Argh - Oh No - Urgent goldfish help please!!!!!!

[hockeypuck]

Hi, On Saturday I bought DD a WaterWorldz Mermaid fish tank - put the water treatment in, put the filter on, left it for 48 hours and finally bought the first goldfish on Monday (Goldie).

Less than 48 hours later Goldie is dead!!!!

What do I do? How do I tell DD. I found her stuck to the side of the filter (which to me seems really powerful anyway - if you put fish food in there it clings straight to the filter rather than sitting on the surface) so I don't think she was managing to eat anything. Even when she was near the surface she didn't show any interest in her food.

What do you think? Was she ill anyway, did she die from lack of food due to strong filter? or was the filter too strong for her to swim away from?

Thanks - I'll have one very upset 5 year old before bedtime - she has been earning this fist for 3 months by eating her food well.

Help!

oh dear, can you nip out and get another fish quickly?

sounds like the filter seems very strong if it was dragging everything toward it?

can you phone the shop and ask for their advice, most fish retailers give a gurantee of 2 weeks if they are reputable.

I would phone the shop. However if you explain to her that silly mummy made the filter too fast but lets go out and get another fish it may not upset her too much.

If I remember correctly, it takes at least a week to get the tank ready. Mind you - we have gone through 4 goldfish and given up. Very expensive IMO - I have at least £50 worth of equipment sitting upstairs and I can't be bothered to go through all the hassle again. I have 2 friends whose goldfish lived happily for years in a bowl of tap water. Perhaps it is just the luck of the draw.

I am not much help, am I, but I do sympathise.

i also say phone the shop. you can also take a little pot of the water in to the shop for them to test it there and see if theres a problem with it.

Thanks everyone. I bought all the stuff from Pets at Home and checked that the fish as compatible with the tank and filter and they said yes that's fine and said leave the tank 24 hours before putting the fish in. I left it 4 hours so thought it'd be fine.

I will phone them though and take some water in for them to check.

I personally think that the filter is way too strong for the tank - leading to a bit of a cyclical movement in the water.

I got it all from one place so I can take the whole lot back if necessary and hit them over the head with it!

I've just explained it to DD and she is sad but OK. She said "In the morning Goldie will be gone to heaven" so I think I'll just get rid of it when she is asleep. and we'll start again.

Is there a protocol for fish burial? dustbin ok?

down the loo. well, that is what we have done.

our goldfish are in a goldfish bowl without a filter or anything. Just water and aquasafe treatment, and the fish came home from the shop and went straight in.

I have tropicals which are in another tank and that has a filter, but never had one with goldfish. Maybe try another fish without the filter?

I love my goldfish,ive had them since last september, i have three fish, two filters and a pump in the tank.I change 3/4 of the water and the theme of the tank once a week and they are three times the size than when i bought them, i really enjoy it,,........sad arnt i!