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HI,
Got an oranda, which has always had a problem with its swim bladder, it floats at the top of the tank. he/she has been like this for a couple of months and has otherwise been fine (except for nipped fins). anyway, suddenly yesterday his scales became raised, there was a few red blotches and he seemed to be very lethargic (like i could pick him up and he wouldnt care). This morning i found that his bubbly head stuff had gone! i suspect another gold fish has eaten it (i saw one pecking at it).
I was wondering why the sudden down fall of the fish?
anyway the tank is a standard 2 foot tank (i know not the biggest, esp for goldfish)
the oranda in question is about 5-7 cm long.
ammonia = 0-0.25mg/L (hard to read with that cruddy scale, but i lean towards the 0, as i assume the tank has been cycled)
nitrite = 0ppm
nitrate = 20ppm
pH=6.5ish (i know this is too low, i have recently added some calcium carbonate, coudl it be the cause of the problem?)
General hardness = 180ish ppm

thanks for your help

Sorry Goh but it was not a sudden downfall. Just a development that you could no longer ingnore. The nipped fins were an ongoing sign all was not well. As such the fish was being singled out by other fish and could not get away.

It has only been surviving not really living. It is better it is out of its misery.

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~~~ My fish blow kisses at me all day long ~~~

I think your pH may of been part of the problems you have had with your goldfish. At the moment it is far too low for goldfish. It needs to be in the range of 7 - 7.4

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

Id bet odds on if you sort the water uality and treat for a columnaris infection the fish would have picked up. Sounds like it was sick with bacterial septacaemia, the swim bladder infection might well have been the initial site of infection.

I doubt the ph had any impact unless you raised it too quickly with too much calcium carbonate. Goldfish will easily live in a ph around 6.5. Actually most any fish will without dying or showing signs of illness. Ph unless it's unstable and changing frequently is rarely the cause of death.

It's probably the fact your tank is crowded, the other fish were nipping at that one(partially due to being crowded), that gave an opening for a bacterial infection, and the fish eventually died of stress and a bacterial infection. Once a fish is dead all the other fish will pick at the dead one and even eat the entire thing if you let them. That's usually a bad idea since they can easily catch whatever the other fish died of. I'd watch for signs of bacterial infections in the other fish so you can treat with medication if necessary and work on getting a bigger tank for the remaining goldfish.

Take a close look at your other goldfish. If they are showing any signs that the deceased on had, medicate with an anti-biotic. Make sure you follow the directions to the letter.
GOOD LUCK!

"There is also a Clown Pleco in this tank some where. I am telling you, HE IS IN HERE."