# I need help!! Gold fish's gill being eaten away by unknown force



## SparklE fin (Jun 8, 2012)

My goldfish Akis left gill being eaten away by an unknown force!! I've been treating him for all kinds of diseases and inbetween it's major water changes and testing the water quality and using carbon something. And if I don't, his gill turns bright red with a white fungus on it. Plus, there is a growing large bump on his gill. It's strange because his other gill looks healthy. Hes acting like a Normal goldie, Not clamped fins, scavenging, eating all he can get, trying to get everyones attention. The vet says to put him down because "You can easily get another." he's in a 20+ gallons with a hang on back Filter and a few airstones. He's parameters is Ph 7.8 and just crystal clear. You guys are my only hope here. I've tried so many natural and unatural treatments, I just don't know what to do anymore. You guys are my last hope here


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## Bacon Is Good (Jun 30, 2012)

Do you have a pic


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## LaLaLeyla (Aug 17, 2011)

Have you tried fungus medication? Or melafix?


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## BettaMiah (Sep 12, 2011)

Hmmm... Sounds like some kind of fungus. What type of a goldfish do you have there? DO you have any pictures? Unless I know more I can't really tell you much besides that you ought to make sure he has VERY clean water and that he's eating and not clamped and such.


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## SparklE fin (Jun 8, 2012)

LaLaLeyla said:


> Have you tried fungus medication? Or melafix?


I've tried both. For about a 2 weeks and a half, I believe


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## SparklE fin (Jun 8, 2012)

BettaMiah said:


> Hmmm... Sounds like some kind of fungus. What type of a goldfish do you have there? DO you have any pictures? Unless I know more I can't really tell you much besides that you ought to make sure he has VERY clean water and that he's eating and not clamped and such.


He's a little fast and hates my iPod but I'll try


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## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

I agree. A picture would be very helpful. It will probably be easiest to handle the fish and get a picture of the gill that way. If not, could you find a picture of it online that looks close to the infection. I would also like you to answer as many of these questions as you can: Please answer as many of these questions as you can when seeking help Copy and paste it in a post here.


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## SparklE fin (Jun 8, 2012)

Sorry, it's in the 100's where I live. I got heatstroke and was at the hospital. That sucked







this is the clearest pic I could get. I had to distract him with my fingers. You think it might be fungus.. I tried fungus treatment already. Should I go to a different vet?


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## SparklE fin (Jun 8, 2012)

thekoimaiden said:


> I agree. A picture would be very helpful. It will probably be easiest to handle the fish and get a picture of the gill that way. If not, could you find a picture of it online that looks close to the infection. I would also like you to answer as many of these questions as you can: Please answer as many of these questions as you can when seeking help Copy and paste it in a post here.


Housing 
What size is your tank? Not sure but definitely over 20 
What temperature is your tank? Room temp
Does your tank have a filter? Hang on back filter
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? 2 airstones
Is your tank heated?no, Im trying to bring the temp down
What tank mates does your betta fish live with? None

Food
What type of food do you feed your gold fish? Dark greens, parsley, romaine lettece etc Sometimes he eats an occasional bug from the surface. Sometimes flakes. Bananas. Peas
How often do you feed your gold fish? Few times a day

Maintenance 
How often do you perform a water change? 2 times a week
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? I'd say about 15%-20%
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? Dechlorinator, stress coat, carbon(in filter)

Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters?

Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
pH: 7.8
Hardness:
Alkalinity: 

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your gold fish's appearance changed? Gill looks like eaten away Bump on chin
How has your gold fish's behavior changed? Sleeps more often
When did you start noticing the symptoms? When gill turned crimson red
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? My friend suggested all these medicines. Other than that methylene blue and salt dips
Does your fish have any history of being ill? He's new
How old is your fish (approximately)? I think a few months


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## thekinetic (May 22, 2012)

Hmm it could be gill flukes. Tell me does it scrape against objects or pant at the water's surface?


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## SparklE fin (Jun 8, 2012)

I've treated for gill flukes already. I used Prazi. I used it for about 5 days. No difference


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## Bounce (May 26, 2012)

SparklE fin said:


> ... I've been treating him for all kinds of diseases and inbetween it's major water changes and testing the water quality and using carbon something...


I don't understand what you mean by "using carbon something". Are you using activated carbon in your filter?


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

It most likely isn't a fungus. Very few funguses attack our fish. My guess is it's a bacterial infection, probably a secondary infection caused by something else like gill flukes. I honestly don't know much about treating goldfish/coldwater fish so I can't say if the same meds I use for tropicals are all right for goldfish. But I would suggest Seachem Kanaplex as a treatment, if thekoimaiden okays it. Otherwise, my next advice would be 15 minute long aquarium salt baths, maybe one or two a day, at a dose of 1 tsp of salt per gallon of bath.


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## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

Using Prazi for just 5 days isn't going to give you the best treatment. It should be dosed over a period of a few weeks. Liquid prazi is also not very strong. The powder stuff is the best. 

I can't see the pictures, but is the fish's gill being eaten away or is the gill cover missing? The arrow pointing to the operculum is what I'm asking about. If it is just the gill, it could be a very stubborn case of parasites. 










I agree with Sakura. Not many fungus attack our fish, and the ones that do will kill very quickly once they become an internal infection. More than likely this is a secondary infection that crept in when the fish was weakened by parasites. All medications used for tropicals are safe for goldfish. Go ahead and try the kanaplex. You can also add salt to the water at 1 teaspoon per gallon as a precautionary measure. Goldfish handle salt very well.


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Thanks so much, Izzy. 

Best of luck with your goldfish, SparklEfin.


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## SparklE fin (Jun 8, 2012)

I was using activated carbon to purify the water, getting out the old medicine. I was using powder Prazi, so I should continue it. I have tons, they only had sizes for large ponds. And kanaplex.

It literally looks like its being eaten. Like its being taken away, each day. I think I'll add another air stone though. It looks like he's not even using it anymore. Plus, sometimes, he poops and it looks like a trailing spider web. He's still eating, but he doesn't want to play anymore. He just watches me. I'm getting terrified now


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Try metronidazole-coated food for internal parasites.


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## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

Also add garlic to the food as it is a proven anti-parasitic. THIS is a great dosing regimen for Prazi (good to know you have the powder). I use this to rid goldfish of parasites. 

White stringy poop is a sign of internal parasites which can't be treated with Prazi. Metromed and Medigold are good brands of metronidazole-coated foods, but you will probably have to order them online. You can also make your own gel food with medications in it. Garlic is very easy to add to this as garlic will also increase appetite (use fresh squeezed cloves). THIS is a great medicated gel food recipe (the Lactobacillus Acidophilus tab isn't needed).


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## SparklE fin (Jun 8, 2012)

thekoimaiden said:


> Also add garlic to the food as it is a proven anti-parasitic. THIS is a great dosing regimen for Prazi (good to know you have the powder). I use this to rid goldfish of parasites.
> 
> White stringy poop is a sign of internal parasites which can't be treated with Prazi. Metromed and Medigold are good brands of metronidazole-coated foods, but you will probably have to order them online. You can also make your own gel food with medications in it. Garlic is very easy to add to this as garlic will also increase appetite (use fresh squeezed cloves). THIS is a great medicated gel food recipe (the Lactobacillus Acidophilus tab isn't needed).


Thanks! I was doing as you said, now he's doing better. Though he hasnt healed his gills yet. But I suppose it take awhile. His poop is green now like vegetables he eats all of the time. Now he keeps swimming through his hoop, darting the airstone bubbles, pushing his marbles all of the time and just being hyperactive before he fell ill. Thanks alot to all of you, I thought I was going to lose him :-D


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## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

Glad to hear he is doing better!!:-D


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## Pilot00 (Jul 24, 2012)

Some veterinarian that doctor is. Put the fish down its inexpensive to get a new one. Didnt you tell him to put himself down to increase mankind's collective IQ by 20 points as a result?

Glad to hear your friend is doing better.


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