Wen "fungus" treatment?

[nothingtoreallygetfastfor 17]

Hello, Citizens of Koko's! One of our goldfish has a problem and needs your help.

Chippie, our 4 1/2 year-old lionhead, has come down with several fuzzy white specks on her otherwise magnificent wen. That cottony-looking overgrowth of bacterial infection called "fungus" (I've lurked on this forum long enough to know! ).

Unfortunately, this infection may have been developing unseen for several weeks, because the normal whitish cast of new wen growth in these mega-lumpified areas probably would have obscured "fungus" that was just starting out.

WHAT I'VE DONE SO FAR: During the last water change (4 days ago), I put Chippie in a mild salt dip of 2 tablespoons per gallon for approximately 8 minutes, during which she calmly swam around the bucket (that's why I kept her in so long). Then the fuzz went away, but it reappeared as bad as before within 24 hours. So during today's water change, I found my trusty ol' goldfish book, and did a stronger salt dip following David Boruchowitz's recommended 2 tablespoons per quart.

However, this higher salinity clearly upset Chippie, who thrashed slightly before just drifting at the surface with the top of her back exposed, motionless besides heavy breathing. Of course, I removed her within the minute.

I returned her to the bucket only after diluting the solution by two quarts, then watched her extra-closely. She hated it the same as before, and when some veins in her tail became red, I returned her to the tank instead of diluting it further (as it seemed like she'd been through plenty of stress for one day). So, she had at most the equivalent of a 2 minute salt dip altogether this morning.

I'm pretty sure I'm doing the dips correctly: Morton Canning & Pickling Salt (100% salt, no additives) dissolved in tank water heated by well-rinsed pots, then cooled to room temperature before being added to room-temperature tank water (45 gallon always kept at room-temperature too) in the "goldfish-only" bucket.

Also, for what it may be worth, after all three salt dips, upon being returned to the tank Chippie immediately zoomed to the corner and spent a good 20-30 seconds vigorously rubbing her head in the powerful incoming stream from the refilling hose. So apparently the salt stings: maybe that means it's working?

And doesn't this problem requires longer-term, lower-level salinity to clear up? I'm not sure what's the optimum salinity for this problem or how long I should maintain it, at the 45 gallon tank level. (Of course I would prefer to avoid subjecting the other two goldfish to salt they don't need by putting Chippie in a "hospital" tub, but there's no remotely safe place for it.)

Also I am uncertain how to interpret salinity-related instructions given the concentration of Morton Canning & Pickling salt : a tablespoon of it is MUCH more salt than a tablespoon of rock salt, for example. Maybe 2 tablespoons per quart of this particular salt was way too much?

Thanks for your help! And for slogging through my many paragraphs! 

NOTE: This is the first time I have used a smartphone (which I'm only borrowing) to post ANYTHING online, and I am TERRIBLE at it, so please refer to my last post (about red splotches on Blunderbuss) for information regarding the tank and its inhabitants. I will post basic water parameters shortly, but the ability to copy and paste the standard form is hopelessly beyond me. (Please forgive me, this post has taken me about two hours already; no wonder I just have a flip-phone.)

[nothingtoreallygetfastfor 17]

45 GALLON TANK EST. 2012

TWO 4" LIONHEADS, ONE 3" PEARLSCALE (APPROXIMATE LENGTHS EXCLUDING TAILS)

+95% W/C TWICE WEEKLY (leaving just enough old water to cover fish)

TWO AQUACLEAR FILTERS (70 AND 30)

LARGE BUBBLE DISC TO SPEED SURFACE GAS-EXCHANGE

NO GRAVEL, BUT ABOUT A CUPFUL OF RIVER ROCKS

15 MOSSBALLS (MORE OR LESS WHOLE)

(DROP TEST KIT)

TEMPERATURE: 72 F / 22 C 

pH: 7.6

AMMONIA: 0.5 ppm

NITRITE: 0 ppm

NITRATE: 5 ppm

I changed +95% of the water this morning, and those last 4 readings are the same as the tap readings.

I got all three fish when they were very small, following the then-current Koko's gallons per fish rule. Now I do water changes twice as often.

I will replace this with the proper form if I am able to access a real computer soon; as is I am stuck on a smartphone I can hardly do anything right with.

[DawnMichele 6,045]

Hope Chippie feels better.

[koko 14,339]

Please copy & paste fill the following form and fill it out to the best of your ability when requesting help for Goldfish Problems:

Test Results for the Following: * Ammonia Level(Tank) * Nitrite Level(Tank) * Nitrate level(Tank) * Ammonia Level(Tap) * Nitrite Level(Tap) * Nitrate level(Tap) * Ph Level, Tank (If possible, KH, GH and chloramines) * Ph Level, Tap (If possible, KH, GH and chloramines) Other Required Info: * Brand of test-kit used and whether strips or drops? * Water temperature? * Tank size (how many gals.) and how long has it been running? * What is the name and "size of the filter"(s)? * How often do you change the water and how much?

* How many days ago was the last water change and how much did you change? * How many fish in the tank and their size? * What kind of water additives or conditioners? * What do you feed your fish and how often? * Any new fish added to the tank? * Any medications added to the tank? * List entire medication/treatment history for fish and tank.Please include salt, Prazi, PP, etc and the approximate time and duration of treatment. * Any unusual findings on the fish such as "grains of salt," bloody streaks, frayed fins or fungus? * Any unusual behavior like staying at the bottom, not eating, etc.?

[shakaho 6,312]

Test Results for the Following:

* Ammonia Level(Tank) 0.5

* Nitrite Level(Tank) 0

* Nitrate level(Tank) 5

* Ammonia Level(Tap) 0.5

* Nitrite Level(Tap) 0

* Nitrate level(Tap) 5

* Ph Level, Tank (If possible, KH, GH and chloramines) 7.6 

* Ph Level, Tap (If possible, KH, GH and chloramines) 7.6

Other Required Info:

* Brand of test-kit used and whether strips or drops? drops

* Water temperature? 72F 22C

* Tank size (how many gals.) and how long has it been running? 45 gallons, since 2012

* What is the name and "size of the filter"(s)? Aquaclear 30 and 70

* How often do you change the water and how much? twice a week, ~ 95%

* How many days ago was the last water change and how much did you change? today 95%

* How many fish in the tank and their size? two 4" s.l. lionheads, and a 3" s.l. pearlscale

* What kind of water additives or conditioners?

* What do you feed your fish and how often?

* Any new fish added to the tank?

* Any medications added to the tank?

* List entire medication/treatment history for fish and tank.Please include salt, Prazi, PP, etc and the approximate time and duration of treatment.

* Any unusual findings on the fish such as "grains of salt," bloody streaks, frayed fins or fungus? fuzzy white spots on wen of one lionhead

* Any unusual behavior like staying at the bottom, not eating, etc.?

I put your answers into the form.  Since you can't copy and paste, you can simply quote this post and fill in your answers.  

You will find our instructions for salt dips here.

 

[shakaho 6,312]

I want to commend your maintenance procedures.  

I'm going to report your problems to the moderating team for suggestions on treatment.  You will want a separate container for Chippie.  A plastic storage tote works great.

Would you please test the tank water again today so we can get an idea of the normal parameters of your tank?

[koko 14,339]

Also if you can a video or Photos of the fish

[shakaho 6,312]

Swab the fungus patches with methylene blue, a very gentle treatment.  If this doesn't take care of it, try API Fungus Cure.