# 5 year goldfish sick.. ich?



## jenneelk (Oct 11, 2011)

My 5 year old has been sitting at the bottom last 4-5 days and not eating, I thought it was from her water being out of whack but today I noticed a few spots. I'm not familiar at all with 'Ich' but someone mentioned it elsewhere so after seeing the dots I think she could have it? There aren't a lot but a few on the top of her head and then along the edge of her tail.
She also has red spots on her belly.. there are more and darker than the pic shows.

TIA for any help.
Jennifer


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Looks more like the fish is suffering from poor water quality, if you ask me. Looks like some open wounds and a ragged slime coat. What's your cleaning and tank maintenance schedule? Also, do you have a testing kit you could get us some water parameters for?

As an immediate remedy, I would do a 50% water change (dechlorinating new water with a tap water conditioner), dose some API Stress Coat + and some Aquarium Salt.


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## jenneelk (Oct 11, 2011)

The water quality is fine.. I've already done 3 partial changes the last week and a half and it tests good.
I just got done doing the 3rd one before I took the pic so that is why it looks cloudy, not to mention my camera is yuck. The sun was in the background so looks even worse.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Do you dechlorinate the new water? Also, do you vacuum the gravel when you change the water? Sorry to insult your intelligence, I'm just making sure our bases are covered. Also, what is the definition of "fine?"


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## jenneelk (Oct 11, 2011)

No worries - I know you don't know how much I know.

Yes I de-chlorinate and always vaccume the rocks out well. 

After the 2nd change the nitrates were still a tad high but it's not at about 5 if that.

Nitrite was 0, hardness 150, alkalinity 150 ph 7.5-8.0 which is a tad high.


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## jenneelk (Oct 11, 2011)

Also the dots on her head tiny and look like pin head size pimples. They kind of stick out and she has one on her belly too. The tail i can't see as well if they stick out or not, she keeps turning the other way.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

From the picture, it looks like she has ammonia burns on her belly. It might be ich, but it's hard to say from my end.


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## jenneelk (Oct 11, 2011)

I looked up Anchor worm info and that could be the reason too for the redness. So hard to say what it is but it's no longer the water.. just the repercussions of it and what it gave her. She's done perfect for 5.5 years now I'm at a loss at what it is.


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

What size tank do you have her in? What are your ammonia levels? They are messy fish and it doesn't take much for goldfish water to shoot up in ammonia.

She looks like she's missing scales or something.... I agree with water changes and stress coat, maybe a bit of aquarium salt (if it's suitable for goldfish.... not sure... it should be.)


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## jenneelk (Oct 11, 2011)

She's in a 35 gallon tank alone and no plants or anything in there. Almost certain it's ICH.. I got some rid ich plus and added aquarium salt again, she is much better today after just 24 hours. 
The ammonia normal.. came out light yellow with testing.


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