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Bleeding goldfish scales and shredded tail2007-11-24 23:10:20

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Your fish have septicemia and as you are not changing your water nearly enough, it is probably a result of very poor water quality. You may have been able to get by with not changing the water but every 2-3 months before because they were smaller, but they probably have finally reached a size where the water capacity and filter can no longer handle their waste load. You have to do a 50% water change immediately and do 25% water changes every day until you bring down your ammonia. Do you test your water? You need to get a kit that tests for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. Get some Maracyn-2 to treat for the septicemia or you can use salt at 1tsp per 5 gallons of water. Use aquarium salt, rock salt, kosher salt, anything that isn't iodized. Pre-mix in water then add to the tank. You probably don't have a large enough tank. For 3 goldfish, you should have a minimum of 30 gallons, but depending on whether they're slim bodied or fancies and their size, you may need more than 30 gallons. You can save the fish and the damaged fins will grow back if they haven't been rotted all the way to the skin, but you have to start taking care of them properly. You must do weekly water changes of 25-30%, siphon the substrate and rinse the filter. You need massive filtration for goldfish. 10 times the water per hour as the size of the tank. So, for a 30 gallon tank, you need a 300 gph filter. You need to take some immediate action and also do some research and reading on how to properly house and care for goldfish. Cycling water, proper cleaning, maintenance and filtration and how to identify and treat diseases. Good luck with your goldies. I hope you can save them!