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If you have a fish pond, fish tank or are seeking advice about keeping tropical fish, you can find advice on our Fish forum.

If you have a fish pond, fish tank or are seeking advice about keeping tropical fish, you can find advice on our Fish forum.

Fishnet

Advice/ suggestions needed on a new tank for my goldfish

20 replies

Teaandcakeplease · 09/02/2011 20:38

I have 2 goldfish, the first one we won at a fun fair last Summer he's a common goldfish. I bought him a companion 2 months ago. They are outgrowing their glass tank rapidly. I have a filter in there that I bought separately and has made a huge difference to the water quality/ cleanliness if that's relevant.

I need a bigger tank, but whenever I've looked in my local specialist shop they're so expensive, so do any of you know where I can buy a bigger tank that isn't so expensive? A good website or recommendation? I'm not planning on buying more fish or tropical fish, I'm happy with my 2 goldfish They're happy too it seems, both in excellent health. I just need a bigger tank so they've got more room to swim and have fun. The current tank is on my dining table in my lounge as I have limited space here.

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whomovedmychocolate · 09/02/2011 20:40

Ask on freecycle, lots of people give the things away.

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Teaandcakeplease · 09/02/2011 20:41

Funny you should say that I'm on there all the time. Just checked it again to see what "offers" were on there. I thought it would be unlikely someone would have a large tank lying about at home they're happy to give away. But I'm probably wrong, so I'll post a wanted, what size though do I ask for?

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whomovedmychocolate · 09/02/2011 20:44

I would say 'small tank or vivarium suitable for two fish'

You ideally want a two foot one.

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Teaandcakeplease · 09/02/2011 21:00

I've posted a wanted but if anyone else does have some recommendations on tanks still, I'd love to hear them.

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whomovedmychocolate · 09/02/2011 21:04

Ebay - aquariums - they sell lots of them - find one near you. :)

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UnSerpentQuiCourt · 09/02/2011 21:29

Eaurouge will probably turn up soon to advise, but I am pretty sure that two goldfish will grow to a size that requires at least a 4 foot one.

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whomovedmychocolate · 09/02/2011 21:39

Funfair fish though unserpent - surely they will cark it way before then?

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UnSerpentQuiCourt · 09/02/2011 21:47

What about the friend from a more salubrious background? Or did I misunderstand?

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Teaandcakeplease · 09/02/2011 21:57

The other fish is shop bought, but was also just a common goldfish. Was that what you meant

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UnSerpentQuiCourt · 09/02/2011 22:23

Common goldfish live for a long time and grow very big. It's the fairground background, not the common-ness which will limit their life chances.

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whomovedmychocolate · 10/02/2011 07:28

Ah well if one is shop built then yes it may well live for several decades and get v big.

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Teaandcakeplease · 10/02/2011 08:33

The fairground one did try and die on me within a few days of being bought, his fins started rotting but I went and bought something from the shop that a staff member recommended and added it to the water and he became well again. I was mightily relieved at the time, as my daughter had just given her dummy's to the dummy fairy and we went to the fairground for a treat and won the fish. She'd have been devastated if it had died

Well I've won a 2 foot fish tank on ebay that I put a bid on last night, which was only £6. Decided to put one bid in and see what happened, just for the heck of it. So let's hope the tank is in good order when I pick it up. When will I need to change tanks again? Please tell me it'll be a while, as a 4 ft tank would be huge, might have to give the fish away by that stage as my flat is tiny.

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EauRouge · 10/02/2011 12:18

Morning

yes, UnSerpent is right, goldfish do need at least a 4 foot tank- they get massive! Keeping them in a tank that's too small will stunt their growth and shorten their lifespan so it's important to upgrade as soon as you can.

If you're in a flat then my main worry would be the weight of the water, a 4 ft tank would hold about 30 gallons and the water would weigh 300lbs alone.

Would your daughter be OK if you swapped the goldfish for some white cloud mountain minnows? They stay titchy and will quite happily live in a 2 foot tank.

Here's some info on goldfish that you might find useful-

Goldfish tank size

Water quality basics

If you need to know anything else then just ask :)

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Teaandcakeplease · 10/02/2011 13:26

It's a 1940's flat with solid concrete floors but that's a big tank. I think I'll be donating them to someone's pond this Summer if they carry on growing, and take your advice on those minnows Now I have fish I think they're fab and so do my 2 children.

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EauRouge · 10/02/2011 13:53

Sounds like a plan! As long as they are common goldfish shaped like this and not fancy ones shaped like this then they will do fine in a pond. Fancy goldfish are just too damn fat to get away from predators and they can't handle lower temperatures.

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Teaandcakeplease · 11/02/2011 22:02

Oh my... the new tank is big. If I only fill it 3 quarters full, would that be ok?

Is there a trick to half changing the water quicker and easier in the future every 7 days or so, that I do not know about? Ss with the size of this tank it would take ages

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EauRouge · 12/02/2011 08:45

Isn't this the 2 foot one? It\s probably only around 60 litres. I would fill it the whole way up, you need as much water volume as possible.

It only takes me around 20-30 mins to clean my 60 litre, you syphon off about 25-30% of the water (make sure you vacuum the gravel too), rinse off the filter sponge in the water that you've just taken out and then refill the tank with dechlorinated tap water.

Step by step guide here

You should never empty the whole thing out or use tap water to clean the filter. That might make things quicker for you

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Teaandcakeplease · 12/02/2011 10:17

Yes that's how I cleaned my smaller tank, I picked up a tube to syphon off the muck from the gravel ages ago. And only empty about half max. I was using a jug and going back and forth to the tap last night and adding the drops to remove the chemicals from the water as well and it took ages to fill it to 3 quarters full

The lady also included some gravel with the tank. Having filled it up I'm now wondering how clean the gravel was and think the first partial water change maybe sooner than ideal

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Teaandcakeplease · 12/02/2011 10:19

Ahh I may have had a epiphany. I was using a 1 pint pyrex jug. However perhaps if I use the big jug in my cupboard for picnics and mark it off where x litres is on it, I can fill that jug up instead and do less journeys back and forth?

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EauRouge · 12/02/2011 10:27

I'd use a bucket, you can get buckets with gallons and litres marked on the side. Then you don't have to run back and forth to the tap all the time! Make sure you save your bucket just for fishy stuff so it doesn't get any cleaning chemicals in it.

I wouldn't use anything that you intend to use for food, there are quite a few diseases that can transfer from fish to humans (which is one of the many reasons I'd never get a fish pedicure!) so you need to make sure you wash your hands really well and try not to get any water in your mouth when you start the syphon off.

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