Stiff red tail?

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Hi,  Our white fantail was looking great but suddenly started hanging on the bottom of the bowl almost immobile. when approached it comes back to life and seems ok. Is eating ok. It first did this four days ago. I cleaned the bowl (unfiltered 5.5ltr) keeping 50% of the water). Fish seemed better until today. Now it's on the bottom again but this time when I approached it had a bit of difficulty swimming up. It's tail seems to be all stiff (not flowing) and stained red like it's bleeding internally. What's happening? Is there any hope?
We're very sad about it. Mia (4), Callum (1) and Mum.
Answer -
Abbie, please let me first apologize to you for getting to you so late. It was not of my intention but this website was down for many hours.

((Note: A "Bacterial Infection" is completely different from beneficial bacteria which grow on the substrate, filter and everywhere in established aquariums))

~Your fantial goldfish has a bacterial infection on his fins. This is caused by a dirty bowl or bowl substrate (gravel, marbles, ect..)  OR too infrequent water changes. I know you mean well, but goldfish in bowls is very cruel.
A unfiltered bowl and even a filtered bowl cannot handle the waste the goldfish produces. The pollution levels of Ammonia (a byproduct of fish waste) is the most harmful toxin and does not go away and continues to build up rapidly until it burns the gills of the poor fish and they cannot tolerate it any longer. This does not happen in established aquariums because in this larger enviroment and working filter, special bacteria are able to establish whom consume ammonia and convert it to less harmful substances. Partial water changes maintain good water quality which is of great importance.

Small bowls may develop some bacteria but because pollution levels build up in a matter of a day, the water must be changed 100% and the special bacteria (which by the way, is completely harmless to you) are destroyed.
I'm afraid to say your goldfish is very ill. Do 50% water changes everyday with water that is allowed to sitout overnight the night before the water change so the temperature is equal to that of the bowl.
I would highly recommend you try to get any aquarium larger than your current goldfish's bowl. A 10 gallon would be perfect and most 10gallons are quite inexpensive, however but even a 5 gallon aquarium would do him/her very good.

In an aquarium the Fantail can have clean and stable water chemistry (pH which is the level of how alkaline or acidic the water is) and the water can be oxygentated by airstones and a filter and he/she can have some companions.
At all costs please try to get him/her into larger quarters, don't ever use any soap or chemicals in or around his home. An 10 gallon aquarium at least can cycle beneficial bacteria where they will prevent high pollution levels and keep your water quality healthy. All Goldfish need very clean and very high oxygen levels to thrive.

Cycling your aquarium can take 4-6 weeks as the bacteria are slow but efficient at colonizing your aquarium and filter media. If you should add your Fantail to a larger tank, let him be for the full 4-6 weeks with no other fish added because adding too many fish causes an overload of ammonia and terrible disasters as a result. Testing your water during the cycling period is very important. You can easily get test kits for ammonia and other tests at your local petstore.
Partial water changes are very important for diluting pollution levels until your bacteria are able to work efficiently. Sometimes water changes need to be made every day until bacterial colonies get established well enough.

Treatment for your Fantail must be done as soon as possible. The first step should be to improve her water quality right away by every day water changes on her bowl until you can get a larger aquarium with a filter. Clean water is very important for her recovery. Bacterial infections need treatment immediately! Melafix and Pimafix (or just Mealfix if you have nothing else) are great medications that I have sucessfully used in the past for bacterial infections. Along with clean water and Melafix, treated for the extended time, she should get better.
Make sure her diet is rich in vitamins to speed her healing. Include a variety of frozen foods too but be sure to thaw them out to room temperature beforehand.

~I know you meant well about your Fantail, but goldfish just don't belong in a bowl. Goldfish will survive this way but certainly will not thrive and live their full lifespan. Bowls lack high oxygen levels, bacterial colonies for biological filtration, and the space goldfish need to be at their best.
I do hope you take my advice to give your Fantail the correct space and care he/she deserves.

Best wishes for you and your goldfish. Let me know on her recovery if you don't mind or with anymore questions or concerns you may have.

Take care,
Karen~

Thanks Karen for your frank and honest expert advice. We have a 40litre aquarium that we have not set up as we are moving in 8 weeks. The bowl was a gift for my daughter (from friends). Why on earth do the pet sops sell them when they are way too small? This has been awful for my 4 year old! I also hate being a fish murderer.... are we best to euthenase our lovely little fantail gal? Is there a kind way to do this?

I have been adding bio-clear organisms to the bowl weekly changing 50% of the water twice a week and cleaning all of the bowl every 14 days. She really has seemed happy and lively until now. I think maybe I left it 5 days without new water about 10 days ago I guess this is what did it. How horrible. I feel absolutely awful. Will run out and get some medicine today but think she she wont last much longer. Don't worry we wont get another until the big tank is up and running. We'll can just have a snail sanctuary for a while.

Thanks again for you advice.
Abbie
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Dear Abbie, you're very welcome.
~For years and years in the past goldfish bowls were a common household pet for many people. What happens is people take too much advantage of a goldfishes ability to surive in dirty water, tiny space and very low oxygen levels. When in reality, the goldfish are forced to adapt, but the poor water quality conditions often get to them too much that they end up as stunted sick goldfish which often sucumb without even living half their lifespan.
And what's also incredibly sad is goldfish are usually considered "expendable" animals by most people ((something that TRULY bothers me)) with a mindset that "if it dies it can easily be replaced" it's life were talking about here! Living animals who feel pain, suffering,and happiness but perhaps just don't show in a way everybody understands.

I'm afraid poor water quality may have caused your Fantail's illness. I wouldn't give up just yet on her. Continue with big water changes--perhaps even daily would help her out. I know I have healed bacterial infections sucessfully with Melafix and Pimafix natural medications. For her smaller bowl dosage add about 10 drops per gallon of water--(about 3.78liters) Be sure to have an unused eye dropper as Melafix nor Pimafix domes with one.

I'm glad you are getting a larger aquarium. Even a 40litre will help you fantail out and is a million times better than a bowl. Be sure you have a good filter like a 'Penguin' bio-wheel, cover and florescent fixture for the best setup.

There is a kind way to euthanize fish. But I feel you can probably save your fantail unless she is greatly advanced and treatment doesn't seem to be helping. Usually treatment for general bacterial infections takes about 1-2 weeks and sometimes somewhere in between.

I'm sure your Fantail will get better! My best wishes are with her and you!

Karen~

*Please let me apologize for getting to you so incredibly late. It was not of my best intention and the reasons were for because this main website has had errors and has even been down for hours off and on for the past several days.


Hello Karen,
Am sorry to say fantail gal died. I think we were too late with the melafix. Feel very stupid that I didn't realise what it was earlier. I agree with you that all living things are precious and should be treated with care and respect. Wanted to let you know that apparently the aquarium we have is a 20gal (I did the conversion this time!). I will definately come back to all experts and read through all the previous posts pertaining to setting up new aquariums before we start introducing new fish. Lesson learned. Thanks for your time,
Abbie Watson

Answer
Hello Abbie,
I must say I appreciate your respect toward living creatures and how they should be treated with the best possible care.

~Ah-so a 20gal? That is just perfect for most fish. I'm so terribly sorry to hear about your fantail. Perhaps it was just too late. Now that you have the better knowledge you'll do better in the future. Don't feel too bad, we all make mistakes--everybody. But we must learn from them and when it comes to living creatures like fish, research beforehand is the most important and responsible thing you can do even before owning a fish or any other animal.

Even though you've had a most unfortunate ending to your fishkeeping experience, I wish you the very best for your new aquarium.

Longlive the little Fantail~

Karen~