[bainfish]

Edit: Sorry I'm new to this forum and in my haste I put it in in the wrong part of the forum - Mods if you can move this to "Freshwater Fish Diseases,Algae Issues,Emergencies" please?​

First off I'm very distraught as I don't know how this got so bad... Please don't judge me harshly as I've been trying fish medicines such as Pimafix and it hasn't been helping. I'd just love some practical advice to create better conditions for him...

My goldfish "Bain Fish" has been really poorly since the start of this year, I was on an extended holiday abroad and I had instructed water changes and some chemicals to help keep the levels good, but clearly it wasn't enough and also it's been unseasonably cold in southern California this year and I think the colder temperatures have exasperated his poor health.

I returned recently to him looking like this (brace yourself):

Clearly the water parameters got really bad whilst I was away and he fell sick.
His fins are torn and bloody, there is some white mould fluff on some parts...
He was sitting at the bottom of the tank and he looked pink / raw and hasn't been eating.

The water used to have a wooden log thing, this was dyeing the water a tan colour and making more acidic - I also noticed this of late and removed it. I understand pH under 6.2

The parameters today with some water changes, since I came back about 10 days ago:
Nitrate: 0
Nitrite 0.5
Alkalinity: 60
Carbonate: 80
pH: 7
Ammonia: 0.25
Temp: 23C / 73F

I have tried to use salt to help encourage his slime coat and fight infection, and I'm currently following directions from here: Aquarium Salt: How to Use It Properly for Treating Sick Fish
I'm at level 2, so that's a higher dose of salt of 1 tablesoon per 2 gallons of water, as of today.

I fear this is all too slow - and he has at least is swimming around now but still not eating - is there something better I can do?
I have no idea what else to buy anymore as I've since read Pimafix and the like are really low dose and useless for extreme situations like this.

 

[Gamegurl]

Well you have Nitrites and Ammonia. Ammonia can cause burns to the fish, I'd suggest you do a large water change around 50%-75% and try to get those numbers back to zero.
I'd also suggest some form of fungal medication, the salt can help but he's in really poor shape, I wouldn't depend on salt alone.
Are there any other fish in there? If you have snails, get them out the salt will kill them.

 

[bainfish]

Well you have Nitrites and Ammonia. Ammonia can cause burns to the fish, I'd suggest you do a large water change around 50%-75% and try to get those numbers back to zero.
I'd also suggest some form of fungal medication, the salt can help but he's in really poor shape, I wouldn't depend on salt alone.
Are there any other fish in there? If you have snails, get them out the salt will kill them.

Thank you so much for your response!

I had an old ammonia tester, I think it might be off, so I'll order more - it said 0.25 but I'll try to put an ammonia reducer in too.
I'm doing daily water changes now too - and there's nothing in the tank - I removed the plants and the crayfish - so this is his quarantine tank.

Can you recommend a fungal medication? I'm at a loss on Amazon - which I would rather avoid using - but at least I can get the necessary medicines fast.

 

[susankat]

Petsmart and Petco carry fungul cure that would help, also use prime for water changes as it binds ammonia, also methylene blue.

 

[Gamegurl]

Melafix from API is highly recommended.

 

[Emeraldtarpon]

As GG stated.
In nature, if its available to them, sick fish will enter Melaleuca swamps as the oil this tree releases into the water has a medicinal,healing effect (the oil is used in products for us too).
Melafix uses these same natural chemicals from the Melaleuca tree...bloody good stuff

 

[bainfish]

Petsmart and Petco carry fungul cure that would help, also use prime for water changes as it binds ammonia, also methylene blue.

I'll swing by a Petco today - is there any product more specific you can suggest?

In regards to:

Melafix from API is highly recommended.

As GG stated.
In nature, if its available to them, sick fish will enter Melaleuca swamps as the oil this tree releases into the water has a medicinal,healing effect (the oil is used in products for us too).
Melafix uses these same natural chemicals from the Melaleuca tree...bloody good stuff

Also I've heard that with the severe cases as with Bain Fish, Melafix / Pimafix is a like perfume in the water and doesn't do much... I'm happy to try it again, but I'm concerned that this isn't strong enough at this point.