CarnivorousPlant
New Member
This isn't exactly tropical but there isn't a freshwater emergencies so I figured I'd shoot my shot. It's been a few years since I've opened this forum.
I have this one goldfish that keeps attacking my other goldfish, chasing them around the tank and nipping at their tail fins. He used to do this to another goldfish which I used to have, to the point where I blame him for the other goldfishes death, I think it was caused by stress from this other fish constantly harassing it. I'd had the other fish for I think 5 years by that point and he was perfectly healthy, but a few months after I introduced the new fish he got really lethargic and often had split tail fins, but wasn't showing signs of any illness I recognise, and about a year later he died. (I would've separated them somehow but I didn't notice until it was too late as it was a really busy time in my life so another member of my household was the one who was mainly taking care of my fish. Once I did notice I wasn't sure what to do about it, because I don't have a second full sized goldfish tank that can be set up long term and I don't know anyone who could take a fish, as everyone I know who keeps goldfish either keeps them in tiny tanks and won't believes me when I tell them "grows to the size" and other goldfish myths aren't true, OR they have a big outdoor pond with common/single tailed goldfish, which won't work either cause this one is a moor/telescope eye)
Anyway. This was about a year and a half ago, and since then I have just had this one goldfish in the tank (which is 150 lites, I think that's equivalent to 40 US gallons). My family recently moved house and we've set up the fish tank in the new house (and before anyone asks no this wouldn't have messed up the cycle, I took out the fish and then only partially drained the tank so it would be light enough to transport, the substrate and the filter and everything weren't touched so it was basically equivalent to a big water change). My family wanted me to get another fish, because the tank is in a really prominent position in the new house, and at the moment it only has one fish in it, and he's not very colourful (all black), so I was like sure I'll get a second fish, there's space in the tank for more and I've been meaning to (we actually ended up getting two more, against my better judgement, but with really regular water changes I'll make it work, three fish in 150 litres is not totally ridiculous). The horrible fish that used to bite the other fish is much bigger, older and slower now. When I first had him and he attacked the other fish he was really tiny and hyperactive (and the other fish was a much older larger and slower goldfish), but I hoped that maybe he'd grown out of that and that maybe he wouldn't pick on fish his own size, and also I thought that the problem had been with that specific fish, because for a little while there had been 3 fish in the tank (I then gave one away) and he had only attacked one of the other two.
Unfortunately this has not been the case. Yesterday I introduced the new fish and he is doing it again this morning, chasing them around the tank and biting their tail fins. I don't know what to do about it aside from setting up a barrier in the tank, which is only a temporary solution because they really need to space to swim around. Honestly I'd really like to get rid of this fish, I never wanted him in the first place, someone bought him for me as a gift originally because they knew I had space for one more goldfish in my tank. I would much rather have chosen my own fish. But I can't give him away because as I said before I don't know anyone who could take him that has a suitable setup and actually knows how to look after goldfish responsibly, and despite the fact that I don't like him I am responsible for him and I want him to be healthy and well cared for.
Does anyone have any ideas about what could be causing this behaviour or how I can stop it? I really don't want him to hurt my new fish, they are my babies and one of them was like super expensive and fancy so it would kind of suck if something happened to it.
I have this one goldfish that keeps attacking my other goldfish, chasing them around the tank and nipping at their tail fins. He used to do this to another goldfish which I used to have, to the point where I blame him for the other goldfishes death, I think it was caused by stress from this other fish constantly harassing it. I'd had the other fish for I think 5 years by that point and he was perfectly healthy, but a few months after I introduced the new fish he got really lethargic and often had split tail fins, but wasn't showing signs of any illness I recognise, and about a year later he died. (I would've separated them somehow but I didn't notice until it was too late as it was a really busy time in my life so another member of my household was the one who was mainly taking care of my fish. Once I did notice I wasn't sure what to do about it, because I don't have a second full sized goldfish tank that can be set up long term and I don't know anyone who could take a fish, as everyone I know who keeps goldfish either keeps them in tiny tanks and won't believes me when I tell them "grows to the size" and other goldfish myths aren't true, OR they have a big outdoor pond with common/single tailed goldfish, which won't work either cause this one is a moor/telescope eye)
Anyway. This was about a year and a half ago, and since then I have just had this one goldfish in the tank (which is 150 lites, I think that's equivalent to 40 US gallons). My family recently moved house and we've set up the fish tank in the new house (and before anyone asks no this wouldn't have messed up the cycle, I took out the fish and then only partially drained the tank so it would be light enough to transport, the substrate and the filter and everything weren't touched so it was basically equivalent to a big water change). My family wanted me to get another fish, because the tank is in a really prominent position in the new house, and at the moment it only has one fish in it, and he's not very colourful (all black), so I was like sure I'll get a second fish, there's space in the tank for more and I've been meaning to (we actually ended up getting two more, against my better judgement, but with really regular water changes I'll make it work, three fish in 150 litres is not totally ridiculous). The horrible fish that used to bite the other fish is much bigger, older and slower now. When I first had him and he attacked the other fish he was really tiny and hyperactive (and the other fish was a much older larger and slower goldfish), but I hoped that maybe he'd grown out of that and that maybe he wouldn't pick on fish his own size, and also I thought that the problem had been with that specific fish, because for a little while there had been 3 fish in the tank (I then gave one away) and he had only attacked one of the other two.
Unfortunately this has not been the case. Yesterday I introduced the new fish and he is doing it again this morning, chasing them around the tank and biting their tail fins. I don't know what to do about it aside from setting up a barrier in the tank, which is only a temporary solution because they really need to space to swim around. Honestly I'd really like to get rid of this fish, I never wanted him in the first place, someone bought him for me as a gift originally because they knew I had space for one more goldfish in my tank. I would much rather have chosen my own fish. But I can't give him away because as I said before I don't know anyone who could take him that has a suitable setup and actually knows how to look after goldfish responsibly, and despite the fact that I don't like him I am responsible for him and I want him to be healthy and well cared for.
Does anyone have any ideas about what could be causing this behaviour or how I can stop it? I really don't want him to hurt my new fish, they are my babies and one of them was like super expensive and fancy so it would kind of suck if something happened to it.
