Urgent - Moby appears really sick

Question
QUESTION: Hi Nicole,

I know it's late and you're probably gone to bed, but I just wanted to send this to you right away.  I tried sending it by using the "followup" from your last email, but an error appeared and wouldn't go through.  So, I am sending a new email.

I checked the nitrate level earlier this evening it appeared to be at about 20 (hard to be exact with the shade of pink).  A few mins ago, I used the gravel cleaner and started to siphon some of the water out through the gravel.  

Moby looked perfectly fine until I started siphoning the water out.  As I removed about 2 1/2 gals of water, all of a sudden I noticed Moby was laying on his right side.  He is breathing quickly.  At times, he struggles a bit to right himself, but isn't able to so he just seems to lie there.

I noticed by looking at his stomach from underneath, it is quite round (hence the LFS saying he appeared "chubby").  I'm wondering if he has some internet infection or something in addition to the water quality.

I just did another nitrate test and it's about the same.

Doesn't look very good with him just lying there.  Do you think he'll perk up, or ... I don't want to think the worst.  Is there anything else I can do?  Please comment.

Thanks.

Vivian
10:30pm
ANSWER: Hi Vivian,

I'm sorry to hear that Moby took a bad turn, and sorry to say that I did in fact go to bed last night around the time you sent the e-mail. I know it seems like siphoning the water out was what triggered his discomfort, but this "chubbiness" sounds to me like it's a serious case of bloating, hopefully simply being full of air due to not eating. Watch for protruding scales which give a pine cone or pineapple appearance, which would indicate dropsy.

I'm sure you've heard the term "dropsy" before, folks tend to misunderstand and believe that dropsy is a disease in itself. Actually, dropsy in fish just means that the fish is exhibiting dropsical conditions - abdominal swelling due to fluid retention. As you know, Moby is of an advanced age in spite of the goldfish propensity to live a long life - koi, for example, can live for decades. Comets, which I believe is what Moby is (the "original" orange goldfish) are not raised in the best circumstances to say the least, during their first several months of life. Therefore, it's unlikely that a comet sold as a feeder - even if it's kept very well by its new owner - is going to live decades the way a show quality fancy goldfish or pond-raised goldfish from quality stock, raised lovingly by a dedicated breeder would...

What I'm getting to is, the lack of eating and the swelling could really be an indication that Moby is nearing the end of his natural life. This doesn't mean you should give up on him, in fact you're doing a fantastic job bringing those nitrates down to normal. The very best you can do now is to offer all sorts of tempting treats such as vegetables and aquatic plants such as Elodea (perhaps soaking the foods in pure garlic oil, commercial garlic preparations for fish or an appetite enhancer called Entice by Seachem) and to put Epsom salt in the tank to help with the abdominal swelling.

Epsom salt helps with fluid retention and constipation, it also helps with stress (really osmotic stress but why get technical) which is why it is the only kind of salt you should be adding to the tank at this time. Kosher/aquarium salt has other uses and applications, but in this case it will hinder instead of help with the swelling. So go to the pharmacy instead of the pet store and get some Epsom salt!

Add 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons, pre-dissolved in warm water. See if this helps calm Moby down. It's disconcerting how long he has been without eating, but I am not an advocate of force feeding in humans or pets. Goldfish love plants and vegetables, you could certainly try feeding him a romaine lettuce leaf weighed down with a magnetic Chip Clip, or other vegetables such as squash, zucchini and cucumber. These will not degrade in the water the way flakes or pellets would, and offer the opportunity for Moby to graze if he feels up to it. The Epsom salt is the conservative approach I would take here. It's true, an internal infection could be troubling him, possibly even internal parasites, but medicating the water once again is not going to help. In his weakened state, another ammonia spike is the last thing he needs, and I don't feel that baths (except with Epsom salt) would be beneficial here. What you can do is try medicated food, but until he starts eating, this will not help much. A food with Metronidazole or Praziquantel (such as Jungle's Anti Parasite) would be very helpful. Then there are these flakes that are very palatable, so I've heard:
http://flguppiesplus.safeshopper.com/256/cat256.htm?5

The Anti-Bacterial flakes with Oxytetracycline are also highly regarded by other fish experts. I personally have no experience with these flakes, but am confident that they are a more palatable and of a higher quality than the much cheaper and more readily available Jungle medicated pellets.

I know that we feel helpless sometimes with our pets. I hope you can see why medicating the water for an internal infection would not be wise here. Antibiotics kill all microbes indiscriminately, while some meds are safer or gentler than others, most any effective medication will harm or at least disrupt the biological filter - which is why salts, and homeopathic remedies (such as Melafix and Pimafix) are popular alternatives for dosing the water, they do not harm the biofilter. Since you don't know for sure what is wrong with Moby - heck, it could be just plain bloating from not eating - concentrate on keeping his water clean, keeping his water aerated (perhaps lowering the water level some so there is a bit more agitation of the surface) and getting him to eat. Apply the Epsom salt in the concentration listed above, maybe you could keep a log book so you can figure out how much more to add each time you do a water change - some simple math is required, but I'm sure you'll have no trouble. I hope this helps, let me know!

Take care,
Nicole

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

QUESTION: Hello Nicole,

I've had a very draining day.  I am so sad to say that Moby did not make it through the night.

I think he was so tired and weak when he laid on his side last night - after a while, he didn't even attempt to struggle to upright himself.  I had a feeling he wouldn't make it through the night.  Nevertheless, it was so upsetting this morning when I looked in the aquarium and I saw his little face with his eye and mouth open, and not breathing.

I read your reply today and really really wished that I had discovered your AllExperts.com website earlier.  I had read something about Epsom salts on the internet, but couldn't find enough solid information about it:  what exactly it good for, how to use it (in the aquarium or in a hospital tank), how much to use, or even if it was the same Epsom salts that people use in baths or foot soaks.  Because I wasn't sure, I was afraid to try it.  Another thing was that I have Melafix at home.  I didn't even think to use it.  I thought it was more for external damage.

Like I said, had I known about you earlier, I might have been able to save Moby.  On the other hand, there are too many "what ifs" to determine what combination of problems he might have had ... I have to stop kicking myself feeling like I could have done more.  You also mentioned that maybe he was just at the end of his natural life.

I have to say I didn't realize how much losing Moby would affect me.  Having him over 13 years is a long time - I interacted with him, talked to him, cared for him the best I could, and he had developed his own "personality" and was truly a "pet".  Did I tell you he measured 13" from his nose to the tip of his tail fins?  I am comforted just knowing he seemed to have lived an extra long, healthy & happy life.  

I don't have time to dismantle and clean his aquarium right now, so I still have it running so the water doesn't go stagnant.  I cannot get used to walking past the aquarium and not seeing Moby in there.  My heart skips a beat every time because I miss him so much already.

Nicole, I want to thank you so much for all of your advice, expertise and also your support.  You made me feel like I was doing so much right for Moby.  I also want to thank you for being my shoulder to lean on right now.  I cannot believe how upset losing Moby has made me.  Most people wouldn't understand my grief, but I know you do.  

I have printed off all your emails and will keep them for reference.  I have learned a lot from you about fish and their environment.  Once I have cleaned the tank, gravel, filters, etc., I plan on buying some more fish and starting all over again.  I will do some things a little differently based on your advise.

Again, Nicole, thank you so much for keeping in touch with me.  Your words of encouragement have meant so much to me in these last few days.  

Sincerely,
Vivian

Answer
Hello Vivian,

I'm just so sorry to hear this. Please don't beat yourself up, it did sound to me like Moby was on his way out when you wrote in the day before yesterday. When fish stop eating for extended periods of time, it is usually a sign that their systems are shutting down. Like a cat, dog, or even a human - there's just no reason to try to force food down their throats at that juncture. Given the symptoms you described, I honestly don't know that Melafix or Epsom salt would have been much help, maybe soothed him a little. Again, you did a fantastic job keeping Moby the goldfish alive 13 years. I'm sure he couldn't have been happier!

I do definitely understand your heartbreak. I had a black widow tetra for 6 years, almost 7, and he was one of my first fish - he survived all of my beginner's mistakes (I was one once) and several overheating disasters when the A/C shut down in my apartment, as well as massive overfeedings when I left an inexperienced person in charge of my fish tanks while I was out of town for a week. He died a couple of weeks ago, I actually saw him in his death throes and it was awfully sad! In any case, I've lived and learned and now know what to do to keep fish cool (or warm) in an emergency... and now I always pre-measure food for all of my fish sitters. The reason I'm relaying these little anecdotes is just to let you know that I've made mistakes, too, and I wish I had read, researched and realized lots myself sooner than I actually did.

I certainly do understand how emotional one can get over a fish. A fish isn't "just a fish," fish become members of the family after a while. Keep in touch. If you need any advice in the future, I'll be here to help in any way can.

Best wishes, my heart goes out to you...

Fondly,
Nicole