Emergency, Please Help!

[Pichi]

https://imgur.com/a/cb05ZIF

Test Results for the Following:
Ammonia Level(Tank) 0ppm
Nitrite Level(Tank) 0ppm
Nitrate level(Tank) 0ppm
Ph Level, Tank (If possible, KH, GH and chloramines) PH 6.6 - 7 (it's hard to tell), KH 1
Other Required Info:
Brand of test-kit used and whether strips or drops? API Master freshwater test kit, Drops
Water temperature? 22°C
Tank size (how many gals.) and how long has it been running? 100L, 3 years
What is the name and "size of the filter"(s)? Tidal 120
How often do you change the water and how much? 50% per week
How many days ago was the last water change and how much did you change? 30% 3 days ago
How many fish in the tank and their size? Single fish, 14cm. 20cm including tailfin
What kind of water additives or conditioners? Usually use API Tapsafe & Stress Zyme
What do you feed your fish and how often? Hikari Fancy Goldfish & Hikari Algae Wafers, threw away when he got sick. Peas only for 3 days, Repashy Supergold yesterday. + Plants.
Any new fish added to the tank? No
Any medications added to the tank? Yes - eSHa 2000, 3ppt aquarium salt

List entire medication/treatment history for fish and tank. Please include salt, Prazi, PP, etc and the approximate time and duration of treatment.
Oct 21st: 5tbsp salt to 100L, 30% water change
Oct 22nd: 3ppt salt (300g per 100L), fed peas only, 30% water change
Oct 23rd: eSHa 2000 24 drops, salt 3ppt, fed peas only
Oct 24th: eSHa 2000 12 drops, salt 3ppt, fed peas only
Oct 25th: eSHa 2000 14 drops (2 extra accidentally), salt 3ppt, fed Repashy supergold


Any unusual findings on the fish such as "grains of salt," bloody streaks, frayed fins or fungus?
Left side swollen bulge, scales stick out. "Puss" or something white coming out.
Right side scales slighty sticking out
Hemorrhages at the base of his scales, fins and mouth.
Poops thin and translucent in some areas, but normal sometimes.
Any unusual behavior like staying at the bottom, not eating, etc.? Staying at the bottom since yesterday, still excited when eating.

 

[brokensword]

paging Dr. Stephen, Dr. Stephen, your services are required... @Stephen Noble

 

[Mmathis]

@Pichi Hello and welcome to our group! Thank you for answering all of the questions — this is extremely helpful. At first I didn’t notice that you have posted multiple pics, but this is also very helpful. Beautiful fish, BTW!

 

[j.w]

@Pichi
Sorry for your fish. Looks like it's scales are pineconing which is a symptom of dropsy but I am no expert so wait for one to appear. Found on the net: https://petkeen.com/goldfish-dropsy/

 

[Stephen Noble]

paging Dr. Stephen, Dr. Stephen, your services are required... @Stephen Noble

That's funny!

Welcome to the forum Pichi. For some reason, I was only able to view one picture. Now, I can't find any picture. Hum. It looks like a bacterial infection caused by poor water quality. The red blotches and 'pine cone' effect are symptoms. If I had to guess, I would look at nitrite. You asked about the pH. It is fine. Although, I am concerned about your water testing results. I become uneasy anytime someone reports zero for everything especially nitrate. Please make sure your test kit isn't out of date. Also, when are you conducting the water parameter tests? Before or after water exchanges? If afterwards, how long afterwards? Here is what I would do:
Continue to treat per the instructions on the eSHA bottle. Remember, salt does not evaporate so it must be accounted for when added and only partially removed during water exchanges. Your fish needs impeccable water quality and sparse feeding during the treatment.
Clearly, your fish has outgrown its tank. Over time, the fish to water volume ratio becomes tilted until there is no room for error. A dirty filter, a little extra food or delayed water exchange that used to not matter much is now catastrophic. Think of it as a water cup that is filled to the brim. One more drop added causes the surface tension to break and a quantity of water floods out. In this case, the 'flooding water' is what appears as a sudden onset of bacterial infection.

 

[Pichi]

Thank you for welcoming me everyone

Hmm i'm not sure why you can't see the pictures, I will add a few in this post.

I have ordered some kanaplex from america, I don't know if it will get here in time but it's worth trying I think. It has a broad spectrum antibiotic in it.

He is a lot more active today and I think the swelling has gone down slightly. For now I will continue using eSHa 2000 (for 3 more days) and 3ppt aquarium salt. I don't know if what i'm doing is right.

I did a 30% water change today, I want to do a larger one but I have to let the water sit overnight because eSHa says not to use water conditioner with it. How fast can I remove the chorine/ chloramine if I use an aerator or another method? It might also dilute the medicine but will be ok if I replace the medicine I take out?

I noticed a slug like glob in the filter media when rinsing it. No idea what that was but I took a picture incase anyone knows.

I test the water before I do a water change, parameters today were PH 6.6 - 7, Nitrite 0, Ammonia 0, Nitrate 0, not sure why Nitrates are 0 though. Could it be that he is not releasing ammonia properly? Could the plant or the filter be taking care of the Nitrates? Really not sure about that one, the test drops are in date.

When he gets better I will be building him a pond, I have no experience in ponds so if anyone has any links for building/ maintaining a pond I would really appreciate it!

 

[WaterGardener]

The usual treatment for dropsy, along with the antibiotics, is epsom salt baths. Leave the fish in the water for at least 15 minutes, unless you see them being too stressed. After treatment, remove the fish and put it back in the tank.

There are many articles online that are very helpful about this procedure.

Here is one such article:

Epsom salt for treating dropsy​

Dropsy is a potentially fatal condition in which the kidneys of a fish fail, leading to fluid retention. A fish experiencing dropsy has a bloated abdomen and raised scales. Epsom salt may be used as part of dropsy treatment by isolating the sick fish in a separate “hospital” tank, then adding Epsom salt at a rate of 1/8 teaspoon for every 19L of water. The Epsom salt will relieve swelling. Never use aquarium salt, or any other type of sodium, to treat a fish with dropsy: It may worsen the condition.

 

[j.w]

I can see your photo's up top and also the new ones in your last post @Pichi
No idea what that glob is.

 

[Pichi]

I'm a bit scared of using epsom salts, i've had aquarium salts in the water for 8 days now, i'm not sure if it will be too much salt?

 

[Pichi]

I don't think he's getting any better:

-There is still white stuff coming out of the lump on his side.
-He looks bruised at the base of his fins.
-His bottom looks red and possibly inflamed.
-He has white stringy poops sometimes.
-Sometimes the skin around his mouth fills with blood.
-He is still eating normally
-Still swimming about
-Floating in the middle of the tank more often and sometimes at the bottom

Should I try treating him for internal parasites?

 

[WaterGardener]

Please read what I posted. Aquarium salt can make dropsy worse.

Put the fish in a hospital tank and treat him there with Epsom salt. Then return him to the aquarium with clean water and no salt.

The Epsom salt is much more effective for dropsy than aquarium salt. I would only use Epsom salt baths and eliminate the aquarium salt.

 

[WaterGardener]

Sorry your fish isn't improving. This sounds like an internal bacterial infection to me.

Medicated food might help or antibiotic injections from a vet.

You can treat the open sores with triple antibiotic. Catch the fish and dry the area as much as possible and apply the salve. It won't stick very well, but it doesn't have to be there long. You can also use iodine.

 

[brokensword]

Please read what I posted. Aquarium salt can make dropsy worse.

Put the fish in a hospital tank and treat him there with Epsom salt. Then return him to the aquarium with clean water and no salt.

The Epsom salt is much more effective for dropsy than aquarium salt. I would only use Epsom salt baths and eliminate the aquarium salt.

would she also do some water changes in the main tank now to eliminate the 'bad' salt? Seems appropriate...

 

[WaterGardener]

Absolutely. That would be the only way to get rid of the aquarium salt.

 

[Pichi]

Is it definitely dropsy? I have some people telling me it's not dropsy so i'm quite confused. The issue is that in the UK aquarium salt is a really important tool to have against bacterial infections. I cannot get antibiotics and I cannot use the medication i've been using (esha 2000) because the standard dose is for 3 days and I continued it for another 3 days. I need to keep the environment as sterile as possible and the only way I can do that other than water changes is with salts