goldfish help!

[Lellyloulou]

Neighbours asked me to watch the goldfish they won at a fair.

He was in a tiny tank and is only little. Have put him in a new tank I bought that has a filter. Have treated with water, put in some gravel.

I want to keep him.. I realise we may need a bigger tank at some point but he's ok for now.

How often do you clean and how?

Does he need company?

How fast should the filter be? It is set low but is sending a lot of bubbles into the water.

Thanks.

[Lellyloulou]

Anyone?

[fisharefriendsnotfood32]

I'm not a expert by any means but I've read up on it all as I'm just laughing into fish keeping again and had goldfish years ago.

Is the fish a normal goldfish or a fancy?

And what size tank is it now in.

Most important thing for now is do not over feed your fish as the more they eat the more it poops and fouls up the water. The tank is unicycled so it hasn't built up the good bacteria so tiny amounts of food.

You will really need a API master water test kit and you need to keep a eye on the readings as if the reading a are high you will need to do a immediate water change.

You will need a gravel cleaner and you will need to match the water temp and use a tap safe product if you are using water straight from the tap.

I would hold of getting another fish as you have been forced to do a fish in cycle and it can be stressful for the fish. I remember doing the same many years ago as it was the days before the Internet and I had no idea. Goldfish are robust. If you have a common goldfish it will grow massive and should really be kept in a pond. I wouldn't get another as you will need to upgrade very quickly.

So for now minute amount of food.

Get a gravel cleaner depending on the size of the tank you will need to change the water often. Leave the fish in and perhaps 1/2 or 3/4 change.

Get a water test kit. Not the strips as there inaccurate.

Also a thermometer would be handy as I remember from our goldfish it wasn't cold tap water it wasn't hot but wasn't cold.

[fisharefriendsnotfood32]

My post should read launching not laughing.

And bubbles are good, fish like oxygen in there tank.

Also forgot to add when you clean your fish out open the filter and squeeze it out in used tank water not water out the tap as you will be killing off any good bacteria.

[Buggers]

If it is a common goldfish give it to someone who has a pond - unless you want a 30 gallon tank which is minimum size for 1 common goldfish. I have fancy goldfish in a 3ft tank 2 filters air pump and a light, they get 60% water changes weekly. Their a lot more work than people realize. Well done for getting a filter though but they are the messiest fish you can own. Any questions I'm happy to answer :)

[Buggers]

This says it all

[Lellyloulou]

Thanks.