Help! My fish is dying!

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kbaars

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Oct 24, 2011
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I have a 3 year old goldfish about 2 1/2 inches long. My kids named him Nemo. He lives in an 8 gallon freshwater Bio Orb tank and has been healthy for 3 years. There are rocks and plastic plants in the tank. I don't have a water tester but we tested the PH and it was 6.2 after we had changed the water. I let too much time go by between filter and water change and when it came time to change the filter, I realized I had run out. But I did have the Bio Orb First Aid filter so we did a water change and put that filter in. We did not use the first aid powder also supplied in the kit. When I received the standard filter 7 days later, we took the First Aid filter out and put the standard one in its place. But during these 7 days, Nemo started to appear sick.

Both of his eyes have a coating over them. His stomach looks swollen and he has many red streaks all over his tail. His scales and color lok completely normal. He hardly has any energy and is just laying on the bottom of the tank.

After seeing him look so sick, we took out the standard filter and replaced it with the Bio Orb First Aid filter and this time used the powder that came with the kit. Today is day 3 and I'm not sure if it is helping.

What should I do? Should I continue the treatment or should I replace the First Aid filter with the Standard Filter and change the water often? I am not sure if medication can help him.

I am a complete novice when it comes to fish. I have been so lucky this fish has lived for 3 years. My two little girls will be devastated if their fish dies.

Thank you for your help.
 

dani_starr

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Aug 6, 2011
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Dani :)
Hi there,

What are the ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite levels? That's the first step in figuring out what is wrong with your fish.

What is the first aid powder supposed to treat? I have never heard of such a thing for fish. But here are some reasons/illnesses that go with your symptoms
~"eyes have coating over them"- From what I read, it probably is because your pH is too low, but also could be internal parasties or vitamin deficiences. According to this site http://www.fishchannel.com/fish-health/freshwater-conditions/fish-cloudy-eyes.aspx a pH below 6.4 is far too low, so 6.2 is much to low.
http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/disease/eyeproblems.php

~Swollen stomach- sounds like dropsy or could be bloat/swim bladder. Does he look pine cone like? Here's a link to dropsy info http://www.fishchannel.com/fish-health/disease-prevention/dreaded-dropsy.aspx and some info about bloat/swim bladder http://www.ehow.com/how_8267184_treat-bloated-fish.html
Given you said his scales look normal (which means its not dropsy, yay!) then there's a good chance it's bloat/swim bladder. Feed your goldfish some greens, like blanched zuchinni, spinach, romaine lettuce, kale, etc

~Red streaks on his tail- from poor water quality, high nitrates

Putting it all together, I'd say your fish has a bacterial infection, either just on it's own or mixed with bloat. For treatment, I'd say do the following
1. Get a test kit, and test the ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite AND post your results on this thread
2. Feed him 2-3 times a day, either a shelled pea, some blanched zuchinnia, spinach, kale, romaine lettuce, something green with lots of vitamins, and be sure to remove any uneaeten food
3. Do a 50% water change, use a good dechlor like Prime
4. Add 1 tbsp of aqaurium salt

I don't know if you want to wait to see if good water quality clears things up, or start treatment with Maracyn 2

Here's a site for future that should help :) http://thegab.org/Illness-and-Treatment/what-is-wrong-with-my-fish.html
 

kbaars

AC Members
Oct 24, 2011
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Thanks so much for your response! I need to get a water test kit. And I will pick up some aquarium salt. Will get to an aquarium store tomorrow. The first aid filter and powder are supposed to treat fin rot; white spot; common fungal and bacterial infections; and most external, parasitic infections. It also helps to aid wound healing, and reduce stress. It contains no antibiotics.

Do you think it would be better to put the standard filter back in or to continue treating the fish with the First Aid filter?

The fish is sluggish but does occasionally swim around and is still eating. He has labored breathing and mainly lays on the bottom of the tank.

We have well water so no chlorine to worry about. Should I still use a de-chlorinator? Do you recommend that I do a 50% water change every day?

I have been feeding the fish Spirulina 20 Fish Food Flakes. Luckily, I have plenty of kale in my garden so can certainly feed him that.

So I guess my most pressing question is whether to keep the First Aid filter in or put the Standard filter back in and get some kind of medication for the fish???

Thanks again for your help!
 

AquaticAustin

AC Members
Sep 29, 2011
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Orlando, Fl (UCF)
Does your well water have any other metals or chems in it? If he has labored breathing and stays at the bottom he is pretty far gone I am afraid... if he is still eating that is a good sign. I would get a medication for the fish Iv never used a first aid filter.
 

kbaars

AC Members
Oct 24, 2011
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We have a filtration system for our water and just installed something to change the ph of the water. It will raise the PH which should be good for us and the fish. He still has labored breathing and is on the bottom of the tank. He swims every once in a while and is still eating. I am giving him less food so not to dirty the water. We changed a portion of the water again.

We still have the medicated filter in. It does not have carbon in it. Still wondering if I should put the carbon filter back in. Not sure if the medicated filter is making the fish worse. Though it sounds like it may be too late anyway.
 

Jannika

MTS Survivor
Mar 17, 2010
1,498
0
36
N. California
It sounds to me like an advanced bacterial infection that needs antibiotics. Since he is still eating I would get some anti-bacterial food, such as Jungle Anti-bacterial pellets. I doubt if the non-antibiotic first aid powder is helping much at this point, so I would discontinue its use and perform a large water change. Use the old filter that contains beneficial bacteria if it hasn't dried out, but remove any active carbon that it may contain if you do medicate the tank as well. I would definitely go with the antibiotic food first however, since the infection is internal and ingestion is far more effective. Good luck!
 
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kbaars

AC Members
Oct 24, 2011
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So I called my local pet/fish store and they said they do not carry fish antibiotics. They have some medicated food but not the ones I mentioned. Should I order online? Not sure the fish will make it if I have to wait. Any recommendations?
 

kbaars

AC Members
Oct 24, 2011
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So I picked up some T.C Tetracycline as the pet store owner recommended it over Maracyn. I hope I made the right choice. I gave the tank its first dose. I also purchased the Jungle anti bacterial pellet food but on the label there is a warning that one ingredient has been proven to cause cancer in California. Would this be more harmful to the fish?? We'll see what happens. The fish every once in a while has a great burst of energy and swims quickly around the tank but it twitches too. Strange! Anyone know what is happening?
 

kbaars

AC Members
Oct 24, 2011
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Just tested my water.
Nitrate 30
Nitrite 0
Hardness 150
Chlorine 0
Alkalinity 180
PH 8.4 (Alkaline)

I used TC Tetracycline to treat the tank but have since read it is not effective in a tank with a PH over 7.6. Yikes! What should I do? The fish was doing better before I treated the tank. Should I do a large water change and discontinue treatment? Other treatments I read about were Triple Sulfa and Kanamyacin. Help!!!

Thanks!
 

Jannika

MTS Survivor
Mar 17, 2010
1,498
0
36
N. California
Everything causes cancer in California, don't worry. Kanamycin is an excellent choice, though. Hope he recovers!
 
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