The water in my 55 gallon evaporates

[silver]

At about 1 in. per 2 weeks...........

What about you guys??


Also,
I have a 2.5 gallon with one goldfish in it (he is super goldfish, boy do I have some stories) Anyhow, he is really gulping for air the last couple days and I know that labrynth fish take in air from the surface, but usually not this much. I usually don't check his water specs. He does have a piece of cr@p filter and of course no heater. The tank is very clean with the 6 TINY snails in there. Any thoughts?

Silver

 

[steve-0]

Well if the water is fine and hje si healthy i have no idea. Is the tank getting warm due to summer weather?
Maybe he is getting bored .....get him a friend maybe?

 

[silver]

I did have him in my 55 gallon for a while, but I tell you what...he was the meanest darn nutto of the bunch! He would NOT STOP swimming back and forth and he kept nipping and chasing my big Silvers around which pi$$ed me off royaly. The little stink was plain mean so I put him back in solitaire. I would get him a companion other than the snails , but it's only 2 1/2 gallons for his 3 1/2 inches of fish. Poor guy loved being in the "big" tank with the rest of'em , but I just had to take the trouble maker out.

Silver

 

[steve-0]

when i had 3 feeder fishes in my 20 gallon a year ago they wouldnt stop going back and forth like yours do.

 

[Jamnog]

could be too much protene in tank long sotry posible a good idea to airate the tank water or get some live plants if you dont have them.

 

[CFC]

Get him a bigger tank,keeping him in a 2 and a half gallon tank is just plain cruel,if you cant keep him properly take him back to a fish shop or release him in a pond.Cold water fish need bigger tanks and more gallons per inch than tropicals,he should be in nothing less than a 10g,IMO they shouldnt even make tanks under 10 gallons.

i know i sound like im rude and mean but how would you like to be locked in a 6x6 room for your whole life?

 

[silver]

Cat Fish Crazy..........do you always wake up on the wrong side of the bed? Or is it just when you are talking to me?

No KIDDING it's a small tank, but it's clean and he is very healthy and he sits right by computer and gets much attention which is more than I can say for 75% of the fish keepers out there (FINE - 50% ). You act as though you are God of all fish or something.................well I wouldn't go that far

Edited: I did think you sounded rude, but I guess that is just how you sound

Silver

 

[CFC]

Hey calm down girl,stop and think about it for a second,you wouldnt keep a dog or cat in a tiny box so why keep a fish in horrible conditions,most prisons are very clean and the prisoners get fed regularly and have access to showers ect but it dosent make it a nice place to be.2 1/2 gallons is very small (guessing no more than 12" long),would it really hurt to set him a up a 10g,hey if you lived i England id give you a 10 g tank for free,i dont know what they cost in the US but i can set a 10g up for about £20,no more than a couple of hours wages.

As for not replying to your posts fine no skin off my nose,but i think you will find a lot of people agree about a 2 1/2 g being too small.

 

[dolphin]

Hi Silver

CFC ranting again! Oh well.....

A 3.5" goldfish in a 2.5 gall US tank is over stocked, and you do have to take into account the snails as well. The recommended stocking level is 1” of fish per gall UK, so 3.5” = 4.2 galls US

Has the temp of the tank risen. As water heats up, it's ability to dissolve oxygen drops, thus the goldy could be having trouble getting enough.

As for the 55 gall loosing 1" over 2 weeks, do you have the tank fully covered.

How often do you do water changes? If you did weekly water changes you would not see such a drop in the water level.

 

[skiltrip]

A ten gallon tank here in the US is under $10.00. Either at Walmart or at your LFS. A 5.5 gallon is even less obviously. If I were you, and had that goldfish in a 2.5 gallon tank, I'd go for it and upgrade his home to the 10 gallon. It's real cheap to do. The fish will be much happier, and you'll be happier seeing him happier right? Seems it's a Win - Win situation! Everybody makes out!

- Kip

 

[pondfreak4365]

Hi Silver,
My uncovered tanks easily lose 1 inch in the week between water changes, if I forget to top them off. The 75 gallon is also uncovered and loses about 3/4". As for your goldie, I would also look to water temp since warm water holds less oxygen. Mine are in an outdoor pond and enjoy a spray from the hose to cool things off and aerate the water

 

[Tanked]

as far as the evaporation goes I lose about 1/2" a week on my 55 which seems to be right on par with what you have described. my 55 is very well closed at the top as well, no way for fish to get out.

 

[cichlidmaster]

My turn..........but first a disclaimer!!! I am not stating anything personally here...just quoting what has already been said so DON'T GET PIS*Y WITH ME!!!!!

I have a 2.5 gallon with one goldfish in it (he is super goldfish, boy do I have some stories) Anyhow, he is really gulping for air the last couple days

Lack of oxygen due to to small of a tank.

He does have a punie little piece of cr@p filter and of course no heater.

he is very healthy and he sits right by computer and gets much attention

Kinda contradicts each other here!!

He would NOT STOP swimming back and forth

This is what fish do!!!

he should be in nothing less than a 10g,

Could not agree more!!

IMO they shouldnt even make tanks under 10 gallons.

Sorry, but disagree!!! a ten gallon tank is way to big for raising many species of fry in. 2.5, 5 and 5.5 gallon tanks have their place, but not for lifelong living quarters.

Last, but not least......................

he sits right by computer and gets much attention which is more than I can say for 75% of the fish keepers out there.

Big mistake making a general assumption of 75%!!! There are millions of aquarists throughout the world and I for one think 75% is wayyyyyyyyy to high an estimate of ones who don't "pay attention" to their fish.

In closing.......

Silver, I know what CFC said upset you and that is why the rant reply, but the bottom line is...well....you asked for it!!!

Think about it....you have been a member here for awhile now and to post something admitting the living conditions you placed your goldfish in were...well less than adequate...and to think you would not get this type of response from at least ONE of the members here...is well.....silly!!!!

Now I guess I should duck cause I'm sure to get the...........................well you know.

Sorry this is just the way I see it.

CM

 

[wetwetwet]

CM - I couldn't agree more - well put

Just one thing I'd like to add....

WATCH THE LANGUAGE


THERE IS NO NEED FOR IT!

Its not big (except the words above) and its not clever...

 

[Jamnog]

hmm looks like i missed all the excitement... well anyways i would say 2.5 gal is too small but i spose it depends on the gold fish well infact i am a beliver in answering a question and i dont think the reason its gulping for air is the size of the tank.i think its because the water quality is not up to scratch. the airator and plants would be a short term fix and it sounds as if a good filter would help a bigger tank would make life allot easyer and the fish would live longer.id recomend it i wouldnt insist as its not my house its not my fish and you obviously care more about it to ask than allot of people (ok maybee not 75%) but i say we should all relax on the tank bashing. as your fish grows i suggest looking into one of those nice hex tanks thats say 5 or 10 gallons would look lovely next to your monitor and perhaps a beta in ure smaller tank as seems so popular.