Just Need A Bit Of Expert Advice

[Ossah]

Hi all,

Thanks for giving me your time to read my post.
Firstly I will give a very brief explanation of why I am here.

A week ago I was given a small standard Goldfish called Stan (Not standard in my books, He has a great comical personality and I love him to bits!).
He was given to me in a small 1 gallon (3 - 4 litre) bowl. Now I am a student and don't have much money at the moment but upon some research I found that this tiny bowl was not ideal to put it nicely.

I decided there and then that I would get him a more appropriate home. So with the help of my loving, gorgeous girlfriend Mari I went about getting a proper sized tank to house the little fella.
After a bit of research I decided upon the Juwel Rekord 600. It's a 63litre tank which I am sure many of you are familiar with. I also order some Roman Mixed Gems gravel and a few ornaments etc.

Now to the main point I am here. I have a few question that I have asked 1 or 2 pet shop owners and have received a few different suggestions.

At the moment I have my Goldfish Stan in the small 1 gallon bowl. Now every 2 days the water starts getting a little cloudy and there is fish waste everywhere. I am not 100% sure when to clean out the water but I have reached a compromise. I have read conflicting suggestions in regard to cleaning them out when they are housed in a small space such as a bowl. Oh by the way Stan is 2 - 3 inches long. Some suggest that they get daily water changes. Some suggest that they get daily partial water changes of 20% to 30%.


What I have been doing is I change the water completely with water that has been standing for 24 hours to get rid of chlorine. The next day, if the water is looking a bit cloudy, I change about 1/3 of it. The next day I repeat the cycle of full change/ partial change.

The only reason I am changing it so often is because I am a bit worried that the little fella will croak before I get the new tank set up. Also, on the days that I do a full water change, Stan seems to be quiet and doesn't seem to be very active. After the change he seems like he has had a new lease of life and seems to be much happier....

Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Should I leave him for a week and then change or should I continue doing changes as I have mentioned. It doesn't seem to stress him out too much at all and he is always ready to eat food, even straight after a full water change.


My second question is in relation to my new tank, which is due to arrive next week. 1 pet shop owner told me to cycle it for at least 3 - 4 weeks without adding any fish.
Another told me to leave it for 2 - 3 days before adding my little Goldfish Stan.

I have read a few tutorials online but I decided to do more research and ask on a few fish expert forums like this one.
My dilemmma is that I want to get Stan into a bigger more comfortable home asap, but I want to do it properly.

Should I go ahead with the lenghty fishless cycle? Or should I add the little guy as soon as I can.

I am going to buy a master test kit online tomorrow so that I can monitor the cycling properly. Can anyone suggest an affordable test kit?
I am living in Ireland, so a UK or Irish shop would be best.


Also, my plans for the aquarium are to get Stan in there as soon as is humanly/fishly possible. Then I am really excited about adding a Weather Loach. I have read up on them and I love their character and temperament. Also I am looking to add maybe a small Lionhead and maybe 1 Oranda. Would a 63 litre tank be ok for the above 4 fish?

I graduate from college this year and thus in a year or two am looking to buy a bigger aquarium as I know those 4 little guys I plan to keep won't stay little for long.

So in summary...

1/ How often and how should I change the water in my current 1 gallon bowl?
2/ How should I cycle the tank? Fishless or with Stan in there after a few days?
3/ Can anyone recommend a good affordable Master test kit? Preferably with tests for Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate and somewhere in the 20 - 30 euro budget?
4/ And lastly, would a 63litre tank be an appropriate size for a goldfish (2 - 3 inches at the moment), an Oranda(1.5inch), a Lionhead( 1.5inch) and a Weather loach? They would be housed here for 1 - 2 years until I get a bigger tank.

Thanks for reading my post. Apologises if it is a bit long winded.
And I greatly appreciate any feedback.

regards,
Peter

Edit: I have read some posts and it seems that you have recommended other users to buy the API Master test kit (Liquid version)
I found a store online that does it, i think
http/www.charterhouse-aquatics.co.uk/catalog/freshwater-master-test-p-1091.html
Is this the kit you would recommend?

 

[Bebobb]

Well, I am surprised that you were told about cycling at the LFS. Most of them don't mention that. I actually read your whole post, and I am very glad that you decided to buy a larger tank for your little fella. Here are the answers to your questions.

1/ How often and how should I change the water in my current 1 gallon bowl?
A: You sould do a 100% water change everyday.
2/ How should I cycle the tank? Fishless or with Stan in there after a few days?
A: Ideally fishless. You should do what's called a fish-in cycle though.
3/ Can anyone recommend a good affordable Master test kit? Preferably with tests for Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate and somewhere in the 20 - 30 euro budget?
A: What most members here reccomend is the API Master Freshwater Liquid Test Kit. I'm not sure if they have this in the UK, but it is the most popular here in the US.
4/ And lastly, would a 63litre tank be an appropriate size for a goldfish
(2 - 3 inches at the moment), an Oranda(1.5inch), a Lionhead( 1.5inch) and a Weather loach? They would be housed here for 1 - 2 years until I get a bigger tank.
A: One gold fish should ideally have a 20 gallon tank to it's self. That is approxamitely 63 liters, give or take. The only thing that I would put in that tank would be Stan.

 

[Ossah]

Thanks for the swift reply.

I figured that daily water changes were the right way to go, as after 1 day Stan seems to be very quiet as oppossed to when he is in a fresh bowl of water.
I will be buying the API test kit tomorrow also.

In regard to the fish-in cycle, I haven't read up on it much but would it be as effective in the long run as the fishless cycle? Is it just a case of having to partial water changes every day?

I have read up alright that each fish should ideally have 20 gallons of space each and within a year or two, actually within 6 months I will be able to afford a bigger tank.
Would you still advise against getting 2 - 3 more small fish? I will admit that I am anxious to get the loach but would heed any advice given.

In regard to your suggestion of just keeping 1 fish in my new tank, would it be a really bad idea to have three? As in Stan, a small 1 inch Oranda and the Loach, taking into account that they would be in a much bigger tank in 6 - 12 months?

Thanks again for your reply. I am not the kinda person that wants a tank full of fish,just 3 or 4 would be perfect.

 

[Bebobb]

I'm not sure if the API test kit is avaible in the UK, but I could be wrong. A fish-in cycle is just as effective as a fishless cycle. Weather loaches can grow to be 12", and they need a lot of swimming room. They also like to be around other weather loaches. So if I were you, I would just put Stan in the 63 liter that you have ordered. And when you have a bigger tank, think about getting more fish.

 

[Ossah]

Thanks again for the advice.
I have been reading up on the fishless and fish-in cycles. I think I would probably prefer the fishless cycle. If I did daily/2 day water changes with my fish in his current bowl would you reckon he will last until the fishless cycle has completed?

 

[neilp4]

Ebay is full of places to get the API test kit in the UK, the cheapest I've found is here My link

Even with postage it's a lot cheaper than Pets at Home (obviously you could get it today from there).

 

[Truck]

If you're in the UK, do not buy the API kits, saliferts are much more accurate and can be bought for the same price online, the saliferts are much better than the API kits, they're more accurate, and more consistent.

 

[nyx2k]

i dont think you have much choice about fish in cycle.
everyday stan will be sitting in ammonia within an hr of changing the water. put him in the bigger tank and keep on top of 50percent water changes daily for the new tank and check ammonia levels daily aswell.

 

[Truck]

Also, a 63 litre tank is not big enough for a fancy goldfish, a 125+ is much more appropriate, the common goldfish would need a pond, or a tank with the dimensions 8'*3'*3'.

 

[Bebobb]

Also, a 63 litre tank is not big enough for a fancy goldfish, a 125+ is much more appropriate, the common goldfish would need a pond, or a tank with the dimensions 8'*3'*3'.

A 20 gallon is the reccomended tank size for a goldfish on this forum.

 

[Truck]

but 63 litres isn't 20 gallons.

 

[Bebobb]

Ouch. You're right. It's 16.6 gallons.

 

[Ossah]

Thanks for all your advice. Yep the tank is around 16 gallons.
I have decided to get a bigger tank next Christmas time. I am thinking of something in the 400 - 450 litre range.
Something like this http/www.seapets.co.uk/products/aquarium-supplies/aquariums/juwel/juwel-rio-aquariums/juwel-rio-400-aquarium-black.html

Would you reckon 400 - 450 would be big enough to house a few goldfish?

thanks,
Peter

 

[Bebobb]

400 liters is 105.7 US gallons. You could house 7-9 goldfish in a 105 gallon. The rule is 1 goldfish for the first 20 gallons, and then 1 for every other 10 gallons. So you could have 2 goldfish in a 30 gallon, 3 in a 40 gallon, 4 in a 50 gallon ect ect. I would only put Stan in your 63 liter. Even if you are getting a larger tank. You will have to be ON TOP on water changes and get a strong filter. But try and get the new tank asap.

Oh, and goldfish are cold water, so there aren't as many tank mates.

 

[Truck]

Just make sure they're fancy goldfish and your filtration is something like a fluval FX5