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How sad. I'm glad "you" looked in the toilet.

Least someone did.

I hope he makes it.

I'd put him in the 55, keep up the water changes, and get digging. Another good option would be to buy a 40-50 gallon Rubbermaid storage tub, they're surprisingly cheap.

Good for you for saving the poor thing!

EDIT: Cory's made me realize I wasn't clear - AFTER the quarantine, put him in the 55.

Last edited by LittleMousling at 02-Mar-2005 14:25

-Molly
Visit shelldwellers.com!

I was hoping that's what you meant Molly.

Nice catch. How big is he?

You have to wonder if the owner dumped him, or if someone else dumped him as a practical joke and the owner is pining for him. How cruel, either way. Or, the fish may have been in substandard conditions, piping for air and the owner thought he was doing him a favor in "euthanasia via porceline express". He probably revived in the clean toilet water .

I would definitely keep him quarantined, tho you just may have to do several large water changes weekly. Not only has he been stressed possibly by the temp difference of his container and the toilet (possible ich), but fish are very capable of picking up e-coli and it is deadly, much like an aeromonas infection. Toilets are loaded with e-coli. Any fish carrying e-coli can spread it throughout your tank. I learned about it during the big blackout when water municapalities could not keep the pipes from backing up. There were warnings all over the TV about the potential for e-coli in the drinking water and to boil it. Then a vet spoke about how this water should not be used to change fish tanks as the fish can get deadly e-coli infections. Imagine being in a toilet for any length of time.

In fact, I may be too quick to medicate, but I'd give this fish a 7-10 day meal of the new Jungle Anti-Bacteria medicated food to be safe because of e-coli potential. Get it while it may be weak in his system, rather than wait for symptoms. By then, it is too late.

I would also have either melafix or pimafix in the water. Only God knows how he'd been handled before you got him, then further netting may have roughed up his coat. The melafix and pimafix would prevent body fungus infections. Prevention is easier dealing with than treatment. This fish could have been flushed, but didn't go all the way down and worked his way back up, meaning lots of potential for unseen knicks and scrapes.

Please let us know how he does.

http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441806679&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023693&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302030134&bmUID=110979490716014:25

If you can't find this food, look for Pepso food, or use Medi-Koi if you have it. Otherwise, I would use a waterborne medication like Furan-2, or Fungus Eliminator if you cannot find that. Nitrofurans are more readily absorbed by the bloodstream. Nitrofura-G would be another, Furacyn. But your best hope comes from ingested meds - and quickly. E-coli can manifest fast.

Last edited by Cory_Di at 02-Mar-2005 14:33

Oh goodness! thanks for the rescue ! and I'm ever so glad it's destined for the pond.

Another option other than the 55 is to get a rubbermaid stock tank. They offer a larger footprint than a 55 and can be kept to a more appropriate temp for a goldfish.
Most feed stores seem to carry them, although you might need to call around a bit. It'll be much better in the 55 than a toilet though.
*mutters about bad people*

^_^[hr width='40%']"There’s an emptiness inside her. And she’d do anything to fill it in.
And though it’s red blood bleeding from her now. It's more like cold blue ice in her heart.
She feels like kicking out all the windows. And setting fire to this life."

Last edited by Babelfish at 02-Mar-2005 14:49[/font]

That's a pretty good idea with a rubbermaid bin. They make them so big now. You could probably hand a filter on there some now, or at least put a big internal filter in there. Fill it and let it run a good week to age, then put him in .

Do keep us updated on his progress.

Mean people do suk

I have melafixed the 10 gal tank,That was immediate. I have the medicated food, on hand in will start that asap. I also have the jungle fizz tabs on hand. Should I start that also- Im scared to Over medicate.

Well, the only visible mark on him is a ripped anal fin. And I looked him over with a magnifying glass. I have no idea how long he was in there, but its been atleast 3 days. Thats when the owner did a walk threw, after the tenants turned in there keys.

Ill be looking for a large stock tank, and try to rig up some sort of filter. I was going to do that this afternoon, but may wait a few days, to see if this little guy is going to show signs of illness.

As for how big he is- 4 1/4 inches from nose to end of body, 5 3/8 including the tail. Hes a bright deep orange red with the end of his fins white/ transluscent. And acts more like a pet dog, than a fishh that should be really stressed out.

*bounces up and down and shouts for pictures* Ehem...

Good job on saving the poor thing, and yay to him for surviving his ordeal! Best of luck to the both of you!

~Meow. Thus spoke the cat.~

What *edit . I'm pretty confident that they flushed the toilet and didn't bother to look behind them. The fish probably handled teh current and didn't go all the way down, making his way back up. Or, they just didn't have the guts to flush (thank God).

Nice job, I would not use any Jungle Fizz tabs on him as the melafix will do good on prevention. Also, the medicated food will work on some external infections, much like tetracycline can clear zits . You couldn't have him on anything better, unless you had Medikoi. The nitrofurans are good for gram positive and negative infections, and it also has a sulfa blend in it.

I'm so glad Jungle met the challenge of medicated food. I emailed Jungle about a year before they came out with it asking why companies like theirs continued to pour money into things that compromise our biofilters while providing low therapeutic levels of medicine in the bloodstream at best. It's not rocket science that ingested meds are next best thing to injected. I even told them how difficult levamisol was to find - the only viable treatment for camallanus nematodes and they responded with Anti-Parasite medicated food that has that, Praziquantel and Metronidazole. I highly recommend everyone keep both of these on hand even if you have to throw them out every few years, unused. They have a good shelf life, unopened.

Please keep us updated in the coming days. How fortunate for the little guy. Just be careful with the water changes so he doesn't have to deal with more than 1-1.5F when you do water changes on the 10 gallon. Also watch the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. That baby is going to put out some serious ammonia in a 10 gallon. While he is recuperating, and if it is not too much trouble, you may consider 50% water changes daily, keeping that temp stable in the process.

Feed him nothing but the medicated food for at least 7 days or whatever the minimum number of days is spelled out on the bottle. If he is symtpom free after that minimum, then I'd give him a good meal of frozen blood worms or brine shrimp

Last edited by Cory_Di at 02-Mar-2005 18:08

Last edited by DarkRealm Overlord at 03-Mar-2005 20:20

I once went on a tour of a sewage treatment plant (I'm a journalist ... we sometimes have to do these things!)

One of the employees was telling me that they sometimes find live goldfish mixed in with the sludge that comes in from ... well, you know. And he also said that on more than one occasion, they'd rescued them, cleaned them up and taken them home, and that the fish usually did really well.

I guess that tells you something about a fish's ability to adapt to its surroundings! (Also that some sewage-treatment plant employees are really nice people!)

Also that some sewage-treatment plant employees are really nice people!

!
Keep us posted hca, I'm pulling for the little guy!

^_^



[hr width='40%']"There’s an emptiness inside her. And she’d do anything to fill it in.
And though it’s red blood bleeding from her now. It's more like cold blue ice in her heart.
She feels like kicking out all the windows. And setting fire to this life."

from the tiolet. Really. I clean rentals part time, and went into to clean the bathroom, and found the goldy in the toilet. So i got him home and put him in a 10 gal qt tank. Yes i know its way to small for him, but after being where he was, he needs to be qt'd. amazingly he looks healthy.What kind of maintance needs to be done for the next few weeks on this tank till Im sure He's healthy?

I know he's ultimately best off in a pond, and started digging one last fall. Till thats finished, I do have room ( i think ) in my 55 gal, if I cant find another home for him. Currently my 55 is a bit empty, as im redoing it. Ive got 2 large aquaclear filters ( the biggest size), 2 blue gouramis, 2 dojo loaches,a mixed school of 7 danios( zebra and leapord) and a 5in BN pleco. Is there enough room to TEMPORARILY house a 4in( not including the tail) fantail?
The tank is moderatly planted, and I do 25 % water changes weekly.
My guess is he is probably stunted, considering the circusmstances(sp?)- will he be able to "recover" to any point given good water, and plenty of room?I guess Im asking will He start to grow again, If his needs are met?

Thanks for any help.

People need to know that the toilet does not = euthanasia. It's been said that fish can live "down there", but Laura's account proves that. It's sickening. Imagine the agony and fear they go through. No compassion whatsoever for a living creature.

Well goldie is still going strong. I cant get him to stay still enough for a picture! Im going to start doing 25% water changes morning and evening, and yes Ill closely watch the temp, I always do. The 10 gal is set up On a hutch between the dining and living room, and is less than a foot from my 55. This am i found my dojos swimming up and down the sides of there tank closest to the goldy, and the goldy doing the same. It was cute. Can they see each other threw the glass? Ive never seen my dojos do this on That side of the tank.
Goldy has internal parasites ( white poo), after the round of antibiotic food, he'll be getting a round of antiparasite food. ( Im not good at spelling the names of someof these meds).He really needs more room than a 10, but till Im sure he doesnt have an awful infection, thats where he must stay. Its better than were he came from.

Edit to say- The pond will be started on again, after the ground dries up enough to start digging again.Digging up mud isnt fun. Its taking so long as Im going 4 ft deep as Its not winter temps that are a problem, but 3-4 Months of constant 90-110 degree heat.Dmensions are about 6 x 5x 4.
with a pond that size- How many friends can goldy have?
Also the dojos will be eventually go into the pond.

Last edited by hca at 03-Mar-2005 08:47

He will be fine in that 10 durring his recovery.

Good move on the anti-parasite med. I base my prophylactic treatments on what conditions a fish is coming from and this one came from one of the worst. I would also put this fish through a minimum 0.3% salt solution as a precaution for costia or other external parasites. There is a salt resistant version that can withstand that, and in that case a 0.6% solution is needed. If he has a low level infection, you don't want it carried into your tank or pond. Costia is getting very hard to control.

After all treatments are done and you are nearing time to move him into something bigger, I would put him on a round of the 0.3%. This is 1 Tbsp per gallon, but it is never dosed all at once. Rather, it is dosed in thirds (1 teaspoon/gal), at least 12 hours apart. Goldfish are good at handling salts. It should be fully predissolved before it goes in. Doc Wellfish takes time to dissolve or dissolves fast with hot water. If I need it quick, I will put a drop of conditioner in a cup of very hot tap water and dissolve it in there. Stirring constantly, it finally dissolves. This can also kill off flukes, among other parasites. I would probably go just over 0.3% by adding a fourth, 1 tsp/gal a few days after he has sat in the 0.3%.

Many fish can't handle so much salt, but the 0.6% many goldfish can. You would just repeat the above process a week later if any parasite infestation is resistant to the 0.3%. It is essentially 2 Tbsp/gal. The key is to always watch the fish.

The white poop may not necessarily be internal parasites. Some internal bacterial infections can do that too and the poor fella was exposed to e-coli, among many other nasties. But, I'd still do the round of anti-parasite treatment to be sure.

For now, I'd get him on at least 0.1% (1 tsp/gal) just as a tonic and to replace lost electrolytes if you haven't done it already. With all the water changes, it doesn't make sense to do the 0.3%.


Last edited by Cory_Di at 03-Mar-2005 09:33

That'll be about 750 gallons, a nice sized pond. If you're only keeping fancies you'll be fine. The "rule" when it comes to goldfish is 20-30 (depending on their age/size) gallons per fish in a tank larger than 75 gallons. 75 gallon tanks are used as a baseline since they offer the added depth that 55's don't offer.
If you were to be considering the common goldfish, ones sold as 29cent feeders I'd reccomend a longer and wider pond since they are more active and will reach 2 feet or more. These are also the more hardy of the goldfish.

Try feeding him peas, mine will always hold still long enough to get a pic if he's been given peas .


^_^[hr width='40%']"There’s an emptiness inside her. And she’d do anything to fill it in.
And though it’s red blood bleeding from her now. It's more like cold blue ice in her heart.
She feels like kicking out all the windows. And setting fire to this life."[/font]

Is that him? Or, is that one of yours, Babel? If he is yours, I'd be a little concerned with that belly - it looks concaved, like when they have parasites.

Or, is the picture misleading?


Last edited by Cory_Di at 03-Mar-2005 09:35

That's mine, sorry for the confusion. The one that was liberated from bosses dineing room table. I just wanted to show how much easier it is to get their pics when they're sitting still eating their veggies like good little shishies!

Have a feeling that the concaveness comes from the fact that he wasn't being too well taken care of food wise before I grabbed him. That was shot over a year ago () when I was worried about the "perforations" :%)....it's never shown any signs of parasites though...

^_^[hr width='40%']"There’s an emptiness inside her. And she’d do anything to fill it in.
And though it’s red blood bleeding from her now. It's more like cold blue ice in her heart.
She feels like kicking out all the windows. And setting fire to this life."

By the way, just so you know, if you put him in the 55g with your tropical fish, turn down the temp a bit. Around 74 ot 75... it isn't perfectly cold enough for the goldie or warm enough for the trops, but at least that way the goldie doesn't overheat and the trops don't freeze Trops and goldies usually don't mix, so try to compromise the temperature.

You're a real angel! I saved a goldie recently too (my brother was gonna flush him). People are too mean to fish!

Speaking of the 55, what is all in there?

Anything that will fit in a goldie's mouth is potential food. A smaller cory in a goldie's mouth can spell death for both as it locks itself in there. Two of our members already experienced this - one with a goldfish trying to eat a cory, and another with an angel trying to eat one.
[hr width='40%']
Babel, if his belly is still concave like that, I'd feed him a round of Anti-Parasite med anyway, just for the heck of it. You never know what he may poop out.