Hi, I'm new but need some urgent advice. 2.5 weeks ago I got a fantail goldfish. It's tail is now looking a bit frayed and I can also see white spots on the tail only. I first noticed this today. I done a 25% water change on Monday (had previously been doing twice weekly changes) and there seemed to be a lot of bits so I repeated the water change Tuesday and Wednesday, this time using a gravel vacuum. The fish looks quite content, swimming well and lively, feeding. I have also reduced feeding to one or two flakes a day since Monday after finding so many bits in the water. At each water change I added Stress Coat. I have also been adding Stress Zyme bacteria weekly. The tank is 17 litres and has a filter. I haven't been able to test the water as the only pack the pet shop had was out of date.

I have looked online and am confused as to whether this is fin rot or ich or both.

the first thing id say is move him into a bigger tank. a 17L tank is no place for a goldfish. fancy goldfish such as your orandas and moors need a minimum of about 50L per fish, even when young, and standard goldies such as shubunkins and comets need twice this!

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Yes, I know *now* that the tank is too small, which makes me wonder why they even make them that size. And I thought I was "doing it right" by getting a proper tank with filter and ignoring the shop's suggestion of 2 goldfish and some minnow.

Anyway, I need to figure this out asap. Today the spots looks less like spots and more like gunk. The same gunk that has been building up on the glass. I removed some off the glass with a scraper and it is white and greasy. I can only assume it is the aloe vera in the stress coat. I have read elsewhere about that happening. Fish still looks OK and wants to eat. The frayed part on the tail is a part that turned black a few days after we got the fish.

Apart from switching to a different dechlorinator, what can I do right now?

Put some clear pics of the fish up so we can see the problem

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Do you have a large plastic storage box at home by any chance? After a good clean, that would do as a temporary home for the fish
The main priority needs to be getting the fish into a larger volume of water, as you'll never be able to keep your water quality good in a 17 litre tank, and your fish need good water quality if they are going to get better.

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The fact that part of the tail turned black would indicate ammonia burns from poor water quality, you are going to struggle to keep your water within healthy parameters in a tank so small. A more suitable sized tank and a course of eSHa 2000 should help. What area are you? I have a spare tank you can have but it needs re-sealing.

I will try to figure out how...

Unfortunately I am in N Ireland. I thought the black indicated ammonia burns also.

Yes I have many plastic storage boxes. So, do I clean out the box, add water and dechlorinator and ensure the temp is the same. Do I add the Stress Zyme bacteria? Do I move the filter over to this box?

Yep, do everything you've said there and use the biggest box you have.

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