HELP sick oranda + dead shrimp!

I'm almost 100% sure it is a water quality issue.
You are very/extremely/seriously overcrowded- the worst case of overcrowding I have seen in a while.
Medications are not the answer- clean water is.

It is recommended that Goldfish have at least 20 gallons per fish- they are large bodied heavy waste producing fish.
They are also unsuitable tankmates for guppies (need different temperatures) and shrimp (shrimp will eventually get lodged in the Goldfishes mouth).
So you can see how your setup needs some work to be made suitable for the creatures you have assumed responsibility for.

If you could invest just a few bucks on a larger tank you could make the Goldfish happy and keep everything else in the tiny tank. It needn't be a fancy aquarium- just bigger!
I really do not see a way to keep that Goldfish in that size container and expect it to improve. If larger quarters are out of the question then I'd be looking for a new, proper home for the Goldfish- it would be a kindness for them.

Here is an excellent site that descusses the minimum essentials needed to keep Goldfish happy and healthy.
And this (on the same site) is a list of symptoms and diseases.

But again- clean water is the best tool for recovery. All the medications in the world cannot help a fish kept in severely substandard conditions.

How about you go out and invest in Ammonia/Nitrite/Nitrate test strips and report back to us letting us know the readings. I would be willing to bet, if this tank is even cycled, that the nitrate readings are THROUGH the roof. Ammonia levels are more than likely present, and the lives of your fish is a ticking time bomb...

These fish (Goldfish) reach 10-12+ inches and create so much waste that it is a task for people like myself who even have 55 gallon aquariums to keep up with the water quality. I couldn't imagine the condition these fish are in if they are in a bowl. :shake:

I dont know what else to tell you, I mean you think your O.K. and that this tank (bowl?) is fine for these fish. Lets not bring up the issue that the fish will be stunted and wont reach more than an inch! :mad2

Did you know that if given the proper room/living conditions, Goldfish can live 15 years average, and 20 years isnt uncommon.

well i changed 100% of the water as soon as i saw that she was sick and took out the gravel, plant, and ornament and scrubbed everyhting clean. my water conditions are excellent.
You've just destroyed a large portion of your biological filter.

i do have test kits but do not use them because my fish rarely die. i havent had a fish die in over a year.-and i have lots of fish. i was just asking for help on my oranda because the white spot was on her wen and i wasnt sure if there was anything special i should do because of that .
If you do have test kits please post your current readings- ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate.
Please.
You've asked for help- we need test results to even begin to discuss what is going on.
You need to know your own test results.
Fishkeepers never have so much experience that testing is not necessary. You cannot look at water and know what is in there- you must test. The first thing we do when something looks wrong is run a set of water tests. Have you done that?
Even if you refuse to disclose the results to us (because they are in filthy water)- do it for the fish. So you know what is going on

i know that tank is small for its inhabitants but i take extremely good care of my fish-my life revolves around fish!
No- you don't take good care of your fish- you are torturing these Goldfish.
It is comparable to you, your brother, and six dogs living in one small bathroom for the rest of your life. Sure, so you can turn around- you'll be fine for the next 50 years, right?

as for giving them away-i do not know anyone who would take better care of them than me. i do not know anyone who would like a 60 gallon tank with 3 tiny fish. i could put them outside in one of my ponds but i know they are too fragile for outdoors and the larger fish would beat them up.
Putting these fish in your pond would be the best choice.
Sure beats where they are living now.

Let me be blunt- it is impossible to keep two Goldfish, "a few" guppies and "a few" ghost shrimp healthy in a 3.5 gallon container.
Impossible- no matter how often you change the water or how hard you try. It is an bad situation.

but i am positive it was not the water.

Click to expand...

How?

I think a lot of experienced fishkeepers push the limits a little here and there, and I try to avoid judging others' practices too harshly. However, that little tank is jam-packed. If I were to guess, I'd say that the attention you have given them has kept them alive, but the stress of living in that much waste has finally started to become evident.

One thing you should consider is at least moving up to a bigger tank. Tanks are relatively cheap, and the upkeep will be less. Even going to a 10 gallon would help.