Fungus Among us, GF dis.      9/24/19
Hello everyone. I would just like to say your site is the absolute BEST!
I have shamelessly stalked your content for anything related to goldfish and can honestly say that my finned babies would not have survived more than a few months at best had I not done so. Thank you so very much for sharing your knowledge with us. Having goldfish as pets is a lot harder than most people realize. That said...
<Ahh!>
My apologies in advance for the mini-novel but I'm not sure where to begin.
Let me start by providing what I hope will be some useful background information. I currently have two fish tanks- a 20-gallon heated, filtered, moderately planted tank that houses a seemingly bored betta named Milo and a 40-gallon tank that houses three regular goldfish, the oldest of whom, Morgan, has been in my care for a little over nine years now. The goldfish tank was heavily planted once or twice, but it's tough keeping live plants around goldfish because, well, they eat absolutely everything.
Now they have what I like to call a water bush that quietly floats from one side of the tank to the other (likely to avoid being eaten). The 40-gallon tank has two hang on the back filters- one for tanks that are up to 50 gallons and a second for tanks that are up to 90 gallons.
<Good to have such over-filtration and redundancy>
I do this for two reasons: 1) goldfish are very messy little creatures and 2) if one filter fails, I will have a backup to ensure that the tank remains cycled until the new filter has a chance to get established. There
is also a pond pump with an ultraviolet light lurking in one of the back corners of the tank. I check the filters once a week when I clean the tank, however I only replace the filters approximately every other month or so unless otherwise indicated. The tank is fully cycled and has been for many years now. The ammonia and nitrite levels consistently stay at zero and the nitrate levels toggle between 10 ppm (at the beginning of the week) and 20 ppm (which is where I usually am at the end of the week when I clean the tank). I have never had a pH reading other than 7.4 on this tank.
<So far, great>
The fish are fed a diet that consists mostly of homemade gel food consisting of shrimp, raw garlic and fresh spinach that is supplemented with a variety of fruits (usually oranges) and things like sweet peas,
boiled sweet potatoes, roasted seaweed, etc. Loads of Anacharis are added to the tank once a quarter or so which the fish usually decimate over the course of a week. Once or twice a year the goldfish will get Life Spectrum pellets.
<Am a huge fan>
I am thoroughly convinced that this diet has not only kept my fish relatively healthy over the years, but that it plays a crucial role in allowing me to keep my tank parameters in check (along with the weekly
cleanings, that is). And now onto my problem...
Nearly four weeks ago, I noticed that my oldest fish, Morgan, had reddened gills (it was only visible to me when he was swimming away from me, though). The gill panels appeared to be perfectly fine, and everything else on this fish appeared to be completely normal including his appetite and behavior. It was the flesh underneath the gill panels that had me concerned. The color reminded me of either a ruby red grapefruit or a blood orange. A quick water check revealed that the parameters were fine:
ammonia:0 ppm, nitrites: 0 ppm, nitrates: 20 ppm with a pH of 7.4. The temperature was a little high (~81 degrees- I live in the high desert so there is not much I can do about that aside from setting my thermostat for 78 degrees for the entire summer). Erring on the side of caution, I did a partial water change taking great care to thoroughly vacuum every inch of the gravel and reprogrammed the lights on the tank to only come on for 6 hours of the day so that they won't overheat the tank.
<Good moves. I'd leave the lights off during all daylight hours>
I also made a note to keep an eye on the tank in preparation for whatever was about to come next (because I just knew it would be something!).
I didn't have to wait long. Less than a week later, I noticed that Morgan was sitting near the bottom of the tank breathing a little faster than usual. I also noticed that his left gill was inflamed. A quick glance
around the tank revealed that the other fish were looking and behaving normally. Morgan didn't appear to be in any other distress aside from being a little quiet (and to this day continues to eat like a pig), but I
knew this swollen gill wasn't normal. I immediately got out my API kit and checked the parameters which were exactly the same as they'd been the week before. It was another hot day though so I did a partial water change of 50% and started dosing with Tetracycline in case this was the beginning of
something bacterial. Once the treatment was completed, Morgan was a little perkier but he was still breathing faster than I would have liked. Not knowing the exact nature of his ailment, I opted to wait a day or so to see if more symptoms would present themselves so I'd have a better idea on how to treat this issue.
Approximately one week later, I walked by the tank and noticed that Morgan had a long ribbon of something that looked like cotton coming from this inflamed gill. I knew it was a fungus of some type but I didn't know whether it was a true fungus or one that was caused by a bacterial infection. Once again I immediately checked the water parameters (okay, after I stopped cussing like a sailor), and once again the water parameters were exactly as they had been the previous weeks. I conducted two water
changes to get the nitrates down to 10 ppm, then I dosed the tank with API's E.M. Erythromycin. I had planned to also run API's Fungus Cure simultaneously in case this turned out to be a true fungus but the only medication my local fish stores carried was that herbal stuff Pimafix and Kordon's Rid Fungus which did not interest me (I thought they would make things worse).
Within the first 24 hours of dosing the tank with E.M. Erythromycin, the trail of fungus disappeared. I thought I was on the right track with the Erythromycin but at the end of the treatment the gill was still inflamed.
I saw no clear evidence of parasites (i.e. flashing, thickening slime coat, raggedy fins and/or damage to the body) and didn't want to further stress him for treating him for a phantom ailment. Do keep in mind that I am no expert on fish-keeping so I could very easily be wrong about this not being a parasite. It's just that my previous experience with parasites (ich) is that they breed like roaches. For every one you see, a million more are hiding in the tank- most of whom tend to make their presences known over
the course of hours and not weeks.
A few days ago I grabbed a flashlight to see if I could better determine why Morgan's gill was still swollen despite all the antibiotic therapy. In the left gill just under the upper part of the panel is what appears to be a speck of something a little larger than the head of a pin that looks like a clump of white, fuzzy cotton or a spider's web. It looks like the mold you would see on old cheese or bread except it is white in color. Could this be a true fungus?
<Possibly... I suspect it is secondary... >
(And if so, how did it get in this tank?
<Mmm; funguses are all about... from the air likely>
I only ask because if there's one thing I've learned about fish care it's that prevention is the best medicine). I have ordered API's Fungus Cure online which should be arriving sometime today just in case. I have no other idea what this could possibly be.
That's all I have to report for now. Aside from the fact that Morgan's breathing is still a little fast, he continues to eat normally. He even scavenges for food like his tank mates. Any assistance you can provide will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
Tracy
<My best guess is that this fish's trouble originated w/ a physical trauma... bumping in to something hard... the fungus/bacteria a result of opportunity. I'd stop the medicines you list and try simple salt treatment.
See Neale's piece here re:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/SaltUseFWArtNeale.htm
Bob Fenner>
Fungus Among us /Neale       9/25/19
Hello everyone. I would just like to say your site is the absolute BEST!
I have shamelessly stalked your content for anything related to goldfish and can honestly say that my finned babies would not have survived more than a few months at best had I not done so. Thank you so very much for sharing your knowledge with us. Having goldfish as pets is a lot harder than most people realize. That said...
<Thanks for these kind words.>
My apologies in advance for the mini-novel but I'm not sure where to begin.
Let me start by providing what I hope will be some useful background information. I currently have two fish tanks- a 20-gallon heated, filtered, moderately planted tank that houses a seemingly bored betta named Milo and a 40-gallon tank that houses three regular goldfish, the oldest of whom, Morgan, has been in my care for a little over nine years now.
<Understood.>
The goldfish tank was heavily planted once or twice, but it's tough keeping live plants around goldfish because, well, they eat absolutely everything.
<Correct. Can be worth the effort, but these fish (and Carp generally) are natural bulldozers in the wild, uprooting plants and creating so much silt by their snuffling about the water gets too murky for light to penetrate.
So yep, mixing Goldfish with plants is a challenge, whether in the wild or in captivity. Floating plants (like water lilies) work best.>
Now they have what I like to call a water bush that quietly floats from one side of the tank to the other (likely to avoid being eaten). The 40-gallon tank has two hang on the back filters- one for tanks that are up to 50 gallons and a second for tanks that are up to 90 gallons. I do this for two reasons: 1) goldfish are very messy little creatures and 2) if one filter fails, I will have a backup to ensure that the tank remains cycled until the new filter has a chance to get established.
<Sounds wise.>
There is also a pond pump with an ultraviolet light lurking in one of the back corners of the tank. I check the filters once a week when I clean the tank, however I only replace the filters approximately every other month or so unless otherwise indicated.
<All sounds fine so far.>
The tank is fully cycled and has been for many years now. The ammonia and nitrite levels consistently stay at zero and the nitrate levels toggle between 10 ppm (at the beginning of the week) and 20 ppm (which is where I usually am at the end of the week when I clean the tank). I have never had
a pH reading other than 7.4 on this tank.
<Cool. Goldfish do prefer basic water chemistry, so around 7 to 8 is ideal.>
The fish are fed a diet that consists mostly of homemade gel food consisting of shrimp, raw garlic and fresh spinach that is supplemented with a variety of fruits (usually oranges) and things like sweet peas,
boiled sweet potatoes, roasted seaweed, etc.
<All sounds good. Probably better than what I eat!>
Loads of Anacharis are added to the tank once a quarter or so which the fish usually decimate over the course of a week. Once or twice a year the goldfish will get Life Spectrum pellets. I am thoroughly convinced that this diet has not only kept my fish relatively healthy over the years, but that it plays a crucial role in allowing me to keep my tank parameters in check (along with the weekly cleanings, that is). And now onto my problem...
<Yes...>
Nearly four weeks ago, I noticed that my oldest fish, Morgan, had reddened gills (it was only visible to me when he was swimming away from me, though). The gill panels appeared to be perfectly fine, and everything else on this fish appeared to be completely normal including his appetite and behavior. It was the flesh underneath the gill panels that had me concerned. The color reminded me of either a ruby red grapefruit or a blood orange.
<The gill filaments themselves should look bright, almost cardinal red. Diseases gills tend to look paler, even grey or white.>
A quick water check revealed that the parameters were fine: ammonia:0 ppm, nitrites: 0 ppm, nitrates: 20 ppm with a pH of 7.4. The temperature was a little high (~81 degrees- I live in the high desert so there is not much I can do about that aside from setting my thermostat for 78 degrees for the entire summer). Erring on the side of caution, I did a partial water change taking great care to thoroughly vacuum every inch of the gravel and reprogrammed the lights on the tank to only come on for 6 hours of the day so that they won't overheat the tank. I also made a note to keep an eye on the tank in preparation for whatever was about to come next (because I just knew it would be something!).
<Oh dear...>
I didn't have to wait long. Less than a week later, I noticed that Morgan was sitting near the bottom of the tank breathing a little faster than usual. I also noticed that his left gill was inflamed. A quick glance
around the tank revealed that the other fish were looking and behaving normally. Morgan didn't appear to be in any other distress aside from being a little quiet (and to this day continues to eat like a pig), but I
knew this swollen gill wasn't normal. I immediately got out my API kit and checked the parameters which were exactly the same as they'd been the week before. It was another hot day though so I did a partial water change of 50% and started dosing with Tetracycline in case this was the beginning of
something bacterial. Once the treatment was completed, Morgan was a little perkier but he was still breathing faster than I would have liked. Not knowing the exact nature of his ailment, I opted to wait a day or so to see if more symptoms would present themselves so I'd have a better idea on how to treat this issue.
<Indeed; the right approach.>
Approximately one week later, I walked by the tank and noticed that Morgan had a long ribbon of something that looked like cotton coming from this inflamed gill.
<Yikes.>
I knew it was a fungus of some type but I didn't know whether it was a true fungus or one that was caused by a bacterial infection. Once again I immediately checked the water parameters (okay, after I stopped cussing like a sailor), and once again the water parameters were exactly as they had been the previous weeks. I conducted two water changes to get the nitrates down to 10 ppm, then I dosed the tank with API's E.M. Erythromycin. I had planned to also run API's Fungus Cure simultaneously
in case this turned out to be a true fungus but the only medication my local fish stores carried was that herbal stuff Pimafix and Kordon's Rid Fungus which did not interest me (I thought they would make things worse).
Within the first 24 hours of dosing the tank with E.M. Erythromycin, the trail of fungus disappeared.
<Odd. Fungal infections don't often respond to antibiotics.>
I thought I was on the right track with the Erythromycin but at the end of the treatment the gill was still inflamed. I saw no clear evidence of parasites (i.e. flashing, thickening slime coat, raggedy fins and/or damage to the body) and didn't want to further stress him for treating him for a phantom ailment. Do keep in mind that I am no expert on fish-keeping so I could very easily be wrong about this not being a parasite. It's just that my previous experience with parasites (ich) is that they breed like roaches. For every one you see, a million more are hiding in the tank- most of whom tend to make their presences known over the course of hours and not weeks.
<Whitespot/Ick is usually quite easy to treat. Salt/heat works well with salt-tolerant fish like Goldfish. Otherwise reliable Whitespot medications like eSHa EXIT are reliable and easy to use.>
A few days ago I grabbed a flashlight to see if I could better determine why Morgan's gill was still swollen despite all the antibiotic therapy. In the left gill just under the upper part of the panel is what appears to be a speck of something a little larger than the head of a pin that looks like a clump of white, fuzzy cotton or a spider's web. It looks like the mold you would see on old cheese or bread except it is white in color. Could this be a true fungus? (And if so, how did it get in this tank? I only ask because if there's one thing I've learned about fish care it's that prevention is the best medicine). I have ordered API's Fungus Cure online which should be arriving sometime today just in case. I have no other idea
what this could possibly be.
That's all I have to report for now. Aside from the fact that Morgan's breathing is still a little fast, he continues to eat normally. He even scavenges for food like his tank mates. Any assistance you can provide will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
Tracy
<I'm thinking that Branchiomycosis is the culprit here. It's a fungus, and probably latent in most fish tanks. Ordinarily it doesn't infect healthy fish. But at unusually high temperatures, possibly also in situations where nitrite or ammonia are too high, or the tank overstocked, the Branchiomyces spores infect the gills of the fish, causing death of the surrounding tissue. Unfortunately there are no tried-and-trusted treatments.
Phenoxyethanol is probably the best bet, but any decent proprietary anti-fungal medication is worth a shot (though things like Melafix aren't).
Commercially, medications like Malachite Green are used to disinfect new stock, but honestly, treating fish once they actually get sick is very hit-and-miss. Isolation of infected fish is normally recommended to prevent infection of other fish, but that may or not be practical here, in which can prophylactic treatment as per Fungus may minimise the risk. FWIW, Branchiomycosis is quite common in farmed Carp and Goldfish, and you can find many photos (and doubtless horror stories) online. Cheers, Neale.>
Re: Fungus Among us (RMF, Branchiomycosis?)<<Maybe>>       9/25/19
Thank you Neale and Bob for responding to me so quickly. I went ahead and dosed the tank with API's Fungus Cure last night before I received your response because I was just so anxious to do something to help Morgan, as he's been afflicted with this ailment for about a month now ( I have indeed seen all the pictures of fish who are afflicted with Branchiomycosis and I am keeping my fingers crossed that my little one does not have that).
<Let's hope!>
He's still breathing a little faster than I like but the inflammation has gone down quite a bit and today he was more active than I've seen him in weeks.
<Positive.>
I guess all I can really do now is wait and see what happens next. If this treatment doesn't work then I will definitely try the aquarium salt.
<Salt for Whitespot; has no impact on fungal infections.>
Thanks, again for your responses. You guys totally ROCK!
Tracy
<Glad to help. Cheers, Neale.>
Re: Fungus Among us (RMF, Branchiomycosis?)      10/1/19
Hello, everyone. Morgan's energy level has returned to normal. His fins are no longer clamped and the only time he stays put is when he's sleeping.
There is no further evidence of fungus in the afflicted gill that I can see, however I am concerned because the gill in question no longer moves when he breathes. Do you think the tissue will rejuvenate/recover with time or has it been permanently damaged? This is likely going to be one of
those wait and see moments. It's just that even in the best of circumstances, a fish with one active gill concerns me. Is there anything more I should do for him?
Thanks, again.
Tracy
<Gill tissue can regrow, but it takes a while. Good water quality will help, but in the meantime, extra oxygen in the water would help the fish.
Cheers, Neale.>

Fungus on some fish /RMF    11/3/14 Hi I wrote to you a few months ago about my large Silver Dollar who suddenly developed pop eye & fungus patches. Despite my best efforts he died. <Am jumping in here; though Neale likely was corresponding with you. He'll see this when the sun comes up in Europe> Within the past few weeks I noticed fungus appearing on at least 4 other fish and I am beside myself as I have beautiful large, expensive fish in this community tank. Went to a local guy who gave me a white powder to put in (unfortunately I didn't get the name but was told to keep it refrigerated). <? What is this I wonder> It is now 10 days later & I don't see much of a change & the tank is overdue for a water change. I keep the temp at 78 & check the Ph regularly & maintain it at approx 6.8. <.... Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate? RedOx?> Anything you could suggest would be greatly appreciated. Rita~ <When, where in doubt, serial water changes... Send pix and data. Bob Fenner> Fungus on some fish /Neale    11/4/14 Hi I wrote to you a few months ago about my large Silver Dollar who suddenly developed pop eye & fungus patches. Despite my best efforts he died. <Oh dear.> Within the past few weeks I noticed fungus appearing on at least 4 other fish and I am beside myself as I have beautiful large, expensive fish in this community tank. <As Bob F stated, without information about the aquarium hard to make useful suggestions. As always with freshwater aquaria, check nitrite first of all (as a test of water quality). Most fungal and Finrot infections are opportunistic. Physical damage (e.g., from rough handling or fighting) plus non-zero ammonia and nitrite levels is (overwhelmingly) the commonest scenario.> Went to a local guy who gave me a white powder to put in (unfortunately I didn't get the name but was told to keep it refrigerated). <Presumably an antifungal. Methylene Blue is the oldest remedy for fungal infections, but there are many (some better/safer). But invariably remove carbon from the filter, if used, otherwise medications generally won't work.> It is now 10 days later & I don't see much of a change & the tank is overdue for a water change. I keep the temp at 78 & check the Ph regularly & maintain it at approx 6.8. <Do of course review the pH, hardness and temperature are appropriate to the species being kept. Rainbowfish and livebearers, for example, will get fungus infections in acidic conditions.> Anything you could suggest would be greatly appreciated. Rita~ <Hope this helps. Cheers, Neale.> Re: Fungus on some fish     11/5/14 Neale and Bob ...thanks so much for your responses & Bob it was you I corresponded w/ about the SD back in early July this year. What are "serial water changes?" <A quick succession of water changes; not so much temperature and water chemistry are dramatically changed, but enough to rapidly dilute any problems. Typically, 20% once or twice a day works well, certainly leave a few hours between water changes. If you can keep water chemistry and temperature steady, then changing 50% at once is worthwhile. Basically, the idea is to change as much of the water as possible, as frequently as possible, so that any stress factors (such as ammonia, nitrite or nitrate) are diluted away.> The med I was given sounds like lovosmel phosphate (sp?) & the 1st round we did not remove the carbon but have done so now. <Good. Almost always, if you leave (viable, fresh) carbon in the filter, then medications have reduced/no effect.> Don't have a nitrite test kit (never needed it) but will get one now. <Together with pH, nitrite is the key beginner's chemical test kit, and arguably the one every (freshwater) fishkeeper should have even if they don't own any others. Less confusing than ammonia (because false positives thanks to chloramine are common) and more immediately relevant to health than nitrate (which can largely be ignored if you stock moderately, feed moderately, and do regular water changes).> A friend suggested we strip the tank, tossing the plastic plants & bleach the decos, what do you think of that?? <Possibly, and won't do any harm, provided you don't strip the filter. Leave the filter running, remove rocks and ornaments so you can give them a good clean under a hot tap (bleaching isn't really necessary though), then stir the gravel so you can siphon out more of the dirt than otherwise. Deep cleaning a tank rarely/never fixes diseases, but can help reveal problems such as dead/rotting cadavers that are causing excessive water pollution.> Attached are 2 pics of the most affected fish (lavender gourami). I have a few baby clown loaches & see them after the fungus. Many thanks, Rita~ <Would actually wonder about Costia being the problem here. Sometimes called "Slime Disease" because affected fish develop larger than usual amounts of grey slime on their bodies. Various commercial medications are available, usually containing formalin. Use very carefully as directed because some fish (e.g., Loaches) respond poorly to these formalin. Look out for signs of stress such as gasping at the surface. Alternatives are available. In the UK, I've found a medication called eSHa EXIT works quite well on Costia, especially alongside seawater dips. Conversely, avoid "cure-alls" such as Melafix that generally don't cure anything. Cheers, Neale.>

Re: Fungus on some fish     11/6/14 Neale, thank you so much for your detailed response. When I began fishkeeping 30 yrs ago I did have all the test kits but never had an issue w/anything other than pH. <Indeed?> Because I am disabled and need help doing stuff, typically 50% of the water gets changed every 4 weeks but because of the meds we're about 2 weeks overdue! <Ah, well, best get on it this weekend!> I will keep you posted. Thank you again. Rita~ <Glad to help. Cheers, Neale.> Re: Fungus on some fish      11/7/14 Ok got the test kits, no nitrites but nitrates were a bit high, pH perfect. <Good.> Did a 50% water change (nitrates better), deep cleaned tank, threw out all old plants, washed & put in new decos & will do smaller water changes every other day for the next week & basically hope for the best. <Sometimes all you can do/need to do.> Thank you again. Rita~ <Most welcome. Neale.>