Worried About New Fish

[kittencapes]

I would do bigger than 50% water changes until you can test the water for ammonia and nitrite. I would do 80% water changes daily until you can test.

Ok thanks for this advice, how long do you think I will need to go on doing the water changes for? I sort of feel like if I keep putting fresh water in the tank it will never change!

 

[Skins]

You want to be doing water changes until you show no levels of ammonia/nitrite in your tank waters chemistry. I'm afraid water changes will be quite frequent when performing a fish-in-cycle. With you not having a test kit at the moment and not knowing the ammonia/nitrite levels big water changes(80%) will need to be done daily just for peace of mind. Once you have your test kit you will be able to start testing your water parameters which will then help you determine how frequent your water will need changing and how much you need to change. As your cycle progresses your water changes will get less up to a point where it will be just once a week.

Keep up the good work, Keith

P.S Just like to thank Karin for correcting me on the ammount of water you need to be changing at the mo(80% would be a safer ammount)

 

[Skins]

How are things going?

Keith.

 

[kittencapes]

How are things going?

Keith.

Right, each night I have religiously changed about 80% of the water - it certainly perks the fish up who do seem a little quiet - sitting at the bottom of the tank very still for long periods of time which worries me, unfortunately the water test kit has not yet arrived but will do so hopefully tomorrow. What is them sitting at the bottom a sign of?

I now have the new tank - 38L Elite Tropical Aquarium Kit. I have filled it with water, treated it for chlorine and dosed it with some nutrafin cycle. I also put a few flakes in as advised in the instructions.

I plan to leave it now until Sunday night when I will put the fish in along with their ornaments. Does this sound like a good plan?

I have a few other questions - the aquarium sold us these tiny little pellets to feed them called tetra gold exotic. They said three pellets per fish per day - do you agree? It doesn't seem a lot! Also if everything is going ok in a month, would I be able to add any more fish?

Thanks

 

[Rynofasho]

Yes, the bacteria that everyone talks about that is good for your tank (it consumes the waste products put off by your fish) grows mostly in your filter, probably in some sort of little sponge for you if you have a hang on back filter -- that sponge is considered filter media -- tanks that have been running with fish in them for awhile have already established a colony of bacteria in the filter and that bacteria goes to work consuming the ammonia that your fish put off.

The good bacteria doesn't live in the water, however the concentration of ammonia in the water continues to build, especially rapidly with goldfish. That is why you can change the water 100 times a day and it doesn't do any harm to the fish because you are actually removing the toxins from the water but not the bacteria from the filter. In time you will have enough bacteria in there to consume all the waste the fish are putting off and that is when your tank is considered 'cycled.'

After that, you don't have to be as diligent with testing and everything, and you can slow the water changes to maybe once every 7-10 days, changing about 50% probably since you only have a 38L and it won't be a tall task. For now though, I agree 100% with everyone that you should be doing AT LEAST a 50% water change daily, if not more.

When you put the fish in the new tank, your cycle will start over if you begin using a new filter. You may want to get a mesh bag from the pet shop and put the filter media from your older filter in there and place it in the tank near the filter input --- that way you are at least 'seeding' the tank with some beneficial bacteria.

3 pellets per day will by fine, yes, and you honestly may want to only feed 2 per day initially as it will slow down the amount of waste put off by the fish and keep ammonia levels lower.

Once you are cycled, yes, you can add more fish Enjoy your tank.

 

[Harlequins]

Your goldfish staying at the bottom is a sign of poor water quality and when you do a waterchange its removing the ammonia/nitrite from the water which in turn is relieving the harmful toxins from the water hence perking up the goldfish.

TBH your tank is way to small for 3 goldfish ,ideally 1 goldfish in a 20 gal is usual.and your filter probably wont handle the bio load these fish produce has they grow quite large & they are very messing.
When you do the daily w/c clean the gravel with a gravel vac,this will help keep your levels low,and feed very minimal maybe 1 pellet each a day.

Good luck.

 

[kittencapes]

I know the tank is too small which is why I have now got a 38l one. What I would like to know is am I ok to move ths fish in tonight?

 

[moochy13]

i would move them in, but dont stop with the 80% water changes. unfortunately, even your new tank is too small for your fish. goldfish are large poo-machines, and need big tanks to cope with the ammonia they produce. i dont know about goldfish keeping, but if as mentioned above, 1 goldfish in a US 20 gallon tank is apparantly about right you have the wrong size tank. your 38L is about 10 US gallons, which is only half the size suggested for 1 goldfish, let alone 3. unless you have a big enough tank with a filter up to the job, your fish will always be suffering.

we all learn the hard way at some point.

 

[Skins]

I know the tank is too small which is why I have now got a 38l one. What I would like to know is am I ok to move ths fish in tonight?

Is your current filter going in the new tank?
Has your test kit come yet?

As some of the members have already said, i'm afraid a 38ltr tank is going to be to small in the long run. Apart from possibly growing to 6 inches(x3=18inches) they are very messy fish. I would love to say they will be fine and live to there full age but that would meen lying to you.

Keith.

 

[kittencapes]

I know the tank is too small which is why I have now got a 38l one. What I would like to know is am I ok to move ths fish in tonight?

Is your current filter going in the new tank?
Has your test kit come yet?

As some of the members have already said, i'm afraid a 38ltr tank is going to be to small in the long run. Apart from possibly growing to 6 inches(x3=18inches) they are very messy fish. I would love to say they will be fine and live to there full age but that would meen lying to you.

Keith.

What is the full age for a gold fish?

 

[Skins]

with perfect conditions up to 10 years.

 

[kittencapes]

Hmm my mums goldfish lived in the smaller tank we had very happily for 9 years! What do you advise I do then, return the fish to the aquarium? I can't really have an even bigger tank, and I certainly don't want them to suffer so it doesn't sound like I can keep them. I am quite angry really as we went to a reputable (or so I thought) aquarium, explained the size of our tank, and yet the suggest something unsuitable!

It is a very tough situation as I love the little fish, but at the same time if they are to suffer as you suggest it isn't fair on them. I am suprised they grow to be 6 inches, the man in the aquarium said they wouldn't grow a lot bigger than they are now.

 

[fluttermoth]

If you can't get a bigger tank, then I would return the fish. You could get a heater for your 38l and keep some small tropical fish instead.

 

[Skins]

Hmm my mums goldfish lived in the smaller tank we had very happily for 9 years! What do you advise I do then, return the fish to the aquarium? I can't really have an even bigger tank, and I certainly don't want them to suffer so it doesn't sound like I can keep them. I am quite angry really as we went to a reputable (or so I thought) aquarium, explained the size of our tank, and yet the suggest something unsuitable!

It is a very tough situation as I love the little fish, but at the same time if they are to suffer as you suggest it isn't fair on them. I am suprised they grow to be 6 inches, the man in the aquarium said they wouldn't grow a lot bigger than they are now.

Yes, he's right they proberly wouldn't grow much more but what he did fail to tell you is why they won't. At the end of the day he just wants your hard earned money. For now i would move them into the 38ltr, keep up with your water changes and when you can re-home 2 of them or return all of them buy a heater and get some small tropical species. Theres a lot more tropical species to choose from than coldwater.

What ever you do keep us all posted, Keith.

 

[kittencapes]

So if I were to keep all three in the new tank (which they are in now, and are swimming round together, madly dancing up and down where the filter is working and seem incredibly happy) will they definately be suffering? How can you tell if a fish is suffering, and what exactly is meant by this? I would find it very hard to take them back, and there is no gurantee the next home they have will be a big one