My goldfish has a tail slit. What can I do to help him heal?

Question

Hi. My back moor goldfish is currently about six years old and I have grown quite attached to him. I have had him along with some other fish for half my life. But sadly he has developed a large slit on the lower half of his tail. He is not a fan tail. He has a common goldfish tail. It looks quite painful and my accounting has a similar problem. Is there anything I can do. I will be devastated if my beautiful babies die. SOS!! PLS HELP. Pet's info: Fish | Unknown - Fish | 10 lbs

Angel Alvarado, LVT · Accepted Answer

Fin damage can usually be managed by providing pristine water quality and chemistry. I see you have several goldfish in the tank. Goldfish produce larger than average bio-load (wastes) than other fish. This requires a large tank, at least 20 gallons for one fish and 10 additional gallons for each extra fish. The filter should be rated for at least twice the volume of the tank. Check the water chemistry using a home test kit or by submitting a sample for testing. Most pet or fish stores will do this for free or for a small fee. Aim for readings of 0 ppm ammonia and nitrites with a nitrate level of 40 ppm or less. It looks like you have some live plants in the tank, so nitrates won't be an issue unless they are very high. Perform partial water changes daily to stabilize chemistry and improve or maintain water quality. Use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent stress or shock. Brands for conditioners include Prime, AmQuel Plus, NovAqua, StressZyme and StressCoat. These can be purchased online or in most pet stores. Look in the Aquarium Section. Plain aquarium salt (NOT table or Epsom salts) can be used as a general tonic to reduce stress, treat minor infection and aid in recovery. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt per gallon of water in a cup of tank water and gently pour it into the tank. Treat for 10-14 days then reassess fin condition. Partial water changes can be performed afterwards to decrease salinity. It will take time, but fin damage should heal unless there are other causes such as infection or aggression/nipping from tank mates.

My goldfish has a tail slit. What can I do to help him heal?

Most Helpful Answer

Related Questions

What to do if my cat has a small hole with pus coming from its ear?

What fish dog food helps dry skin if my dog eats Science Diet?

My small pet is limping and can't bear weight. Should I see a vet?

My degu lost teeth after an accident. How can I feed him soft foods?

My pet's eye looks strange but doesn't seem to hurt. What's wrong?

How to keep a pet mom and her newborn babies warm and calm?

Share