Murka my pearlscale, is in quarentine because I just bought her. The night I brought her home, and got her in the Q tank, I noticed a lavendar purple marking that surrounds the anal area, and trails down a bit, then breaks left.


Is this some sort of birthmark? Or something else?

I'll try to get pics ASAP

A pic would be good

Does it look like a dark blood red? If so, this could indicate an internal problem ie. bacterial infection or it could be in response to poor water which will be rectified now that she's with you.

Check to see what the poop looks like - this will also tell whether there's an internal problem.

Try to keep her water absolutely perfect and it should rectify itself but as far as i'm aware, fish don't suffer purple birthmarks so watch for other signs

okay, this is the weirdest thing I've ever seen on a goldfish before...
It doesn't look dark like blood, but I still keep a good eye on any other signs.
Other then that, she is very active, nibbles my finger, and eats like a pig. Seriously, maybe I'm not used to having larger fish, but she eats a lot.
Anyway, I'll make sure to keep in touch. HAPPY NEW YEAR'S!!

bump, I'm working on the pics........... I'm so worried............anyway, I almost got em...

Okay, here's the pic:








The pink area is actually darker than that, but the camera is weird and made it pink....anyway I hope this pic helps you docs out there .

If this doesn't help , I'll try to circle the area.

I do not know what this would be but I can tell that you are very worried! Rightfully so! I'm sure someone will see the pic now that you have posted one and try to help! How is your fish acting tonight?

Normal to me. Though a little freak out of my hand now, that I lifted her out of the water to get the pic so many times. It's the weirdest thing..................HELP

You can notice where it is though right? how the anus is actually at the top where the glare spots are.......

Hello? She still has the problem, I need help! I'm freaked out here!

It's been 3 days since I first started this and no one's helped me.
I now you all can only do so much, but you can at least read it and give suggestions. I'm worried

You really need to watch how you phrase your words here GG.It's not that we ignored it at all.You wanted questions answered,and yet you answered not one from up above that we really need to help determine what any problems may stem from.You also were rather nonchalant about it,wished us a Happy New Year",and said that you'd keep in touch.
I did read this over,and yet didn't really have much to add without tank params and other important info,as well as a pic that I could look at.
LAst night ,you posted this pic late.I am seeing it for the first time now. CAn you get a better pic? I can see the mark,but it would be nice to see it more clearly,as it does not look like a normal thing we should be seeing.
Any other new behavior/symptoms you want to add? Does this mark continue to look lavendar---has it grown in length----gotten darker,swelled raw looking?

Water Params aren't gonna help much, it's been there since I bought her at the store, so my water wouldn't have been what caused it.
She acts normally, eats alot, acts like any other energetic fish.
I'll try to get a better pic. Oh, and with your last question, it looks like it's internal, I guess the way you'd describe a sicst. Only it's not hard, squishy, maybe fluid or something.

Also I apologize again, I come from a family of hot heads, and just get frusterated and scared when my fish are sick and possibly suffering.

Once again sorry, and I just got new batteries for the camera so I'm workin on the pics.

Got two pics, the first one my fish is upside down, and the second is a little foggy because of plastic side. (the quarentine tank) Now it's the right color, but a little glare still shows. It almost looks like a blood blister, but it doesn't stick out as much as a blood blister would.


<The anus is at the bottom now.






Hope this helps

Is it possible that this is some sort of bruising? It doesn't look 100 % like a bruise, but is it a possibillity?

Well it is still kind of hard to tell as the pic is quite small! Is the fish in with other fish? Has there been any mating behaviors going on?

Is there any way to get a closer shot and a bit clearer?

As I said earlier she is in the Quarentine tank because I just got her. If you mean at the store, I noticed a few other fish chase others around a little.
I think the best I can do with the pic is enlarge it.

There you go again.Why am I feeling like you're fighting every step of the way here?
If your params didn't matter,then I wouldn't have asked.GG,if your fish is sick,and you start Meds,and your params are off,you then will be wasting the money for the Meds that you bought.You may have just gotten that fish,but if something's wrong with him it is of the utmost importance for you to have "spot on" params,as you'd be surprised at how much a difference that can make for a fish not feeling well.

I know that you are trying your best on the pics,but it is still very hard to see clearly.I would still like to know your exact water params/size of tank/filter,etc.
I am also going to recommend that you purchase some Antibiotic food. I can only tell you from what you've told me,and what I can see,and I know that the mark I am seeing doesn't appear to be normal.I would treat it as a bacterial condition and either start med. food,or go with Maracyn II which treats quite a few bacterias.

I have seen other "comments" about your lack of help for this,and I don't appreciate it at all.The people who feel knowledgeable will try to help,but they need your full cooperation and not an attitude. If people aren't answering it,it could be that they are not familiar with that specific problem,or they feel that there's not enough to go by. Please,we try to help as much as we can and don't need the negative comments/remarks .

(sigh) Devs, I'm not trying to say anything negative or offensive. I am not trying to avoid anything or fight out of this situation. I know it can be hard to tell when typing and not in person, and maybe some is just my plain fault, but I will make sure to keep things as clear as possible.

Okay, I still don't understand what good info on the quarentin tank will do when we don't even know whats wrong, but still if you say it'll help, then I have no reason to argue:


Filter: AquaClear 300
Tank: 54qt tote
Meds: none
Food: Tetrafin Goldfish Flakes (balanced with Procare)
All water chemistry is excellent, though tap water is somewhat hard, yet safe.

One more question, why should I give meds when sickness is unknown? It could be way off from what the med treats. (just a question not meant with an attitude)

Hopefully now we can solve this prob, Oh and I will get as close as I can with pics. (the camera is junk, no flash, zoom, nothin)

If the anus is red it could be bacterial or it could be a water quality issue from the lfs so the most important step in resolving this is keeping the water excellent and see if it fades. If it doesn't fade and you see any other symptoms such as stringy poop, redness on other areas of the body and lethargy, then it could be infection.

Even though the fish came to you with this problem, it may be exacerbated by imperfect water (hence Sharon's question) in her new home so ensuring the water is excellent is the first step to resolving this. If other symptoms show themselves then it may be necessary to medicate but will wait to see if anything else shows itself first.

So I would keep up waterchanges and then observe. Hopefully it'll fade with excellent water

Is she pooping at all? What does it look like?

I don't know,I still would like to hear some water param #s myself
And GG,the only reason that I've mentioned the Antibiotics is because the fish came home with you almost 4 days ago with this mark,and pristene water normally starts clearing up problems pretty fast.As I've read this,I've gotten the impression that it was looking worse instead of better.You mentioned at one point,"it looks like it's internal, I guess the way you'd describe a sicst. Only it's not hard, squishy, maybe fluid or something."

You also said that it now looks like a blood blister only it doesn't stick out as much as a blood blister would.
Normally when I see red marks streaks/from a water quality problem,etc,it doesn't normally look like its raised or filled with fluid,or like a blood blister but not as swelled. When I hear what you are saying ,to me it does sound like a bacterial problem or a result from the parasite problems that you say the fish had. There shouldn't be any pus/liquid/blood,and if there is -well it sounds bacterial to me.I can only go on my experience though as I am no expert here, and can only give you my thoughts and opinions. If you don't want to,or you are feeling like you don't want to medicate that is fine.-You can go with your excellent water conditions and see if it seems to fade.Hopefully it will. Good luck and keep us updated on how the fish is doing.

No, it's not getting worse or better, when I said those things about it looking like a blood blister, scist, fluid, etc..... I was just describing it. (to help people picture it better)

I would be more than happy to medicate, I just want to make sure I'm treating the right.
I've never delt with a bacterial infection, so I'll do some reading. Hopefully find somethin that will give it away.

Also, how do I take a picture up close without blocking the light, or making it blurry? Cause all the pics I've takin either didn't have enough light (because the camera is so close) to get the right coloring of mark, or the slightest movements ruin the whole pic.

Get someone to hold the fish for you so you can have both hands on the camera, or you hold the fish and they take the photo.

Try to do it in bright light without the flash, that way you get less glare. If you don't have a really good light, do it next to a window that has good light coming through it.

Please don't wait too long to medicate! Bacterial infections can move fast.

The camera has no flash, the glare is from the light itself.

JenW asked me if she was pooping at all: yes, it looks short and dark brown.

Here's some pics that turned out a little better.






I'm doing another water change 2day, making sure the water stays perfect.

I'm convinced, this has to be a bacterial infection, there's a white line down the middle of it, and it coninues to stay the purpley color. I hope to be able to go to my lfs (which isn't so local, 30 min away ) and get some anitbiotic food. What would anybody here recommend? Or possibly Maracryn II?

Also, if there is anything else you recommend me getting to help her out, I'm all open!

It certainly doesn't look normal and if you can, it'd be better to try and get your hands on some Medigold but if you can't get that, try Jungle's antibiotic food and it's always a good idea to have some Maracyn Two in the cupboard.

So I would start feeding some medicated food initially and check for any improvement but if you don't see any, then you can try adding M2

Do I add M2 while feeding the anitbiotic? Or stop the antibiotic food and give M2?

The maracyn2 and medigold can be used at the same time if the food by itself does not do the trick. In fact the medigold food should be used for a minimum of 14 days straight to avoid any antibiotic resistant bugs cropping up. I am not sure about hte Jungle med food but imagine it would have similar guidelines.

Good luck with your fish

Ok, thanks I hope to get som meds 2morrow, so til then, anything else to help my fish?

Just keep the water excellent - this is the first step to cure

Please keep us posted

Hopefully, if my dad can pick up is cell phone. I'll have the maracyn2 for my fish tonight

Ugh, none of my LFS have it! One store had it, but is out of stock! (sigh) I'll just have to wait and see what happens, I don't know how long it will be til I can get some meds, so I'll keep the water perfect, and hope for the best!