PLEASE HELP! One sick goldfish and one might be!

[michelle dee]

I have a 20 gallon tank that is still cycling -- two goldfish - one common and one ryukin. I have diagnosed her, based on research in books and the web, with gill fluke. She was lying on the bottom of the tank with clamped dorsal fin and slightly swollen gills which appear pinkish underneath. For days I have been trying to figure out why she continually goes to the surface of the water to get air. I have lowered the temp, added bubbles, and as I mentioned there are two filters. The nitrite is 0 and PH is 7.5. I've been keeping the ammonia down to just above 0 (definitely under .5) with 10-15% water changes almost daily.

I have put her in a 5 gallon hospital tank (it's the best I have) with a biowheel filter from the 20 gallon tank (there are two biowheels in the 20 gallon), an airstone, no gravel, and a plastic plant.

I put Melafix in the hospital tank because at first I thought she had a few scales that had come off (still not sure if this is the case). Then I added maracyn once I concluded it was gill fluke.

My questions are:

how long should I keep her in the 5 gallon hospital tank? For the 5 days of maracyn treatment?

Should I ccontinue giving melafix during this time?

Should I feed her?

Regarding the ryukin still in the 20 gallon:
She is also going up to the surface regularly to get air. She doesn't show the gill swollenness although she is starting to hide a bit, but not with clamped fins or lethargy. Still pretty much swimming around normally.
Should I also be giving maracyn to this fish?
Or do I wait to see if it progresses further?
p.s the water temp varies from 73 to 75.

Then, if I do give the ryukin maracyn, what happens to the biowheel filters? Do I have to change them once the fish get healthy???

When I put the common back in the hospital tank should I change the filter before putting it back on the 20 gallon tank?

I know there are alot of questions. But I need to do what's best and I really don't know.

Thanks!!!

 

[Faramir]

Your fish are showing classic symptoms of ammonia poisoning. It shouldn't be "below .5" - it should be 0. In the short term you need to use some kind of ammonia neutraliser to save the fish. I recently lost a fish to ammonia of <.25ppm. It's particularly dangerous in alkaline conditions like these.

What are the ammonia levels in the hospital tank?

 

[michelle dee]

ammonia in hospital tank

it's 0

 

[JeffP]

Dee

It's not possible to say exactly what your fish have without actually looking at it with a microscope. Gill flukes is a possibility but so is costia (and probably other parasites as well). It is a little less common that flukes but there is almost always a background concentration that is kept in check by the fishs' natural defences (immune system). Like most diseases, when the fish are stressed or weakened the costia (of flukes) can multiply out of control.

Costia Info
More Costia Info Including Treatment
More disease and treatment info

Your disease outbreak was probably caused by stresses created during cycling...no surprise here. But do not be quick to shotgun meds. In the absence of any more information and assuming you don't have microscope, try the following:

1. Increase water changes to at least 25% daily.
2. Do not use melafix. You don't need it for a few missing and it's anti-bacteria/parasite capabilities are suspect at best.
3. Add salt to the aquarium at 0.3% (costia may respond to this)
4. Use ammo lock (or equiv) to get rid of residual ammonia until your cycling is complete. Have it on hand because med treatments may disrupt biological filtration.
5. Maracyn or Maracyn II is not (as far as I know) an effective treatment for flukes. The most common (and relatively harsh) treatment is Fluke Tabs. However there is another and apparently more mild treatment that has recently come to market for goldfish/koi in a less expensive generic form. Check this link out Koivet Praziquantel Info . If you can get praziquantel, then I would suggest giving it a try. I think its brand (i.e. expensive$$) name is droncit which you may have to buy from a vet...but since you don't need much for a 20G that might be cheaper than bulk praziquantel.

Good Luck from a fellow goldfish fan.

 

[michelle dee]

Thank you and more questions.

Thank you!

I have to say that when I checked the PH in the hospital tank it was at least 8.8 this morning! I freaked and put him back in the 20 gallon tank. Would the melafix have caused the PH to skyrocket??

He's still sitting on the bottom in the 20 gallon -- and very inactive. Although his dorsal fin is a bit raised from yesterday.

But the water is really fine in the big tank. 0 for ammonia and nitrite and PH of about 7.5.

I will try to get the medication you suggested -- so I'm assuming that I should stop the maracyn altogether??

Also can I put that medication in the big tank with the other (seemingly ok) fish?

 

[thom336]

the pH of an aquarium does alter throughout the day...needless to say i wouldnt be worried unless it went to extremes. i havent had time to read this whole thread...just the bit about the pH, so i havent been able to take the rest into account.

 

[JeffP]

Stop Maracyn and Melafix.

It looks like your cycle is hopefully over. There is always a chance that with good water quality the fish will slowly recover on there own with just 0.3% salt.

I have fortunately not had a first had a severe encounter with gill flukes or costia (that I know of). The droncit/praziquantel treatment appears to be relatively safe for both your fish and the bio filter when used as directed. All manufacturers say that of course, but I have read a number of positive reports on goldfish/koi forums. With that said, give them a treatment and this should hopefully speed their recovery.

Keep testing your water in case something unexpected happens during the treatment.

Good luck