Spyorb tank with 2 fish-help please

[muffinmum]

Hello, I bought a 30 l spyorb tank ( looks like diving helmet) with filter and a friend said 3 goldfish would be fine. I found a decent looking shop with a few different types of goldfish in and sent my mum with my dds the next day as I was working.despite strict instructions to get the smallest ones my mum got the medium size ones (2) with beautiful tails,they've got huge lumpy heads but my dds love them!ive put lots of plastic plants in there and thought they would be happy as its like a cave but after reading this am very worried they are too big for tank. They both seem to hide at the back behind the plants s lot and I will start doing a water change tomorrow.do I add the tapsafe to the water before I add it to the tank?also today I noticed one is getting white spots on its head which must be because the water is dirty?? They've been in their tank for 10 days now.should I take them back to the shop and get 4 white cloud minnows instead??if you recommend that do i need to clean out the tank and start again or just add them in?? I'm really grateful for any advice as am worrying alot about our new pets.many thanks

I assume you didn't cycle the fish tank first.

anyway - too late for that now

you need to clean the tank about once a week - good info on that here

I would do a water change today and yes add the tapsafe to the water before you add it to the tank

If you get a gravel cleaner like this one and it will make water changes quite simple. you can also clean through the gravel at the same time

So they have been in a tank that wasn't fishless cycled for 10 days without a water change?

They are dying from ammonia poisoning and maybe other infections too.
You need to do a big water change now, and probably twice a day until your levels are reduced to zero for ammonia and nitrite. Get a water testing kit because checking the chemical levels are necessary when stabilising a tank.

Finally a 30l tank is far too small for goldfish, an overstocked tank means that more water changes are needed especially for fish that produce a lot of waste.

Thankyou very much furbal and mrspnut,I will get a kit today and start water change after school run,cant wAit for fish to feel better.the tank has got ceramic media in it,is that ok? Nothing is going green yet.i had the tank up and running for 3 days before the fish arrived just because we hadn't got the fish yet but I think that's not long enough.it says to change the filter every 6 weeks but should a just rinse it in tank water I'm removing on a change? Thanks so much,poor fish : (

Yes just rinse the spongey bits of the filter out in the bucket of old tank water.

Also watch you don't over feed them as left over food will also spoil the water quality.

I think it's quite poor that the pet shop didn't a) ask about the tank set up first and b) at least give you a leaflet or something on how to look after them.

I know!i went in the day before to talk to them about how many fish etc,I'd been to another one the day before that and they'd said 3 goldfish and 4 minnows would be fine,I'd got the tank from there so they knew exactly what it looked like.as it seemed too many to me I went to the 2nd shop but dd1 was at school so didn't buy them without her. Thanks for your advice

Hello,my fish look so much happier just after one water change poor things,I've ordered the gravel cleaning thing you recommended and some strips but think I will take them back to the shop on Saturday and get 4 minnows instead as I haven't anywhere to put a larger tank and can't keep these guys in this tank!

You're doing the right thing by taking the goldies back. They are big, dirty fish and they need a big tank. Even tiny baby goldies get big very quick!

As you didn't cycle the tank (google fishless cycle) they are very stressed / poorly right now but hopefully the shop will take them back.

Long term, a small group of minnows will be much happier but you will still need to cycle the tank, before you add them to it. You can do this by adding household ammonia and testing water daily (pretty technical) or I have cycled a tank successfully using little "parcels" of fish food tied up in old tights! Takes about three - five weeks.

Cold water mountain minnows are cool little fish, I have two rescued minnows in my cold water tank at the moment and they are lovely to watch, always darting about. You can get a bright yellow version as well and they will shoal together.

Thanks Grumpia,I'm hoping to make my fish feel a
Lot better before they go back on Saturday by doing twice a day water changes,just about to do my 2nd one today.within an hour of looking happy after first water change they looked depressed again and just staying in one place.i think they were not long from dying in their ammonia soup. I was going to swop them for the minnows but have googled fish less cycling and am convinced to do it.
Should I start the fish less cycling with this tank as it is or should I clean it all out and start afresh? I have ordered the test strips that were about £8 are they ok or do I need the ones that are £24? I'm from a sciencey background so looking forward to cycling and can then start the minnows off healthily.ive only seen white cloud minnows but am goin to look out the ones you've suggested.some of the fish less cycling posters were saying to put frozen prawns in some tights to start it off???

Sorry lastly,how many minnows in my 30l tank when I eventually get them?

I have the api testmaster kit, which is little test tubes and bottles. It is expensive at about £30 online but lasts ages.

I've had it quite a while and it was worth it when I was fishless cycling.

As for stocking, I've heard that an inch per gallon is about right and allows room for error.

Sorry to but in, I just bought an api master kit from eBay, £17.99 inc postage I feel like I'm back in chemistry class!!

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but 30 litres is on the small side for minnows. Personally I would not keep any fish in a 30 litre tank although some people do. I wouldn't get more than 6 and you'll probably have to do a couple of water changes a week.

Thanks everyone,Eaurouge I think I'm going to save up for a bigger tank,think possible in a couple of months.Snowfire I'm getting on eBay now!

Cool, let us know when you do and I can talk you through transferring it all over if you want. If you're on a budget then Ebay and Freecycle are usually full of bargain second hand tanks.