help for a fancy tail - Paw Talk

kathydip · #1 05-23-2006, 02:38 PM

We have 5 goldfish and one fancy tail. Last year we got the fancy tail and put him with the gold fish (only 2 at the time) in our pond outside. All of them did well and the gold fish even had 3 babies. We took them in over the winter b/c our pond is not deep enough. They were a bit cramped in the tank but they did well.
On Saturday we placed them back into the pond for the summer months. The fancy tail swam into the return. I found him in the net with leaves on him Sunday morning. I rushed him back into the house to the tank. He has been holding his own but lost a lot of his fins and I can tell he's loosing his scales. We had this happen in November to one of the baby fish. I found her stuck to the floor after she jumped out of the tank one night. She lost a side fins and a ton of scales but she made it! Her name is now Fuzzy b/c of the fuzzy appearance to her while she was loosing her scales.
Anyway, I was hoping someone can tell me the way to make our fancy tail (Little Guy) more comfortable while he heals. We have been adding stress coat. We cleaned up the tank in hopes that he won't get any infections. He swims but not too often. His eyes are every alert and he follows you when you look at him and talk to him (I know he probably cannot hear me and I highly doubt he understands me but still I have to try and encourage him to hang in there!) Also Sunday he was eating but I am not sure he has eaten much yesterday or today. Is there anything fancy tails love to eat that we can tempt him with?

Vanilla_Rat · #2 05-23-2006, 08:47 PM

I am sorry about your fish...I hope he recovers real soon!

kathydip · #3 05-24-2006, 08:34 AM

Thanks - he is still hanging in there. His scales are all fuzzy and coming off now. He isn't moving too much and I am still concerned b/c we don't see him eating. I even gave him peas which I saw on other posts. I am not sure if he had any though. It's hard to tell b/c I squished the peas for him before I put them in the tank. Like I said our Fuzzy made it through this similar thing. I really hope Little Guy does. I cannot believe we have gotten this attached to our fish!

sara8 · #4 05-25-2006, 10:31 PM

generally when fish won't eat they are not doing well. i know when you buy a fish you are suppose to have the store feed them and make sure they eat as this is a sign of good health. i'm not sure what advice to offer up though other than to wait it out and hope for the best. i will be thinkin of you guys i know how hard it is to watch a sick fish and not know what's going to happen.

kathydip · #5 05-26-2006, 08:45 AM

Thanks! We need all the good thoughts and prayers we can get. I am sure he is eating the peas now. Although he hasn't eaten in front of me. His skin is now coming completely off. It really looks bad but he is hanging in there. With every day I am more hopeful he will make it.

shaggypaws · #6 05-26-2006, 01:26 PM

Fish can go a long time wit eating.Goldfish can take care of themselves in a well established enviroment.The best thing for him is to turn the lights out and basicly leave him alone.The more he see and hears you the more stressed he will be.Also bring your salt level up another,1 TBLS.Only offer him food once a day,just 1 flake or pellet.Let nature take it from there.

Using a iodine solution directly on the fish will help the wonds,but I won't want to stress him.

kathydip · #7 05-26-2006, 02:13 PM

Thank you. I really think he likes the peas. I saw something at the pet store that was called a bandage. When I read the instructions it sounded terribly difficult and I thought it would only stress him out and that is the last thing he needs. We turned his light off early yesterday in hoped to keep algae down as that tank can get bad. I used the Melafix that Sasami told me about. She has been really helpful!