Goldfish need treatment?

[goldenpuon]

As you may know, in my 40 gallon, my goldfish have had white spots for months but it has never affected them. Well today, I noticed it might need some kind of treatment. Alden, who has it the most has had a bloodshot tail fin and white spots on it's tail fin for quite some time. But today I noticed a reddish discoloration on her body. A goldfish named Aztec has also started getting the white spots. Also, a goldfish in ther named Kona has had one vein on it's dorsel fin that has been red for a few weeks now with no other symtoms. While on Nemo, a fish that had the spots a few months ago no longer has any or when he/she gets any, they disappear really fast. The spots/redness is solely on the fish's fins except for Alden with the slight reddness on her body. The other 4 goldfish in there have no symtoms. Even the affected fish seem very healthy and act like nothing is amiss, very active, no scratching, raging apetite. Still, I am thinking it may need treating. The white spots seem like a fungus to me and the red fins a bacterial infection. Buit I am not totally sure what it is.

What do you guys think it is?

Also, should I medicate? I was thinking of giving the fish Kanaplex.

Last, why is it spreading so slow, over a period of months? My guess is that I take very good care of my fish and they have little stress so their immune systems are good.

Thanks!

Renee

[Carl]

First as you already likely know, make sure your water conditions are are the best they can be, and this includes water changes.
You also might add the light I sent you over this tank.

This does not seem to be Ich based on your on and off description unless I missed something here.

This seems to describe an opportunistic bacterial infection and possibly fungal/saprolegnia at the same time, which may indicate a weak fish. BTW, this fish may also be genetically weak and the best care in the world cannot help this, so do not get upset with yourself if you are doing the best you can.

I will start out be recommending the usual 30 minute baths with salt and Methylene Blue, although you can use Potassium Permanganate in place of MB for a stronger bath.

The Kanaplex may help, although a stronger treatment may require the combination with Nitrofurazone (Furan 2)

Since this may be a Fungus/Saprolegnia, you may need to add something more aimed at this (which can be combined with Kanacyn only in difficult cases) or as well with Triple Sulfa.
These would include Medicated Wonder Shells, Fungus Cure, even Copper Sulfate or Acriflavin

Make sure to up your salt to 1 teaspoon per gallon in your tank, but do not leave it at this level long term for goldfish.

Carl

[goldenpuon]

Thanks for the response.

I am almost positive it is not ich. The fish have had this for months now and I know ich spreads very fast. I also treated one of the fish in my 40 gallon, Nemo for ich with Paraguard a few months ago and it never got rid of the white spots. I know from how long they've lasted and never gotten sick (at least before this) that my fish are not weak. The behavior is fine, it's only their appearance. If I were able to post a video of them, they would be acting VERY healthy but the spots on them would be there. I also looked at the pictures on your Fungus/Saprolegnia article and my goldfish do not have cottony growths that look like that. They are small, bigger than ich spots but still not that large at all and look a bit like discolorations. Also, the red discoloration on my fish Alden is fairly mild and I have to look with a light to be able to see it though it IS there.

All I have is Kanaplex and MB in the house of the meds you mentioned. I know I have a lot of other meds in the house too with an ingredient that is Acriflavin. What would you suggest?


I apologize if I am not doing my best with trying to cure everything. I am greatly overwhelmed with homework and finals this week so it has been tough getting everything done for my fish. I really love my fish but the stress lately has driven me over the top sometimes.

Rnee

[Carl]

First no need to apologize

These nodes can still be spores of some sort, even if they do not fit the pics exactly.

What meds do you have that have acriflavin in them, & what other ingredients do they have?

I would definitely perform the baths, even with salt/MB, you may consider drops of MB directly on these spots

Carl

[goldenpuon]

I have many at about a dozen or so meds in my cuboard. I have Fungus Clear, Parasite Clear, and Ich Clear. I know that 2/3 of those have acriflavin in them. In order of ingredients on the box, Ich Clear has: victoria green; acriflavin,

Parasite Clear has: praziquantel;
N-[[(4Chloropheyl)amino)carbon-1]-2, 6-diflurobenzamide; metronidazole; acriflavin

I have Fungus Clear too which seems to have some of the other meds in it you mentioned.
Fungus Clear has: nitroflurazone; furazolidone, potassium dichromate

I also found a anti-bacterial medicane that was at least 4 years old. I forgot the company but I tried their ich medicane in the past and it didn't work and I'm pretty sure this wouldn't work either. It had 2 ingredients I can't remember off hand but none were the ones you suggested.

My cupboard is very messy. This is all I managed to find that fits your description.

[Carl]

As per our phone conversation I would still use the baths, but use a wait and see approach to the meds (possibly using EITHER the Kanaplex or the Fungus Cure if called for later).

Please note as to the "messy side" of MB, that I always covered my work area when at clients and then used a dropper. I disposed of all bath water in a toilet where any blue stain would actually help disinfect and I never have seen MB permanently stain porcelain (carpet is another story)

Up you your salt level for no more than two weeks and maintain water changes that are regular, but not "over the top"
Maintaining minerals as well is essential.

Carl

[goldenpuon]

Thanks Carl. I up the salt and possibly do the MB baths. I'll buy an eyedropper when I can for the MB . I've decided to take a wait and see attitude for now since this has been going on already for 3 or more months with little progressuion. Since the fish are acting fine, I will leave them be for now.

[kagome]

Sorry your fish are sick. That seems to be going around.

[goldenpuon]

Yeah, a lot of people's fish are sick now. It's just so confusing with mine because they've had whatever this is for over 3 months now with no ill effects yet it would look like they are sick. That's why I posted this. They act very healthy. They just have these tiny spots on them that doesn't match any disease description. At first when they had it, I gave them Paraguard thinking it was the world's slowest progressing case of ich but it never worked and the fish just continued having a few spots on them a looking healthy. I am most concerned about my goldfish Alden now if it's just going to stay how it is for 3 more months and cause no noticeable stress at all for the fish, I guess it is better to leave them as is. Of course I will do as needed to cure them if it starts to look like the fish are acting sick, not just the spots.

Thanks by the way Kagome. I wish you the best of luck with your loaches that you said aren't doing they best now. Hope they get better!

Renee

[kagome]

Thanks Renee. They seem OK except for the rapid breathing. I will be giving them baths as soon as the MB arrives. I think the hardest part about treating fish is trying to figure out what's wrong with them! Like your case, what the heck could that be? It's just weird. And I think we all get a little frustrated when we know conditions are good but they're still getting sick. But I think that it shows that we all really love our fish because we never give up and keep trying our best even when we are frustrated. That's what makes up true blue fish keepers!

[goldenpuon]

I agree. We love our fish and do our very best fro them.

I hope you find out what's wrong with your loaches. My goldfish just continue to be a lost cause. Now I realized that the red vein on Kona's fin is actually bright orange pigmentation and Aztec's spots are becoming smaller and disappearing. They're also continuing to act perfectly healthy. You never know what's going on with these guys.

[kagome]

I'm very glad to hear that your goldfish are doing better!

[goldenpuon]

Thanks Kagome. The spots re clearing up on their own on Aztec even though Alden still has them though they aren't at all worse. Thanks again!