38 replies to this topic

[Tatiana]

Seriously, i didnt know how sad it was to keep goldfish until now.



We try everything to give them a good home and yet they are still popping their clogs....Boudica...dont laugh when you read this

This week ive had to grieve for 2 dying...one 3 days ago and another this moring.
We have gone from a small tank with 3 goldfish (2 of them died becuase the other fish ate their fins/tails) in to a very large tank to give them more room.
Bought filters,every posible potion, purifier etc and yet theyre still dying on us.

We now have just 3 goldfish in a giant tank....and i dont want us to get any more fish because its too sad when we lose them.....

[mcwriter]

I wish I knew something about fish to help you!

We feel the same way about dogs. We still grieve for the last one we had for 13 years and though we think about getting another one we don't want to have to go through losing one again.

Sorry I don't have a solution, but I do share your grief.

[Trinity]

Most pet shops that sell fish will do a water check for you to make sure the water is fit for the fish, all you need to do is take in a sample. Other than that I can't help, my last goldfish lasted seven years without any filters, lotions or potions!

[Apparelyzed]

Yes Trin, but you did keep it in Vodka!

Sorry, no advice on Goldfish, but I do keep fish in our pond, and they seem to look after themselves, no additional food, nothing.

Simon

[Boudica]

Tatiana im not laughing, far from it, but I am concerned.


You look after all your horses so well (even your dog with the evil eye!) but you do seem to have a problem with fish? One problem is that many of the fish are imported and can be stressed, are you overfeeding?


They have a lovely big tank and they even have spnongebob square pants for company plus a pinapple to hide in. They want for nothing.



I think I need to "free willy"!

[russ1]

How big do you call big? Goldfish need a seriously big tank to thrive, they're also very dirty fish so in spite of filters and the like the only way is to keep the water changes regular and frequent - ideally about 25% of the water once a week.

[Edinburgh Colin]

Boudica, on 24 July 2011 - 02:03 PM, said:

Tatiana im not laughing, far from it, but I am concerned.


You look after all your horses so well (even your dog with the evil eye!) but you do seem to have a problem with fish? One problem is that many of the fish are imported and can be stressed, are you overfeeding?


They have a lovely big tank and they even have spnongebob square pants for company plus a pinapple to hide in. They want for nothing.



I think I need to "free willy"!

Free Wlly ?

Is that for Tatiana or something els e I'm not quite getting? maybe hiding in the pineapple?
Better stop this! just trying to bring a smile to a lady's face.
EC

[Boudica]

free willy...the film about returning the orca whale to its family lol

[pinkcloud]

hey Tatiana

of course ya be sad, you loved u enough to give um a home.

i' stuck with this one, have you asked her esslouis, shes well knowledgable about anials like yaself, maybe she got some clues for ya

luv pc xx

[Edinburgh Colin]

Boudica, on 24 July 2011 - 03:47 PM, said:

free willy...the film about returning the orca whale to its family lol

Yea I know I was just being childish!

[esslouis]

hi Tatiana
first things first = where are you getting your fish from? Pets at home fish are rubbish they die within a week or so. i got mine from an independent store and they cost extra but they are still alive!! i have 2 calico fan tails and 3 snow clouds (very tiny fish). the calico cost £4-50 each and the snow clouds £1.25 each. next how long did you leave the tank to settle? usually you leave it a week to settle before putting fish in as the water from the tap can be toxic until it settles. look at your filter - i wash the sponge inside at least once a week - you'd be surprised how much crap can be on the filter. have you got a live plant in there? you need one that oxygenates the tank and also so the fish can feed on it. next have you got protein for the fish? dried blood worms fed twice weekly is good and fish food twice weekly but on different days to the blood worm. also water - only change 20% at a time eg my tank is 30 litres so i change 0.6 litres (600mls) of water every 2 weeks. i was advised to do this by a fishy expert!! since doing this regime i have not lost a fish. also some fish can't be put with other fish coz they eat each other or fight. seek advice from a fish expert when buying them. sorry its long but thats how i keep my fish hope this helps esslouis

[Tatiana]

Thanks Guys but at this rate the only thing left in my tank WILL be spongebob and his pineapple house.

Weve decided not to get any more fish....we are very bad fish owners.....Boudica came to take a look because one of the other fish has started to look very round and hes not a blowfish
I think weve fed them too much.

Two of the remaining fish will grow big so we will give to Boudy's partner who is knowledgeable on all things fish and the other goldfish may have to stay with us and just hope he dosent notice he is on his own.
Surely we can manage to keep one fish alive!

ps:our tank is quite big, its approx 4ft which id say is quite big for 3 baby fishes?

[Tatiana]

Esslouis...thankyou :-)
we have an oygenating plant in there yes..We feed dry bloodworms a couple of times a week and then they have their dried food other days.
We bought them from a local fish shop, didnt go to a big store.

We havent done water change for pprox 4 weeks, i think we should have done it weekly? We did it today and took out approx 20/30%.

Also need to check the filter more....the fish tank had started to smell a little. It may be possible that weve been feeding them too much and the food has polluted the water?

I didnt realise fish ownership was so stressful.

[russ1]

esslouis, on 24 July 2011 - 06:42 PM, said:

also water - only change 20% at a time eg my tank is 30 litres so i change 0.6 litres (600mls) of water every 2 weeks.

I think you'll find that 20% of 30 litres is 6 litres ,,, if you're really only doing 600mls every 2 weeks you probably might as well not bother.

Russ (30 litre tropical tank and a 60 gallon marine tank)

[esslouis]

could be that you are feeding too much - look at the bottom if there is food on the bottom you are feeding too much. leave them a week and see what happens. also if fish is looking round it could be its swim bladder - if it gets too much air in there they bloat - have you any swim bladder remedy in the first aid box?? add to water if you have. also when feeding the normal food soak it first so it goes to the bottom and doesn't float. spoken to my fishy friend who says starve them for a week and then re-introduce food - blood worm first once a week and then normal food once a week for one week and then thereafter blood worm twice a week eg monday and friday and then normal food twice a week - eg wednesday and sat. hope this helps - fish are supposed to be relaxing!! good luck esslouis

[russ1]

Couple of my fishes...



DSC_0640 by russ-p, on Flickr



DSC_0638 by russ-p, on Flickr

This one is a Flame angel.

Get those water changes going weekly and you'll see a real change....

[Boudica]

Edinburgh Colin, on 24 July 2011 - 06:27 PM, said:

Boudica, on 24 July 2011 - 03:47 PM, said:

free willy...the film about returning the orca whale to its family lol

Yea I know I was just being childish!

lol didnt know they released the film in scotland

[russ1]

Tatiana, on 24 July 2011 - 06:53 PM, said:

Esslouis...thankyou :-)
we have an oygenating plant in there yes..We feed dry bloodworms a couple of times a week and then they have their dried food other days.
We bought them from a local fish shop, didnt go to a big store.

We havent done water change for pprox 4 weeks, i think we should have done it weekly? We did it today and took out approx 20/30%.

Also need to check the filter more....the fish tank had started to smell a little. It may be possible that weve been feeding them too much and the food has polluted the water?

I didnt realise fish ownership was so stressful.

Yes do the water changes and wash the filter out - when you wash the fllter use the water you've just taken out of the tank and not tap water which will kill all the beneficial bacteria in the filter, and make sure you use a dechlorinator on the new water which should be the same temperature (more or less, not so important with goldfish) as the tank.

[Boudica]

Liking your fish russ, Ive had a marine tank in the past, had regal and yellow tangs but then we got into koi.

[russ1]

Boudica, on 24 July 2011 - 08:17 PM, said:

Liking your fish russ, Ive had a marine tank in the past, had regal and yellow tangs but then we got into koi.

Thanks - my tank isn't really big enough for tangs, (4ft, 60 gallon) - I lost a few corals recently, was my own fault didn't keep on top of the water quality but I think I'm getting back to the point where I can restock it gradually, fortunately the fish are fine - currently 3 dwarf angels, a clown, a goby, 3 shrimps, 2 starfish and assorted crabs and snails It's been running a year so time to add some more fish too

[Edinburgh Colin]

Boudica, on 24 July 2011 - 08:13 PM, said:

Edinburgh Colin, on 24 July 2011 - 06:27 PM, said:

Boudica, on 24 July 2011 - 03:47 PM, said:

free willy...the film about returning the orca whale to its family lol

Yea I know I was just being childish!

lol didnt know they released the film in scotland

Yep, we even got electrc light and inside toilets too.

[Boudica]

oooh thats good to know for when I go to Ayr next

[Edinburgh Colin]

Boudica, on 24 July 2011 - 09:06 PM, said:

oooh thats good to know for when I go to Ayr next

I'm talking about Edinburgh, not so sure about the sticks, maybe better to bring some candles and a toilet roll! ha,ha,
EC

[Boudica]

im so glad you told me that, I hear men wear skirts and have red hair too!

[Edinburgh Colin]

Yep, easier to see us in the dark with the traffic light hair and the kilt also helps us no to C*%P on our clothes squatting in the bushes.

[Boudica]

and the women have better beards than the men

[esslouis]

russ1, on 24 July 2011 - 08:01 PM, said:

esslouis, on 24 July 2011 - 06:42 PM, said:

also water - only change 20% at a time eg my tank is 30 litres so i change 0.6 litres (600mls) of water every 2 weeks.

I think you'll find that 20% of 30 litres is 6 litres ,,, if you're really only doing 600mls every 2 weeks you probably might as well not bother.

Russ (30 litre tropical tank and a 60 gallon marine tank)

thanks russ thats what i meant!! taking new pain meds and brain is a bit scrambled to say the least!! looked back and realised my mistake!! ps love your fishes i only have cold water as i was told marine was really hard to look after!!

[Denna]

Goldfish seem to die too easy for me too. I have better luck with beta fish. I think they are prettier too. The only thing is you have to watch what other fish you put in there with them. They will attack any fish that have long fins and tails.

[Ratticis]

Maybe get some Sea Monkeys instead

[Tatiana]

Thanks again for the advice, i will certainly do what has been suggested. Hopefully we wont lose another one.

Russ1..your fish are beautiful.....

Ratticis, are they easy to look after?

Thanks again, i will post with an update and try get some pics on