Hi, i have a comet with some scale missing, i have treated it with malachite green. Don't know if i'm doing the right thing.
Comet Scales Missing
- Thread starter Niljore
- Start date
Hello and welcome to AC! :welcome:
Comets often drop a few scales here or there. It's not anything to worry about, and aside from regular water changes, needs no treatment.
Malachite green is a very powerful medication. It will stain the silicone in your tank bright blue-green and can kill the bacteria in your filter. It also has a nasty habit of seeping into the tank and hanging around for months, even years. Very toxic to invertebrates.
That said, it is very effective in some cases of severe illness. But for a few missing scales, it is very much overkill.
I would add the carbon back to your filter (providing that you removed it in the first place) and do a large (70% +) water change to remove the medication. You'll need to keep an eye on your water parameters in the next few weeks, as your bacteria colony will be recovering.
It's great that you're watching your fish and taking such an interest in their health, though.
Just keep the water clean and do regular water changes and your comet should grow his scales back in no time.
Comets often drop a few scales here or there. It's not anything to worry about, and aside from regular water changes, needs no treatment.
Malachite green is a very powerful medication. It will stain the silicone in your tank bright blue-green and can kill the bacteria in your filter. It also has a nasty habit of seeping into the tank and hanging around for months, even years. Very toxic to invertebrates.
That said, it is very effective in some cases of severe illness. But for a few missing scales, it is very much overkill.
I would add the carbon back to your filter (providing that you removed it in the first place) and do a large (70% +) water change to remove the medication. You'll need to keep an eye on your water parameters in the next few weeks, as your bacteria colony will be recovering.
It's great that you're watching your fish and taking such an interest in their health, though.
Just keep the water clean and do regular water changes and your comet should grow his scales back in no time.
^ I agree with everything he said.
I'll just add that some goldfish have a mixture of reflective and transparent scales. This is very common with comets.
I'll just add that some goldfish have a mixture of reflective and transparent scales. This is very common with comets.
Ahem... she.
And yes, sometimes you might think the scale is missing, but it is actually a transparent scale. Nothing to worry about.
Ahem... she.
Sorry, Please don't shoot me. I have a wife and kid. Please I beg, forgive me, Please. Please.
^proper groveling after ticking off a woman.
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My chocolate oranda knocked himself on the exposed airstone and pulled 2 scales off. I was away for a fortnight so wasnt able to do water changes (No way would I trust my parents to do it! They're just about capable of feeding them). When I came back the oranda had an infection which was red and angry. Regular water changes and little bit of tonic salt with each change and the infection went within a week. It also looks like new scales are pushing their way through too. **Goldfish are tough! Medication is not often needed and can do more harm than good**
Humph... you are forgiven.
No really, its okay! Happens all the time on the forums.
:iagree:
They will grow back. Whenever that happened to my Goldfish, I would just do an extra water change between the normal ones, for a few weeks.