How To Minimize New Tank Stress?

[tunafax]

I transferred my mostly cured goldfish from a 10g QT to a 25g QT.

New tank is black which is a huge change visually and I'm worried this may scare it back to dying.

What more can I do besides 20% old water and stress coat? Salt? My tears?


old tank vs new tank

 

[Lorekeeper]

Old water won't help whatsoever, especially if you're using the same water source and acclimating the fish to the new "tank".

I personally wouldn't add anything I didn't have to. Salt and Stress Coat (Stress Coat doesn't do half the stuff it claims to, IMO) aren't really necessary unless a fish is showing symptoms. The black tub may actually make the fish feel more enclosed, and safer. Less out in the open.

 

[tunafax]

Thank!
The old water was 1 ppm ammonia after 50% daily wc (oops). I added it to avoid parameter shock, to like, pretend it was an 80% water change. and not a brand new tank.


Thank you I feel better about the tub. I kept goldies in black & blue tubs like this until recently, and they freaked out when I first put them in clear tanks. Just thought the freakout will go both ways.

 

[Lorekeeper]

Actually, you'd have been better off to just not include any of the old water with ammonia in it. Any sort of shock a fish might go into is nothing compared to ammonia or nitrite in the water, IMO. As long as the PH is similar (within .2 or so) and the temps are close, you'd have been golden.

 

[oldsalt777]

I transferred my mostly cured goldfish from a 10g QT to a 25g QT.

New tank is black which is a huge change visually and I'm worried this may scare it back to dying.

What more can I do besides 20% old water and stress coat? Salt? My tears?


old tank vs new tank
View attachment 433540

Hello tuna...

Goldfish are probably the hardiest of any aquarium fish. As long as the water temperature in the two tanks is the same, the conditions should be fine. I always add a healthy teaspoon of standard aquarium salt to every 5 gallons of treated tap water when I do my water changes for my Goldfish tank. Salt eases the stress on the fish and boosts the fishes' immune system. As long as you're removing and replacing most of the tank water weekly, your fish should remain healthy. Any pathogens or parasites won't tolerate pure water conditions and a trace of salt in the water.

Old

 

[tunafax]

Well @Lorekeeper welp oops! Sounds like its time for a waterchange lol.

@oldsalt777 oh. well, yeah, but I'm on a streak of bad luck... but yeah, okay, you have a point, thanks for that. I will try to worry less and trust the fish a bit more, considering I tend to overdo it with meds. It's been 2 hours and s/he is not belly up yet, so fingers crossed. I'll add the salt tonight.

 

[Lorekeeper]

Lol, it happens! We all make mistakes. I've definitely made my fair share (and probably part of yours too )

As for the salt, I'd generally advise against adding salt just to decrease stress, when the fish may not be showing any signs of extreme stress. That's me. The salt probably won't hurt, but I'd also say it isn't exactly optimal, unless you know it's going to help treat something.

 

[DuaneV]

You definitely shouldnt have added water with ammonia in it. "Parameter shock" is more like going from a PH of 6 to 8.4 or a temp of 80 to 74 and vice versa, not high ammonia to low ammonia. Ive never added salt to an aquarium ever, period. Its an old wives tale. The only time to use salt is when youre trying to kill off ich or something. Besides that, putting a fish in a dark tub would be far less stressful for it and would probably help with any illness or stress it has.

 

[tunafax]

Added 1 teaspoon of salt per 5 gallons.

She's bottom sitting, but then she's been doing that since I got her (a round of antibiotics for columnaris didn't get her up). Any ideas to help with that?