"El Roberto" wrote in message
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"swarvegorilla" wrote in message
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ok if ammonia is killing your fish take stock
only clean filter sponges with water drawn from the aquarium
if you have a heater put it in
turn the temp up to 28 deg C
increase surface agitation to improve oxygenation by optimizing filter
output
remove carbon or charcoal from filter
use correct dose
water change in 3 days and repeat
don't water change more than 50% if you are not going to heat and pH
match replacement water before adding it

Ace, thank you SO much for the advice. Put a heater in and all of a sudden
the little guy's doing barrel rolls and looks happier than ever. Most of
the white spot has disappeared now too, so I'll keep treating him for
another few days then think about restocking the aquarium.

Thing is - what am I going to do with him? If the aquarium won't take him
back, I don't know what to do... don't like the idea of having to throw
the critter in the pond, but as you said in the long run this is not the
aquarium for him. I assume that he can co-exist peacefully with tetras
while he's still so small? (he's about 2 inches)... that said, I don't
really want a messy fish like that poisoning the water for all the
others....

Ta

Rob


Iv'e never really had too many problems with goldys eating other fish until
they get to about 4 inches or so.
And by nature they are herbivores so only eat other fish when starving!
occasional rogue psycho but in general should be good.
the heater works by speeding up the life cycle of the parasite.
Because you can only kill the swimmer stage of the parasite with malachite
green meds, and because malachite green only stays in the water about 3 days
at decent strength.
The temperature of 28 to 30 deg C seems to be the magic temp
but keep the water surface aggitated as warm water holds hardly any oxygen
good to hear he's doing well.
Goldfish LOVE ponds, lots of bugs and plants and algae to munch on.
truely tis shangree-la to them!
w0000t