My goldfish (who lives alone) suddenly lost it's top fin and is very slimy. I do frequent water changes. Help!

Question

lives in a one gallon tank and we change the water at least twice a week or when it gets cloudy

we have only had it for 3 weeks

after searching, it looks like it might be skin flukes (I thought the fin was gone but it's not)

Answer 1

Oh, he lives alone? This could be one of those embarrasing conditons. Does he go behind the sunken ship often(assuming there is a sunken ship)? Maybe he's been...you know ;)
pulling the old fin when you aren't looking

Anyway besides that, fish are slimy! They just are! Its a damn goldfish, if it lives it lives. It seems like you're doing an okay job. Fish are delicate...he'll probably die or possibly go blind. At least that's what I've heard happens.

Answer 2

sorry sweetie your probably going to lose the goldfish but you can try a water treatment kit that you can get in any pet store, wal-mart, etc.it's called ICK and it treats the fish not really the water. fish have a natural slim and ICK helps maintain it. as far a carnival goldfish I had one that lived five years or longer and had to get rid of because it got to big so I wouldn't laugh at the carnie fish too much. Good Luck P.S. do a chlorine treatment or use spring water is better

Answer 3

GOLDFISH CANNOT LIVE IN BOWLS!
Baby-juvenile fancy goldfish need 10 gallons PER fish. (orandas, ryukins, fantails, moors,ect)
Baby-juvenile long bodied goldfish need 20 gallons PER fish. (shubunkins, comets, commons)
Adults will need atleast 50 gallons PER fish.
Goldfish excrete alot of ammonia and need ALOT of filtration.

In that horribly cruel small bowl, the water NEEDS to be cleaned DAILY. That much cleaning is going to stress the fish out, weaken its immune system and kill the fish. Yet if you dont clean it that much the ammonia the fish excretes every day is going to burn its gills and kill it also. UPgrade the size of the tank and if you cant BRING THE FISH BACK TO THE STORE. A RESPONSIBLE pet owner ALWAYS researches before they get the animal.

Answer 4

Goldfish can be pretty sensitive. Its good that you clean the water often, they can live in bad water but its better that they dont. The fish probably has a disease. It might be from before you got it or is contracted it from contamination. Your symptoms make it sound like slime disease. Here is a website I use if I see weird things happening to my fish. It also has some good care tips as well.

http://www.petlibrary.com/goldfish/symptoms.htm

Answer 5

Sound like poor little fishy has ick. It is a condition that create a slimy coating on the fish. Petco will have the right medicine to put in the water. I hope your fish will be ok. Good luck.

Karen and her goldfish Cindy.

Answer 6

It probably will die.It is my experience that a goldfish should never be alone.If you buy another one,try to get at least two of them.Try adding a little salt to the water and see if this helps.Good luck.

Answer 7

your fish is sick and the tank or bowl whatever is definetly TOO SMALL you need to upgrade NOW and with that size tank a 10-20% water change everyday also go to the pet store and get him medican and more water changes he will be alright!

Answer 8

goldfish are messy fish, i dont know how hell live without the fin but, itd probably help to have a filter in .......the tank u have 1 right?

Answer 9

Not good. You may want to get him some water treatment from Petco. They are great with advice and will even test your water. Sometimes minerals and chlorine will bother the fish.

Answer 10

Probably fin rot...I'm really sorry and I dont want to say it but I dont think your fish is going to make it. Im sorry :(

Had to add this in: uhd0rableo8 ur a ******* monster, you freak