I have been on before about Frank the goldfish. Well, he had been doing really well considering he just hangs out at the bottom. His swim bladder went bad over a year ago and yet, he would get a burst of energy and swim to the top and sink like a stone. He still moves around the tank at the bottom but he has a huge what looks like an absest (sp) on his side again. It is showing red in the middle and some darker area around the outer edge. The parameters are ammonia 0, ph 7.2 both in the tank and out of the tap, I can't give a reading on nitrite or nitrate because I don't have a test strip for it and do not have money to purchase it. We do use a nitrite/nitrate absorber and just recently removed it for replenishing (this is used on a regular basis and cleaned on a regular basis). He eats fish food pellets and peas. We have tried other foods like frozen brine shrimp, flake food, meal worms but he refuses everything but the pellets and peas. He also has 2 black spots near the bottom of his belly. I am wondering if it is time to put him down. His health has wavered so much. Our tank is about 20 gal. and has been running for over 7 years. We do 25-50% water change every 2-3 weeks. Frank is the only fish and is almost 10 years old. He acts fine for being stuck at the bottom. He doesn't eat every day. He will only eat about every 2-3 days but he is having regular bowel movements, no strings hanging around. We are not treating the water with anything at the moment but let fresh water sit 24 hours before adding it. Mainly because we don't have any money to buy any treatment for the water. What should I do? Should I just put him down or is there something that can be done to help him? Also, recently green specks of what looks like fungus has grown on the sides of the tank and we can't seem to get them to come off. Any suggestions?

i think you should wait until you get some info from the mods on here b4 you make any decision. the green stuff will be algae, get it on my tank especially in the warmer months

I really haven't firmly decided to yet. We love him so much and don't want to lose him but we don't want him to suffer either.
I took a look at the absesses and yes it is plural. He has like 3 or 4 on one side. He also has several black scales along the bottom sides.
I figured the green stuff was algae and looked up how to get it off. I love this site it is so informational.

i really hope frank pulls through.

Sorry to hear your fish is under the weather.

Obviously euthanasia is not a wrong choice, I hate to see any animal suffer........ but I am wondering about his water.......

Reason being, if you use a nitrite/nitrate absorber the tank never has a safe biological cycle in it. Therefore this could be the cause of the sick fish. Especially if you recently fooled around with it.

If you can't afford the nitrite/nitrate tests you can take a sample of the water to the fish store and they can test it for free. Just make sure to ask them to write down the result of all tests and pass them along here.

This would be what I would do, along with a 50% water change today and tomorrow. Until you find out about the water.
At 10yrs of age, he is older yes and maybe more suseptiable to smaller water problems than a younger healthier fish.

Post back soon.

He took the nitrasorb out and is going to do a 50% water change. I will take a sample of the water to the pet store and get it tested and as soon as I do that I will give you the info. Thank you.

Sounds good. Yeah that nitrazorb will keep nitrates from forming properly. That could be part of the problem.

Sorry it took so long to get back, the nitrites and nitrates were at 0. We did a 50% water change. He is acting normal. Swimming along the bottom like usual and his fin isn't clamped like it was the last time he had the ulcer. He does have a tendency to fall on his side and can't right himself (most of the time he can) and we do it for him but there may be times when it happens and we are not at home. Could this be a cause of the absesses or ulcers forming? It seems like they run hand in hand.