Please please help! I know nothing

[DaisyLilyFlower]

I’ve just adopted (been forced upon😂) two fancy goldfish from a relative who has gone into a care home. They are in a 150L tank currently but I’ll be purchasing a larger one when I get paid as it still seems so small! One is a black moor, the other a orange colour. They’re under a year old. The black moor I’ve noticed has silver scales on his face and on his side.

Previous owner (PO) had been feeding them flakes once a day, and when I brought them home I did a 50% water change yesterday using water conditioner, I also rinsed the filter through in tank water.

However, I’ve come down this morning and the tank is a milky cloudy colour? I’ve done some googling and it says it could be due to water change, maybe not.

Also, the fish have pink long stringy poo stuck to them I’ve noticed, does this mean PO was over feeding? Is this consitipation?

I’d really like to give this fish ownership a go and I’d like them to thrive so any advice or tips would be welcome!

Thanks in advance

No idea about any of this but I’m bizarrely invested already and want to know the answers.

Sorry, no advice, but this is the first time after years on MN that I've ever seen Fishnet in active convos! Didn't know it existed. This will give it a bump anyway

Blimey. I did not know there was a fish net. I had to open the thread to check it wasn't a kinky corner all about stockings.

(Sorry can't help, but isn't stringy poo normal?)

Hiya, welcome to the world of fancy goldfish.

First of the milky water sounds like a bacteria bloom, probably due to washing out the filter too much and killing your good bacteria in it.

Research the nitrogen cycle and purchase a freshwater test kit either api or NT kit. You need to test your ammonia, nitrates and nitrite levels at least weekly. You should have zero ammonia and nitrites and under 20 nitrates (when your nitrate hit 20 that’s when you do a water change)

If your other levels are above zero it means your filters not big enough.

Food wise sinking pellets are better because with flakes they swallow air and this can cause the fish bloating issue. Feed little and often is best. Stringy poo is often a sign of over feeding.

I wouldn't worry about the silver on the Moor. They do change colour with age and lighten up.
The milky water after a water change can be frustrating. It's possibly because the bacterial balance in the water is disturbed. It should clear in a few days but you can get products to put in your tank to help. You can get a kit or dip strips to test the water as the balance of things can get out of kilter and it can be quite bad for the fish.
Google is your friend with the poo, I can't remember the significance of clear poos. Goldfish are bottom feeders and pick over the gravel to feed ideally. If they gulp food at the surface it can cause problems with digestion. They appreciate fresh food like cold cooked shelled peas which gives their guts a shift but remove any that aren't eaten as they go rotten.
Is there a good aquarium shop or department in a garden centre near you? They are useful people to get to know and can give you loads of good advice as well as providing you with kit like water testing kits.

I’m very excited to find a fish section on Mumsnet! Congratulations on your new pets. Red44 has given some good advice. Do come back and tell us how you get on.

@Red44 blimey, cross post!

Pets at home and some independent pet shops will test a water sample for free, they will then give advice on what to do next.

Thanks for all your comments and suggestions!

Shamefully didn’t realise how much work taking care of Goldfish took!

mum of 4 and fish keeper