How to treat goldfish with diseases?

Question

About 2 weeks ago I purchased 2 goldfish for my new 9 liter tank. Within the first few days they both started developing white spots on their bodies, and then developed an infection to their tails which became ragged and torn. They also have a sort of grime over their bodies and most of the time they just lie in the tank with their fins clamped down, they don't look very happy.

The pet shop I bought them from looked risky, but I chose my fish from the healthiest looking tank which was obviously the newest and was not infected. The plants I bought were not in a very good condition and the leaves are falling out and rotting. I also added the pet shop's water from the travel bag into my tank after adjusting the water temperature, which could of spread an infection.

I use a water dechlorinater which I was told to use, and I feed and look after my fish well. I have no other fish in the tank and never have, so the only way of developing the infections could have been from the pet shop tank water or the plants. I've scrubbed down the tank and added in new water.

I heard salt works well to get rid of infections, how do I do this and is it more effective than fish medication? What should I do?

Answer 1

Your fish have a disease called Ich, or white spot. Ich is a parasite that stands for Ichthyophthirius Multifiliis (White Spot)

Ichthyophthirius multifiliis is a ciliated protozoan which causes "Ich" or "white spot disease." This disease is a major problem to aquarists and commercial fish producers world wide. Ichthyophthirius is an important disease of tropical fish, goldfish, and food fish. The disease is highly contagious and spreads rapidly from one fish to another. It can be particularly severe when fish are crowded. While many protozoans reproduce by simple division, a single "Ich" organism can multiply into hundreds of new parasites. This organism is an obligate parasite which means that it cannot survive unless live fish are present. It is capable of causing massive mortality within a short time. An outbreak of "Ich" is an emergency situation which requires immediate treatment: if left untreated, this disease may result in 100% mortality.

The Parasite

"Ich" is the largest known parasitic protozoan found on fishes. Adult organisms are oval to round and measure 0.5 to 1.0 mm in size. The adult is uniformly ciliated and contains a horseshoe-shaped nucleus which can be seen in older individuals.

The breeding stage of the parasite encysts between the layers of the host skin. When mature, it leaves the fish and produces large numbers of free swimming young. These must find a host within 48 hours (at water temperatures of 75-79°F) or they will die.

Disease Signs

The classic sign of an "Ich" infection is the presence of small white spots on the skin or gills. These lesions look like small blisters on the skin or fins of the fish. Prior to the appearance of white spots, fish may show signs of irritation, flashing, weakness, loss of appetite, and decreased activity. If the parasite is only present on the gills, white spots will not be seen at all, but fish will die in large numbers. In these fish, gills will be pale and very swollen. White spots should not be used as the only means of diagnosis because other diseases may have a similar appearance. Gill and skin scrapings should be taken when the first signs of illness are observed. If the "Ich" organism is seen, fish should be medicated immediately because fish which are severely infected may not survive treatment.

If it looks like your fish has Ich (and it most certainly sounds like it based on your description) I suggest using the QuIck Cure medication. Since your tank is about 2 gallons, put in between 2-3 drops of medication a day. Also, purchase aquarium salt at the store, this will help cure the Ich put in 2 teaspoons of Aquarium salt crystals (make sure you buy the crystals made for freshwater fish.) Lastly, buy NovAqua from the store and put in 1/4 teaspoon. QUICKLY!!!! You have no time to waste!!! Start treating your fish NOW!!! The sooner the better!!! And stop scrubbing your tank. Instead, every day from now on, remove 40% of the water from your tank and replace with new water that has been dechlorinated and treated with the products I told you about. Good Luck!!!

For further questions, feel free to email me at [e-mail]

p.s. The reason your goldfish got Ich was probably because they were stressed out. They were probably stressed out because their tank was too small. I know at the store they try to tell you that goldfish can live in bowls, but take it from someone who has had a LOT of experience, your goldfish would do a lot better in a 10 gallon tank with a filter, aerator (essential), and establishmental biological filtration. (This is where you can put in StressZyme every week, maintaining the beneficial bacteria that will help prevent disease in your tank, and you only remove no more than 25% of the water, using a gravel vacuum, when you clean the tank. For more info on this, email me.)

p.p.s. Your fish may also have velvet, tail-rot, or some sort of fungus; the QuIck Cure brand medication should cure this too, if not, the Ich is more important to get rid of.

p.p.p.s. Continue using NovAqua, plus half the dosage of Aquarium Salt I told you each time you make a water change. Put it in the new water. It will help the fish, make them more comfortable, and prevent disease. Only continue the medicine about two days after the fish look healed.

Answer 2

Salt helps to keep disease out of your tank but not heal them,

Your goldfish have a fungus and tail rot.

You need to go to your pet store and get a fungus medication AND a Tail rot medication(which usually treats ich, tail rot, and Velvet all in one).

On the other hand your goldfish are in too small of a tank, for 2 goldfish i would put them in a 15-20 gallon tank to live happy for the rest of their lives.