Ask Dr Claire

Hole in Goldfish fin and it looks damaged … also a red area near his nose

For fish it’s really important to know more about the husbandry practices and the quality of the water they are in.

The hole in a fin and damage to the body of a fish can be the result of many underlying causes. In this case, we really need to find the cause so that we can treat your fish’s problem (not just the symptom). This will help us reach the best treatment plan too.

Some of the underlying causes of a hole in the fin might be:

• Parasites
• Infection/inflammation
• Poor water quality
• Trauma such as from decor, rocks on bottom, or sharp edges somewhere in the pond/tank

Getting the water tested would be a great start, and your vet can also do some tests in-clinic to look for infection and parasites.

If you’d like to chat in person, you can get a vet on a live video call or start a chat to discuss in more detail now.

We’re here to help!

Chat soon,

Dr Claire