Goldfish Problems

[GobyMaster11276]

Hi everyone. Yesterday I went out and bought six goldfish (three shubunkins and three red capped orandas). Anyway, after I added them in, I noticed that one of the orandas was being seriously harassed by my old fish, and had a few bits of its tail missing. I decided I would separate it from the others for a while, so I setup a smallish tank to put it in. By the time I came back, it was floating at the surface on it's side, but was still alive.

Now that it's separated, the oranda seems to be getting better, but I have a few concerns. First of all, when swimming, its left pectoral fish is much less active than the right one. It still eats, but doesn't seek out food (it waits for it to drift over), and isn't very active. As well as all this, it has small light brown markings on the end of its tail, which I suspect might be fin rot, and when it swims, it does how one would normally do, except only for a few seconds before it stops and just drifts in the water.


Thanks for reading all of that, and I'm looking forward to your replies.

 

[Demeter32]

How did you acclimate them and how big is their tank? It sounds like the older fish was just being a jerk and stressed the new guy out. I'd keep the new guy separate for a while until he gets stronger. To be on the safe side, I'd give the new guy some TLC with extra water changes and some aquarium salt. Keep him separate for a week or two then add him back in. If he's getting bullied take out the aggressor and let the new guy settle in for a couple days, then put the aggressor back in. Hopefully they settle in and can play nice.

 

[GobyMaster11276]

I acclimated the new fish by first floating the bag for ten minutes, then adding some water from the tank into the bag and floating it for another five. The tank is about 300l (or about 75.25 gallons). I'm going to hopefully get some TLC and aquarium salts today as you suggested. Thanks for your help so far.

 

[GobyMaster11276]

I was just wondering, because the tank my goldfish is in is 20l, would I be able to get any goldfish to put in with him? They would be only a few centimetres in length each. If I could, how many would be able to accompany him? I just don't want my fish to be lonely in those possibly two weeks of healing. Thanks.

 

[cboatman]

20l really isn't big enough for anything more than a betta. You should probably take him back. He'll out grow that tank very quickly. He's also a big waste producer, so he'll probably pollute the water.


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[cboatman]

Sorry, I'm a little confused. Is the tank 300l or 20l?


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[GobyMaster11276]

So, the original tank he is from is 300l. Due to injury from other fish in that tank, he was separated to recover in the 20l. Another person said that this could take two weeks, so I was wondering if I could put another fish (which, as specified, would be about 3cm) so that he wouldn't get lonely. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[GobyMaster11276]

Also note that it would only be until he recovered.

 

[Demeter32]

I wouldn't add any other fish with him, not even little ones. There's no point really. I know goldfish are social creatures but 2 weeks won't harm him at all. This way he doesn't have to compete for food either

 

[GobyMaster11276]

Ok, thanks.