Poor pearlscale - cant swim and tail splitting and breaking off!

Question
Hi Chris,

I've had a tank set up for 1.5 weeks. I've been pedantic about ensuring PH, ammonia, nitrite levels etc are well monitored (I've taken in about 3 samples to an aquarium near me - on the third time they said the levels were all fine and said I could add fish).

Well I yesterday added a pearlscale and a small-med size goldfish. The pearlscale is worrying me. He can't stay upright (seems to be a combo of poor-working small fins for his bloated body the size of a plum, as well as the 'current' in the water from the filter in my 40L tank). He wedged himself between the filter and the side of the tank so many times and couldn't get out so I put a plant in between to stop him from getting in there...

His tail is very raggedy and split, and i can see small long split pieces of it that have come off floating in the water...

I don't know what to do. I'll call the aquarium tomorrow but I was wanting your advice now if possible. How can he live properly if he can't even stay still? I doubt he will be able to eat...

Please help me! Thankyou!

Answer
Hi Emma;

I would take him back to the store. Either he was already sick, or the other fish is picking at him. If the fish were in there for more than 3 days I would attribute it to "New Tank Syndrome" but it hasn't been long enough. Don't get another fish though. A 40 liter is actually only barely large enough for one goldfish to mature in. Goldfish are very messy fish that get very large. Your tank also has to get through the break-in period and two fish is too much for it to get through safely without the fish getting sick or possibly dying. Here is a link to my web page about new tanks and another link to a web page about goldfish;

http://www.xanga.com/Expert_Fish_Help

http://www.firsttankguide.net/goldfish.php

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins