# Help my gold fish please.



## Jacob&Memo (Aug 24, 2017)

Hello, my name is Jacob and Memo(yes as when memo came apart of my family i couldnt say nemo so i called him memo) my fish who is 11 years old suddenly had a lump come up on his skin beneth his scales. I am scarred memo is my best friend. I have a chi fluval 19litter which may or may not be too small for memo i dont really know and there is one plabt in there a grass plant. Unfortunately i do not own any water testers to test for nitrite and ammonia but all the i can think of is the other day i was brought aquarium salt so i used it for the first time. Thank you so much for your help, Jacob.


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## Jacob&Memo (Aug 24, 2017)

Sorry the picture is very hard to get as he keeps moving from me


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## Jacob&Memo (Aug 24, 2017)

I also just realised that his poo is not his usual colour it is translucent any advice?


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## NaomiM (Sep 22, 2012)

He needs a much bigger tank I'm afraid - he's done very well to make it to 11 years in that little one. The lump may be a tumour, which goldfish do get sometimes - I'm no expert on treatment as I don't have goldfish myself, maybe @magpie or @kittih can help?


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## NaomiM (Sep 22, 2012)

Double post, whoops


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

I'm not much good with illnesses, so hopefully someone else can give you some advice for that. What I will say is that it's pretty incredible that your fish has lived so long in a 19L tank! Really, at 11 years old, a goldfish should be physically unable to fit into such a small tank. Single-tailed goldfish like yours should reach at least 10-12 inches in length, and ideally should only be kept in ponds or very large tanks.

If possible I would say get a much larger tank (ideally over 100L, but anything bigger than your current tank would be good), or if you can't upgrade to a 'proper' tank, you can use a large storage box instead (like the 'Really Useful' ones). You also really need a test kit (a liquid drop one like the API master kit) so you can see what your water quality is like, as it's likely that there are issues there.

Edit: posted at the same time as @NaomiM ! I've never dealt with lumps or tumours with my goldfish, so other than a bigger tank with lots of clean water I'm not sure what to suggest...


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## Jacob&Memo (Aug 24, 2017)

Thanks guys for your help just for an update my fish has been in a biger tank but with more fish and as time went on i thought it was not necessary to have such a big tank as some of them past away. Unfortunately i only recently got this tank and i dont think i will be able to upgrade but the water testers i should definitely get i was wondering if you could suggest reasonable priced ones. Thank you Jacob


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## MontyMaude (Feb 23, 2012)

I use the API Master Kit https://www.amazon.co.uk/API-Freshwater-Master-Test-Kit/dp/B000255NCI


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

For a test kit you want something like this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/API-Freshw...r=8-1&keywords=api+freshwater+master+test+kit

But to be brutally honest, I can't see your fish surviving for very long in such a small tank  It's not enough water volume, not enough space, and the filter won't be able to cope with the waste produced.


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## Jacob&Memo (Aug 24, 2017)

As i have no source of income the best i can do is plead at my parents is there any cheap tanks? At a good size for memo?


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## Jacob&Memo (Aug 24, 2017)

This was memos old tank if you were wondering


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## Jacob&Memo (Aug 24, 2017)

After a couple of hours checking up on him it looks like it is slowly getting smaller!


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## kittih (Jan 19, 2014)

Unfortunately it looks like your fish has a tumour. It is not possible to determine whether it is cancerous or benign. There is no treatment. Keep your fishes water conditions as clean as possible (no ammonia or nitrite) and regular water changes. Given the small size of the tank I recommend a 30% water change every 4 days using water conditioner. Feed sparingly. 

When your fish gets to the stage where it appears to be suffering get some clove oil (pure clove oil with no additives or alcohol available from health food shops) and use that to euthanize the fish. Don't use the freezer method, flush it or any of the other ways the internet lists as they are all very cruel and painful.

There are instructions on the web about how to use the clove oil - it sends them to sleep and then a further overdose kills them whilst they are sleeping.


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## Jacob&Memo (Aug 24, 2017)

@kittih


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## kittih (Jan 19, 2014)

Jacob&Memo said:


> @kittih


Sorry to give you such bad news.  Fish are remarkably resilient so even with a tumour your fish could have a long time left with you happily swimming around.


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## Jacob&Memo (Aug 24, 2017)

Do tumours get smaller because to me it looks like this mark is shrinking?


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## kittih (Jan 19, 2014)

Hmm they don't tend to. If it's getting smaller then it's possible he I injured the area and it was swollen. 

Just keep an eye on it and keep the water quality up. Fish can recover from some amazing things so if it doesn't turn out to be a tumour then he stands a good chance.

Good luck Memo


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## Jacob&Memo (Aug 24, 2017)

Thank you!


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## NaomiM (Sep 22, 2012)

Re tanks, you can often get second-hand ones off ebay, gumtree etc at reasonable prices.

If he has been injured, the best way to promote healing is to keep the water quality as close to perfect as possible. This will be much much easier in a larger tank. The test kit is also necessary to determine the levels of toxins such as ammonia. As others have said, the API kit is a good one. Don't get the cardboard test strips as they're inaccurate.


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## kittih (Jan 19, 2014)

Also look at freecycle OP. I have several unused tanks and tend to put them on freecycle as I usually cant be bothered to clean the limescale deposits off to justify charging for them. It just needs a bit of work to make them pristine again. If you are anywhere near Cambridgeshire you are welcome to have my spare tank.


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## Jacob&Memo (Aug 24, 2017)

Hey thanks for all the great advice! Im definitely going to get a water tester and if i can justify a tank i will get a tank. Thanks for the offer @kittih i will have to verify will my parents thank you very much.


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## Jacob&Memo (Aug 24, 2017)

Hey guys i was just with memo feedong him it looked so small the bump and then all of a sudden then thing is comming out of him it looks like a scale but red and thick, any ideas? Thanks


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## Jacob&Memo (Aug 24, 2017)

New scale?


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## kittih (Jan 19, 2014)

Can't say for certain, but possibly. It's the right shape.


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