It can be disheartening when you notice that your goldfish has a tumor. You probably want to know how long a goldfish can live with a tumor. I will answer this question and cover some other important facts about goldfish with tumors.
How long can a goldfish live with a tumor?
A goldfish with a tumor can live as little as a couple days. However, some goldfish can live for years with a tumor, especially if it is not cancerous.
It really depends on the type of tumor and how fast it grows. Some common signs of a dying goldfish include erratic swimming patterns, shaking, and not eating.
What does a tumor look like on a goldfish?
Goldfish, along with other bony fish, are most susceptible to tumors called skin spindle cell tumors (SSTs). These tumors can appear anywhere along the goldfish’s scales. They usually start off as small orange dots, and then they expand into a larger bulge that protrudes the scales. This cancer can be deadly, it depending on its development it can kill your goldfish in a couple days if it spreads very quickly.
Luckily, there is another common type of tumors in goldfish called neurofibroma, which actually is not deadly for your goldfish. It is just not aesthetically pleasing. These tumors can grow anywhere on your goldfish and are usually a whitish or pinkish color.
They usually take a circular form, and sometimes other tumors can start to grow next to it or on top. Sometimes these tumors will fall off and grow back again.
Other diseases that cause lumps on goldfish
It is important to call out that not all the lumps that form on a goldfish are a result of a tumor. Some other common diseases that cause lumps in goldfish include:
Parasites: An internal parasite infection can cause a build up of tissue, especially if the parasites release eggs. Sometimes the bumps caused by parasites will have small black dots around it. It can also cause red streaks on their tail fin.
Swim bladder disease: Lumps caused by swim bladder disease usually form on the bottom of your goldfish’s belly. It is caused by a build up of gas. Luckily, your goldfish can make a full recovery if you treat it quickly.
Fungal infections: These usually look like a white stringy or cotton substance that attach to your turtle’s body. It is important to treat the fungal infection quickly before it spreads to other parts of your goldfish’s body.
You can learn more in this article on the most common diseases in goldfish.
What can you do if your goldfish has a tumor?
Unfortunately, there is not much you can do to help your goldfish if they have a tumor. While surgical removal is an option, it is expensive and probably not worth it.
The best advice I can give is to just make sure that your goldfish is living in a comfortable environment where they can have a decent quality of life. Make sure the water in their tank is clean and the right temperature.
You should also make sure you are regularly feeding them a balanced diet.
What causes goldfish to get tumors?
The most common cause of tumors in goldfish is genetics. There is a lot of incest among goldfish breeding, and this makes goldfish more susceptible to genetic mutations and cancer cells.
There are also certain viruses that can cause goldfish to develop tumors.
While this is more common out in the wild where there is pollution, goldfish can also develop tumors when there are dangerous chemicals such as carcinogens in their tank.
Lastly, tumors can be caused by chronic stress. To help prevent this, make sure you have a proper tank set up that fits their needs.
