I felt sick Sunday.
Our common 5 inch goldfish resides in a 75 gal planted tank at about 69-70 fahrenheit. Water changes done every 1-2 weeks. powerhead in one back corner, Penguin HOB filter on other end of tank. NH3 and Nitrites undetectable since the tank was cycled 18 to 24 mos ago. Nitrates 5mg/L. Fish has been healthy and vigorous. Learned how to swim through a hoop with the R2 fish school (featured at my son's schools holiday party) Hears us coming down the stairs and swims to the end of the tank. Watches when I work on the "bug" tank, a planted tank that has snails and a damselfly nymph that hitched a ride.
I did a water change four days ago and "topped off" the tank. Then, the next morning I found it on the carpet, dry and stiff. What the heck! I thought that goldfish don't jump out of the tank. The fish wasn't flashing or acting strangely before this happened. Against common sense I placed it back in the tank and revived it! After 15, 20 min, it could move the left pectoral fin and tail fin. Denuded skin on right side. After 3 hours, it was swimming fairly well and filtering gravel, but not moving the right pectoral. Kept filtering gravel and bumping into things after the tank light went out. Seemed practically "cheerful."
Day 2, barely moving, and making poor efforts to move, swimming on side, but righting self. I managed to feed it 3 bloodworms with the feeding wand. 30% water change and salt added to 1 tbs per 10gal.
Day 3, moving better, but didn't eat or show much interest in food presented either by wand or dropped into tank. Now with white patches on denuded right side. Another 30% water change with salt added to new water. Vacuumed all of the uneaten food.
Today, more active, but still not eating (though it swam to the wand). Moving right pectoral fin more. Now with thick mucus layer. Looks white in head-on photos, but lateral photos are more representative. This thick layer seems to be sloughing off at the borders. Scales appear to be intact. I looked at the carpet again for evidence of ripped off scales, but all I see is dried mucus on the floor, so I wonder if the abrasion is pretty superficial. Usually his dorsal fin stands up, but occasionally I see clamping. I tested the water again, Nitrates 5mg/L, pH 7.6, nitrites and NH3 undetectable. I don't have water hardness tests.
Did another 30% water change and replaced the salt.
Wonder if there is anything else I should do? I am concerned that the exudate might be fungal, therefore the repeated water changes. I don't have any way to do micro on it, but may check with some local vets to see if they can do smears and stains. A dip in medicine would probably be painful and might do more harm than good if this is just healing. We are pretty attached to this fish and would like to see it recover. But I would consider euthanizing it with clove oil, though, if it doesn't seem to be turning around, or declines. Looking at these photos, you may say "my god, just put it out of its misery," but it looked more energetic today and at least looked at food. Definitely looked to be in less distress today than on day 2. What do you think?
Our common 5 inch goldfish resides in a 75 gal planted tank at about 69-70 fahrenheit. Water changes done every 1-2 weeks. powerhead in one back corner, Penguin HOB filter on other end of tank. NH3 and Nitrites undetectable since the tank was cycled 18 to 24 mos ago. Nitrates 5mg/L. Fish has been healthy and vigorous. Learned how to swim through a hoop with the R2 fish school (featured at my son's schools holiday party) Hears us coming down the stairs and swims to the end of the tank. Watches when I work on the "bug" tank, a planted tank that has snails and a damselfly nymph that hitched a ride.
I did a water change four days ago and "topped off" the tank. Then, the next morning I found it on the carpet, dry and stiff. What the heck! I thought that goldfish don't jump out of the tank. The fish wasn't flashing or acting strangely before this happened. Against common sense I placed it back in the tank and revived it! After 15, 20 min, it could move the left pectoral fin and tail fin. Denuded skin on right side. After 3 hours, it was swimming fairly well and filtering gravel, but not moving the right pectoral. Kept filtering gravel and bumping into things after the tank light went out. Seemed practically "cheerful."
Day 2, barely moving, and making poor efforts to move, swimming on side, but righting self. I managed to feed it 3 bloodworms with the feeding wand. 30% water change and salt added to 1 tbs per 10gal.
Day 3, moving better, but didn't eat or show much interest in food presented either by wand or dropped into tank. Now with white patches on denuded right side. Another 30% water change with salt added to new water. Vacuumed all of the uneaten food.
Today, more active, but still not eating (though it swam to the wand). Moving right pectoral fin more. Now with thick mucus layer. Looks white in head-on photos, but lateral photos are more representative. This thick layer seems to be sloughing off at the borders. Scales appear to be intact. I looked at the carpet again for evidence of ripped off scales, but all I see is dried mucus on the floor, so I wonder if the abrasion is pretty superficial. Usually his dorsal fin stands up, but occasionally I see clamping. I tested the water again, Nitrates 5mg/L, pH 7.6, nitrites and NH3 undetectable. I don't have water hardness tests.
Did another 30% water change and replaced the salt.
Wonder if there is anything else I should do? I am concerned that the exudate might be fungal, therefore the repeated water changes. I don't have any way to do micro on it, but may check with some local vets to see if they can do smears and stains. A dip in medicine would probably be painful and might do more harm than good if this is just healing. We are pretty attached to this fish and would like to see it recover. But I would consider euthanizing it with clove oil, though, if it doesn't seem to be turning around, or declines. Looking at these photos, you may say "my god, just put it out of its misery," but it looked more energetic today and at least looked at food. Definitely looked to be in less distress today than on day 2. What do you think?