About a week and a half ago, I had been writing about my littlest fish, a calico fantail. He had been spending a lot of time at the surface gasping for air, and he also had a strange shiny grey film on the side of his head, near the gill. Well, it's been over 2 weeks now since I first noticed his gasping and the film, and the situation hasn't gotten any better.

Here are my details:
20 gallon tank, running now for 2 months
3 fish (slightly overstocked, I know...but all fish are under 2 1/2 inches...tip of nose to tip of tail)
pH: 7.5
Ammonia: 0
nitrite/nitrate: no testers
Did a 35% water change today (35% 3 days ago, and 3 days before that...before that, I was doing daily 35% water changes)
150 Aquaclear filter, and an UGF(which I want to get rid of as soon as my fish is healthy) with a powerhead and I have an airstone.
Use AquaPlus to dechlorinate water
Temperature is currently at about 74'C
Feed the fish Hikari Lionhead sinking pellets, bloodworms and tubifex, peas, cucumber

A week ago I got some Quick Cure, which treats parasite infections...which is what I thought/think he's got. I treated with it for 3 days (covering the tank with a blanket), did a 35% water change...and because the situation didn't improve, I treated for another 3 days (again covering with a blanket), and today I did another 35% water change, and stopped treatment. I've also had about a 0.3% salt concentration in the tank for the last couple weeks. I also gave the fantial 4 salt dips (in a 2% solution), during the last week....didn't seem to stress him out in the slightest.

Well, today I found on JoAnne Disease site that a 1:9 solution of hydrogen peroxide treats flukes...which I thought maybe he might have (considering the Quick Cure didn't help at all). So, I did gave him a dip this afternoon. Again, he didn't seem stressed or bothered at all by the dip, but it didn't seem to help him. Unless the cures not immendiate? Should I try another dip in a few days? If so, how long should I wait? JoAnne's site said that the fins and scales would look ratty for a few days after the treatment, but he looks perfectly fine...the film's is even still there.

Anyways, other then the gasping and the film, the fish seems healthy...he still swims around a lot, and plays with the other fish. His fins aren't clamped and he eats fine. The other two fish are fine, no signs of illness at all.

Well, if you've managed to keep reading this far, maybe you can give me some advice??? I feel so bad for the little guy, because it's now been 2 and a half weeks that he's been oxygen deprived, and struggling to breath...and he must be getting pretty exhausted. Should I buy some different parasite meds? Continue with the salt dips? The hydrogen peroxide dips? Something else? I unfortunately don't have a quarantine tank, so the other 2 fish are being subjected to whatever treatment I've given and will be giving.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!! Spot says ThankYou!!!!

Ok, I am no expert, but looking at the symtoms, I looked at Glimmering Goldfish webpage and it could be the following....



I would definitely go easy on the salt dips though. They essentially strip away your fishies slime coat and burn their gills. Perhaps lay off of them for a while and see if his respiration improves. As for the grey film, what does it look like? Do you have a picture? Has it increased/decreased in size? Has it spread to the other fish. I am just asking because it *may* be nothing and the salt dips and hydrogen peroxide dips may be hurting his gills, causing the respiration problems.

Goodluck!

The Quick Cure is supposed to treat Chilodonella, which is what I originally thought he had...but considering neither the salt dips, nor the Quick Cure helped the situation, I'm not so sure that's what he's got. I also know that it's not the salt dips that are causing the problem...as it all started before I began any treatments whatsoever. And no, the slime has neither spread on the fantail, nor on the other 2 fish...it just seems to look the same no matter what I do. <_<

*bump*...please help! I feel like the little guy's gonna have some long term damage from lack of oxygen......thanks!

The only other thing I can think of is velvet. Did anything you treated with claim to get rid of this too?
Interpet make a med called anti slime and velvet which is supposed to be good but it might be hard to get hold of if you're not in the UK. I know it's available online though if that's any help.
After all the treament he's had though, it might be best to give him a break for a week or two to let him recuperate and gain a bit of strength. Perhaps then you could try another medication if he hasn't improved.

I agree with you that maybe I should give the fish a little break from the meds...but I'm just so worried about him, because he' been sick now basically since I got him (which was more then 3 weeks ago). Is there anything I should continue doing? Should I keep adding salt to the aquarium? Or maybe give them a break from that too? What about just doing salt dips on the infected fish? If so, how often? What about the hydrogen peroxide dips? Anyone know whether this is bad to use more then just once? Any advice would be helpful, as I have no idea what to do at this point. Thanks!

I had a little black ranchu having the same problem as yours.But one side of the gill is slightly open.I try the salt dip also no result.By the way how long is the salt dip?

I really don't have much experience with disease identification at all as my fish have rarely been sick, but I agree with the advice Obsidian has given. To me, it sounds as if it *could* be chilondonella, but it also could be from stress in general. Has your fishie been doing any scraping or thrashing about....as if his gills have been bothering him.....or is he just breathing hard? Twitching & scratching about could mean flukes, sounds like it could mean chilondonella, or it could be your water parameters. With the induction of all the different meds you've been using, and the decrease in water changes he may be having adverse reactions from that. Is there any way you could find him a temporary, separate tank or bucket/rubber maid container with an air stone and sponge filter? Sometimes the fresh, clean water alone is enough to get them to feeling better & helping them to fight off their infliction on their own accord.
I hope this helps! Please keep us posted!
Kristin

He hasn't been trashing, or scratching, or really anything other then gasping. He doesn't appear to breathing hard either, just gulping air at the surface and yawning a lot. I originally did think it was chilodonella, but the treatment of Quick Cure (which I did twice) didn't help (and is supposed to cure chilodonella). I've also been changing the water a lot (though not as often when I was treating with Quick Cure, as it tells you to only do a water change after 3 days of treatment). I guess I'll just try and keep the water super clean and see how he does without any meds. Should I stop the salt too? I unfortunately don't have another tank or bucket or anything...though I guess I could probably pick something up (though I'm sort of tight with money lately, and this little fishy's already rung up quite the bill since moving in with me)...I do have a one gallon bowl, but I guess that would probably just stress him out more, eh?

Would you guys think it would be a bad idea to try another med for parasites? Maybe Quick Cure just wasn't the way to go. If so, which one? And how long should I wait? (I stopped treating with Quick Cure about 3 days ago).

Thanks for the help!!!!

Sighs....I wish all fish supplies were buy one get one free. I would personally get a rubbermaid container, something you could easily get for under $5, and hook an air stone up in there & keep changing out the water every day. I know some people would frown on this undoubtably, but I have used this method when all else has failed with great results. I wouldn't medicate him anymore until you can at least count out the possiblity of him just being stressed from the meds. Since you can't really go out & spluge for a new set up for separating him this second, I would try to get him feeling better in his existing tank. Even if you get the container it would be best to have another air pump with a sponge filter & stone as well. It sounds to me to be water quality problems more than anything, but the slime does sound kind of odd....maybe that could be from the meds? If he's acting fine, eating, and his behavior other than the breathing is normal, it doesn't sound to me to be flukes or anything *too* serious, though things always have the possibilty of worsening. I wish I could tell you more, but at the least try to see how he reacts to the cleaner water....get as much of those meds as you can....and I would try to see if it's possible to have your nitrites & nitrates tested at your pet store.....they usually will do it for free.
On a side note, I know what it's like to have to all of the sudden realize you may not be as prepared as need be. I have had to make due with less than tolerable conditions, not to mention the fish. The best thing you can do is to put back a little each week, and carefully make your purchases....shop around online & otherwise for the best deal. Coming to Koko's is the very best you can do actually.... .

How long had you had this fish before problems became apparent? How long has this tank been set up?

Since you had/have no way to test the nitrite level in the tank, definitely stop medicating. All of the medications you've used so far (hydrogen peroxide, malachite green and formalin, esp. in conjunction with salt) can be extremely hard on a fish, and medicating a fish in (what may be) poor water conditions is a no win situation. Whatever parasites he *may have* had would likely have been taken care of with the QC. If you could get a look at his gills that would clear up a lot of questions about whether or not parasites are the cause of this. Look for paleness, loss of gill filaments or tattered edges.

Get your nitrites checked. High nitrites will reduce the blood's ability to carry oxygen, so if this is the case in your tank, it could very well be the reason for the gasping (some fish are more sensitive than others). The problem could also be bacterial.

Check your water quality (KH would be good to know, too) and take a look at his gills and see what you come up with.

Thanks for all the help Gonzofan and Happygoldfish! To answer your questions, I've had the fish now for 4 weeks now, and he's been sick from the first week (first with Ick and then this respiration thing for about 3 weeks now). So he's pretty much had meds the whole time....so yeah, I think maybe I'll lay off on them and see what happens. He definitely seems like a fighter though, so maybe he'll be able to pull through on his own. I'll head out and buy a cheap bucket of some sorts to put him in, and put in an airstone (luckily I do have an extra) and see how that works for him. Should I then change ALL the water daily? Or just part of it?
Also, I'd like to be able to check his gills, to see the colour and how they look...but I've never really touched my fish, and am sort of scared I'll hurt him. What's the best way to do this? (keeping in mind the fish is only about an inch and a half from head to tail). And how would I actually go about looking under the gills without damaging them more?
Thanks for the advice!!

If you do the bucket thing, change out some/most of the water daily to be sure ammonia levels don't build up. Now if you had TWO buckets and were going for a bucket-to-bucket sort of treatment, that'd be a different thing. (One bucket with the fish in it, other bucket filled and dechlor'ed and left to set to stabalize temp - next day fish moved to other bucket and previous bucket filled and left to set...)

What did you use to treat the ich? Did he start gasping only after the treatment?

Right now, since you've treated the entire tank twice with QC and your other fish seem fine, it may not even be necessary to move your gasping fish. He could very well be suffering damage from the meds or problems from high nitrites. I'd test the nitrites and check out his gills before commiting myself to daily water changes (I do not enjoy doing water changes <_< )

To get a look at his gills, lift the fish out of the water (but hold him over the tank in case he gets loose). Goldfish who aren't accustomed to being handled often thrash a bit when removed from the water, but calm down after a few seconds. Hold the fish in one hand, with his tail toward you, and with your other hand, slide your thumbnail (this is easier if the inside of your thumb is pointing up, nail on the bottom) under the gillplate and lift it up. Don't worry about harming the gillplate, it's a bony structure and will stand up to your gentle tuggingl. The gill filaments will be below that, and should look like rows of stringy filament (not broken, no chunks missing, white stuff, etc) and should be a bright cherry color, not pink.