in the nitrates. I did a 40% pwc right after the addition of the plants, another 25% about 5 days later, and another 25% 4 days after that when I first noticed the sore. Unfortunately, I tested the water after the water change and it seemed normal after that. I've also been fiddling with plant placements every couple of days because they keep uprooting my plants
Please help diagnose my fish!
 

Lupin

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Sep 21, 2006
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This issue seems typical for all goldfish with wen growths. The first things I have noticed according to the data you provided are you indeed have high nitrate and low pH. Please be sure to check your KH and GH ASAP! If your hardness levels are low, then you need to correct them using crushed corals and seashells which you may add in your filter. You can use Kent's liquid calcium which is basically calcium chloride that enables you to increase the hardness levels thus preventing your pH from dropping further, courtesy of escalating nitrate which naturally can increase when you stir up the organic wastes lying around.

Or dose baking soda. Dosage can be reflected through this calculator.

http://thegab.org/Betty/Dosing.xls

A few questions here.

What are your KH and GH exactly?
What is your typical pH?
How thick is your substrate?

Your substrate firstly seems coarse enough to permit the wastes to become trapped underneath. You know with goldfish, planting process is very tricky. They will uproot the plants constantly. You have to expect that. On the other hand, cleaning around becomes another issue. Typically, with goldfish tanks, I just stuff the plants in pots and leave the whole tank barebottom. When the wastes accumulate in the pots, all I have to do is remove the pots out of the tank and clean the wastes out from there without even risking the nitrogen gases from contaminating the tank thus sickening the fish in the process.

If I were you, adjust your hardness levels as necessary first (preferably 150 ppm and above), then add a teaspoon per gallon of salt and apply iodine solution on the sore in the meantime. That's the best thing you can do at the moment. Hydrogen peroxide is a little harsher as it can remove the healing tissue so I personally would go with iodine first. You can separate the fish in the meantime as a precaution. Make sure the isolation tank is cycled as well.
 

imppy25rs

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Oct 3, 2009
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The water has always been naturally soft out of the tank. The ph is always around 6.5, GH ~ 30, kh ~ 40-80. Couple questions about buffing the water, if i use crushed coral, I just have to leave it in the filter and the tank will be at a higher PH as long as the crushed coral is in the filter and will water changes affect the Ph levels? Also, how high should the Ph be?

Substrate is pea sized natural gravel about 3/4" thick. I've always been a little confused with the vaccuuming process. Some resources say to vacuum up the mulm and some say to just leave it.

Taro is currently in the QT which is cycled also. The redness seems to have diminished a bit and the white pimple part seems to be a slightly larger, I do not know if this is or bad thing.
 

Lupin

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Vacuum out all the mulm but you have to do it slowly to avoid stirring up too much of the organic wastes piling around otherwise you risk even introducing the nitrogen gases that could sicken the fish.

I'd increase the hardness levels. Water changes can indeed change the pH levels but if you can adjust the hardness levels correctly before you add the new water, you can minimize the risks of pH fluctuations.

I'd just keep the tank barebottom if I were you and put crushed corals in bowls which you can put in the corners of the tank. It can help a lot buffering your water and minimize risks of nitrate elevating as a result of the wastes.
 
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