Goldfish Tank Beginner Who Needs Help

Hey guys. The other day I posted on here about my other goldfish acting strange and sick he sadly passed away and what’s strange is that my 2 other baby goldfish that were WAY younger than he was were just fine. I only had him a week before this happened. I believe it was probably my fault because my parameters were a little out of wack but they weren’t terribly high. There were however low amounts of ammonia and nitrite. I went to the store and bought prime and some aquarium salt and have been keeping close eye on the aquarium but now one of the other fish is starting to act funny. He is swimming up in the corner as if he’s trying to get air but the other one is swimming around just fine... here’s my parameters
Temp: 72 F
Ph: 7.2 (with no altering chemicals)
Ammonia: .30
Nitrite: 2.0 ppm
Nitrate: 5.0 ppm
But I dosed with prime and added aquarium salt. Is there a chance the other fish could’ve had a parasite??? Because I have treatment but it’s so hard to pinpoint when my tank isn’t in the parameters it should be!

 

How big is the tank?

 

2ppm nitrite is going to be what killed them it should be below 0.75.

 

What size tank? What breed of goldfish? Live or fake plants? Nitrite is to high. Maybe turn up the heater.

 

What size tank? What breed of goldfish? Live or fake plants? Nitrite is to high. Maybe turn up the heater.

No need for extra heat. 72 is fine, possibly too warm.

 

No need for extra heat. 72 is fine, possibly too warm.

Okay. I’ve only had 3 goldfish and that was a while ago so i’m Not really super familiar with them. Thanks for correcting me

 

How big is the tank?

48 gallon. I did a 30 percent water change+prime and he did a bit better for a while but he’s back to what he was doing before the water change

2ppm nitrite is going to be what killed them it should be below 0.75.

But I used prime which makes it non toxic. I know it’s no complete Miracle worked but shouldn’t it do something???

What size tank? What breed of goldfish? Live or fake plants? Nitrite is to high. Maybe turn up the heater.

Fake plants, 48 gallon and fancy goldfish

 

Well, I know live plants do help with keeping a tank “stable” (sort of) but that’s not your problem. I would only keep 2 fancy goldfish in there at a time and maybe a couple of other small fish. Do you have a filter? Is it an hob filter or a sponge filter? Also the prime should have worked. Maybe try doing a 50% water change and prime?

 

Well, I know live plants do help with keeping a tank “stable” (sort of) but that’s not your problem. I would only keep 2 fancy goldfish in there at a time and maybe a couple of other small fish. Do you have a filter? Is it an hob filter or a sponge filter? Also the prime should have worked. Maybe try doing a 50% water change and prime?

I do have exactly 2 baby fancy goldfish in my tank and plan to keep it that way for a while but I have a HOB AquaClear 110. I got a large filter because goldfish are messy and I have a airstone as well. I added a second dose of prime and I change 30 percent of the water this morning. I don’t wanna overload them with water changes.

 

Sound like you are doing everything correctly. Maybe in three days, if the nitrite is still high do a 50% water change with prime. It’s a lot of work, trust me I know. Lol. I USED to have a goldfish in a 30 gallon but boy was that thing messy. I’m not a huge fan of keeping them but they are pretty.

 

Sound like you are doing everything correctly. Maybe in three days, if the nitrite is still high do a 50% water change with prime. It’s a lot of work, trust me I know. Lol. I USED to have a goldfish in a 30 gallon but boy was that thing messy. I’m not a huge fan of keeping them but they are pretty.

I love them so much I think they’re stunning. Especially fancy’s... I’m starting to wonder if the fish I had had a parasite but I guess I won’t know until they’re all gone because my parameters aren’t right in the first place

 

But I used prime which makes it non toxic. I know it’s no complete Miracle worked but shouldn’t it do something???

Prime only detoxifies 1ppm.

 

Sound like you are doing everything correctly. Maybe in three days, if the nitrite is still high do a 50% water change with prime. It’s a lot of work, trust me I know. Lol. I USED to have a goldfish in a 30 gallon but boy was that thing messy. I’m not a huge fan of keeping them but they are pretty.

My fish is still acting sick after 3 doses of prime. Would it be okay to do another 30%water change? I just did one yesterday but he’s still doin g bad

 

As long as you are seeing nitrites, daily water changes will not be too much. In fact I recommend daily 30% (even 40% would not be too much) water changes every day until they drop to zero. Water changes are not going to affect the cycling progress. The bacteria you are trying to grow does not live in the water so changing it will not slow the cycle down.

With lives at stake water changes must be done. Just be sure to add enough Prime for the full volume of your tank daily as long as you are registering any ammonia and/or nitrites.

 

If you see nitrites your tank isn't cycled. Nor if you see ammonia! That's like us dying from gas

 

As long as you are seeing nitrites, daily water changes will not be too much. In fact I recommend daily 30% (even 40% would not be too much) water changes every day until they drop to zero. Water changes are not going to affect the cycling progress. The bacteria you are trying to grow does not live in the water so changing it will not slow the cycle down.

With lives at stake water changes must be done. Just be sure to add enough Prime for the full volume of your tank daily as long as you are registering any ammonia and/or nitrites.

Thank you so much!!

 

Guys please tell me what to do!!! I finally think know what's killing my fish! Look at the picture is it Ich!? What do I do? He doesn’t act sick Parameters are perfect.

 

Hard to see in the photo, but it looks like it could be ich. So you can buy an ich med or try treating with the heat method.

 

Hello everyone I know I keep asking a lot of questions but I am just doing so because I would like to know as much as possible before I make any decisons.I also know with a lot of different peoples help there are other solutions that a group can come up with together. I currently have a 29 gallon tank with 2 goldfish each about 5 inches(before any of y'all tell me they are not in the correct size tank I know that are not but until my family finishes building a pond for them in our backyard they will be living in the tank should only be 1-2 more years). I've had my goldfish for 4 years now. Orignialy living in a 1 gallon tank for 2 years than a 5 gallon and than just got moved into this new tank(back in March of this year).

Light usuage is limited to less than 4 hrs already with 10-20% water changes once a week. In these water changes I use an algae control chemical to keep it from getting to bad. I have tried snails and they work great for a while but the goldfish eat them after a few months. I have been through 5 snails. The tiger nerite, lion nerite, ivory, mystery(2- dark grey & black and yellow) snails. I think the tiger & lion nerite were eaten by the fish and than the ivory and one mystery snail shells cracked (low calium so when it cracked they drowned) and than the other mystery snail got ripped in half by the fish.I have tried manually removing it but it just keeps coming back. I've also tried putting live plants into the tank but of course my goldfish just think of it like a salad.

So I have been suggested to get a Bristle-nose Pleco or Chinese Algae Eater or ram snails. Upon all the research that I have done on all of them. I am really leaning towards the bristle-nose pleco and would increase the water changes(know this would add a lot to the bioload that is already higher than needs to be) and know they would only clean up a little bit of th algae. I'm sceptical towards the chinese algae eaters since I've hear bad stories from them (even though it is because they need more food) and with the ram snails I don't wanna go with them because of my history of snails. Any help would be appreciated. I am up for any suggestions that I haven't brought up. Thanks!

 

Maybe if you got a handful of snails they would breed before the goldfish ate them. Maybe just add a few hiding spots for them like one of those shrimp spheres.

 

Maybe if you got a handful of snails they would breed before the goldfish ate them. Maybe just add a few hiding spots for them like one of those shrimp spheres.

What is a shrimp sphere? I tried that a little while ago and nobody breeded but I think that is the reason someone suggested the ram snails since they breed fast so the rate the goldfish eat them and they breed it is fine. Though the reason half of he snails died this time around was because of cracks in their shells which I was told it was because there was no calcium in the tank. This is the concerning part cause that is also another horrible way to die besides getting eaten by the goldfish.

 

29 gallon tank with 2 goldfish each about 5

10-20% water changes once a week.

You need much more water changes. All that fish poo is algae fuel. Maybe 50% twice a week. Just to throw out a number. It's a high bioload to have small changes

 

Those things ! Wasn’t sure what they were called lol but a whiffle ball in the substrate would probably be just about the same thing.

But hm. I’m not sure. You could also get a algae magnet. otocinclus ? They don’t get too big. But idk how they’d live with a goldfish.

 

You need much more water changes. All that fish poo is algae fuel. Maybe 50% twice a week. Just to throw out a number. It's a high bioload to have small changes

I have tried that but with being an out of state college student and not getting decent results with doing that I don't do it that much and the fish are still doing great.

Those things ! Wasn’t sure what they were called lol but a whiffle ball in the substrate would probably be just about the same thing.

But hm. I’m not sure. You could also get a algae magnet. otocinclus ? They don’t get too big. But idk how they’d live with a goldfish.

Oh I've never seen those before they look pretty nifty though. I thought about otocinclus too but I don't know much about them. What do you know about them?

 

Goldfish might gobble up an otto and become injured on the boney pec fins. They have a reputation for being a bit delicate and preferring planted tanks. If there is a barrier to water changes, the otto may suffer ill health before the goldfish ever show effect

 

I wouldn't suggest otos. They small, so most likely they will end up as food.

 

I don't do it that much and the fish are still doing great.

Does not look like suggestions appreciated.ead:

 

Does not look like suggestions appreciated.ead:

It is I just was stating I've tried it.

 

I have tried that but with being an out of state college student and not getting decent results with doing that I don't do it that much and the fish are still doing great.



Oh I've never seen those before they look pretty nifty though. I thought about otocinclus too but I don't know much about them. What do you know about them?

Yeah they aren’t too expensive I see them at a lot of pet stores
& I don’t know much tbh I’ve been thinking about getting one myself though so I’ll be looking more into them. But seems like a lot of people say it’s not a good idea to house them together. Maybe a pleco or catfish that is about the same size as the gold fish ?

 

It is I just was stating I've tried it.

Fair enough. Thanks. I do keep a longfin albino bunshnose pleco with my goldfish. Works great. I feed the pleco it's own food, added driftwood and do large waterchanges twice a week. I don't know what your tank chemistry is like but if there is a nitrate issue contributing, a pleco might be affected by it more than the golds. Like you said, the pleco does add to the bioload, but they dooo help keep things scrubbed. Mine keeps me from having to climb around the dining room table to clean corners of the tank.

 

Yeah they aren’t too expensive I see them at a lot of pet stores
& I don’t know much tbh I’ve been thinking about getting one myself though so I’ll be looking more into them. But seems like a lot of people say it’s not a good idea to house them together. Maybe a pleco or catfish that is about the same size as the gold fish ?

Inexpensive items are the best! Ya that is about what I have read on it.

Fair enough. Thanks. I do keep a longfin albino bunshnose pleco with my goldfish. Works great. I feed the pleco it's own food, added driftwood and do large waterchanges twice a week. I don't know what your tank chemistry is like but if there is a nitrate issue contributing, a pleco might be affected by it more than the golds. Like you said, the pleco does add to the bioload, but they dooo help keep things scrubbed. Mine keeps me from having to climb around the dining room table to clean corners of the tank.

What kind of driftwood do you have? I checked the levels of everything yesterday and nitrate was below 20 so I don't think that is an issue(I thought it could be especially since all of my snails kept dying before I knew about the calcium issue). How does the nitrate impact the pleco just so I can know. You just made me feel a whole lot better about the fact that your pleco is chill with your goldfish I've been worrying about that. How big is your BN pleco?

 

I think its malasian driftwood. I'm assuming its female and have had it less than a year. Appears to be 3 or 4 inches. Open to someone relabeling the species. High nitrates go with stunted growth and lowered immunity to disease.

 

Clown pleco. They get no bigger than 4 inches and will clean your tank of algae in no time, may have to supplement in some driftwood for them to eat when algae is scarce. They live for algae and wood. I put three in a 55 gallon thinking they were just cool and literally the next day all the algae was gone. Not that I had much, but I was honestly shocked. They've also eaten a whole 8 inch piece of driftwood within a few months so... they're kind of insane. Never seen a fish do some work like that. They're super cool.

 

Research how to balance your nitrates down to a steady 5 or 10 with denitrifying bacteria and you won’t have such an algae problem. Hornwort also gives out chemicals that inhibit algae growth. Lava stones, lower current, and hornwort balanced my tank and stabilized my nitrates. I think a pleco will overload an overstocked tank. They are messier than goldfish.. My Goldie’s also started losing scales with a pleco sucking on them while they slept so I had to rehome the pleco..

 

I honestly don't understand how people say plecos are messy. I've kept commons (one still remains in the koi pond at roughly 18 inches), bristlenoses, and now whip tails and clowns. The messiest I've seen are the clown plecos with all their left over wood bits that no one else would eat. But that's easy to clean during water changes with a quick vacuum. Then again, that's just me.

The biggest suspects leading to algae is lighting and excessive nutrients, but even so algae won't grow without enough light. OP indicated that there's less than 4 hours of lighting, unless I misinterpreted that. OP says they're considering a BN pleco with increased water changes, then I think a clown pleco would be a better candidate along with the bigger water changes to help. Just my thinking.

 

Goldie’s also started losing scales with a pleco sucking on them while they slept so I had to rehome the pleco..

I was very close to mentioning this possibility.

 

I honestly don't understand how people say plecos are messy. I've kept commons (one still remains in the koi pond at roughly 18 inches), bristlenoses, and now whip tails and clowns. The messiest I've seen are the clown plecos with all their left over wood bits that no one else would eat. But that's easy to clean during water changes with a quick vacuum. Then again, that's just me.

The biggest suspects leading to algae is lighting and excessive nutrients, but even so algae won't grow without enough light. OP indicated that there's less than 4 hours of lighting, unless I misinterpreted that. OP says they're considering a BN pleco with increased water changes, then I think a clown pleco would be a better candidate along with the bigger water changes to help. Just my thinking.

Clowns are great because they stay small and do a pretty good job of cleaning algae but live a lot longer in heated tanks. They also will suck on goldfish in my experience. Bn’s might be better in that regard.

It seems that fish that eat a lot of algae and plants like goldfish and plecos just produce a lot of waste relative to many other fish because of their diets and digestive systems and that they are constant grazers on bacteria and algae in the tank. Vacuuming a pleco vs non pleco tank -it becomes obvious. I suspect they may also increase algae and bacterial biofilm growth rates in tank even though you don’t see it because it is converted to waste so quickly.

 

Clowns are great because they stay small and do a pretty good job of cleaning algae but live a lot longer in heated tanks. They also will suck on goldfish in my experience. Bn’s might be better in that regard.

It seems that fish that eat a lot of algae and plants like goldfish and plecos just produce a lot of waste relative to many other fish because of their diets and digestive systems and that they are constant grazers on bacteria and algae in the tank. Vacuuming a pleco vs non pleco tank -it becomes obvious. I suspect they may also increase algae and bacterial biofilm growth rates in tank even though you don’t see it because it is converted to waste so quickly.

I could see a common pleco trying to eat a fish but I honestly couldn't see a clown pleco do that. I house them with a betta and there's not been an issue ever. I've read that clowns are not usually a fish you get to see often since they like to hide a lot, which further supports my disbelief. They are after all a xylivore, a wood-eating species of fish. Could not imagine that other non-xylivore fish would appeal to a clown pleco. Strange.

 

It is something about how goldfish sleep. Clowns are nocturnal in my tanks. Other fish seem less susceptible. They really damaged my goldfish about a month in.. they need wood but not all they eat.

 

You are the best algae control your tank has. I wouldn't throw more fish/chemicals at it. The tank is already overstocked … why put more stock in it and make it even more of a problem? Since you have larger fish in a smaller aquarium, you need to do much larger water changes. I have a 46 gallon and do 60-70 percent water changes each week for mine. You may need to do changes twice a week.