Stressed Fish - Coldwater

[Danny_since1985]

Hi everyone, newbie here looking for some advice and knowledge on coldwater fish.

The problem - Comet fish losing scales and damaged fins, which I believe is down to stress and bullying from a paradise fish.

I have a 60L cold water set up, currently with 3 comets, 1 black moor, 4 zebra danios (was 5 but sadly 1 died from unknown reasons) and a paradise fish.

The fish have been living in the tank for 3 weeks now, the first week I had the 3 comets and the 5 danios, they were very happy and went all over the tank, also the comets and the danios were very close together. A week later i got a black moor and a paradise fish, which I think may be a male (its the one in my picture), over the third week, I have noticed the scales on the comets have come off, and usually when the light is switched off I have noticed the paradise fish has started to chase the comets around the tank, which I have read on other sites can be the cause for the scales coming off, but I just wanted some solid advice on what to do about it.

Concerning the other fish, they all seem to get on very well, all the danios stick together and swim all over the tank, the comets still seem happy and like swimming fast around the tank, the black moor isn't bothered in the slightest by the fast swimming fish, something I'v read can cause stress to a black moor, he just tends to get on with his days, and the paradise fish looks healthy and likes hiding in different places.

As the tank goes, i have rearranged everything and placed all the pieces in better positions, there is a large piece of coral rock with a tunnel like hole underneath which all the fish like hiding and swimming under, 2 large live plants, and a large piece of bog wood in a corner which also creates a hiding place, almost like a cave, I do a 15% water change every week and give the glass a good clean and rinse the filter out.

So, I am looking to hear from anyone who knows what's best to do, I have read mellafix is a good fin restorer, but i was wondering what is a long term solution, maybe if i get more comets, or more paradise fish preferably a female or any other kind of fish that will stop the fish bullying, i was planning on getting more zebra danios to make the shoal up to ten??

Any advice will be much appreciated, and this is a big post so thanks for reading

 

[ZoddyZod]

unfortunately you are quite overstocked for a 60L. Goldfish need bigger tanks and you have too many in there. Black Moors can reach 20cms.

As the tank has only been running for 3 weeks, can you please describe how you prepared the tank before adding the fish? Have you heard of 'cycling' your filter before?

 

[Danny_since1985]

Yes, before I got the fish, I had the tank set up and running for 2 months, constantly checking the water and changing it, and I used some filter media from someone's established tank to get the cycling going quicker.

As far as stocking it goes, when I was buying the paradise fish I did ask a lot of questions to the shop owner about which fish will be suited to each others company and how many I should ultimately have in the tank, I was told that the amount I had was fine for the tank.

just thought I would add -

The diet for the fish is a good flake, and twice a week a small amount of frozen brine shrimp, and once a week a small snippet of lettuce.

The temperature of the tank tends to stay around 18-19.

 

[ZoddyZod]

sadly quite a lot of shop owners/staff are doing what they need to do to keep in business ,selling fish, and in this case it seems they have not been very truthful with you I'm afraid.

Have you tested the water since you placed your fish into the tank? What are the ammonia and nitrite readings exactly?

 

[Danny_since1985]

yeah I understand the shop owner is selling his stock for the sake of selling it, all the water is fine, all levels are where they should be and have been since I put fish in the tank, I check every week.

Do you have any advice on what will help stop the paradise fish from bullying the comets, as is only seems to chase them around the tank?

 

[ZoddyZod]

Do you have any advice on what will help stop the paradise fish from bullying the comets, as is only seems to chase them around the tank?

if the paradise fish has taken a 'shine' to the comets, then the only realisitc way to prevent it is to rehome the fish. Personally I would look to rehome the comets as they will also get too large for a 60l tank.

 

[fluttermoth]

I'll back up zoddy's advice 100%.

Sorry you've been given such bad advice, Danny; I'm afraid it's all to common; we see it every day Paradise fish are really rather aggressive and don't make good tank mates for goldfish at all

You are very badly over stocked. The general stocking rule for fancy goldfish, like your black moor, is a minimum of 100 litres for the first fish with another 40l for each additional fish. The comets don't belong in a tank at all; they need to be re-homed to someone with a pond ASAP...

In the meantime, you should increase your water changes a lot. At least 50% twice weekly would keep the amounts of pollutants in your water to a more acceptable level. How are you rinsing your filter out? You must never, ever wash your fliter media out in tap water; only in water you have removed from the tank during your water changes or you will kill off the friendly bacteria that help to reduce the ammonia and nitrites.

Best of luck; do get back to us if there's anything else we can do to help.

 

[Danny_since1985]

Ok thanks for the advice guys, regarding the water change I rinse the media out in a bucket of water from the tank, i have a fluval 2 plus with a normal foam pad and a polyester pad.

I originally intended to have tropical fish and therefore spent a lot of time reading up on tropical freshwater fish, but I didn't have much luck with the heater I bought 2 and they both broke so I just opted for coldwater seeing as though the tank was already set up.

I am aware that the fish will get bigger and too big for the tank there in now, I was aware of this at the start, I have someone who has a much larger tank I can give them too when they out grow my tank.

Thanks again for the advice, I will post anything new if anything changes.

 

[saltynay]

As above advice + the comets need re-homing ideally as soon as possible. Melafix treatment twice a day will heal the wounds but with constant bullying your only delaying the inevitable. The comets will bully the black moore when they get older. The paradise fish will bully both the goldies and the black moor may bully the danios when it grows larger. If I was you, I would sell the goldies on and stick to the paradise fish and danios and work from there.

 

[Danny_since1985]

Just thought I would let everyone know that everything has been getting on very well for the last 2 weeks. Since I changed everything around in the tank there's more spaces for all the fish to hide out, the comets conditions have improved a lot, the fins have grown back to normal, and the missing scales have also started to grow back, and they all seem much healthier now, I have also noticed the paradise fish isn't chasing the comets any more.

Thanks for the advice guys.