Gold fantail thyroid tumor? Likely Simazine poisoned  - 1/22/07
Hello crew,
<Rachel>
I have a one-eyed gold fantail named Polyphemos,
<Ahh!>
about 5 inches long from nose to the end of his tail.  A few months ago I bought a 5 gallon Regent acrylic tank for him (up from his old 2.5 gallon)
<Yikes... needs even much more room than this>
with a built-in filtration system and bio-wheel.  After reading the FAQs, I realize he should have twice that much space,
<Easily... better four or more times>
but I have nowhere to put a 10 gal. tank until I move out of this apartment.  Having lost several goldfish in years past due to poor water quality, I've been diligent about changing Pol's water - 20-30% weekly.
<Good>
I had a friend feed Pol over Christmas break.  He seemed fine when I got back, although there was a lot of algae build-up, and his dorsal fin and tail had changed to black - I chalked this up to the dark algae-covered environment.
<Mmm, both more likely due to declining water quality>
I scraped some of the algae off the tank, did a partial water change, changed the filter, and added the recommended amount of "Algae Destroyer Liquid."
<... Simazine... toxic... I do NOT endorse the use of this compound for/in ornamental aquatic use>
  Pol seemed fine for the rest of that week, and soon began to change back to his normal gold color.  However, he has now lost his appetite completely, and as far as I know has not eaten any of his food for close to a week.
(Until yesterday his tank was bare except for some river stones, which made keeping track of and disposing uneaten food a breeze.)  He now spends most of his time sitting in the corner of the tank with his nose in the air and is breathing heavily.
<Start... changing the water... daily... a gallon or two... stored from days previous...>
  He occasionally darts to the surface and swims normally when disturbed but soon settles back in the corner.  He doesn't seem to be in danger of starving just yet; he was perhaps overfed while I was on vacation, and his fins and scales are all normal and healthy.
But when he first lost his appetite, I noticed a small reddish-white bump on his throat (see picture, attached).  I thought at first from his symptoms that it might be flukes, did a partial water change, and treated with Parasite Clear, which involved a 20-30% water change before the second dose.  48 hours after the second dose of the medicine, the bump was still there, and the area of redness appeared to have grown to 2-3 mm in size.  I did another 20-30% water change, tap water as usual properly treated with a dechlorinator, hoping that it was a water quality problem, perhaps tied to the algae remover chemicals.  Nothing seems to have helped.  Ammonia levels are undetectable, pH is at 7.5.  I don't have a nitrite/nitrate test kit, but I'm assuming from these recent water changes every couple of days that it's as close as I can get it to optimal.
Usually he eats Tetra Exotic sinking mini sticks for dinner alternated with Tubifex worms for breakfast, and has always until now been extremely interested in food.  He doesn't show interest in it at all now, even when I drop the pellets directly on top of him.  Since reading the info on these pages, I've tried feeding him a thawed frozen pea, without the skin; no response.  I added a layer of gravel and some live plant bulbs last night, hoping that they could help create a more natural environment eventually, or at least a more comfortable surface for him to sit on.  Although it's been fine until now, I've also added a bubble stone in case there's a problem with oxygenation.  Besides this bump, the rapid breathing, and constant sitting in the corner, he looks healthy, but refuses to eat.
From looking at the charts at www.fishyfarmacy.com, I thought it might be a thyroid tumor, Chilodonella, or maybe even a rock stuck in his throat.  
<Mmm, no... these are distant possibilities... Your fish has been poisoned... by the initial questionable water quality... next, the Simazine...>
I've thought about trying salt, but the last time I salted a tank my fish died - I was using table salt without iodine as recommended by some other website, and wasn't sure whether that death was due to using the wrong type of salt or the inevitable progress of the infection.
<More likely by far the latter>
I've got a bag full of meds from my disease-ridden poor-water quality days, but I didn't want to dose him up with more chemicals before I knew for sure what was wrong.  Any advice or diagnosis you have would be very much appreciated!  I think he could hold out for a few more days to a week without eating, but I'm out of ideas for what else to do to help him.
Thank you,
~Rachel <><
<If you had another up and going system I'd move the goldfish to it... as you don't seem to... dilute the present ones toxicity... Bob Fenner>

Carbon Removal, algicide use...   7/28/06
I put an algae inhibitor tablet in my tank and it said to remove the active carbon when using tablet. How long am I supposed to remove the carbon filter for?? I don't want to screw up the process.
<A week or so... algicides can be real trouble... Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/maralgcidefaqs.htm
Applies to freshwater as well as marine... though there are inputs for the other, carbon... posted on WWM. I'd be reading there, testing your water daily, being ready to change out water... Do read re other means of algae control. Chemical means are the least favorable. Bob Fenner>

Green Tank  7/10/06
Dear Crew,
<<Greetings, Isabel. Tom>>
I have a 20-gallon tank with only three fish in it.  I have had this tank with the Whisper filter for a long time.  Everything was going smoothly until we moved.  We lived in a village and had village water.  We now have moved to a lake and have a well.  The first thing we did was have the water tested and installed a water softener.  My husband and I cleaned the entire tank because it was getting cloudy and green.  We thought it was probably due to the move and length of time since we had cleaned it after the move.
<<Might have been due to the move but seems unlikely that you would develop a serious algae problem without extenuating circumstances.>>
Two weeks later the water is so green that you cannot see through it.
<<Hardly makes for an "attractive" aquarium, does it?>>
I bought a new filter thinking mine was too old.  I now have the new and the old filters running (they are not getting dirty) and I put in a gadget that "blows" the water around for circulation.  
<<I'm glad you didn't simply go with a new filter and discard the "old" one. At any rate, filtration isn't the problem.>>
When I changed the water, I used the start right drops and the drops of chlorine as I have done in the past.
<<Jungle (TM) purports that 'Start Right' dechlorinates water so, if true, adding chlorine (not a good idea) would likely be ineffective. Your algae "burst" is due to the nutrients in your well water. These become most prominent in the summer months when the water warms in the lake and the "goodies" at the bottom of the lake rise and make their way into your water table and, hence, your well. The water softener, as you've already deduced, don't eliminate these. In a nutshell, algae will proliferate where there is a supply of nitrogen (such as "run-off" from lawn fertilizers - my folks lived on a lake in Michigan), phosphorus, potassium and, of course, light. I'd bet good money your well water has all of these...except the light.>>
I need help.  I do not know what is wrong.
<<Technically speaking, Isabel, nothing is "wrong". It just isn't "right" for aquaria purposes. I don't vouch for the efficacy of the product but "Algone" reportedly clears up aquariums with the problem you now have. Should you choose to use it, we'd like to hear back from you as we like to share this information with our readers. Good, bad or indifferent. We support products that "work" and will gladly advise against those that are simply a waste of money.>>
Isabel
<<Hope I've been of some help. Tom>>

Algone, chem. algicide opinion  4/1/06
Hello again, have you heard anything positive or negative about this product? I have read what is out there and have only seen 1 bad review.
It is like everything is sponsored by the company itself.
<Mmm, well, to their credit they do have a nice website: http://www.algone.com/
But this is Simazine (Princeps powder)... is too non-specific, destructive to other photosynthetic life (as in surrounding terrestrial in ponds, fountains... aquarium plants)... to get a "pro" argument from me. If you'll take the time to peruse WWM re all ornamental aquatic systems, you'll see admonitions in general re the use of algicides (a no-no governmental nominization), and encouragement to pursue other means... of prevention, competition, predation. Bob Fenner>
Jay W. Thom