Fungus on goldfish

[Roland Verlander]

Can someone please advise asap. We have a small tank which holds just
over six litres of water and have two goldfish, one orange and one
white. Three days ago, the white one appeared to be very quiet and in
hiding. Next day, they both had bits of what looked cotton wool
adhering to them. I thought it was a bit of gunk that was clinging to
them, so cleaned out the water which didn't look dirty. Then I noticed
that there was more of the stuff on both of them, although harder to see
on the white one because of his colour.
By Thursday night the fungus was worse, noticeably on their fins and
sides. By Friday, afternoon, the white one was upside down on the
bottom of the tank and when I got home I could see he now had the cotton
wool-like stuff around his mouth, as well as on his fins. The orange
one seemed to have benefited from the water-change and no longer had it
on his sides though still some on the ends of the fins. Friday night, I
put something called Fungus Cure [active ingredients 2.00 mg/ml
Acriflavins and 0.40 mg/ml Malachite green]into the water - 30 drops for
the six litres [instructions were five drops per litre of water]. That
was almost two days ago but white fish does not seem noticeably
different. Is there anything we can do? Helen and Roland

[Donald Kerns]

Roland Verlander wrote:

> We have a small tank which holds just
> over six litres of water and have two goldfish, one orange and one
> white.

[tank is MUCH too small for two goldfish...]

Three days ago, the white one appeared to be very quiet and in
> hiding. Next day, they both had bits of what looked cotton wool
> adhering to them. I thought it was a bit of gunk that was clinging to
> them, so cleaned out the water which didn't look dirty. Then I
> noticed that there was more of the stuff on both of them, although
> harder to see on the white one because of his colour.
> By Thursday night the fungus was worse, noticeably on their fins and
> sides. By Friday, afternoon, the white one was upside down on the
> bottom of the tank and when I got home I could see he now had the
> cotton
> wool-like stuff around his mouth, as well as on his fins. The orange
> one seemed to have benefited from the water-change and no longer had
> it
> on his sides though still some on the ends of the fins. Friday night,
> I put something called Fungus Cure [active ingredients 2.00 mg/ml
> Acriflavins and 0.40 mg/ml Malachite green]into the water - 30 drops
> for
> the six litres [instructions were five drops per litre of water].
> That was almost two days ago but white fish does not seem noticeably
> different. Is there anything we can do?

Might not be fungus but flexibacter bacteria aka columnaris.

Check here or do a google on columnaris or flexibacter

http://users.megapathdsl.net/~solo/puregold/disease/symptom/
byname.htm#COLUMNARIS

(watch line wrap)
-D
--
"Faced with the choice between changing one's mind and proving
that there is no need to do so, almost everyone gets busy on the
proof." -Galbraith's Law

[MattO]

"Roland Verlander" > wrote in message
...
> Can someone please advise asap. We have a small tank which holds just
> over six litres of water and have two goldfish, one orange and one
> white. Three days ago, the white one appeared to be very quiet and in
> hiding. Next day, they both had bits of what looked cotton wool
> adhering to them. I thought it was a bit of gunk that was clinging to
> them, so cleaned out the water which didn't look dirty. Then I noticed
> that there was more of the stuff on both of them, although harder to see
> on the white one because of his colour.
> By Thursday night the fungus was worse, noticeably on their fins and
> sides. By Friday, afternoon, the white one was upside down on the
> bottom of the tank and when I got home I could see he now had the cotton
> wool-like stuff around his mouth, as well as on his fins. The orange
> one seemed to have benefited from the water-change and no longer had it
> on his sides though still some on the ends of the fins. Friday night, I
> put something called Fungus Cure [active ingredients 2.00 mg/ml
> Acriflavins and 0.40 mg/ml Malachite green]into the water - 30 drops for
> the six litres [instructions were five drops per litre of water]. That
> was almost two days ago but white fish does not seem noticeably
> different. Is there anything we can do? Helen and Roland
>

Helen and Roland -
Specifics would help. How long has your tank been set up? Is it cycled? Do
you use a heater? Thermometer? What is water temp? Do you add salt? Do you
have air pump & air stones? Do you have gravel or sand? Plants? Do you test
water parameters? What are ammonia, nitrite, nitrate & pH? How often / how
much do you change water? How old / how big are your 2 fish? Have you added
new fish / plants lately?

6 liter is pretty small tank for even 1 GF. It may never cycle & requires
frequent water changes. Most recommend 10 US gallon / GF = 75l for 2 GF. Yes
small fry can get by in less water for a while with regular water changes.
but GF are basically large bodied, waste producing piggies that grow fast &
need lots of clean water. You can't see the toxic stuff in the water, only
test kits will reveal it. Perfectly clear water can be toxic. In the absence
of testing, first recommendation is that daily water changes are needed.
Water quality is job one.

FWIW - Cottony patches may not be fungus - could be ich - hopefully - As ich
is much easier to cure then the alternatives (fungus or columnaris). If it
is ich, malachite green in cure you used could do the trick (although I'd
use Quick-Cure for ich) - for ich, continue MG treatment over several days
as per links below, & remember to remove any carbon from filters, add salt &
try to elevate temp.

links to a wealth of info
http://faq.thekrib.com/begin-cycling.html
http://koivet.com/
http://users.megapathdsl.net/~solo/puregold/home.html
search the google GF newsgroup archives
http://groups.google.com/groups?q=rec.aquaria.freshwater.goldfish&hl=en&btnG=Google+Search

~ Matto

[Geezer From The Freezer]

Matt,

Ich NORMALLY looks like salt grains. Whereas cotton wool effect is
USUALLY fungus. Does sound like Columnaris or similar.

My only advise to Roland is go and buy a big tank.
One which will allow at least 10 gallons per fish
6 litres for two fish - i'm surprised they're not dead!