# Goldfish with fungus flipping out. Urgent help yet again please!



## FRIENDLYFISHIES (Aug 7, 2012)

The goldfish that ive been treating for 2 days with both melafix and pimafix is having a rough night...shes thrashing and trying to rub the fin off on just about anything she can, luckily there is nothing in the hospital tank (critter keeper) but still she looks crazy...I feel terrible for her...could it be itch? could it be itchy because its healing? is there something else going on? There is still fungus on her fin even with the meds, its gotten better but isnt going away and her gils are still inflamed...I think shes eating but slowly. Should I add salt yet or still hold off? Shes such a sweet goldfish! this sucks. I can video if anyone thinks it might help?


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

what is the ammonia reading for her tank ??


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## FRIENDLYFISHIES (Aug 7, 2012)

I have 2 critter keepers and I switch her every morning to the fresh keeper with new meds so I dont think theres much time for ammonia to build much?...I figured it was the easiest way to do 100% water changes daily. Should I switch her twice a day?

when shes done trying to itch she rolls over or floats on her side :/ this just started tonight after I fed. The other goldfish is still showing no signs of anything but im watching closely.


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## FRIENDLYFISHIES (Aug 7, 2012)

Shes spinning in really tight circles incredibly fast before rolling over or floating on her side :/


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## FRIENDLYFISHIES (Aug 7, 2012)

Anyone have any ideas? Should I stop meds?


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

I would stop feeding. A small tank fouls quickly and ammonia is uncomfortable and deadly. Yes, diseases itch.


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## FRIENDLYFISHIES (Aug 7, 2012)

Thanks Emc. Im only feeding right before I switch her to the new tank. Im going to try and switch her twice a day and lower the meds a tad...Shes not being as fast this AM with her swimming or discomfort but she is still trying to rub that fin...I just feel so awful for her...everytime I look at her trying to itch I get so itchy lol. Jeesh I think that tank just has bad luck! If her and the other fish make it im moving them, bleaching the tank and putting it on the lawn for sale!


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## pinetree (Nov 29, 2009)

Are you certain it has fungus? The behavior you describe sounds more like parasites.

As a goldfish keeper and someone who has done a lot of research about goldfish, I can say it is extremely common for goldfish to be infested with flukes. I highly recommend treating all goldfish with praziquantel (like PraziPro) before adding them to your main tank.

Here is a great quarantine protocol for goldfish, which also gives a treatment plan for using Prazi:

http://thegab.org/Goldfish/quarantine-recommendations-for-new-goldfish.html

I'm sure loads of people will disagree with me, but I am not a fan of melafix and pimafix. I don't believe they do a whole lot, especially after an infection or infestation takes hold of a fish. I suggest stocking up on some antibiotics and antiparasitic meds if you're going to keep goldfish. Here is a great medicine cabinet list of suggestions:

http://thegab.org/Illness-and-Treatment/medicine-cabinet-recommendations.html

And finally, a handy list of symptoms, diagnoses and treatments for sick goldfish:

http://thegab.org/Illness-and-Treatment/what-is-wrong-with-my-fish.html


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

I fed this stuff to my skinny cichlids and it did the trick http://www.goldfishconnection.com/shop/details.php?productId=9&catId=1 

I think it is a good site for goldfish


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## Guest (Sep 21, 2012)

First of all: Stop switching your goldfish between the two tanks. It is most likely stressing it. Just keep it in the one tank and dose with the meds. You may need stronger meds. Your goldfish could also have swim bladder disorder. You can fed it some peas until the swim bladder goes away.

When a fish is stressed, they don't get better from whatever they have, they get worse. That is what is happening to your goldfish being switched between the tanks. Just keep it in the one hospital tank and treat until it is better and has no symptoms for a week or so after treatment. Otherwise your goldfish is not going to get better.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Its not a real tank, just a little keeper with no filter. Switching back and forth is like betta cup 100% water changes. Should be okay if temp and other params are matched. Its also a decent way to defeat something like ich that leaves the fish and comes back.


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## FRIENDLYFISHIES (Aug 7, 2012)

@pinetree- im a bit confused...
◦Add 2.5 milligrams per liter of water. 
◦If you are using the powdered version, it is difficult to dissolve. Predissolve in tank water by shaking it up in a small container. 
◦Dosing 
Day 1 -- remove carbon, perform water change with vacuuming, and add Prazi to tank 
Day 2 -- add Prazi 
Day 3 -- do nothing 
Day 4 -- do nothing 
Day 5 -- do nothing 
Day 6 -- add Prazi 
Day 7 -- add Prazi 
Day 8 -- normal partial water change with vacuuming 
Day 14 - normal partial water change, then add prazi 
Day 21 - normal partial water change, then add prazi 
Day 28 - normal partial water change, then add prazi 
Day 35 - normal partial water change, add carbon, treatment is complete 

im not treating a large tank, shes in a critter keeper, how would add the prazi and do nothing for a few days when 100% water changes will be required daily or she will get ammonia poisoning? Is there a different way I would have to do it? 

So I guess the next Q would be - How do I treat her with antibiotics and de-wormer while doing 100% water changes daily? 

Also do they sell that stuff at the petstore? If I order meds it will take forever for them to get here & shes looking pretty awful today, very tired and gils still inflames. The fungus was gone last night, I could have done a happy dance but this AM its back :/ 

Shes still doing the freak out swimming deal, now shes sitting on her tail at the bottom off and on

@ angelclown - The critter keepers are side by side...asside from going in the cup for a few seconds the switch its identicle...I dont think she really notices anything different..the only thing I can think that might stress her is that each time I switch her from one to other she feels the meds a bit more per switch but the temps are both room temp and same conditioner et. 

Ive had her for a little over week and never noticed any parasitic behavior til this injury deal, the other goldfish who came about a week ago (2 days later) also hasnt and isnt showing any signs of anything...wouldnt I have noticed parsitic behavior right away or might it show up down the road like in this case? Im just trying to figure out if it really is parasites before I pull her off anti fungal meds and treat for worms if she doesnt have them? 

either way im guessing treating with anitibiotics is needed at this point?


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Prazi-Pro is good for some external parasites, its very safe, its available in many local stores and a bottle treats quite a bit of water, so you won't run out dosing all your new water. It would take some research to see if it can be used with your other meds. But it is a good thing to have on the shelf and to use in QT tanks.

The "nuclear" treat-everything med is CLOUT, but it is harsh enough to kill weak or sensitive fish. 

Ideally you'd treat with exactly the right med for your fish's diseases, but telling what they have is often only possible by vivisection, which kind of defeats the purpose. Broad spectrum drugs are more likely to work, but also have more side effects.

Make your best guess and if you see no change in several days, try again.

Itching does tend to indicate external parasites, but it doesn't rule anything out. I'm sure peeling skin itches, too.


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## FRIENDLYFISHIES (Aug 7, 2012)

Poor thing is falling apart even more tonight and now shes just laying on the bottom of her critter keeper on her side, she swims a bit then lays down again et...this is just WEIRD! how it all occured :/ unforunate...she was such a healthy baby! Im doing the best I can but it doesnt seem to be enough or fast enough.


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## FRIENDLYFISHIES (Aug 7, 2012)

Here is a video of her tonight...Whats your thoughts? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3GtiT6QWcE&feature=youtu.be


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

falling apart does sound like some of the columnaris descriptions I've read. Its like its eating the fish..


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## FRIENDLYFISHIES (Aug 7, 2012)

Doesnt seem to be columnaris because it only around that same fin :/ When the guppies had it it ate their whole tail off and body...this is just that fin, well for now anyhow. Did you see the video? it shows her fin damage..when I say falling apart, its the fin bones that are now falling off...all the webbing was going but now the webbing is completely gone and the three bones are kinda flopping off now. I have to say tonight after a mild AQ salt bath the fungus is down in size but shes acting worse than ever...not even flipping out swimming anymore...just laying around the bottom breathing heavily with some minor swims, you can actually see a chunk of the fungus laying infront of her in the first part of the video


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## pinetree (Nov 29, 2009)

It's just a guess, but it looks like columnaris to me as well. Columnaris is often mistaken for fungus. The fish looks like it is in pretty extreme distress and may not make it at this point. 

Do you have any Maracyn Plus? It contains sulfa antibiotics which work on gram positive bacteria and I think it is an option for treating columnaris (though it doesn't specify on the bottle). It is also a liquid which you add to the water. You can also bring the salt level up in the tank by adding 1 tsp per gallon of water to help as a general antiseptic.

I'm not entirely clear on your container situation. Does it have any kind of filter? It sounds like you don't have a cycle since you're moving the fish around to avoid ammonia. Do you have a cycled filter or tank this fish can be quarantined in? I don't believe the Maracyn Plus is effective if you have to keep changing the water. Usually you dose it every other day for a week I believe.


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## FRIENDLYFISHIES (Aug 7, 2012)

She passed on last night  poor thing..shes in a better place. Do you really think its columnaris!!! I hate that stuff..lost almost all the guppies to that! this is the same tank as the guppies but I bleached it all out inside and out before reusing it for the goldfish. Its all new filter and decor too so there shouldnt have been any trace of columnaris from the guppies. Now im a bit worried...what about the other goldfish? She hasnt shown any signs of anything...do I need to treat her for columnaris?? or wait til I see any signs of something? ugh I hope she doesnt get it! Theyve been seperated for since I noticed the signs of broken fin/fungus et.


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