If he has an open wound and is also swollen, it's an internal bacterial infection. That makes it more complicated to deal with. The wound usually is just the advancement of the infection inside. If he's still eating, get some medicated food...try to get the antibiotics inside him. The salt will keep any additional bacteria from attacking the wound. In the fish section of places like PetSmart, they have antibiotic meds for smaller fish. You'll have to double the strength for the amount of water you'll have to use for a larger fish, but it may be worth it to let him swim around in a medicated bath.
New Pond in Progress #2 (Bonnie)
Oberon, these folks will even repaint their birdhouses for $10. They are very well made and mine has been up there through lots of high winds. Probably about 3 or 4 years since Charlie put it up.
MM, I'm going to town today and will go to Pet Smart and see if they have antibiotic meds in stock. Jeff said when he picked it up it has water bubbles coming out of his sides. It really is Jeffs fish and he told me not to worry about it but I hate seeing something suffer if I can prevent it.
Noticed this morning there are brown like sausages floating on top of the water. I'm hoping thats fish poop and not something else harmful. Caleld fish farm this morning and he said same thing I said possibly impacted with eggs. Time will tell. I feel like Dr. Doolittle. I'll do what I can.
Bonnie
If it's impacted, it will still cause an internal infection....the fact that it now has an open sore if the concerning part. Fish poop will sometimes float if you change the fish diet, water temp, or if a fish has an infection (which yours does) Many times sick fish will gulp more surface air, which adds some air to the digestive tract. If you can't get medicated food, you can also feed fish frozen green peas (thawed) and they help clear out their digestive systems, as well as adding a little extra vitamin c to their diet.
Bonnie
that is a lot of money for an animal shelter. Ours charges $55 but it includes spaying/neutering of the animal. If you go to PetSmart and adopt one of their adult cats, it is $25. Shots are included as well - it actually cost me more money if I take in a stray and then get the spaying/neutering and the shots. I have done it both ways and it is definitely more cost effective to go to the shelter. Funny how different our areas are in the respect, isn't it?
Just wondering if your poor goldfish was in with other fish and how they look. Are any of those fish looking like they might have any problems? I ask only because they have been exposed.
the cats here at PetSmart go for around $125 at a minimum. Woody cost $200 and that didn't include any shots but rabies and his neutering. I guess that makes sense as most stuff seems more expensive here.
These cats in PetSmart are there for the ASPCA - they have an entire area for the ASPCA. They are poor little shelter cats. The money goes to the running of the ASPCA
http://www.chemungspca.org/adopt.aspx
Jeff came today and went to Pet Supermarket and got meds. Ulcer is already healing up but Habeeb is still very swollen up. After looking up procedure we tried to express any eggs. No luck. Checked him just 1 hr. ago and he's still swimming around. All meds added after also adding a little warm water to sick tubby.
Jeff moved some koi from old pond and added to new pond. Took out a beautiful butterfly red looking and he evidentally got scraped in net and lost some scales so put it in sick tank and just got home from church and its dead. It was a little over a foot.
If Habeeb dies I will freeze it as Jeff wants to necropsy it to see if it is carrying eggs. As one friend told me the other day she would never have koi as they are just too much trouble. I told her its just challenges.
Carolyn Habeeb was in big pond with lots of others but so far they all look OK. Jeff got in old pond and examined all the goldfish and he said they looked OK. There is only about 4 left in old pond now and they are all goldies. Pet Supmkt. person said to bring water up to same temp as pond was so I did as I put fresh water in sick tank every day and its cooler.
I've spent $40.(meds) on a shubunkin. I think I need a labotomy.(brain transplant) At least I can say I tried. Fish farm owner said it would probably die. Well I've been told that before and they pulled thru. I figure give it my best shot.
At least I never get bored. LOL
Bonnie
M Mary forgot to add: Habeeb is not piping at all. Jeff fed his fish green peas some time ago so I will try that tomorrow. He took small amt. on tweezers and put in fishes mouth. It cured it and it was an oranda. Somehow, I can't picture my tough looking son doing that but he did. Mary you have seen Meatball who now resides in my larger new pond and he's still going strong.
OK all, I've had enough excitement for one day. I'm going to bed and read a gardening mag.
Happy Ponding
Bonnie
He's still living but I couldn't get him to eat the peas. I'll keep puting in the meds every day but I've done all I can do.
The ulcer is deep and doesn't look good at all. Poured iodine into it yesterday on fish farms suggestions.
Bonnie
Bonnie
Have you tried a Tricide Neo Dip? It is an antibiotic dip for both koi and goldfish that is for ulcer disease.
No don't know what it is but Carolyn I have spent over $50. on this little shsubunkin and thats enough for me. Comes a time when it goes from the sublime to the ridiculous. As my son said, don't worry abou it any more.
I honestly think this is an inside problem just manifested with that ulcer.
I check him many times during the day, add proper amt. of meds and in 7 days if he makes it will do water change.
I also bought an air pump and stone for it plus there is an aquarium filter I put on tub. As my husb. said you can buy a lot of those little fish at Walmart for what your spending. I feel I've done about all I can do.
I will look up that tricide neo dip for learning purposes. Thanks
I went through the same process repeatedly trying to save my new koi. Course @ $700 for the lot it was worth almost any expenditure. I suspect it was simply too late. I really thought I had the last two cured. Carolyn walked me through all the steps and what to use and they were healing up nicely. The ulcers we no longer red and the flesh looked healthy. I learned a great deal and also gained the confidence to do things I had never done before. So it was not an entire loss. Course, now I only have gold fish as my husband has forbidden (like he thinks that would matter if I really wanted a koi lol) more koi until we are certain that our winter process is successful and we have a healthy pond. I do use the MicrobeLift PL and in the spring I use Prazi just to be on the safe side. Carolyn uses another maintenance product that I may try next year.
I have been there in the past with ulcer disease - I remember clearly that the salt bath was the real turning point.
I understand where Bonnie is on this and I get the whole - spending $. I have often wondered myself if I should put some type of $ limit on the fish when they have these problems. My problem is I tend to get emotionally attached to these fish - I suppose part of my rationale is 2 fold - firstly, I did spend too much on the fish to begin with and also, if I were to replace a 20" fish, I know I would be spending a small fortune for the same size fish.
I know, I know - it is truly all rationalization.
What has been working for me, is to salt the pond every fall Octoberish to Novemberish. Apparently the salt produces enough of a slime coat to get the fish through until Spring. In the Spring, we vacuum and do our water exchanges so the salt content is back down to 0 - this method also works well regarding the plants as salt will harm the plants.
Bonnie - let us know what happens.
Oberon if I ever spent $700. on fish we would have a cold war around here. Plus when they got sick I'd be beside my pond in tears. I unfortunately get attached to them. Nuts huh!!
Carolyn,
Went out this morning and was really shocked. Habeeb is not swollen and the ulcer has already covered over after just 2 pour ons of iodine. Also, his bulging eyes look much better. He isn't as peppy as he was but maybe that will come later. Plus he is in a little 30 gal. tub. so how much can he dart around. He lets me pick him up easily and doesn't thrash immediately. I have been able to pour on iodine with no problem. I'm just feeding him 4 pellets a day and he is eating now. Believe me I was in shock as I thought I would loose him for sure. I'm keeping up treating the water and tomorrow will put in all fresh water along with meds and salt.
So far so good but they can always turn around but right now signs are good.
Also, I'm going to salt the ponds soon. I think salt prevents a lot of problems and it certainly is a cheap ounce of prevention.
Bonnie
Bonnie
Great news. So glad your fish is on the mend.
^_^
Carolyn,
This fish is really my son Jeffs so now you know I'm nuts. Took care of his sons today, the ones that helped me build the new pond and they told me they had seen their dad cry over his fish he lost. I was shocked so I told them well maybe we could save this one. The oldest boy (13) is also a fish lover and all things of nature. He loves to chase after lizards and small frogs and snakes. Who knows maybe he'll grow up to be a vet. He has been in gifted classes for years so who knows.
Anyway he was happy to see the fish looking so much better so it made it worth it to me.
Bonnie
Bonnie
Nature is so important. I am glad you were able to save the fish for your son.
I am also so very glad for you Bonnie. I am rooting for Habeeb to pull through
Good to hear Bonnie, He'll make it just fine I bet. When they start getting better it's a quick recovery. He will be splashing you within a week.
At least now I'm optimistic. Going to do his water change this morning as it looks kind of cruddy.
Weather is just beautiful. In low 80's which is wonderful.
Thanks all for your caring.
Bonnie
Sorry to report Habeeb didn't make it. Ulcer deepened and some scales looked white. His infection was inside apparently. Did alI I could. Before quaranteen he was in large pond with many others so I'm hoping they don't get it also.
Bonnie
I am so very sorry. It looked so hopeful. You did indeed do the very best for him. I will hope that your other fish are okay. You have been through so much. Just not fair for such a caring and proactive pond keeper. Rest in peace Habeeb.
Bonnie
I am sorry to hear that. Sometimes with our best efforts, things just don't happen the way we would like. How is your son taking the news?
That's too bad Bonnie, had so much hope for Habeeb. Is Jeff still up to the necropsy, or probably later. Would be curious if there was eggs.
Blah! Just got back from DC, so am catching up on all the posts....
Sorry about Habeeb Bonnie! Sounds like you did everything right...but sometimes they just don't make it. Usually, the money we spend isn't about one fish, it's about A) the learning lesson to help make sure it doesn't happen in the future, and B) if it does, how to deal with it quickly. We grow in knowledge all along the way!
Jeff's ok with it. He has learned fish health is temperamental at best.
I doubt seriously there were any eggs as the bloating went away completely.
M. Mary you are right, its all a learning process and will probably happen again but now I have all meds on hand plus plenty of salt. We just keep trying and learning.
Glad your back home. Our weather is too good to miss.
Bonnie
Leaving for N. Fl. tomorrow AM to visit with my youngest dgt. & husb. We are taking all the heavy clothes we have as its always cooler up there.
To all up in New England and surrounding areas will pray for your safety thru Sandy.
Bonnie
Bonnie
It is supposed to hit tomorrow. Time will tell. I have been keeping an eye on the skimmer basket because all the trees are losing their leaves, but with that wind tomorrow, I am sure the trees will be bare. I am hoping we don't lose any power.
My next door neighbor has a couple of big old trees that fall down some with each storm. Those trees make me more nervous than anything else. Those trees dropped quite a few really big limbs on us and the surrounding neighbors last summer. The town was here to look and agreed that the trees needed to come down, however never did anything with that decision. Time will tell what happens with those trees.
Hope they don't land on your house or pond. And YOU of course. All else is fixable, on your neighbors nickle of course. It would be so much better for them and all around to make an organized effort to remove them rather than letting Mother Nature (whom we all know tends to be b----- sometimes) do it for them.
We are back home but enjoyed our visit with our kids.
Carolyn,
Did you have any damage from Sandy? Saw some news and know Jersey shores got it bad.
I'm praying those folks get their power back soon as its cold up there now.
We took all our heavy clothes with us as it wasn't warm in N. Fl.
Let us know how you made it thru the storm if you still have power that is.
Bonnie
Bonnie
we were very fortunate - never even lost power. Not much of anything. I am hoping and praying for our friends on the East Coast.
Thank you for asking.
Carolyn thats good news. Now to get power back to those who lost it plus many are saying they need food and water. Hope faith based groups hop to it plus FEMA.
Bonnie
I hope you are correct in that - I feel so for those people and now it is starting to get cold on top of it. Those poor people.
I heard FEMA was slow in responding. At least that was what I had read in the NY area. Still no word from Arlene. If she was not at home you would think she would have her computer, but then not everyone has a laptop. And I am sure she has more on her mind that DG. I hope her home was not damaged, or at least maybe only the grounds. ONLY the grounds....like damage to all her flowers would not be crushing.
Mary
I keep thinking about Arlene too. I have been trying to her and cannot. I am hoping it is just a case of no power. My understanding is that she and Jack were going to go to a shelter and then found out the shelter wouldn't take dogs. Not the first time I have heard of that. I won't leave my animals either, so I totally understand it.
Hopefully just (I say 'just' like it is no big thing - snort; but in the scheme of things [look at pictures on the thread "better late than never" in the dahlia section] a power outage isn't much. I didn't know they had decided to go to a shelter. It must have looked like they were going to have problems. Crumb!
A friend from up home (former home) just sent me some aerial pics of Misquanicut R.I. which is where I used to hang out as a teen on the beach. They didn't get hit as bad as I thought they would. 1 house was completely demolished but the older homes seemed all in tact. The roller skating rink which is a large bldg. looked like it was ok. I used to roller skate almost every night and that was one place we enjoyed during the summer cause winters it was closed but we had another further inland. Makes you feel good to see an old landmark still standing.
Bonnie
JUST SAW MANY PICS OF NY NJ PA CT AND WHAT A GIGANTIC MESS. PEOPLE WITH NO FLOOD INS. WILL PROBABLY NEVER OWN A HOME AGAIN.
GOD HELP THEM ALL. OUR HOMEOWNERS INS. JUST WENT UP TO $6,000. DEDUCTIBLE FOR HURRICANE DAMAGE WHICH DOESN'T INCLUDE FLOODING. TOMORROW I WILL FIND WHERE TO DONATE. PEOPLE HERE KNOW WHAT A HURRICANE CAN DO SO I'M SURE THERE ARE MANY DONATION SITES SET UP.
PRAY FOR THEM AS A NOREASTER IS ALSO PREDICTED.
They got some snow but more fell inland than near the coast. NY and Jersey have gas and oil rationed as they are having problems getting in there.
They have restored electric to those who have homes left but hundreds are homeless and don't know where to go.
Oberon & Carolyn-have you heard anything from your friend?
Bonnie
Bonnie
Yes, it is quite a disaster there - I have had several emails from my friend. They were without power for 18 hours and suffered no damage, thankfully. I was so relieved to hear from her - thank you for asking.
I am hoping this weather we have witnessed is not an indicator of what is to come. This whole year the weather has been freakish.