Urgent help needed

[Dinoraw]

So I've wanted some fish for a while but I don't have the money for a tank etc.
We took our children to the fair today and I saw so many kids shaking goldfish they'd won in their bags. So dp decided to get some to save them in a way. Plus I'd wanted some anyway.
So for cheap the guy sold us some food. A tank and we bought the fish. We couldn't be bothered playing the games for them. So I have two goldfish now. Jeremy and Corbyn 😂

Anyway, I remember as a kid my dad put our goldfish in tap water but now it's all full of chlorine etc. I've been down to our local and only accessible pet shop (we don't drive) and they've ran out of solution to purify the water for them.

Will they be okay in tap water if I boil it and set it aside to cool until I can get some solution?

[amysaurus87]

Can I ask how big the fish tank is? You will need a massive tank for 2 goldfish as they can grow very very big. You'll also need a good filter as well as goldfish make a lot of waste.

Generally you need to have the tank set up and cycled before adding fish. You can Google cycling a fish tank and it will tell you what happens through this process.

They may be ok for a while in tap water but if you wanted to keep them long term you'll definetly need to get tap water purifier.

[Dinoraw]

I need to pop out ASAP to a pet shop but I need someone who drives. but they're tiny at the moment but it's a pretty big tank for them :)

[lunar1]

You need to get yourself in a taxi and get a quick setup for them. They can't go in boiled tap water. Look for a pet shop where you can buy the treated water from. And ask if they have an old filter pad you can have that will have bacteria in.

What is the measurements of this tank?

[Dinoraw]

Thanks both I managed to get a lift from my mom to pick up some solution. No filter in any bloody pet shop remotely near me. I'm going to have to go into the city tomorrow and grab one

[userofthiswebsite]

For future reference, if you don't have any dechlorinator you can leave the tap water out for 24 hours and the cholorine will dissolve.

Regarding the filter, it will not be effective immediately. It needs to build up the good bacteria to be effective. Normally this is done by feeding it with ammonia over a few weeks to prep for the arrival of fish but nothing you can do about that now.

You'll need to do more water changes than you would had you a filter all set up. Change about 20% each time.

As the tank isn't prepped you may lose your fish, it's a gamble really.

For future reference, do not rinse your filter media in tap water. Just squeeze it out into the tank before you do your syphoning. Change them as needed.

If there's anything you want to ask feel free, had fish 5 years now.Learnt some lessons along the way.

[Dinoraw]

If I get a filer today and my fish are still okay, should I use the filter in the proper tank before putting the fish in and then put the fish into a bag with the water they're in in it and put it in the new set up? All this has changed since I last had a fish like this. In the 90s, my dad used to out the goldfish in tap water in its tank after he'd cleaned it out. The fish lived to be 7 I think

[Gaspodethetalkingdog]

I thought that handing out fish as prizes had been stopped on the grounds of cruelty because most of them die. I would report them to the RSPCA.

[userofthiswebsite]

Sorry might be a bit late now but normally when you're putting a new fish in the tank you sit the bag with the fish still in it on the surface of the tank water for about 20mins so the temp of the water in the bag gets nearer to the tank temp water (so as to reduce shock) then scoop some of the tank water into the bag every ten minutes (again reducing likelihood of shock) then after 30 mins of that, scoop the fish out of the bag with the net and put it into the tank. Do NOT empty the fish bag into the tnak as if there is any diseased water it will go in your tank.

[ihatetosay]

disgusted that gold fsh are being used as prizes I also thought this was unlawful

[Dinoraw]

Well, after buying a filter, proper tank etc and looking after them well, they sadly died and I'm pretty gutted. Whilst I'm happy I gave them a chance instead of a 5 year old shaking the bag which they were in and killing them. I've read from a fairground they don't last long anyway :(
But nevertheless, the fair is still there so I went back 2 days ago and reported them.

[AutoFilled]

I’m glad you are reporting them. It’s disgusting they are giving away animals like a toy