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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.

Original poster

Help with new goldfish, it's all going wrong

88 replies

Booboostwo · 12/04/2017 21:30

DD won two fish at her school bingo (preschool gambling is all the rage apparently) and we went to collect them today. As expected it was a con and we got fish worth 3 euros but paid 110 euros for their aquarium ( and two more friends).

The advice the shop gave us was a bit crap. They gave us water from their tank to put in ours but it was so little it barely covered the sand. So we had no choice but to add a lot of tap water which disturbed the sand and made the whole water very muddy - of course we have not put the fish in there yet!

We have a filter which is trying to clean the mess, a heater which is working and have put a chemical in to try to balance the water. We got really worried about leaving the fish in their bags so now they are in a contained with their original water, the contained itself is balanced inside the tank but not in contact with the muddy water. This way the container will remain reasonably warm we hope. Was that the bets thing to do?

We also placed a piece of cardboard partly over the container trying to hedge our bets between allowing oxygen and preventing the fish from jumping out. Was that a good idea?

Will the sandy water have settled by tomorrow? I am very disappointed in the rubbish advice we got. I've never owned fish before but I tried to follow the instructions.

OP posts:
DalaHorse · 14/04/2017 11:27

Good advice purple. Was it you who mentioned upthread about sucking on the siphon to get it to start? I don't know if you've got one already and it wasn't working but my siphon has a squeezy empty ball section in the middle of the hose length which when squeezed, creates the suction required to get the water draining up and out. I've never had to suck on the tube Smile just thought I'd mention.

PurpleGlitterSparkles · 14/04/2017 11:41

Dala - yes that was me. I have a very basic siphon with no pump. Never had any issues before but I have a kink in the pipe and think that's where my issue is. For the life of me I couldn't get it going.

Friday is water change day for my fighter fish if I have issues today I will just replace the plastic tube.

I do have a batter operated one but it's utter shite and ends up putting the waste back in the tank.

Original poster
Booboostwo · 14/04/2017 12:19

Thank you so much purple and everyone else!

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Original poster
Booboostwo · 15/04/2017 12:10

Really sad news, one little fish died this morning. We gave her a Viking funeral (minus the fire) in the lake. DD and I bawled our eyes out.

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Funnyfarmer · 15/04/2017 12:28
Flowers
TeachingPostQuery · 15/04/2017 12:29

Sorry to hear that OP. It's horrible when they die, isn't it. How are the others doing?

hhorvath · 15/04/2017 12:33

My Mr Fishy is a strapping 12 year old goldfish. He survived my many cack-handed attempts at fishkeeping. I got my first pair at 15 and he's the one who survived the crappy tanks I used to keep him in.

He now has a 65L but obviously could go bigger. I buy him real plants and he has a whopping great filter.

I worry that he's lonely but he would probably eat another fish.

You could have your fish for a long time!!

FlyingSquid · 15/04/2017 12:35

The lake is the place to put them, surely?

I don't know how you'd transfer them with minimal stress (but I bet someone here does).

Then, with everything you've now bought, you could cycle the tank water properly (we did it by just bunging actual ammonia in a fish-free tank and letting the filter get on with it) and then get some guppies or zebra danios in a few weeks.

PurpleGlitterSparkles · 15/04/2017 17:16

Oh no that's really sad to hear!

Sounds like the fish was sick before he came to you.

Original poster
Booboostwo · 15/04/2017 17:21

Do you think they have a chance in the lake? They are tiny. I will happily put them in the lake if that gives them the best chance.

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PurpleGlitterSparkles · 15/04/2017 19:00

I've had a look on google and seems to say no. Due to protecting our wildlife.

As one of your fish has died it's possible it's sick and the others could have what it has. Very unlikely tho.

Did you say you were in France?

I've found advice from a U.K. Gov site that I've attached for you. It advices on ponds rather thank lakes or open waters.

www.gov.uk/government/news/environment-agency-warns-of-dangers-of-releasing-ornamental-fish-into-the-wild

Checklist · 15/04/2017 20:03

Goldfish should not be put in a lake:

Http:www.livescience.com/50442-3000-goldfish-multiply-in-lake.html

Try to find somebody with a pond with goldfish in, and ask if you can put your goldfish in it?

Original poster
Booboostwo · 15/04/2017 20:31

I don't know anyone who has fish.

The current plan is to sort out this tank and then move them to larger tank. DH has remembered that the previous owner had goldfish/carp in a large fountain we have - the fountain was empty when we took possession but he remembers seeing them at the viewing. Through a huge coincidence we met a gardener who specializes in aquatic plants and he's coming over to let us know what he thinks. Of course this will take many months to set up but it's a possibility.

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FrogsLegs31 · 15/04/2017 21:05

Personally I think they'd be much better off even just in the fountain with a small statuary pump creating waterflow.

The nitrifying bacteria that you need in your tank are almost entirely confined to the surfaces not the water. When trying to jump-start a tank you need filter media from a well established tank (placed interest your own filter) rather than water or "squeezings"

The other thing I would mention is the plant baskets. The baskets are packed with something called "nutrifloss" this fertilises the plants and makes sure they look great for a short time in the shop. The problem is that this floss will cause horrible algae problems in your tank in a week or two!

Your plants are called Anubias, they need to be taken out of the floss and tied onto a rock or piece of (pre-soaked) bogwood with thread.

FrogsLegs31 · 15/04/2017 21:14

Sorry, looked closer! The front plant is anubias. The back plant behind that is an echinodorus which needs planting into sand or gravel. The plant on the right looks like a Lilaeopsis so needs planting in sand/gravel too.

Original poster
Booboostwo · 15/04/2017 21:29

The fountain has to be made water tight and functioning so unfortunately it is not a short term solution.

Thanks for the plant advice. I admit I have put the plants to the back of the emergency to do list but I have to sort them out as well.

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Original poster
Booboostwo · 17/04/2017 08:35

At this rate I won't need a second tank, another little fish died today. The water is testing OK so I don't think it's anything I am doing wrong.

The tank has a light but it warms up the water too much (23 C) so I turn it off for 12 hours out every 24 and the temperature drops to 20 C. Could that be the problem?

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PurpleGlitterSparkles · 17/04/2017 10:23

Oh no I'm so sorry to hear that.

No no that can't be it. They can survive a big range of temperatures. And that temp change would be gradual not sudden.

Was there any signs that the 2nd one was sick?

Mine does the same as you describe with the water temps. I now only turn the lights on on my Goldie tank just before it gets dark to keep the algy away.

It sounds like they were sick before coming to you. Personally I always do a water change after one dies just incase.

Sometimes these things just happen with no explanation.

Original poster
Booboostwo · 17/04/2017 13:08

The first one started staying at the bottom of the tank a day before it died...the same with ththe second one...now the third one is swimming only at the bottom. I think it's really bad news to be honest.

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PurpleGlitterSparkles · 17/04/2017 13:47

Oh goodness hopefully you won't loose a 3rd.

I honestly have no idea what could cause this.

The problem we have found is once the fish actually start showing signs of illness it's usually too late to do anything.

I'm crossing my fingers for you.

FrogsLegs31 · 17/04/2017 14:05

Sorry to hear about the second fish!

It doesn't seem that you have an Ammonia test (NH4) amongst your kit? This is the first to spike in a new tank (then converted to nitrite then nitrates by nitrifying "good" bacteria). Any level of ammonia in the tank is dangerous

Original poster
Booboostwo · 18/04/2017 14:37

Sadly the other two died this lunchtime. I don't think I have the heart to try this again.

It might have been the ammonia, not sure the test kit tested for that.

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PurpleGlitterSparkles · 18/04/2017 15:32

I'm so sorry to hear that Boo.

I was just coming on to ask how they were today.

Goldfish are such hardy fish I honestly don't think it's anything you've done.

You've got a good size tank there, you've got a heater and a filter so if you do fancy trying again after cycling your tank you could get some lovely tropical fish. Guppies are pretty hardy fish and stunning. There is so many lovely fish out there.

TeachingPostQuery · 18/04/2017 16:58

Sorry to hear that OP. We've never managed to bring a fish back to health once they start looking off, it's still tough every time though.

Original poster
Booboostwo · 19/04/2017 15:13

This is the world's most embarrassing update and firmly proves that I am too idiotic to own fish but...fish no4 is still alive! I've been checking them very often and as I glanced in both looked dead, whereas no3 had sadly passed away but no4 was...well I don't know what she was doing, sunning herself? She seems perfectly fine now, very lively.

Feel free to call me every silly word under the sun, I deserve it.

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