HELP - badly frayed tail

[shellonabeach]

Sorry for the double post but I do not know which of these boards get looked at most often and am in desparate need of some help.

I am having major problems with my goldfish at the moment.

A reason which I found out was while I was at university my father was cleaning out my tank (with 2 goldfish in) monthly - cleaning the gravel etc.

Both these fish have subsequently died with finrot like symptoms.

I got rid of the old tank and bought a new larger (15gallons) one and 3 new goldfish.  When I set up the tank I added "new tank" amounts of stress zyme, stress coat, bacterlife (bacteria culture) and aqaulibrium (aquarium salts) 2 days after the fish were added I had a bacterial bloom (cloudy tank) which was gone in 24 hours.  I have a powerful pump and undergravel filter.

2 of the fish are fine but one has developed the symptoms of the ones who died in the old tank.  He sits at the bottom of the tank with his fins clamped streaks of blood in them and his tail which I can see is just a mass of thin rays.

As I do not know much about fish I have been desperatley trawling the internet - I have put the sick fish into a transparent plastic storage bin (10 gallons) treated as above with a sponge like filter and pump (no gravel) the fish is still eating a little but now lays on the floor at an angle.  He has a brideg to hide under, a mug to hide him and a plastic plant to hide, to try to reduce his stress.

With the one who died I tried the 2 tub method but he wouldn't eat at all and I think I killed him with finrot treatment.

I don't know what to do - there are no vets anywhere that I can find to deal with fish.  I don't want to loose him too and the tail is getting worse.  What should I do (I've had him a week) the ammonia level is 0.2.  Should I add the finrot treatment to his tank?  How can I save him?  Or should I get him put to sleep at the vets rather than have him suffer?

Sorry this is so long but I am completely at a loss as what to do.

Thanks
Shelley +Junior (sick fish) Whitey and Patch

 

[luvfishies]

You have a cycling tank and stressed goldies.

I personally would do daily 50% waterchanges, and add a little salt (1tablespoon/5gallons). Goldies do well with salt.

Also, that 15g is too small for 3 goldies. The recced minimum is 10g per fish. They are very solid bodied, and produce a lot of waste. No matter what, you're going to have to do weekly gravel vacs with minimum 25% waterchanges as they get older, even once the tank has cycled.

Again, while the tank is cycling, daily waterchanges are the ticket. Finrot is usually traced back to poor water conditions. Ammonia at 0.2 is considered "poor" water.

 

[tizme]

Hi! Gosh, afraid to ask how the fish are now?  :-[ I just read your post. Well, this info may be helpful for the future anyhow.  The salt is a good thing.  Luv is right, the fin rot is from poor water = most probably the high level of ammonia...though I suspect you probably have a nitrite problem to go with it. Although I've never had them, Goldfish are supposed to be pretty hardy fish.  However, they are known for their waste production.

A few thoughts:

• While a tank is cycling, you shouldn't change the water.  But, if you have threatening levels of ammonia, you have no choice.  I would only do daily or every other day at 25%.  Skip feeding them for a couple of days! This may make all the difference.
• Get your nitrites checked asap!  I wonder if they've been a big contribution to the problem.  Get Ammo Chips and a fish bag for your tank along with NitroZorb.  All will run about $15.
• Finally, after a 25% water change, add a med like Melafix.  Its all-natural and really helps speed the healing process. You'll have to remove your carbon filter though.  Be sure to have placed the above in the tank before removing the carbon filter.

Hope this helps and Best of Luck! *thumbsupsmiley*