Friends Tank

[Ladytcat2003]

I do agree. But sellers also share of (big) responsability here...

I do agree. But sellers also share of (big) responsability here....

You are right. But it also depends on which store/seller they choose. The big box pet stores are mostly about making that sale. If they truly had the fishes best interest in mind they wouldn't have dozens of "feeder" goldfish in one tank...which, by the way...gives the impression that it's ok to stock a tank like that. Then add misinformation to that and you end up with OPs with questions like the one that started this thread and fish that suffer the consequences.

 

[Avel1896]

@PhantomCarp your friend and every one here, every fishkeeper in the making, must keep in mind that those working in LPS/LFS are only sellers, their purpose is to sell as much as possible as often as possible, no matter what they sell. Including living beings...

 

[Ladytcat2003]

Oh yea 100%, when I initially went into the pets at home store I asked about keeping them as part of my research into my first tank, and they gave me so much valuable info that I had no idea about, sometimes speaking to people is much more helpful than looking for an answer on the internet. Thats why I love this forum too

This really is a great forum. I love the fact that there's so much passion about the subject at hand. I have to confess though, I was one of those people that had the misconception that goldfish weren't high maintenance and had 3 in a small tank. Granted it looked good but I was unaware that it was abusive having them bunched up like that. My goldfish lived a long time and were healthy. Thank God. Kept them for years until they lived their lifespan and then I dismantled my tank and put it away for a while. I had work and being a new mom, there wasn't time to put into a tank. I just started again with a Betta. Once again, since I only see them at the pet stores in a tiny cup with about a cup of water, I'm thinking they aren't high maintenance. But since it's a tropical fish this time I did research and I joined here BEFORE I purchased my Toshi. I was well educated here. I initially had one of those nano tanks, 1 1/2 gal. But before I even started I just couldn't put him in that. I equivalents it like housing myself in a broom closet. My conscience wouldn't let me do it. So I started a 5 gal just for him. I just wanted to be a good Betta mom. And Toshi has been thriving. I honestly had no idea that fish had personalities. Honest personalities. And he has a big one. Lol!! I say he was human in his former life. I can go on and on about my Toshi...I'm a proud mom. Lol! But I've rambled on to long as is.

She’s interested she just made the mistake of listening to people at the store thinking that they were 100% right. She doesn’t know if her grandma has been doing it you’re right and I’m going to explain how to use the test kit when she gets out of the hospital.
She’s going to try to get a bigger tank but if she can’t will re home them

Same thing I said above

I pray that your friend is ok and that she gets better soon. I understand her frustration. Those store employees really don't understand half of what goes into having a thriving tank. You may find the occasional employee that takes the time to learn about their area and livestock. But most are just there to pay the bills or have pocket change. I'm glad she has a friend like you to help her. Thank you(from the fish).

 

[TomW]

This really is a great forum. I love the fact that there's so much passion about the subject at hand. I have to confess though, I was one of those people that had the misconception that goldfish weren't high maintenance and had 3 in a small tank. Granted it looked good but I was unaware that it was abusive having them bunched up like that. My goldfish lived a long time and were healthy. Thank God. Kept them for years until they lived their lifespan and then I dismantled my tank and put it away for a while.

Goldfish are so poorly represented in media aswell, all kids in movies and hit franchises have them in a small bowl and suits for example, he keeps one in a glass?!?! I was looking for new large tanks earlier and I got suggested a 12 L fish tank perfect for 2-3 small goldfish which shocked me, from an aquarium store too. I would feel bad quarantining a fish in my 12 liter spare

 

[SmokieJo]

She set this up like many who don’t know much of anything about fish keeping she doesn’t even know what parameters are so I’m sorry i can’t get those, here is a picture. And no it’s not a baby tank

Just to see if i got this right...thats a 10 gallon tank and those fish are at least a year old?? They look a little on the small side. I dont know what's wrong with its eye. But I do know that i have a small fish, I don't know what kind it is, but it's had several bumps on it for over 8 months now. I seperated it from the other fish as soon as i noticed it. I honestly thought it would end up dying but it never acted sick and hes still alive. I even put another fish in with him about a month ago so he'd finally have a friend and that fish never caught anything from the first one. If those fish have all been together since that formed on his eye a year ago i think its safe to say they probably wont get it. Sorry I'm by no means an expert of any kind, thats just my opinion. As for the goldfish tank. I have 3 of them myself. That 10 gallon tank is too small for even one goldfish.
If your friend has them in that tiny tank because they can't afford a bigger one at the moment they can go a temporary route thats cheaper and buy them a big plastic tote until they can save for a bigger tank. A 55 gallon tote or tank will work for now maybe even a 40 since they're still small, but they'll eventually need a 75 gallon to house all 3 of them. Of course thats the minimum. They can always go bigger if they want. But they really need to get out of that 10 gallon ASAP.
But if theyre in the small tank because they dont have the space for a bigger one, it would probably be in the best interest of the fish if they rehomed them to someone who can provide all the necessities for them. And if your friends still want fish they can always get a few guppies or similar sized fish that will stay small.
Goldfish get pretty big and no matter what size they are they still produce more waste than any other fish breeds. Its best to get a filter thats made for a larger tank. If you put them in a 55 gal you should get a filter thats for 100 gal tank or even more.
But seriously if they want to keep them I know a tote doesn't look all that glamorous but its still better for their health to be in something much bigger than what they're in now.
My 3 goldies were rescued from a bait shop and brought to me and i was completely unprepared for them. They spent less than a week in the 10 gallon tank with water changes 3 times a day because I had no filter. But I moved them to a 40 gallon tote as quick as I could. It wasn't pretty but they were much happier. My fish are probably around 1 and a half years old now and they're pretty big. They were fairly small when they were brought to me and they've at least quadrupled in size in less than a year. Give them a good variety in their diet. Mine eat small pellets now because they've outgrown the flakes and they love peas. Get a small bag of fresh frozen peas NOT canned. Thaw out a few of them. I just thaw mine in hot water. Always remove the outer shell, or hull or skin or whatever the outer layer is called. Just pinch a little piece of it to make a hole and you can squeeze the pea right out. Break them up in small pieces and watch them devour them. I give them peas once a week and also alternate back and forth once a week between blood worms and baby shrimp and of course pellets twice every day. First things first tho and that's to get those babies in a bigger tank. If you get a tote its best to get the harder plastic ones that the sides stand as straight up as possible. I learned the hard way and the sides ended up bowing out and the filter wouldn't hang right on it so i had to continue with the daily water changes until I had something more solid to hang the filter on. But anyway best of luck to your friends and their fish. I hope this helped in some way. I would love to hear a future update on them.

 

[Jan Cavalieri]

I'd just leave it alone and see if the white ring gets bigger or gets fluid filled like an abscess. I find these things often burst and go away. If it does burst then try to put some antibiotic ointment on it - if no then just leave it alone. If you decide to add any antibiotics to the water remember to remove any/all filter until you stop using the bacteria. And your friend better start saving now for a 100 gallon tank, to be followed a year or later by a 200 gallon tank. They are however, very fun playful fish but you usually see them in out door ponds not indoor tanks.

 

[SmokieJo]

So today I learned that one of my friends has a tank. It’s a 10 gallon with 3 common gold fishes, I’m working with her to fix this situation but we are more prioritized with one of her fish who has had this thing around its eye for around a year from what they’ve told me. Does anyone have any idea what this might be, and how to treat it?

Is it getting worse or staying the same?

 

[SmokieJo]

Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
i know nothing about it
but my friend has 5 in a ten-gallon, and I got my second ten-gallon from my younger brothers friends that had four

Wow thats a major overload. They can easily get ammonia burn. When my goldfish were rescued from a baitshop one of them had a different color to it. I didnt think to much about it because goldfish vary in colors. But it gradually kept getting darker. I looked all over the internet and finally figured out it was ammonia burn. Once they get it it continually gets worse even if you do all the right things at that point. I kept its water squeaky clean but my poor fish kept gettimg blacker. And it gets worse. If it doesn't die it will then lose its scales and skin that was dead and burnt. Mine made it thru thankfully and its a beautiful gold again but the edges of his tail stayed black. I took pictures throughout the ordeal and they're not pretty especially when he started shedding the black. Once they get the ommonia burn its a long time of suffering thru the recovery, if they are lucky enough to recover from it. Google what ammonia burn does to fish and what it looks like. Maybe you'll find it in your heart to save them from a lot of pain that you could make them go thru and either get them more and much bigger tanks or give them away to someone who can give them a better life. They way they're being kept now is very unhealthy for them and they will end up dying. Goldfish produce more waste than any other fish which is why a lot of people don't want the responsibility of owning them. Being overcrowded like they are can lead to many different illnesses and diseases and put them thru a lot of suffering which can easily be avoided by giving them the right care for their specific breed.
Seriously if you cant give them a healthy life you really shouldn't keep them and make them suffer. Just because they may look okay to you doesn't mean that they are because every minute they stay overloaded in that 10 gal tank ( which is way to small for even one golfish) they have poisonous ammonia passing through their gills building up in their systems, and it will eventually kill them and they will suffer every day until they die.
Im saying this to try to help you and your fish. All fish have different requirements. If your serious about keeping these fish you should get online and do some serious homework. You'll immediately see the danger your putting them in by having so many in a tank that's to small for even 1 of them.
If you dont want to put the time it takes into learning how to care for them and keep them healthy you should do them a favor and rehome them or see if a pet store might take them. Find it in your heart to do what's right for them. Either do some serious homework and take quick action or give them away. Its your decision you just need to make it right by them. Whichever way you choose you need to make that decision today. Give them a healthy life or give them to someone else who can. Best of luck. I have faith you'll do the right thing for them.

 

[Avel1896]

Well, Goldfish, whatever species, like Koï fish, is a POND fish. It has nothing to do in aquarium unless one provide them 150 litre (39 gal.) per fish especially in case of "Comet" and Shubunkin species that are strong swimmers. Egg-shaped ones can accomodate themselves to 100 litre (27 gal.) per fish.
They are living-beings, not toys. Each of them has its own personnality, tastes. They learn easily and are much smarter than 95% of humans think...

 

[Ladytcat2003]

Goldfish are so poorly represented in media aswell, all kids in movies and hit franchises have them in a small bowl and suits for example, he keeps one in a glass?!?! I was looking for new large tanks earlier and I got suggested a 12 L fish tank perfect for 2-3 small goldfish which shocked me, from an aquarium store too. I would feel bad quarantining a fish in my 12 liter spare

I agree. I even saw them kept in tiny bowls at the county fair as a prize for pitching a ping pong ball into the tiny bowl. That was some years ago, the last time I went to a fair. I'm hoping that they made it illegal to do that. If not, they definitely should. I have been witness to people getting tired of their goldfish bowl and dumping it into the nearest pond/stream. I'm so glad that I know better now.

 

[TomW]

I agree. I even saw them kept in tiny bowls at the county fair as a prize for pitching a ping pong ball into the tiny bowl. That was some years ago, the last time I went to a fair. I'm hoping that they made it illegal to do that. If not, they definitely should. I have been witness to people getting tired of their goldfish bowl and dumping it into the nearest pond/stream. I'm so glad that I know better now.

Yea, goldfish are actually invasive species too so bad idea to release them, theyll tear through ecosystems

 

[Avel1896]

Yea, goldfish are actually invasive species too so bad idea to release them, theyll tear through ecosystems

Bad idea, but well-intentioned. The best idea is to give them to garden pond owner.
Err no, the best idea is to turn things over in your head before taking action. Should be a matter of course !

 

[Ladytcat2003]

Yea, goldfish are actually invasive species too so bad idea to release them, theyll tear through ecosystems

I saw an article not to long ago, and I can't remember where it was at, but a man fishing caught one of the orange goldfish. This fish was pretty big. I say about the size of a med trout. How true it was is the question. Because you know everything you read on the internet is true. Lol!!

 

[Avel1896]

Common Goldfish (Carassius auratus) can grow up to 45 cm and live up to 30 yo, so force them to "live" in less than 150 liters per fish has, I'd want to say, somewhat of criminal.

 

[Astronomiii]

@Unicornblast5000 this kind of disrexpect also leads to spatial dwarfism : because of the lack of space, fish doesn't grow normaly in length . its organs grow normally inside the fish, are compressed. I let you guess how it ends for the fish.

absolute toture and animal abuse lmfao, its kinda sad how other pet owners look down on fish even though so many people treat them horribly due to a lack of knowledge