What's up with my goldfish? :(

[DairyNips]

Someone was giving away two goldfish a few weeks ago. I thought I'd give them a new home..
Bought some dechlorination stuff and picked up the tank and fish.
Firstly, I feel the tank is too small and I'm an trying to buy a much bigger one ASAP.
I have had to clean them out several times since I got them. I have been using a manual gravel Hoover, sucking out about 1/3 -1/2 of the water, squeezing the filter sponge out in the old tank water and rinsing the 'plants' in the tank water, then topping the tank up with dechlorinated water at the same temp as is in the tank.

I've been feeding them twice a day and trying not to put too much food in.

The tank just keeps going cloudy really quickly.. And they just don't seem very happy to me :( I'm trying very hard but I'm not sure what the problem is.

The past few days one of the fish's tails looks kind of torn and has kind of white patches on it :(

One of the fish keeps hanging out next to the filter...

I tried googling and it said it might be bacteria bloom and to do a 20% water change daily. I've done that for the past 3 days and hardly any difference.

I'm really worried now. What can I do?

Anyone?

Is the tank near direct sunlight? This can cause an issue with water quality.

Not really its in a shaded area on the kitchen surface. A little sunlight comes in through the window in the back door in an evening but it's at an angle so not really direct.

I just hoovered the tank out again and replaced 30% of the water.. Both their tales have white spots..

Should I get some fin rot medication just in case?

Bump?

First of all you're doing the right thing so well done. Quick points:

1. Don't medicate unless you know exactly what the problem is. It's most likely to be ammonia burns, or something else brought on by stress.
2. The cloudy water is bacterial bloom which means the tank isn't cycled and ammonia is building up to dangerous levels for the fish each day. How big is the tank in litres? How large are the fish? Get a bigger tank asap. If you can't, buy a large cheap dustbin and fill it up. Put the fish in and filter as a temporary measure.
3. Buy a liquid test kit for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. You'll need to read up on cycling a tank with "fish in". You need to keep ammonia at or below 0.25ppm to keep them safe and will require daily testing and water changes.

Thanks! Their tails are kind of split and the white spots and around the base of the splits..
The tank is stupidly small, holds about 11 litres. I an trying to get a bigger one ASAP!
Shall get a testing kit and keep doing partial water changes..

If the tank is that small forget partial water changes. You need to be doing several 100% changes a day. You can't cycle a goldfish in such a small body of water.

If they are fancy goldfish you need a tank at least 120 litres. If they are common goldfish they normally reach 12-14 inches so are better off in a pond or you'll need 350 litres +

I haven't got room for a tank that big or a pond

All the info I read says goldfish need loads of room.. I don't understand how this isn't common knowledge?! How come people just keep them in tiny tanks?
Not sure what to do..

What size would the pond have to be?

So are they common goldfish? (fancy goldfish won't live outside in winter)

The pond needs to be large enough that out won't freeze solid in winter, common goldfish can survive icy water (if acclimated now) but not if out freezes solid.

Oh and yeah, you're just discovering the most abused type of pet in the UK. The humble goldfish. There's no legislation to protect them from terrible housing either really. Goldfish bowls should be banned in my opinion.