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Keeping fish you've been unknowingly cruel to happy...

AesaAesa Posts: 3,614
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in Pets #1
Hi everyone, this is a continuation of my last topic. Just starting again as a whole new problem has cropped up.

Following some comments made on the last topic, I did some proper fish-based research and have discovered the following.
  1. I'm friends with an idiot
  2. The tank we've got isn't big enough for three fish, let alone four
  3. We can't afford to get a new tank right away
So, until we can get them a new tank (it'll be after Christmas and it'll only be three fish, as the KOI FISH (not a tank koi, seem I'm learning!) will have been rehomed), what can we do to make their lives a little more pleasant? I can't walk past them without feeling bad now. I tested the nitrates level and the PH etc and they're fine, and taken out a massive ornament that they had so that they've got more room to swim about and cleaned out their filter properly (idiot friend said it'd be fiiiiiiiiiine and that it didn't need cleaning :sleep:), but what else can we do? There are some properly knowledgable people on here, so just looking to learn some more and make their lives a little happier.

Oh, tank dimensions (I was really shocked when I calculated them) - its only ten gallons. Yup. I'm going to hell, but I want to make it right now.

Comments

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,286
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    #2
    :D sorry but i thought the 'im going to hell' part was quite funny. you are now trying your best for your finned friends so im quite sure you wont be going to hell lol :)

    right, things to do right away, well personally if i were you id be on the lookout for the biggest storage tub you can find, i have a 25 gallon one which i used for goldfish once. they cost like a tenner, and you can just hook up the filter to it and its a good way to deal with a problem until you have the funds to buy a bigger tank.

    if you dont want to go this route,and itl only be for a couple months max, keep them in the tank they are in, make sure you do at least 70-80% water changes once a week, twice if you have the time. the tank is only small so itl take minutes to do. gravel vac each time to remove all the poop. dechlorinate any water you add to the tank, and wash out the filter media in eithe rold tank water or dechlorinated tap water every time just to remove any much build up that can add to the nitrates.

    add some pond weed so it can soak up some of the excess nutrients and it will also give the goldies something to snack on/play with.

    make sure you are testing your water with a liquid drop test and not a stip test as these are notriously innacurate.

    good move on removing the ornament as it will take up water volume and reduce the already small amount of water they are living in.

    im sure we can get you back on track in no time :) you will have 18 inch happy healthy goldfish before you know it :)
  • AesaAesa Posts: 3,614
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    #3
    Thank you, kelly82 :) I really appreciate it, you've helped out so much already! I did a strip test, but we have a drop test too so I'll go and do that one too. We're going to give them a proper clean out on Monday; turns out that the tank is less clean than we thought and that the light above it is creating illusions. Bah. Anyways, we'll pick up some pond weed also. Anything else we can get them?

    Also, for the three fish, what would be the ideal size tank?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,286
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    #4
    are they all common and not fancy? fancy ones have a twin tail and egg shaped body, common are single tail stream lined fish, or they can be comets which have the longer tails.

    make sure you get drop tests for nitrite, ammonia and nitrate. its cheaper to buy the all in 1 master kit. i have the api mini master kit, costs around £20, but lasts so long i doubt you will need another inside a year or more.
  • chinchinchinchin Posts: 125,814
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    #5
    Could you sell one or more of the fish or give to friends or put temporarily in someone else's tank? :)
  • AesaAesa Posts: 3,614
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    #6
    kelly82 wrote: »
    are they all common and not fancy? fancy ones have a twin tail and egg shaped body, common are single tail stream lined fish, or they can be comets which have the longer tails.

    make sure you get drop tests for nitrite, ammonia and nitrate. its cheaper to buy the all in 1 master kit. i have the api mini master kit, costs around £20, but lasts so long i doubt you will need another inside a year or more.

    We already had a set of strip tests and a drop test set after one of the fish had problems, I did the strip test as it was quickest but my housemate is going to do the other one tonight (I've had to leave for the weekend), so that'll be sorted.

    Hmm I'm not sure if they're common or fancy. I have a couple, slightly blurry pictures, maybe you could decipher?

    http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3295457&l=fdbdd5ee18&id=504096512
    http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3295452&l=31c9456025&id=504096512

    The big log thing is what was taken out :)
    chinchin wrote: »
    Could you sell one or more of the fish or give to friends or put temporarily in someone else's tank? :)

    I was thinking about this actually, my cousin has my old goldfish tank that's unused at the moment, and I had two fishys in there for years. Might be okay for one of them though, thinking back that's also not really big enough, but temporarily it might be fine. Starting to look for a bigger tank now though, will be searching eBay and the classifieds tonight!
  • chinchinchinchin Posts: 125,814
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    #7
    Aesa wrote: »
    We already had a set of strip tests and a drop test set after one of the fish had problems, I did the strip test as it was quickest but my housemate is going to do the other one tonight (I've had to leave for the weekend), so that'll be sorted.

    Hmm I'm not sure if they're common or fancy. I have a couple, slightly blurry pictures, maybe you could decipher?

    http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3295457&l=fdbdd5ee18&id=504096512
    http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3295452&l=31c9456025&id=504096512

    The big log thing is what was taken out :)




    I was thinking about this actually, my cousin has my old goldfish tank that's unused at the moment, and I had two fishys in there for years. Might be okay for one of them though, thinking back that's also not really big enough, but temporarily it might be fine. Starting to look for a bigger tank now though, will be searching eBay and the classifieds tonight!
    I think you'd be wise to ;)
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,286
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    #8
    yes they are all common or comet, all need an absolute minimum of 20 gallons per fish, you could maybe get away with a 75 gallon tank. so a 5 foot tank should be ok for them for life. you will need filtration for a tank double that size though as they are very messy fish. a fluval fx5 would be good.

    forgot to add try www.aquarist-classifieds.co.uk
  • RubusRooRubusRoo Posts: 10,262
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    #9
    Dip sticks are a waste of time, don't measure for ammonia (the most important parameter) & are misleading.

    You need a liquid drop test kit like the API Freshwater Master.

    About £25 inc p&p from Ebay or £30-35 from the shops.
  • surfiesurfie Posts: 5,754
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    #10
    kelly82 wrote: »
    yes they are all common or comet, all need an absolute minimum of 20 gallons per fish, you could maybe get away with a 75 gallon tank. so a 5 foot tank should be ok for them for life. you will need filtration for a tank double that size though as they are very messy fish. a fluval fx5 would be good.

    forgot to add try www.aquarist-classifieds.co.uk

    From the photo's one looks like a Shubunkin, but one worringly looks like a Ghost Koi which can be agressive towards other fish when adult.

    Anthoer is a Comet and the other I've seen sold as a Canary Yellow Gold Fish. Apart from the Koi I have four in a 5 x 3 x 2 foot pond in the garden.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,286
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    #11
    surfie wrote: »
    From the photo's one looks like a Shubunkin, but one worringly looks like a Ghost Koi which can be agressive towards other fish when adult.

    Anthoer is a Comet and the other I've seen sold as a Canary Yellow Gold Fish. Apart from the Koi I have four in a 5 x 3 x 2 foot pond in the garden.

    we know one is a koi, and i was going by body shape as in they are common or comet body shape, yes one is a shubunkin. none are fancies. all should be pond fish ideally :)
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