I wonder if it is some type of fungus. Get a fungal medication and make a 1/3 water change from the bottom of the barrel and refill and then add the medication. The instructions will tell you what else to do.
Here in Canada we are also going through a hot spell, so much so that I haven't been able to work outside for the last few days.

The only other thing that I can think it might be would be carp pox but with all the sun your barrel is getting, maybe it's not.

Your's Koily, Lorraine

Fish being kept in a whiskey barrel in the Texas heat? It's a wonder they are alive at all in my opinion. It seems like cruelty to keep fish in a whiskey barrel. How can they move or swim? I really would consider giving them to a friend with a legitimate pond. THis just seems wrong in my opinion.

Can it be a young fish just going through a normal color change?

Aquaterium, I know that I need a real pond for these fish, but I had no idea of that at the time I set this up. In fact, an actual pond store helped sell me everything for my whiskey barrel "pond" and they never once told me I shouldn't put fish in the barrell. It wasn't until I found this site that I realized it was probably a mistake. I have 4 feeder goldfish in it along with a plant and a bubbler. I also do 50% water changes at least once a week. The barrell is kept in a place that is in complete shade so that helps with the heat. I'm working on getting a pond. I really want one, but my husband doesn't want to spend the money. I've had my fish in that barrel for over a year now and they seem to be doing really well.

As for the color, my little fish is about 75% white now. He is acting completely normal. Eating a ton and swimming as normal. Can orange fish change to white like this? And, if so, would the color change happen this fast? He was 100% orange just a month ago!

Aggie, I imagine your fish are quite small? Less than 2"? You could check the water temperature, but in the shade you are probably OK or nearly so. You can add oxgenator plants, such as hornwort or cabomba and cover the entire surface. That will help with cooling. Burying all or part of the barrel will also help.

Karalynn, a gal from Florida that gets on here at times got a used billboard for her pond liner. http://www.billboardtarps.com/collections/tarps Has them for as low as $25, though I'm not sure about a white liner. $30 for black. Don't know what part of Texas you are in, but most areas have oodles of rocks if you dig around. I was doing my pond on the cheap, but after I had it started Hubs changed his mind and sent me off to get real rock (instead of the cheap thrift store tile I was bringing home).

~dianane

Here is a link that might be useful: A billboard tarp vendor

I have a lot of solid white comets that started out as Sarassa, which have a red spot on their heads. On one, the red has scattered like thick freckles over the back and sides. Several of the comets that started as solid deep orange-red have scattered white spots that are getting larger as they grow. Others have developed white bellies with the red-orange on the top and sides and some even have white faces. All of these were originally feeder fish. The only thing I really selected for were large fins and the red orange color. Two are regular comet orange. A few that are second or third generation have normal fin size. They are anywhere from three years old to eight years old. It is possible some of them are part koi at this point.

Few of my fishies have the same color arrangement they had when they were small. It is possible some of the isolated white spots are scars but I never saw an injury. One who had only two white spots has developed a new one on each side this season. Genetics can turn up some strange things. Right now there is a preponderance of white fish and large tail fins on all colors which is quite lovely. Of course I am not a purist. It does make them easier to identify.

I am more and more convinced that my fish has just changed colors and is not sick. I cought him tonight to take a better look, and it doesn't look like anything is growing on him. And, the white that has appeared on him is completely symetrical, which was interesting. My other 3 fish show no signs of any white whatsoever, so I think my little guy just went through puberty, as my husband has started calling it.

Aggierose,

LOL I love that. I'm going to use it regarding my fish.. puberty!!

Anne

Anne... the funniest part was how my husband used it. I was honostly accusing him of trying to replace a fish that had died while I was gone. I thought it was funny that he didn't pay enough attention to detail to notice the old fish was solid orange and the new one was more white than orange. Anyway, he kept insisting he didn't replace a fish and finally said "I don't know! Maybe he went through puberty!" He was serious, which is what made it so funny!

My fish are quite large now but started as small gold fish. Now only 3 are solid gold, one is solid white, one is white with a red mohawk and the rest are various patterns. They do change quickly!