My goldfish has black spots on it…is it sick?
My goldfish that I’ve had for three days now has black spots on it…I’ve just noticed it for the first time, so I’m not sure if it came like this. My fishy has a tank mate (another goldfish of the same breed) and the other one is free of these spots. The one with the black spots is acting perfectly normal, hyping up when I feed it, always sticking with its tank mate, and has clear eyes. These black patches are also on the top fins and the bottom fins of the fish, but it seems as if it is coloration than a tumor or bumps…it seems to be pretty happy since its fins aren’t clamped and stuff…so I’m no goldfish expert, that’s why I come to you =)
oh and btw….the other fish is doing great too…the one with the Black spots seems to mimic the other fist, eating when it eats, swimming wherever it swims…they’re like a cute little couple =)
oh and btw…I won these two fish at a carnival thingy…so I’m not sure if they’re good quality..but they’re doing fine…and also, there were other fish at the carnival from the same tank that were spotted and black as well…so is this late coloration or what?
oh and again, the fish isn’t gaspin for air or anything so….idk…really…but thanks for the help..still lookin for other answers too
If you aren’t certain your fish came with these, it’s might be from ammonia in their water. Goldfish create a lot of ammonia in their poo, and if you’re keeping them in a small container, it can build up quickly. Ammonia is toxic to fish, so doing a large, 50% water change will help bring down the amount in the water. Use water conditioner to treat the water if you’re getting it from your tap, and mix both the cold and warm so it’s about the temperature as the water in the tank already.
Since these are carnival goldfish, they are likely to be comets. These can grow over a foot long by the time they’re grown, and can live for 10+ years. If you plan to keep them, you should be thinking about getting a 30+ gallon tank. A 10 or 20 will do for a while as long as they’re small, but you will need to get a larger one later on. Goldfish don’t need a heater, but they will need a good filter. You want the next size up than the size of tank they’re in. So if you get a 20 gallon tank, get a filter for a 40. And don’t forget food, gravel, decorations & plants, and a gravel vacuum to clean their tank.
Being a goldfish owner is a big responsibility. Here are a few websites that can help you along.
http://www.firsttankguide.net/goldfish.php
http://www.kokosgoldfish.com/WhyGoldfishDontBelongInBowls.html
EDIT: If you saw other fish there with the black spots as well, this could be normal coloring, but it wouldn’t rule out the ammonia, either. The goldfish were probably kept in a tank that was too small for as many as they had. If this is the normal color, it should be a deep black, like someone drew on him with a black marker. If this is ammonia, it will be a brownish-black. You might also see redness in the body or fins like he was bleeding under the skin, not in the veins which you can sometimes see. And the fish will be at the top of the water acting like they can’t get enough air.