Scale problem with Clementine

Question
QUESTION: Dear Nick
We have a tank which is 100gal and contains 13 goldfish of varying sizes.  Its a Juwel tank with its own internal filtration, which I maintain weekly.  I change about 20-35% of the water weekly.  Tank is 18months old and we haven't lost a goldfish for a year.

Clementine, who I think is a Lionhead and not a black moor has developed dropsy.  Sadly I had a fish die with this condition some time back.  With Clementine some of her scales are slightly raised but she looks like she has bubbles on her scales and one has formed on top of her head.  I have tried to research this on the net but can't find any reference to bubbles forming on the scales.

I did a mid week water change and put in 2.5tsps of salt which I read somewhere helps draw out toxins.

She is swimming around but not as much as the others and is eating well.

Very very worried about this fish.  All the others are in the peak of health.  Clementine is fed up with me gawping at her.

Thank you so much for your help.
Kind regards
Mattie

ANSWER: Hello Mattie!

First of all I'm glad to see these guys aren't in a little bowl or something like that! You have no idea how many questions on here are asking why their goldfish in a 1/4 gallon bowl isn't doing too well. But you have a nice big tank! Give yourself a pat on the back!

It does sound like dropsy, all fish get it differently. The bubbles indicate a advanced dropsy, the protrusions have already penetrated the scales.

As I'm sure you know, it is caused by poor water conditions. In your tank, you should be doing at least 50-60% water changes once a week, or, preferably, 25-30% changes twice a week. Now that the fish are growing the are producing more waste and needing larger water changes.

Salt is good, but do not add it to the main tank. Quarentine the fish and treat it from there. There may not be much you can do. Put in a little salt, maintain very high water quality, and feed foods enriched with garlic.

-Nick

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Dear Nick
Thank you so much for your very prompt reply and your kind comments.  I do have a smaller tank which I have cycled but haven't used so will put Clementine in there.  When I stated I put 2.5tsp salt, I forgot to mention it was epsom salts.  Is this OK, or should I use aquarium salt.  The smaller tank is 19gal.  How much salt should I use.  Also you advised to give foods enriched with garlic.  Do I put garlic in the food.  If so how much.  I am not sure if we can buy foods in Australia already enriched with garlic.

Will follow your advice re increased water changes as they are messy fish.

Also we can never get the water completely clear like one seas in aquarium shops.  Its OK but never crystal clear.  Is it because the goldfish are producing too much waste.  I feed them several different types of pellets/flakes mixed together, interspersed with vegetables, bloodworm and egg.  Bloodworm and egg I give a couple of times a week.

Thanks again for your advice.  Very much appreciated
Kind regards
Mattie

ANSWER: Hello again!

That sounds good, a 19 gal is fine for now.

You must however, be using aquarium salts. Put about 1 1/2 table spoons in, but build up to it slowly.

Hikari is mostly enriched with garlic, New Life Spectrum Thera-A is what I feed my unhealthy fish, but if you can put the garlic in there yourself it is good too.

I don't know what you mean by your water being unclear. The only reason I can see to this is the egg. I would stop feeding it, it is completely unnessesary and clouds the water like crazy. Also, low quality foods like Wardley and Tetra usually cloud the water. Hikari and Omega one are good foods that are commonly availible. Do not feed bloodworm more than once or twice a month, since it is mostly fat. Brine shrimp would be a much better choice long term.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Dear Nick
You have been very helpful.  I have taken up your advice. Hopefully this is the last communique and I won't have to bother you again. Clementine has not improved.  The bubbles I was referring to look like translucent blisters and they seem to go.  Then new ones pop up.  I noticed she couldn't seem to see her food and noticed a blister/bubble has formed around the circumference of her eye. The only way I can get her to eat is to pour food on her head and hope she takes a gulp as the food is going past her mouth. Hard to see what her scales are like as she is almost black, but they are raised a little and where the blisters have popped, there seems to be an indent, like a mini crater. Before she was resting a lot, now she is swimming around slowly near the top..  Should she be getting some antibiotics or is the prognosis not good.
Thank you once again for your help
Kind regards
Mattie

Answer
Sorry to hear she is not getting better, often fish do not recover from this disease.

Whether or not you get antibiotics is up to you. Sometimes they don't even work, and if you are this far along in the dropsy stage I doubt it can do anything. Might be a good thing to try if you would like.

Good luck.