Goldfish with white bumps on tail

[Goldie M.]

My 5 year old, 8" goldfish is in a 40 gallon tank that gets serviced 1x/month and vacuumed daily - her nitrates are highish - in the 60-70 range.

For the past couple months she has acquired a patch of white growths on her tail. I have treated her with external anti bacterial / fungal / viral / parasite meds which did not work. I have also occasionally added a handful of Aquarium salt. She does not seem to be stressed...

Anybody know what this might be and how to cure it?

 

[the loach]

A 40 G is too small even for a 5" goldfish. The growths are probably Lymphocystis. It is a virus that comes up under improper living conditions and there is no cure but to improve the conditions. See this article:

What Size Tank for Goldfish? - INJAF

What size tank for goldfish is a question that often arises on fishkeeping forums and usually results in a wide variety of opinions and suggestions

injaf.org

 

[Goldie M.]

Thank you so much for your response! My aquarium can only be on my desk at work : ( So I'm trying to go as big as I can - I have been tormenting over the tank size issue! I just don't want it to break through my desk/file cabinet! If anyone knows if a fairly sturdy file cabinet under a desk could carry the weight of a 50 gallon tank (per the article you showed me stating a tank should be 6x the length of the fish - so 48 gallons?)

Also - When I do the test strip - all the parameters are perfect - I think I was overly vacuuming and disturbing the good bacteria - as I back off the nitrates seem to be lowering (currently they are around 50 - higher than Id like but not unsafe) And is gravel cleaner/water clarifier good to use?

Thank you so much for your assistance!

 

[the loach]

Sorry to say but this is a bit of an impossible situation....
As you've read in the article they will grow to 16". Also they are really social animals and need to be in groups. He is not a happy camper.
The best thing you can do for him is put him in a pond with other goldfish. Then get other fish that are suited to aquariums. Rosy barbs for instance look just like goldfish but don't grow larger as 4". You will have lower nitrates and less maintenance.

Your nitrates are out of control because of his large size and not having live plants. You can't "disturb" beneficial bacteria by vacuuming.

 

[Goldie M.]

All of this is terribly difficult to hear after I have nurtured her for 5 years now from a feeder fish and we do have quite a bond - she plays with my hand under water, likes to sit in my hand, has food preferences, gets fresh boiled peas every day and regular tank scenery changes and enjoys staring at me... I have couple questions as I believe we would both be quite sad to part -

Do goldfish Always grow to 16" or do they grow "up to" 16? Might she be fully grown at 8" since she has been that for the past couple years? I have a large water filter and large sponge filter and the nitrates are around 50 - is that level considered "out of control"? On my test strip bottle it states that it is in the "safe" range.

At this point, might it be more detrimental to her to introduce her to a totally new environment (pond) that she is totally unfamiliar with with the addition of other fish that she is also totally unused to?

What are your thoughts on my question about getting a larger tank - maybe 60 gallon? Do you know if a metal, fairly sturdy file cabinet and desk top can hold that weight? And, maybe introducing a Rosy Barb which you mention stay small?

 

[Goldie M.]

I know the bigger the tank the better. But, to save her from moving away totally with extremely different circumstances which will Have to be extremely stressful to her, and hopefully Not a necessity, what are your thoughts about my following the article's advice (48 minimum gallon tank) - if my desk can hold, I will do a 50 or 60 gallon and introduce a Rosy Barb for a friend?

 

[the loach]

Goldfish either die young/small or if well cared for, grow out of their tank. They can get 30, 40 years old. How many water do you change every week? If you get a 50/60 gallon... eventually they will outgrow that as well. I see no problem with your goldfish getting in a pond as long as you slowly acclimatize it to the pond water. I know you love your fish, but as I said I see it as an unsustainable situation. Adding another goldfish will add to the bioload, and the tank is only 10 or 20 gallons larger. Adding 1 rosy barb won't do much for the goldfish as they really want their own species (just like every fish, so if you get rosy barbs... get a school... or the rosy barb would still get lonely). The goldfish would feel a bit better with a school of small fish, maybe some danios.
If you post pictures of your desk/cabinet maybe that will tell us if it can hold a 50 or 60 gallon tank.

 

[Goldie M.]

Your advice is sooo appreciated - thank you so much!!

I don't do weekly water changes because my office situation makes it difficult (I might be able to fill a small trash can and carry a couple to the office kitchen sink 1x week - would that help? I do have it serviced about every 3-4 weeks with the water change, etc. and I do vacuum the tank daily.

 

[Goldie M.]

P.S. If you can believe it, I actually have a computer monitor facing the side of the tank that plays relaxing beach and ocean videos!

 

[the loach]

You will need to do a 30% water change every week for him. If you want a tank with minimal water changes you need a densely planted tank lightly stocked with small fish.
It looks like the desk isn't even, is there space between the glass and the desk in the middle?
You would need to get the drawers out to get an idea how sturdy that cabinet is built.