yesterday 2 goldfishes died? reference old question on 4.2.2011

Question
thank you so much for your earlier answer on 4.2.20011. It gives us totally different eyesight. we are totally unknown about the fish tank water quality, fish size calculation with the tank. Now we come know, what happened to our fishes. you are right my fishes were swimming in sewer. we understood that our fish supplier totally misguide us.

we changed the whole water immediately after reading your answer. now we are changing the 50% water and cleaning the gravel by the gap of 3-4 days. we thought that everything will slowly become normal but, we were  wrong.

yesterday my one red cap oranda and one common gold died with distance of 6-8 hours and they were fastest growing fish in my tank. just want to ask you is it happen because of overcrowding? will my fishes die one by one? we feel very worst. what should we do? we were thinking to sell them for their healthy life but their fins are rotted then who is going buy from us? we know according to your answer we have to keep only 2-3 goldfish in our tank.

give us suggestion so we can save rest all of them. i cant see them when they are dying slowly one by one. i am ready to do every possible thing for them. help us.
thank you.

Answer
Hello again Pooja,

I remember your case.

What happens when the water is dirty, is the fins get thin and damaged, and so can skin.  When this happens, bacteria and fungus can move in and cause infections.  It is probable that the goldfish may have acquired a secondary issue, an infection, because of the water conditions.

Certainly, it is very plausible and so I do recommend rehoming the goldfish, but they need to be treated with medication first, if they still have rotting fins.

I recommend giving them to someone who has a pond.  Goldfish are pond fish.

If you want to get their fins to stop rotting, they need to be removed from the small aquarium and to be kept in something much, much larger.  Do you have a plastic swimming pool?  Perhaps this is the best solution for now.

Before placing them in one, please dip them in a solution of 3 teaspoons of marine salt per gallon and let them stay in that for 24 hours to cure any fungus or bacteria, or parasites they could have.  Once in a pond atmosphere (the pool), you still should change water until you find them an appropriate home.

Sometimes you can't sell animals.  Especially when they have been ill or been damaged.  Maybe it is best to advertise them as "pets" and hope that someone will "adopt" them free, into a much larger aquarium or a pond.

I'm so sad to hear that you lost your fish.  I know it breaks your heart.  They are really beautiful creatures.

I don't know what country you are from, but I would look for someone who has a pond, and offer them the fish if you are able.  Have you considered putting a pond into your yard?  :)

I hope my suggestions are helpful and again, I am so terribly sorry for your losses.  

Renee