I dont keep fish at all, but glad to stumble upon this post so I know to get a large tank, is it me or do they need a LOT of water?
Cold Water Fish
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Originally Posted by David McMahon:
“I dont keep fish at all, but glad to stumble upon this post so I know to get a large tank, is it me or do they need a LOT of water?”
“I dont keep fish at all, but glad to stumble upon this post so I know to get a large tank, is it me or do they need a LOT of water?”
A minimum of 10 UK gallons per fish is one general rule of thumb There are other ways of calculating it, per inch of fish etc - and there are variables like surface area of tank, aeration ec that are hard to factor in. But for new fishkeepers, if they know from the start a minimum of 10 gal per fish (that's 5 buckets) you start to get a sense of why most tanks they sell in certain stores, are woefully inadequate.
Do some research online - check out "fishless cycle" for one thing. Shops will tell you to set up a tank and leave it running a few days/week - in fact there's a bit more to it than that.
When my son came home from the fairground with 2 goldies I made every mistake imaginable before I got online and got informed and by some miracle, those fish survived. The other kid who won fish that day - his lived a day or two. We ended up having ours for 6 years or so - not bad for stunted fairground fish. But they can live upto 20 years if you start off with a healthy fish and a cycled tank. So t's worth getting it right!
Originally Posted by Hogzilla:
“You've done your best and that's great.
It's not your fault - the pet shops knowingly give out misinformation re. tank size etc. I was clueless when I started - had to learn it all from the interweb! (My son came home froma friend's house with 2 goldfish friend's mum had let them win at the fair! I knew zero about keeping fish alive and made some massive mistakes!)”
“You've done your best and that's great.
It's not your fault - the pet shops knowingly give out misinformation re. tank size etc. I was clueless when I started - had to learn it all from the interweb! (My son came home froma friend's house with 2 goldfish friend's mum had let them win at the fair! I knew zero about keeping fish alive and made some massive mistakes!)”
Cheers m8!
i think most of us have kept fish in poor conditions at one point. i started out with a 10g with sveral common and comet goldfish, a green tench, a golden orfe and a weather loach 
i used to clean out the tank weekly with tap water and wonder why i lost fish on an almost daily basis at one point, which was when i sold my tank and didnt bother again until i researched it all.
i used to clean out the tank weekly with tap water and wonder why i lost fish on an almost daily basis at one point, which was when i sold my tank and didnt bother again until i researched it all.
Originally Posted by kelly82:
“i think most of us have kept fish in poor conditions at one point. i started out with a 10g with sveral common and comet goldfish, a green tench, a golden orfe and a weather loach i used to clean out the tank weekly with tap water and wonder why i lost fish on an almost daily basis at one point, which was when i sold my tank and didnt bother again until i researched it all.”
“i think most of us have kept fish in poor conditions at one point. i started out with a 10g with sveral common and comet goldfish, a green tench, a golden orfe and a weather loach
i used to clean out the tank weekly with tap water and wonder why i lost fish on an almost daily basis at one point, which was when i sold my tank and didnt bother again until i researched it all.”
I quite agree.
I started off with a 30l biorb and 6 fish, some fancies, some ordinary goldfish. I thought this was fine as the Reef One website had pictures of the tank with more fish in and the guy in pets at home that sold it all to me knew what tank I had. And yes, I am ashamed to say tank and fish were both bought on the same day, in the same shop.
I was going for about 2 years with a few deaths, one every 6 months or so which considering my stocking level was quite lucky.
Then I went on the The Fish Forum and was stunned about how little a 30litre Bi-orb can actually hold.
The fish were re-homed and the Bi-orb retired. I now have a 200 litre tropical community tank (set up last July, did a fishless cycle and spent the time researching the different fish and what would work well together) which is fantastic. A lot easier to maintain than the bi orb was and it looks fantastic.
My fish must like it too as 6 baby plattys have been born and survived in it since then. I currently have 2 babies in a quarantine box thing as one of the Angels was eyeing them up lots thinking they looked like a nice snack so thought I would give them a fighting chance.
While I look back on my first efforts and cringe I am happy when I htink where it has got me now. If I hadn't wandered on to TFF by chance one day I might still be struggling along with my tiny bi-orb.
Originally Posted by Gogfumble:
“I quite agree.
I started off with a 30l biorb and 6 fish, some fancies, some ordinary goldfish. I thought this was fine as the Reef One website had pictures of the tank with more fish in and the guy in pets at home that sold it all to me knew what tank I had. And yes, I am ashamed to say tank and fish were both bought on the same day, in the same shop.
I was going for about 2 years with a few deaths, one every 6 months or so which considering my stocking level was quite lucky.
Then I went on the The Fish Forum and was stunned about how little a 30litre Bi-orb can actually hold.
The fish were re-homed and the Bi-orb retired. I now have a 200 litre tropical community tank (set up last July, did a fishless cycle and spent the time researching the different fish and what would work well together) which is fantastic. A lot easier to maintain than the bi orb was and it looks fantastic.
My fish must like it too as 6 baby plattys have been born and survived in it since then. I currently have 2 babies in a quarantine box thing as one of the Angels was eyeing them up lots thinking they looked like a nice snack so thought I would give them a fighting chance.
While I look back on my first efforts and cringe I am happy when I htink where it has got me now. If I hadn't wandered on to TFF by chance one day I might still be struggling along with my tiny bi-orb.”
“I quite agree.
I started off with a 30l biorb and 6 fish, some fancies, some ordinary goldfish. I thought this was fine as the Reef One website had pictures of the tank with more fish in and the guy in pets at home that sold it all to me knew what tank I had. And yes, I am ashamed to say tank and fish were both bought on the same day, in the same shop.
I was going for about 2 years with a few deaths, one every 6 months or so which considering my stocking level was quite lucky.
Then I went on the The Fish Forum and was stunned about how little a 30litre Bi-orb can actually hold.
The fish were re-homed and the Bi-orb retired. I now have a 200 litre tropical community tank (set up last July, did a fishless cycle and spent the time researching the different fish and what would work well together) which is fantastic. A lot easier to maintain than the bi orb was and it looks fantastic.
My fish must like it too as 6 baby plattys have been born and survived in it since then. I currently have 2 babies in a quarantine box thing as one of the Angels was eyeing them up lots thinking they looked like a nice snack so thought I would give them a fighting chance.
While I look back on my first efforts and cringe I am happy when I htink where it has got me now. If I hadn't wandered on to TFF by chance one day I might still be struggling along with my tiny bi-orb.”
Its good to know it was not just myself who has learnt by there mistakes.
I am glad I asked for assistance.
Happy to report no more deaths! Hopefully with the improvements I have made there won't be any more!!..It would seem by asking questions on this forums I have saved the others.
Thanks again peeps.
Originally Posted by madnes:
“Its good to know it was not just myself who has learnt by there mistakes.
I am glad I asked for assistance.
Happy to report no more deaths! Hopefully with the improvements I have made there won't be any more!!..It would seem by asking questions on this forums I have saved the others.
Thanks again peeps.”
“Its good to know it was not just myself who has learnt by there mistakes.
I am glad I asked for assistance.
Happy to report no more deaths! Hopefully with the improvements I have made there won't be any more!!..It would seem by asking questions on this forums I have saved the others.
Thanks again peeps.”
Just an update I have suffered no more loss's
Originally Posted by madnes:
“Just an update I have suffered no more loss's”
“Just an update I have suffered no more loss's”
Ah brilliant.
You obviously did everything right!
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