Any Help And Advice On What I Should Do Next Greatfully Recieved

[puligansc]

Hello everyone

I am new to goldfish keeping after a break of over 25 years, tragically we lost our young black moor after 8 days, i'll give you a run down so you can advice me what i did wrong and help me do the right thing next.

I set up a 20l tank a month ago which contains a Stingray 5 internal filter and a hydrair 1 aerator.

I set up the tank and added cycle and waterconditioner and seeded it with fish flake then left it to run on a fishless cycle for 21 days. ( i added cycle once a week)

We went to an aquatics specialist in our area and viewed the different type of goldfish they had then returned for my son to pick the first of two goldfish we planned to keep once the fishless cycle period had passed. I had asked on my earlier visit if i needed to buy a testing kit to test the water before adding fish but was reassured it would be ok to add the first fish after the 21 day period. then we could add the second fish 2 weeks later after we had brought in a sample of water for them to test.

My son chose a healthy looking black moor and we bought the sinking pellet type food for it.

After the initial 24 hours being left alone to settle in the fish quickly ate the 2 small pellets we added and swam happily around the tank.

I kept the light off until the monday morning and was very shocked to see it had developed some white spots on its body - i checked with my sister a seasoned tropical fish keeper and checked my goldfish/aquarium book and both agreed it was ICH.

Without hesitation I went back to the shop to puchase an anti whitespot treatment and let them know in case any of their other fantail stock developed it too.

They assured me none of their fish were showing any signs and sold me a medication to administer and told be to bring in a sample of water should anything happen to the fish. They told me the fish was most probably just stressed by the move. The fish seemed to improve but on wednesday i spotted a fish louse attached to its tail which we managed to remove and dispose of.

On friday i gave the second dose of medication as the white spot was back with avengence but sadly the poor fish died this morning.

I also did a 20% water change with conditioned water before each medication was given and in between doses to.

It is very disheartening - the main bit of advice i'd like now is - do I empty the tank completely and start over again? At the moment I have removed around 50% but have left enough water (around 10litres) to cover the internal filter and continue to run it.

The tank is situated in my son's bedroom and the temperature of the water has remained a constant 20-23 degrees.

I have kept a sample of the tank water which I will take to the aquatic shop this afternoon for testing.


I totally understand if I get my wrists slapped by any of you far more experienced fish keepers, although deeply saddened by the loss the welfare of fish is paramount and we want to get it right before adding a new fish.

My childhood memories of my old goldfish are happy ones, it amazes me now after reading up on the subject and setting up our new tank how my fish ever survived!! They arrived through the post after my mother saved up tokens from breakfast cereal and were kept in a large bowl with no filter and had to endure the trauma of getting a 100% water change every 3 weeks or so, amazingly despite all that and our complete ignorance they all lived to be over 12 years old!!! Thank goodness times have changed and hopefully with the pooled knowledge and guidence from more knowledgeable members of this forum my reintroduction to fish keeping will be a happier one.

 

[CoolWater]

Sorry to hear about your blackmoor

Well i have to tell you, you actually did a lot of things right in terms of preparation for the fish

You were either just unlucky and got a poor fish...or something may have contaminated your water...
Always buy fish that have been in the shop for a week or two already (during that period the strugglers like yours will die).
Maybe your child put his hands in the tank before washing them...in which case he may have had soap or bleach or something on his hands...?

I only see one main problem, your tank size.
This is going to be a big shock to you, being you probably used to keep goldfish in little bowls or tanks when you were little.... but goldfish need 15-20 gallons Each. Your tank works out at only 5 gallons...

Now the may have seemed small at the time, but boy do goldfish grow. The commons reach up and over 12 inches! And your black moor will reach 6-8 inches easy.
Now you may say, 'well can't i get a bigger tank as he grows'. But they will stop growing in smaller tanks, so you will never know when to get a bigger tank. And when they stop growing, you mess up all the organs etc.

I suggest you get your water tested. But then you need to decide whether you are going to buy a heater and go into tropical fish with the current tank you have (many tropical fish can live in tanks that small); or if you are going to buy w bigger tank and stick with goldfish/coldwater fish.

Any questions or points?
Im no expert, we all make mistakes in the learning process

 

[puligansc]

Thanks for that advice, i'm just back from the aquatics place they tested my water and said the levels were all fine, their guess is I was just unlucky, I am reluctant to buying another fish just yet.

I may go down the tropical ruite for the tank, i would have to purchase a heater of course, as my sister has a massive community tank with lots of fish that breed profusely.

I am a huge goldfish fan and can't see past them though (bit like my chosen breed of dogs, once you own them no other breed will do!!) have so many fond memories of them and I am currently dropping HUGE hints to my my husband that i'd like a large tank for the livingroom.

As I said in my earlier posting, the fish's welfare comes first, they will not be "just fish" but much loved memeber of our household.

It looks very much like i'v fallen into the trap of purchasing a "complete" goldfish kit though aimed at children, I went for the largest i could find at 20litres thinking that would be adequate for two fish!

I am determined not to go down the path of cruelty due to ignorance so all advice is much appreciated

 

[CoolWater]

Its people like you born again goldfish keeper that keep me coming back to the forums

So many people these days use fish and aquariums as a piece of furnature to lighten up their room, and as a 2 minute hobby.

I, like you adore goldfish. So much so, i have covered my parents garden with my barrel & container ponds

I also have a 15 gallon with a fancy and a dojo loach in at the moment.

People tend to think that numbers and colours are everything in this hobby. But goldfish are such loving fish, and sometimes its easy to forget they are fish because of their individual personalities

Anyway do keep us informed about whether you break your husband into letting you get that big tank in the living room

___

May i suggest something for your current tank?
Either:

Keep the tank as it is, and get a 5 white cloud mountain minnows.

Or buy a heater, and get 3 african dwarf frogs.

Both options there are very hardy and easy to care for. And would be great for getting your child into the hobby
I started out the hobby with both of the setups when i was younger.

 

[Katana]

Another option (if you have the yardspace) is to make a goldfish pond. Depending on how much space you have outdoors (if any) you can keep large amounts of goldfish. It may end up being cheaper per fish than an indoor tank. It would also offer your fish the maximum possible swimming area. I have a goldfish pond myself, and I love it.

A note on the white cloud mountain minnows is that they have become extinct in the wild because of pollution in their habitat. Taking those on as a breeding project would be a good thing to do, especially if China ever gets it's act back together. People with aquariums breeding them would mean there would be a supply to be reintroduced.

 

[seanc]

"

Keep the tank as it is, and get a 5 white cloud mountain minnows."

Also worth looking out for the long finnsed comet white cloud.. beautiful and even closer to extinction. WCMM's are easy to breed as well... in a 30 gal my original 6 became something like 200 in a few months.