Any other fishkeepers out there?

pollyanna_2-2

ailuro2 wrote: »

pollyanna- there's a difference between surviving and thriving,
I mention again that one could keep a puppy in a cupboard, but most people with a conscience would be ashamed to inflict such cruelty on a puppy.:mad:

Fish don't seem to be so fluffy and cute, so don't always warrant the same decent treatment as our furry friends, but it doesn't mean they deserve to be kept in an oversized cup.:eek:

just realised why your so upset about these fish. But i think your angry with the aquarium industry rather than the consumer. When i bought my fish i bought one of the largest betta tanks available ( i also did not like how they were kept in jam jars) with all the water conditioning stuff the works and have follwed the proffessional advice i was given on looking after it.

Notsosharp

Hi I was just looking for some advice really.

I was recently given a fish tank which is now filled and has pride of place in my living room. I have read a book and I know about checking the PH levels of the water, changing 50% of the water every three weeks etc. The fish seem happy enough atm but I was just wondering if there was anything else I needed to do. They are just plain old goldfish and one black moor.

I feed them twice a day (I have five fish) and never give them more than they can eat in five minutes but they still seem hungry as they keep going to the top of the tank like they are looking for more food. I also read that you can give them swatted flies and I have given them one which they seemed to enjoy (it was a big fly and gone in one gulp, even though my fish are only little!) but I was told by someone else that you shouldn't give them flies.......

What else can I do to keep my little fishies happy?

PS: Do fish sleep?!!

Paparika

Notsosharp wrote: »

Hi I was just looking for some advice really.

I was recently given a fish tank which is now filled and has pride of place in my living room. I have read a book and I know about checking the PH levels of the water, changing 50% of the water every three weeks etc. The fish seem happy enough atm but I was just wondering if there was anything else I needed to do. They are just plain old goldfish and one black moor.

I feed them twice a day (I have five fish) and never give them more than they can eat in five minutes but they still seem hungry as they keep going to the top of the tank like they are looking for more food. I also read that you can give them swatted flies and I have given them one which they seemed to enjoy (it was a big fly and gone in one gulp, even though my fish are only little!) but I was told by someone else that you shouldn't give them flies.......

What else can I do to keep my little fishies happy?

PS: Do fish sleep?!!

I'm not sure on this but if the fish have been fed and are still going to the surface, does that mean they need more oxygen, maybe a pump or oxygenated plants?

Notsosharp

Thanks for that adive but they already have a filter, pump and plants in there so I don't think its that, maybe they are just greedy or growing!

ailuro2

Don't feed them twice a day, more like 5 days out of seven.Yes they will look puppy eyed and wag their tails when you come into the room, but learn to ignore it.:rolleyes:
Today's ornamental goldfish have been bred for pleasing shapes which mean their digestive tracts can get a bit sluggish, so 5 out of 7 gives them time to catch up.:D

Goldfish will slurp up whatever you put in their tank, but they are herbivorous so if you want to treat them give them a bit of blanched and skinned cucumber.

5 goldfish in a tank, your tank must be pretty big, the recommended volume for them (because they produce so much waste) is 20gallons for the first fish then 10gallons each for each goldfish thereafter ( I include the black moor in the calculation, he is classed as a goldfish too) so your tank must be some size.

50% of the water isbetter than nothing, but I'd be looking at 25% every week as a lot nicer for them.

The pH is important, but the nitrAtes, nitrItes and any ammonia is a lot more need checked too especially if the tank is new. (nitrogen cycle;)) If the fish are kind of 'breathing' or gasping at the water's surface it could indicate nitrIte or ammonia in the water - have you checked these?

Stephb1986_2

I have two gold fish too

One of them was showing signs of swim bladder diesease (floating to the top but trying to stay down) so i changed his diet to fish pellets i cut 2 in half so it makes 4 pieces and plop them in once a day.

Fish do go to the top of the tank for more air, your pump might not be pumping enough oxygen into the water for them.

I dont think gold fish sleep. I do have tropical fish too (in a different tank) and I have a chinese sucking loach he seems to dissapear about 9pm and comes out about 9am he goes hiding in the rock ornamant in have in there so he possibly goes to sleep

I try to give my gold fish a varied diet although i have to be careful with bob because of his tummy, but one day i will give them pellets, next day blood worm, 3rd day flakes, 4 day lettuce and peas ect ect

I hope this helps

If you want to know more about your fishies go on here

http://www.tropicalfish.site5.com/tfc/forumdisplay.php?f=20

They will answer any questions for you

Steph xx

Emmabeth

The pH of the water is not going to be that important, in comparison to the nitrIte and nitrAte levels and the ammonia levels.

You say you got the tank recently.. did you do a fishless cycle before putting the fish in? This is, if you didnt do it, to cultivate the bacteria in the filter which convert ammonia to nitrIte, and then nitrAte, which you then remove by weekly water changes. With goldfish and especially with five in a tank you are going to have to do weekly water changes - on my small tank (12g) i do weekly (its tropical though so nowhere near the muck htat goldfish produce), on my 65g i do two weekly (again tropical and no big messy fish in there either).

When you water change, do you use a gravel vac to syphon the filth out of the gravel as well as change some of the water? If not - get a gravel vac (its just a tube with a bigger tube on the end anda one way valve, dig the wide end in the gravel, jiggle it around and the poo goes up the tube and into the bucket with the mucky water).

Gasping at the surface is a sign that fish are not well, and poor water quality due to tank that hasnt fully cycled yet is a number one cause (number two being lack of oxygen, make sure your filter makes the surface of the water move to prevent this).

If it is water quality, they gasp because their gills are inflamed, burned by the ammonia and nitrites in the water so they cannot get enough oxygen via their gills... so they gasp.

Btw - if your filter moves the water surface you dont need an air pump, the bubbles an airpump give you do not dissolve in the water giving more oxygen, they increase the oxygen content in the water by stirring the surface up - if your filter will stir the surface you dont need a pump as well.

Paparika

ailuro2 wrote: »

Don't feed them twice a day, more like 5 days out of seven.Yes they will look puppy eyed and wag their tails when you come into the room, but learn to ignore it.:rolleyes:
Today's ornamental goldfish have been bred for pleasing shapes which mean their digestive tracts can get a bit sluggish, so 5 out of 7 gives them time to catch up.:D

Goldfish will slurp up whatever you put in their tank, but they are herbivorous so if you want to treat them give them a bit of blanched and skinned cucumber.

5 goldfish in a tank, your tank must be pretty big, the recommended volume for them (because they produce so much waste) is 20gallons for the first fish then 10gallons each for each goldfish thereafter ( I include the black moor in the calculation, he is classed as a goldfish too) so your tank must be some size.

50% of the water isbetter than nothing, but I'd be looking at 25% every week as a lot nicer for them.

The pH is important, but the nitrAtes, nitrItes and any ammonia is a lot more need checked too especially if the tank is new. (nitrogen cycle;)) If the fish are kind of 'breathing' or gasping at the water's surface it could indicate nitrIte or ammonia in the water - have you checked these?

Your telling me :rotfl:

OH asked if i wanted a dirty weekend.... I have just spent the weekend ankle deep in fish poo

He had leaches in the pond, not one or two.... hundreds he saved 2 fish, the rest died, this was my fathers house previously and that pond must be over 25 years old, I'm not sure he cleaned it out either...


So we emptied the pond, saved as many newts and frogs as possible and then scooped out the muck, and the huge lilly pad roots. scrubbed the lining and then added new lining, left for a few days and new pond refilled yesterday, phew what a week

suki1964

The joys of fish owning - be it a tank or a pond

I cant do fish any more - not tanked ones any ways. I hate having to deal with the ones that die

scat

You should be able to get the water in your tank checked for free if you take it to Pets at Home. You don't mention whether you cycled your tank? Also five goldfish would require a very large tank so I suspect you are overstocked. Goldfish are better off outdoors really, they are pretty messy fish!