emma jane

Hello

I bought a small 17 litre tank (i know its small but will upgrade as and when its needed) with a filter so I can get my children involved in fish keeping. I set up the tank, added the necessary stuff i.e filter start, left it run for a week then added a baby fancy goldfish. He seemed fine for about a week swimming around the tank but now he just rests on the bottom of the tank for 90% of the day. When I put food in the tank he will rush around and eat all the food and then goes back to the bottom. He is breathing normally and have checked all the ammonia levels, PH etc and they are all fine.

I am wondering if he is depressed because he is on his own or if there is something wrong with him.

The temp of the tank is 21 oC

I would be greatful for any replies.

mlinden84

what exactly were your ammonia/nitrite/nitrate levels?

i'm thinking that the tank isn't cycled since you only ran it without a week, and the goldfish is probably reacting to the water quality. Have you done any water changes since you added him? (if not i would do one asap)

emma jane

Hello, thanks for the reply.

My ammonia reading was at 0, my nitrite was at 0, my nitrate was at 20 ppm(mg/l) and my ph was at 6.5. My Carbonate hardness was at 40 and my general hardness was at 60 ppm (mg/l).

I have done 2 water changes in a week, one this evening to try and perk him up but he still is at the bottom.

I dont know what else to do.

susitna-flower

HI, EMMA JANE...WELCOME TO FISHLORE

If you are getting set up with fish to involve your kids in fish keeping it is a good thing. To make the most of it we have many articles and years of practical experience to share, I hope you take full advantage, so both you and the kids enjoy the experience.


I have to point out is that if you look up goldfish in the fish profile, you will see they need a minimum of 10 gallons of tank per fish.

Your tank is approx. 5 gallons, so is to small for even one gold fish, it is better suited to a betta.

Good luck with your tank, and if we can help in any way, bring us your questions. Post often, and we love pictures....

Lucy

Hi emma welcome to Fishlore.

I agree with mlinden.
I see you have established tanks. I would cut a peice of filter media to seed the bacteria in this new tank.
Even a small goldfish is a heavy waste producer so the time to get him a bigger tank is now.

Good Luck, I hope he feels better.

emma jane

Hello

I do have a spare filter but it hasnt been used in about a month - will it still contain the relevent bacteria needed.

thanks

mlinden84

Unfortunately it won't. But you could use some of the media from one of your cycled tanks (and the entire filter from the tank the goldfish is in now) to help get the cycle going. I think using the bigger tank is a great idea!

emma jane

Hello

Thank you for all your replies.

I will cut out some media from my cycled tanks.

Unfortunately he has to stay in the tank that he is in for a year as by this time next year we will be in a bigger house (having one built) so will have the room to get him a really big tank (if he survives this)

thanks again for the help

mlinden84

How is the tank decorated? Maybe he's bored, and needs something to do to keep him occupied? Like a cave or something. Or maybe he's stressed by lack of cover/decorations?

emma jane

Hello

The tank is decorated by some plastic plants that I took from my other tanks so he does have a place to hide as have put two plants together to make an arch.

I was reading on other posts about feeding peas and have put a little bit of a frozen pea in his tank and he has been munching on it for the past 5 mins so he is very active when it comes to feeding time.

It really does look like his is bored in that tank, I know I cant add anymore goldfish so will invest in a cave.

Thanks

Lucy

I wondered about your water parameters in tank that was a week old. The fact that you moved some plants answers that. The plants also hold beneficial bacteria.

As susitna-flower mentioned, your goldie has already outgrown his 5g. before he was even put in it. I hope you can get him something sooner than in a year.

emma jane

I have just put in some media from the established tanks so will see how he goes over the next few days. I will look into getting a bigger tank but as I have a small house my other two tanks take up quite a bit of space and plug sockets.

Its mad that the instructions on the box of the 17 litre tank said that it can hold 3-4 small fish I knew that it wasnt suitable for that but they just don't seem to care, neither does the fish shop. Thats why I love this website - i bet it has saved many fish lives.

Lucy

Yeah, the pics on the box always show all these happy fish and the people at the store just want to make a sale.

Technically, 5g's can hold a couple of small fish, one's whose adult size is no more than an inch or so. The problem with goldies is they are huge waste producers.

susitna-flower

My first fish ever was a gold fish, like most of us here....45 years ago...I kept him in a bowl, like most people did back then....and he lived there for 3 years....

I changed water once a week. Just poured it out and added new, right out of the tap. Luckily it was well water. No fan fare, just did it. I would know he was due for a change when he started coming up and POPPING his mouth at the top of the water! Today thinking back I know he was living in horrid conditions, and I just wouldn't think of not providing a fish I choose to keep with the proper conditions.

mlinden84

Sadly I did the same thing. I had like 6 big goldfish in a 10 gallon, and would only clean the tank when it was absolutely disgusting... and then I would take everything out and scrub it really well (no doubt resulting in the tank having to cycle all over again). I feel really bad when I think about it. Poor little buggers!


That's great you are going to get him a cave or some decoration to play in! I found that mine (when i had them) LOVED the cheap rainbow-colored cave things at walmart.

emma jane

Thanks for all of your replies.

Unfortunately he is still lying on the bottom - I put in a turtle which he can swim under but he hasnt looked at it.

I think he is going to pass onto fishy heaven.

I don't think I will get a goldfish again, for this tank maybe a couple of white cloud mountain minnows.

thanks again

Lucy

I hope you don't lose him, I love goldies, but if the worst happens, a betta would love that size tank.
Your kids will love it, they can feed them by hand...with clean fingers of course.
Just visit the betta forum, you'll be hooked. (no pun intended)

http://www.fishlore.com/fishforum/be...ut-bettas.html

emma jane

Wow those Betta fish are really pretty.

I was just reading about the aeration of a tank and lack of can make a fish lethargic, the filter that came with that tank has a outlet halfway down the filter for the water to rush out and has a tube which you put above the water level to suck in the air but to me it just never seemed enough so have changed to my spare filter (i swapped the media) as with this filter the water rushes over the surface creating bubbles.

Fingers crossed as this is the last thing I can do for him.