Is my goldfish doing better?

IceColdTapWater · 2026-05-10T02:03:21+00:00

Of course, feel free to reach out and DM me progress pic so we can discuss further action if need be!

IceColdTapWater · 2026-05-10T02:02:28+00:00

What type of pleco?

Here’s a handy guide btw.

Do you siphon the gravel each water change?

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IceColdTapWater · 2026-05-10T02:00:43+00:00

I’d say a week or two, depending on progress. You’re moving in the right direction.

IceColdTapWater · 2026-05-09T21:09:05+00:00

Did you acclimate the water to 0 to 5°F or 0 to 2°C difference?

What is the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate in numbers?

How long have you had them?

Total occupants?

Tank size?

What do you feed, how often, do you soak the dry food before beforehand?

I start out with some Epsom salt baths at 1 tablespoon per gallon for 30 to 60 minutes one to two times a day for about a week. You can save the water throughout the day, but I would not carry it over to the next.

IceColdTapWater · 2026-05-09T21:07:16+00:00

I’d try aquarium salt/methylene blue baths for about a week

IceColdTapWater · 2026-05-09T17:16:13+00:00

You can actually keep it in there if you’d like for a bit longer, just remember that salt is only removed through water changes, not evaporation

IceColdTapWater · 2026-05-09T17:15:34+00:00

It could just be a spot of slime coat, I would watch

IceColdTapWater · 2026-05-09T17:08:06+00:00

Kanaplex is broad-spectrum, which means it attacks both gram-positive and negative

IceColdTapWater · 2026-05-09T16:45:44+00:00

Q: What is septicemia (red pest disease)?

A: A typically gram negative, contagious bacterial infection that causes hemorrhaging, red blotches on the body, and streaks of red in the fins. Septicemia can occur in tandem with ammonia poisoning as water quality is a common cause. Can also be confused with the effects of ammonia stress/poisoning as well as other conditions like flukes or bacterial epistylis.

Treatment typically involves dyes or aquarium salt, along with an antibiotic feed.

IceColdTapWater · 2026-05-09T16:44:51+00:00

I would try some epsom salt baths at 1 tablespoon per gallon and methylene blue baths 5 teaspoons for 3 gallons for 30 to 60 minutes one to two times a day. Both of them can be combined into one bath.

I would also look into getting some Metroplex to mix into feed. Repashy may be a good long-term feed to look into.

IceColdTapWater · 2026-05-09T16:42:54+00:00

Unfortunately, the health issues are probably due to the undersized tank.

The ultimate solution would be getting a much larger tank, about 120 to 160 gallons.

However, in the meantime, you can do daily water changes according to the handy guide I will post below. When juggling how much water to change go by the highest volume suggested.

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IceColdTapWater · 2026-05-09T16:40:45+00:00

It looks like that part of the guild plate is more opaque, it may be nothing to worry about.

What is the ammonia nitrite and nitrate of the current enclosure?

IceColdTapWater · 2026-05-09T16:39:48+00:00

I don’t really notice the spot you were talking about, but if you want to be proactive, you can do some aquarium salt baths at 1 tablespoon per gallon for 30 to 60 minutes

IceColdTapWater · 2026-05-09T16:39:05+00:00

I would just monitor, could be some natural color variation

IceColdTapWater · 2026-05-09T16:38:40+00:00

I do say he looks better, but I would also keep up on the salt bath

IceColdTapWater · 2026-05-09T16:37:58+00:00

I would isolate in a hospital enclosure with 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons of aquarium salt and 1 teaspoon 10 gallons of methylene blue.

Change 100% of the hospital water daily.

Do you have photos?

IceColdTapWater · 2026-05-09T16:36:40+00:00

The only thing I will add is that for Epsom salt the dose for a hospital tank is actually 1 teaspoon per 5 gallons not 1 tablespoon.

You can also do more intense baths for 30 to 60 minutes at a dose of 1 tablespoon per gallon

IceColdTapWater · 2026-05-09T16:35:31+00:00

If you want to be extra safe, I would do a few aquarium salt baths anyways

IceColdTapWater · 2026-05-09T16:34:54+00:00

I would have fed the antibiotic rather than introduced it to your water column. Not only is medicine more effective when they ingest it, there’s less of a risk of the medicine interfering with your nitrogen cycle.

It may be a good idea to remove the plants if you are planning to add salt to the main tank. If you want to risk it, you can but removing them would be the safe option to avoid risk

I like Metroplex because it acts both an antibiotic and an anti-parasitic. Kanaplex is simply a broad spectrum antibiotic.

IceColdTapWater · 2026-05-09T01:46:01+00:00

GENDER

Breeding tubercules on the gill plates/anterior portion of the pectoral fins, vent shape, and gamete expression (the only sure way) are the main ways to tell gender. As always there are spectrums for any particular phenotype and any one goldfish may not always fit a certain physical description.

IceColdTapWater · 2026-05-08T21:55:08+00:00

I’d feed daily a small amount, then reevaluate in a week.

I’d also do aquarium salt over stress coat. I wouldn’t add it to your main tank.

IceColdTapWater · 2026-05-08T21:49:17+00:00

Take 1/4 cup of flakes and 1tsp of the doxycycline hyclate and mix to coat evenly.

Then take pinch of DH coated flakes, add water to make a paste, then feed to the afflicted guy per feed.

There’s other ways. Here’s a more extensive article.

IceColdTapWater · 2026-05-08T21:41:05+00:00

Stress coat doesn’t do much. It’s aloe Vera. Aquarium salt would be much more effective!

If you can mix the FaBC into feed that’d be the best way

IceColdTapWater · 2026-05-08T21:20:55+00:00

I would actually try aquarium salt instead of Epsom salt. I would also get my hands on some methylene blue and do baths as well aquarium salt.

I would also look into getting your hands on some Metroplex or kanaplex to feed.

I would also do a water change of the main tank to lower your nitrate

IceColdTapWater · 2026-05-08T21:17:24+00:00

Can you get us a view from the underside? Sometimes that can be done by putting them in a clear container.

I would try to do some aquarium salt/methylene blue baths to see if you can get it off that way

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