are my goldfish dying?? please help

[glasgowmandy]

i have just brought two goldfish, i have followed all the instructions i was given, the tank has been set up right with a filter, i have put those drops in the water that i was supposed to but i have just put them into the tank after leaving them in the bag in the tank to ajust but they are just swimming at the bottom, in the same place next to each not doing much, are they ok? what does this mean?? xxx

oh my god!!!! how did i not know any of this?? its so unfair, i might go back to that shop. its really just because at my dads recently my 8 month old was just amazed by his fish tank, loved it! so i thought it would be a nice idea, its a little dora the exployer fish tank, they arnt fancy goldfish just your run a the mill goldfish lol, i have no idea about this stuff! only the goldfish we had at home growing up, we called him jaws because he was huge but the tank wasnt really that big! yet he lived 16 years so i didnt know a small one could kill them?? am i being cruel keeping them? i really want to, i dont have much room, i could invest in getting a slightly bigge fish but not by much,
i feel terrible now, i only wanted to brighten up little DD's face and have a our own little pets to love and take care of, obviously i didnt just get them to entertain her, i do love having a pet to take care of but i didnt realise i was going to cause damage to them x

It's not your fault, it's perfectly reasonable to expect the shop staff to know what they are talking about. You have every right to be angry with them though!

Yes, fish tanks are great for babies to look at, I used to stick DD in her bouncy chair and she would watch the fish for ages

I would be tempted to take the fish back to the shop (or a different, more responsible shop), give the staff a right royal bollocking and demand some answers. You might want to print off this from the RSPCA site- RSPCA, the key points being the legal responsibility and the minimum tank size they recommend (10 gallons/45 litres). Also you could point out that tank sizes should be calculated on the adult size of a fish, not the baby size. Bonus points if you mention trading standards, that usually rattles their cages a bit.

If you can find out what size tank it is that your DP's mum has then I will be able to recommend you some fish that will stay small enough that you don't have to move to a bigger house to keep them

You might find this link useful too- Practical Fishkeeping goldfish FAQ.

Anyways, I am off to bed now. Good luck with the op and let me know if you need any more fishy advice

great thanks sweet ill do that, any advice you have is appreciated. i dont even know what kinda goldfish they are!
www.petsathome.com/shop/goldfish-(available-in-store-only)-36310 this is the ones we have.

10 gallons jesus! thats a lot lol, how did i not get told this? why did they even sell me the tank for them? x

Hey, don't stress about it. The fish will remains quite small for a couple of years or so, then get bigger as they mature. You have plenty of time to make plans for their futures and sort out a larger tank if that's what you want to do. You can always find someone with an outdoor pond in a few years if it comes to that.

Some goldfish do well for years in really small bowls whilst others can't cope for longer than a couple of years, it all depends upon the fish.

You're doing fine by asking for advice and doing the water changes. That's a good start. What I would say is to get the largest tank you can cope with and getting a good quality filter - perhaps a fluval or equivalant. The filters that come with the tanks aren't that great and you'll be doing loads of cleaning if you just stick with that one.

Just spend some time on the 'net doing loads of research and getting a feel for what's best to do. Don't rely on the petstore. Try and see if there's a well run aquatic centre near to you and either phone them for advice or pop down there and see what they recommend.

Most people just buy goldfish and stick 'em in the tank and don't bother to look after them properly or even care about their wellbeing, but you're not doing that, so don't be so hard on yourself.

thanks, my DP is laughing as we speak about my obsession on the comp over these fish! but they are my responsiablity now so i want to make sure i do the best for them.

i feel bit better after that i have to say i wont panick to rush out and buya huge tank tomorow but i will see into it, thanks for the advice x

lol no probs.

Your fish are lucky to have you for an owner. Too many people just neglect their fish and don't realise they need a comfortable life just like we do.

When you tank has settled down. Get them some live weed - just get the type that floats. They love weed to eat and hide in. Don't get the sharp fake/plastic weed the pet shops sell.

i will atom thankyou, gunna do the best for my wee fishys, i ran in the living room this morning at 5 am to check them, and they are swimming about!! woohoo, ive changed 50% of the tank and put drops in x

Woohoo!

Some goldfish seem to be able to survive for ages in poor conditions, but they are loads happier and healthier (and far more fun for the kids) in good conditions. I really love my fish - they're beautiful creatures.

People always comment on how much ours swim about, but I think that it's because they are so used to seeing goldfish in the little round bowls with no filter and untreated tap water.

It's brillaint that you are taking this so seriously, GM. You should be proud of yourself.

aww cheers florence, i am i love them, just keeping my fingers crossed, doin everything i should be doing anyways x

fish are still swimmington well! x