Helping a friend with a sick goldfish need advice

[Danielle77]

I have been trying to help a friend that's new to fish keeping. I haven't had goldfish since I was a kid and she lives in another town from me so I just have the pictures to go by. To me it looks like a fungal issue. But I'm not sure what would be best for treatment, I'm not sure if she can get meds, would salt help with this? She also doesn't have a way to test water so I'm in the dark on that. Just looking for advice I maybe haven't thought of. 

[Colu]

I would recommend she gets a test kit as it more than likely a water quality issue that has caused this it looks like a bacterial infections with a secondary fungal infection I would treat with kanaplex in food and ick x to treat the water column if you can't get These meds I would treat with aquarium salt 1 table spoon for 1 gallon start at 1 table spoon for 3 gallons and gradually increase over a couple of days just remember to only put the amount of salt back in that you take out so if you do a 1 gallon water change put 1 table spoon of salt back in

Edited January 25, 2022 by Colu

[StanF]

@Danielle77

I agree with @Colu.  Looks like a few issues going on and a water test is needed to know the water parameters.  To me, it looks like some ammonia irritation/burn and fin rot due to a bacterial/fungal infection.  I would also treat with salt before I put medicine in the tank.  I start with 1/2 tablespoon per gallon initially, and then up it to 3/4 tablespoon after 12 hours, and then 1 tablespoon per gallon after another 12 hours.  Let it stay at that level for a week or two and monitor.  Goldfish are very salt tolerant and I have actually gone as high as 1.25 tablespoons per gallon to treat a fungus infection.

I also recommend daily water changes if you don't know the water parameters.  I am guessing that there are high levels of ammonia / nitrite/ nitrate.  Be careful to carefully measure how much water comes out during water changes and only place that amount of salt back in again.  I do five gallon water changes each time, so I just dose the fresh water in my bucket for the correct level to match the tank.

If your friend doesn't have a test kit, take a water sample to a LFS for free testing.  Even the big box pet stores will test your water for you.

Best of luck!

StanF

[Danielle77]

(Alkaline, hardness, and ph lvl are high and ammonia is high) this is the message I got from her. She got some test strips. I told her to do a water change but she doesn't have a siphon so I told her to use a cup, lol. Anything to get some water out. She is going to travel and bring me the goldfish. I already have a QT tank ready and meds on hand as well as salt. So fingers crossed in a few days I'll be able to help as much as I can. Thanks guys. I'll post an update once I get him.

[Patrick_G]

way to go @Danielle77! I hope she just needs some fresh water and time. 

[Danielle77]

So the goldfish didn't make it 😕  I got him home and In the tank after a few days of meds, I tried to stay hopeful but he was in bad shape. Came home today from work and he was gone.