This is going to be a long post. I apologize. I am no beginner at this and don't get stumped often.... but sometimes even the experts need to seek help.
70 gallon tank
set up 3 years, No new fish since initial set up.
no heater, on an unheated porch, no light beyond sunlight, tank gets ice on it in the winter and warms up to 70ish in the summer. Current temp is 58 F.
amm: 0; nitrite: 0; nitrate: 7ppm; pH:7.2, KH 4egrees; GH 5 degrees
Weekly 50% water changes (yes I use dechlorinator: API tap water conditioner)
Diet: Mostly gold fish pellets from "Almost natural Food", but also some of about 10 other things
Inhabitants:
1 comet (lived 5 years in a 20 gallon heated tank before I got ahold of it, badly stunted.)
1 Shebunkin
1 black moore
The comet is male the other two are female. They have spawned both this year and last. Eggs removed immediately.
About a year ago I noticed a fungal (or at least what looked like a fungal) infection that was timed with my setting up a QT tank else where in the house. I presumed I had mixed a net or algae sponge between the tanks. I saw no sign of problems in the QT tank, but the goldfish suddenly had furry patches. I treated with salt and the problem went away.
In addition to the problem going away, two fish lost body parts! The black more lost an entire lobe of its tail fin and the comet lost its bottom jaw in its entirety!!!! The comet has been gross to look at but seems to be largely unaffected by this. He went into full breeding mode this spring and spawned just as one would expect him to. I honestly don't understand how it eats, but it does.
Two weeks later, also timed with my setting up a QT tank, only I didn't mix anything this time..... the furries are back. Its been a full year with them gone. The comet's lower "stump" is again fuzzy and the black moore has huge patches of fuzz on his sides. 24 hours later the shebunkin has red circles and patches of skin falling off.
Salted the tank (1 tsp/ gallon) added pimafix and melafix and switched the fish to an antibiotic food. Started daily water changes dosing with pimafix, melafix and salt... 3 days later the shebunkin was nearly with out skin and laying on the bottom. I euthanized it. The moore has big holes on each side.
For 10 days I added the pimafix and melafix. No changes. This did not get better or worse. The two remaining fish have good appetites and are rather active. I considered euthanization and bleach as I have 6 other tanks in the house with over 100 other fish. I don't want to risk this spreading!
But I couldn't do it. Another massive water change, and switched to penicillin. For 10 days I treated with penicillin. Still no changes. No worse and no better.
I have over 100 other fish in this house. I cannot let this spread.
I have pictures, but they are of rather poor quality and quite frankly they are disturbing. Out of focus and such...
Where do I go from here?
70 gallon tank
set up 3 years, No new fish since initial set up.
no heater, on an unheated porch, no light beyond sunlight, tank gets ice on it in the winter and warms up to 70ish in the summer. Current temp is 58 F.
amm: 0; nitrite: 0; nitrate: 7ppm; pH:7.2, KH 4egrees; GH 5 degrees
Weekly 50% water changes (yes I use dechlorinator: API tap water conditioner)
Diet: Mostly gold fish pellets from "Almost natural Food", but also some of about 10 other things
Inhabitants:
1 comet (lived 5 years in a 20 gallon heated tank before I got ahold of it, badly stunted.)
1 Shebunkin
1 black moore
The comet is male the other two are female. They have spawned both this year and last. Eggs removed immediately.
About a year ago I noticed a fungal (or at least what looked like a fungal) infection that was timed with my setting up a QT tank else where in the house. I presumed I had mixed a net or algae sponge between the tanks. I saw no sign of problems in the QT tank, but the goldfish suddenly had furry patches. I treated with salt and the problem went away.
In addition to the problem going away, two fish lost body parts! The black more lost an entire lobe of its tail fin and the comet lost its bottom jaw in its entirety!!!! The comet has been gross to look at but seems to be largely unaffected by this. He went into full breeding mode this spring and spawned just as one would expect him to. I honestly don't understand how it eats, but it does.
Two weeks later, also timed with my setting up a QT tank, only I didn't mix anything this time..... the furries are back. Its been a full year with them gone. The comet's lower "stump" is again fuzzy and the black moore has huge patches of fuzz on his sides. 24 hours later the shebunkin has red circles and patches of skin falling off.
Salted the tank (1 tsp/ gallon) added pimafix and melafix and switched the fish to an antibiotic food. Started daily water changes dosing with pimafix, melafix and salt... 3 days later the shebunkin was nearly with out skin and laying on the bottom. I euthanized it. The moore has big holes on each side.
For 10 days I added the pimafix and melafix. No changes. This did not get better or worse. The two remaining fish have good appetites and are rather active. I considered euthanization and bleach as I have 6 other tanks in the house with over 100 other fish. I don't want to risk this spreading!
But I couldn't do it. Another massive water change, and switched to penicillin. For 10 days I treated with penicillin. Still no changes. No worse and no better.
I have over 100 other fish in this house. I cannot let this spread.
I have pictures, but they are of rather poor quality and quite frankly they are disturbing. Out of focus and such...
Where do I go from here?
