balasharks

okay so today i have just got 4 shubunkins. i have 2 large males 1 small female and 1 small male. they have been doing well so far they are active and have no problem with there food but they do have one habbit but i dont know if it is a good habbit or a bad one,well the thing is every nw and then they seem to be swimming backwards, now i have heard that that the water can get through the gills and dround the fish but they seem pretty happy and im quite confused so please i need some answers.

please i need to know

susitna-flower

What kind of tank do you have these in?

You said you don't know about the nitrogen cycle.

I would suggest you go to :

http://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm

Read it well, and if you aren't set up to test your water, you need to get a API Master test kit freshwater (liquid) to test your water.

You should NEVER put a fish in an uncycled tank. You also need to have a tank large enough for these fish....a minimum of 55 gallon tank for these beauties....

If you didn't cycle your tank first, your fish are going to start to suffer from ammonia poisening. You need to be prepared for daily water changes , or find some bio-spira to help speed the cycle.

Good Luck.

balasharks

err i didnt know about the nitrogen cycle ages ago dont you think i woulda lernt something by now and wat makes you think my water isnt proply tested.

anyway i think my tank is about 30 to 40 gallons. they have been well fed and have clean water and it is at a temp of 20c so i dont know what is wrong with them. ohh and i thing i made the large shubunkins sound WAY to large they are actually normal sized and the other 2 are quite smallactually maybe the same size or smaller than my little finger lol . The big ones are probly the same size as 2 of mymiddle fingers .
yes they also have a filter and a bubble macheine for oxygen and some logs to swim around in.ohh and some rocks on the pebbles.

Shawnie

hi bala ...it says in your info that you dont know about the cycle..hence why she was talking about it...and even 30-40 gallons is too small for as many shubunkins you have...shes trying to help and where your info says "NO" on the nitrogen cycle question, she gave the info to help

balasharks

ohh i forgot to fill that stuff in i didnt think i had to since when i joined this site i didnt have my fish or any idea about nitogen so could i cange this information or not

Shawnie

well thats where she looked when she gave you the help

balasharks

ok i will edit my settings now ok

Shawnie

either way, iyour tank is too small for 4 so maybe you can return a couple? if its a 40, two should be ok alone ...goodluck

susitna-flower

Sounds like you have it covered, I wish your fish the best....

balasharks

actually i dont know how manny gallons but i know the size i just estimated the gallons . my tank is 60cm by 30cm by 45cm so if anyone could work out the gallons that would be great because im sure i have got the gallons wrong as the fish keeper said 4 fish would do well in the tank

Shawnie

if this is correct, and its
Width: 60cm (23.62")
Height: 30cm (11.81")
Depth: 45cm (17.72")

thats a 20 gallon tank..if not, let me know and ill refigure ...

balasharks

yes i think so ?? but there is plenty and i mean plenty of space for the fish because you can barly see them in it as they look way small

Shawnie

small is one thing...growth at adulthood is another..not to mention, they are huge poo'ers...

heres a link for ya to read http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/goldfish/shubunkin.php

they are more pond fish than aquarium fish

susitna-flower

The advice given here on fishlore is only our best advice for the health and happiness of the fish you are keeping.

Shawnie has given advice that fits the profile on fishlore for goldfish. You can view that at:

http://wwwlfishlore.com/Profiles-Goldfish.htm

On the first point on their care it states a minimum of 10 gallons per fish. If you go by the article Shawnie found for you, it would be more like 60 gallons just for the juveniles you have! I think the store person who sold you these fish did a disservice to you and your fish by giving bad advice.

The rule we go by is to size the tank as it needs to be for ADULT fish. This way people don't buy more fish than the tank they own can support. This is because often fish grow faster than the owner wants to upgrade tanks.

If you don't choose to follow these suggestions it is certainly your right. We will continue to give the same advice, and hope before your fish have problems you will be able to upgrade. If you have any other questions feel free to ask....

balasharks

ok thanks for your advise and i will think about getting a bigger tank but now back to the backwards swimming