# Ammonia Burn?



## ~H~ (Jul 17, 2013)

I just got another calico fantail goldfish and I was wondering how I could tell if it got ammonia burn. It is covered in black so I don't know how I can tell...other than testing the water, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they have ammonia burn. Please tell me how I could know! Thank you!:fish:


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## weedkiller (Nov 18, 2012)

Redness of the gills?


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

red gills, gasping, hanging at the surface, eroding fins, bad smell in the air over the water, bad smell/taste in the water, floating upside down dead. 

But a fish that looks fine may still be suffering or have been hurt by ammonia in the past. When in doubt, change water.


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## ~H~ (Jul 17, 2013)

Alright! Thanks so much! How much of the water should I change? 25%? 50%?


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## mousey (Jan 18, 2005)

I bought a baby goldfish just because It had black trim on its fins and tail.
Imagine my surprise when the blackness all came off and I just had a plain old orange goldfish!
That was when I read that ammonia burns could make black areas on the fish.


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## ~H~ (Jul 17, 2013)

Aww! That's so sad!


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

it is also very common for goldfish to change colors as they grow...they will go from orange or black to being kind of a dull grey copper color in a matter of a couple of months..


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