I really need some help with this!

Yesterday, I was just thinking how well my goldfish are doing and now this morning I have noticed that both of them have a "ragged" edge on their tails. Nothing else seems to be wrong, they are swimming around normally and ate as usual when I fed them this morning.

No medicines have been added, only Aqua Plus water conditioner when I do a partial water change (every Sunday I do it as well as test the water). Nothing new has been added to the tank, it has been running since June 26th of this year and on July 4th I added the fish (they were half the size they are now!) along with an ounce of Biospira which cycled the tank very fast.


Tank--20 gallon
Fish--two 3" goldies, one fantail (Star) and one telescope (Pearl)
Filter--outside Whisper 30
Two bubble walls
One inch of gravel and some river rock

Yesterday I tested the water--0 for ammonia and nitrite, nitrates--20. I did a 25% water change and rinsed the filter media and sponge in tank water.

The only thing that I can think that is "off" with my tank is that the water temperature has been consistently warm--it is between 80-84 F. When I add a frozen water bottle, it lowers the temp by 2 degrees. It is hot here and still in the high 90s this week. The tank is in a room that is not air conditioned.

Could the warm water be causing problems? I read about "fin rot" and it seems to be bacterial brought on by stress. Could the warm water be causing stress? My fish are up at the top a lot, getting air--I added a second bubble wall with its own air pump but I still see them "eating bubbles" at the top a lot the time.

I really appreciate any advice--I certainly don't want to medicate if it isn't necessary.

Sorry to go on so long--if you are still reading this, I REALLY appreciate it!!

This is me right now

P. S.

I thought that maybe I stirred up some yucky stuff when I did the gravel vacuuming yesterday and maybe rotting food or wastes cause their tails to appear raggety. Would it happen that fast?

Also I just tested the water and it is 0 for ammonia and nitrite and between 5 and 10 for nitrates.

bump

ah sorry i had a nasty battle with fin rot a long time ago... before i knew all these things... but i must say anti-fungus... didnt do so well with my old fishis... idk... maybe wait a day? i'm sorry i dont know much but the only advice i can give is x-nay on the anti-fungus by AP plus+

If your water is good and it seems it is, then I wouldn't do anything just yet. Keep a close eye on it and if it appears to get any worse perhaps add some salt and some melafix.

if the condition doesnt start to fix its self in the next couple days, or it starts to get worse, i would add salt(or mor salt) and melifix. see how that develops. also, maybe turn a fan over the tank, if the warm water is causing stress, the ywould be more suseptable to infections, bacteria, and fungus that can eat fins. also, watch to see if they are playing with each other, nipping at fins and such. sparky got some tears in his tail, and one in his dorsal fin, while he and tai were doing battle for dominate fish.(it healed with little or no help from me). keep me posted, i am going to do some research tonight, and see if i can find out more about ragged fins and tails.

Thanks Tangerine, fishyfan and fantailfan!

I just got home and looked at them, they don't seem any worse. I have never seen them nip at each other (at least they don't do it when I am watching).

If they have a bacterial infection, would it show up in the water testing? As nitrites? They are swimming a little slower than usual. But it did get very hot here again after a week of cooler weather.

I have two tetras that were in a small container for a while and the bigger one ate the smaller one's tail. When I put them in a bigger tank, that behavior stopped and the tail grew back on the smaller one.

Nancy,

Dont feel bad, we keep our AC on and my 100 is still up in the 80s. Theres just nothing we can do about the temperature right now, I guess. I dont think the warm water would be causing their tails to fray, because thats not happening on any of mine. Is it possible that one is breeding and is nibbling at the other? Just a thought. All the fish in my 100 right now are males and they constantly nip at each other. I would just do a water change and keep an eye on it and not worry about it for now. Fin rot is much more obvious—white frayed fins with a red edge on them. Im pretty sure thats not what this is. One other thought is the nitrates. Do more water changes and keep them down below 10 ppm and that could help. Sometimes high nitrates (which means up over 80) can cause fins to fray. Anyway Im sorry I cant say for sure but these are just my thoughts for now. And one more thing there are no sharp plants/decorations that they can catch them on, right?

Thanks so much JS!

My fish seem to be fine today, just normal swimming and the water parameters are perfect.

There is nothing sharp in the tank and now I am certain it is not fin rot--there is no white or red edge on their tails. Just slightly ragged.

I tend to be *paranoid* and notice very small details. (can't help it)



I saw that the high today is 90 F so that is cooler and it should help with the tank temperature.

I should figure out the sex of my fish--I think of them as two females but I really don't know.