What does it mean when you can see a lot of brown spots on it's scales?

Question

I see a goldfish looking a bit brown. Is that a disease or is that old age etc?

Answer 1

usually its ick. You'll need to get some medication to put in the tank. It can be fatal if not treated. My first 3 mollies died from it.

Answer 2

It might be just a part of the normal coloration if the spots aren't raised.

Is/has you fish ever been kept outdoors in a pond and do the spots look anything like these: http://www.fishdeals.com/fish_diseases/black_spot/ If so, and if they're raised above the scales, it might be a minor parasite. These usually don't harm the fish unless they're very young/small. It can be treated with an OTC antiparasite medication like Clout or Maracide.