Still dealing with sick goldfish

[Mmathis]

Here is a link to the original thread regarding this fish. https://www.gardenpondforum.com/threads/sick-goldfish-what-am-i-missing.18036/

And here's a follow-up. If anyone can offer advice. I've researched, and one "disease" keeps coming up [based on any symptoms I've observed....]: TB. Either that, or it's just bad genes.

This fish has been back in the pond since it got better in the fall. No further issues. Then, a month or so ago I found the fish lying on its side, at the bottom of the pond. I thought it was dead, but there were signs of life, so I put it in the QT. After 24 hours it perked up. There was absolutely nothing visible that indicated disease or injury. It's eyes looked better, but it still acted like it had problems with its vision -- mainly, it sort of "felt for" the food [floating sticks].

I was terribly tied up with Scouts at the time, and never did water tests or scrapes. So once it went into the QT, it was more just to keep the fish confined and comfortable.

At that point I decided it would forever live in the QT where it wasn't having to compete. There are a couple of other fish in the QT to keep the bio-filter going. All has been fine for at least a month, but its eyes have gotten a little cloudy looking. Then yesterday I noticed that this fish seemed "wasted" [spine was obvious and its sides were concave at the spine]. Its appetite and behavior have been perfectly normal. In fact, it seems to have a voracious appetite, like it can't get enough to eat.

No other fish [pond or QT] are showing signs of illness or distress, though I do still find the occas. dead-with-no-obvious-signs-of-illness fish [usually after a severe storm with lightening]. I haven't checked my water parameters in a while as they stay consistent -- but I'll do that after I post. I'll also do a scraping as a follow-up, though nothing showed up in the past.

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I don't want to blindly treat the fish. But if there's something I can do..... We don't have any aquatic vets here [all the articles say to "take your fish to the vet....."].

Does anyone have input to offer?

 

[Mmathis]

I've asked the mods to complete the title for me. Sorry about that! I posted before was finished.

 

[Faebinder]

Bad Genes.... I had a fish like this once... got swim bladder in the pond but didnt in Quarantine with medicated food. Back and forth... I decided I cannot pay this kind of attention to the fish.

Sounds like your fish will require a lot more delicate attending and I dont know if you can spare that.

 

[Mmathis]

Bad Genes.... I had a fish like this once... got swim bladder in the pond but didnt in Quarantine with medicated food. Back and forth... I decided I cannot pay this kind of attention to the fish.

Sounds like your fish will require a lot more delicate attending and I dont know if you can spare that.

I think you've hit the nail on the head -- how much time and effort can I/do I want to put into it. From a scientific/research standpoint, any knowledge I can gain will help in the future -- I've already learned so much in 5 short years. I don't want to see the fish suffer [and I think he's not at this point], but I also don't want to contaminate the pond/other fish].

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Euthanasia would seem to be the most humane course of action. The fish apparently has some severe internal issues that may not be treatable.

 

[bettasngoldfish]

I would try feeding an antiparasitic food since the fish is still eating but seems to be wasting away (try looking on Amazon for Peabodys Medicated Flakes---I would try the metronidazole and/or praziquantel-just check to see if they can both be fed at the same time safely)