to not want to let the goldfish suffer?

[MadameOvary]

Yes, I know in this time of credit crunch and general crisis some people might think there are more pressing matters.

But this fish is 20 years old and I've already saved him once, I'd like to do it again, only I think he has an incurable illness called dropsy, a painful looking bulge on one side and he is starting to develop red marks which cant be good.

Any fish experts out there? I'm quite attached to him but if he has to die then I'd like to know I've done all I can.

I am NOT of the "bash them over the head" school of thought either, being one of those soppy animal lover types, so that's not an option.

Have you tried this forum?

try him with a frozen pea first

Thunderduck, thanks for the link.
bronze, thank you, I put a pea in two days ago, its still there.
The water in the tank has gone cloudy, which seems to be the tank beginning to "cycle" after I completely cleaned it out. Seems this wasnt a good idea but there was quite a lot of algae and he was already sick.
Am going to try a partial water change and check ammonia levels.