A friend of mine has a 2 gallon tank with 2 goldfish in it he's had set up since the summer. I have a 30 gallon that I've had for 3 years, so I'm very familiar with cycling and the fact that goldfish should be in a larger tank. However, he already has it set up. I was wondering if it's possible to cycle a tank that small. Right now he's changing all the water about once a month, which I can just imagine is pretty awful for the fish, despite what they already are dealing with. He said they're the .01 cent feeder fish. He got them for his son when the won his son won at the fair died. Is there anything really that can be done?
2 gallon
- Thread starter Regen311
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shayfish
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Many people think that if the fish are surviving that they are fine. I usually ask these people what they would think about keeping a large dog in a walk-in closet, giving it food and water every day. Most people would find that unacceptable. I've tried it using humans, but that usually gets the "whatever, that's different" response. The point to convey is just becuase something survives doesn't mean its okay. Goldfish's ability to survive in awful conditions makes them some of the most unfortunate fish around IMO.
Stephen
Aquarium Advice Activist
Wow. 2 goldfish in a 2 gallon tank? That's *almost* impossible. If he can have 2 goldfish survive in a 2 gallon tank for anything longer than a month, I'd love to see what he can do with a real tank.
The best course of action would be to either a) get a new tank for the goldfish or b) give away the goldfish and get a Siamese fighting fish to replace the GF as pets.
The best course of action would be to either a) get a new tank for the goldfish or b) give away the goldfish and get a Siamese fighting fish to replace the GF as pets.
Yeah... I agree with you... I hate trying to tell people what they're doing with fish is wrong, because I hate to sound like a know it all. I started describing cycling to him, and he said that his dad had a huge fish tank when he was younger and he doesn't remember it being that complicated... .then I tried to explain that the reason is that once you get the tank set up and cycled properly, it's not really that much work. It does take work though, it's just not anything too awful to do. I even went the route of having a larger tank makes it easier because the water parameters stay more stable, you can do small water changes without totally changing everything. I don't know. THey're the feeder fish, so I don't know if they just dont' grow very fast or what. And he seems to think that since they look happy they are happy... I've encountered this with a lot of people. I try to describe the cycle process and all that and then they try to tell me that I'm cazy, they know people who have had fish and it's not that easy... I don't know. It's frustrating. Maybe it's because I worry a lot about animals. If I have a fish that's a schooling fish, I make sure there's a small school of them. I try to make sure my fish are happy in every way I can. I know they're just fish, but if they're my pets, its kind of my responsibility to care for them. I guess all I can do is try to provide information and hope he does the right thing.
JustOneMore20
Algae Fighter
Feeder goldfish are usually Comets and they have the potential to get atleast a foot long. In smaller tanks they get stunted and eventually die a premature death.
Tell him that goldfish produce alot of waste and that they grow too large for that tank. They are swimming in their own waste since he only changes the water once a month.
I agree with ya though, all you can do is provide the information and hope he does the right thing. Good luck!
Personally I would probably have tried to slip some alcohol or other toxin in the tank already. Better a quick death...
My mom has a common in a 3 gallon with 80% of its body covered in ammonia burns. I try to explain to her that these are burns on a living creature, but to her its just a 25 cent fish. I plan to swipe that fish next time I'm home and keep it for myself. The darn things live forever in the worst conditions so I'm sure it will still be there.
My mom has a common in a 3 gallon with 80% of its body covered in ammonia burns. I try to explain to her that these are burns on a living creature, but to her its just a 25 cent fish. I plan to swipe that fish next time I'm home and keep it for myself. The darn things live forever in the worst conditions so I'm sure it will still be there.
shayfish
Aquarium Advice FINatic
This is definitely frustrating, but it sounds like you have the right attitude regan311.
When people say fish keeping is easy, I tell them that its easy to do it poorly.
When people say fish keeping is easy, I tell them that its easy to do it poorly.
That's so sad....It's so rewarding to take care of the fish properly though. I'm proud that I've been able to keep my fish alive so long, I'm proud that they're healthy, that the water is clear even after being set up for 2 years. I don't know... I guess I just look at it more as a hobby in a way than some people do. When I got my fish, I read as much as I could and learned everything I possibly could. It seems like a lot of people get fish and just assume they're going to wing it.
shayfish
Aquarium Advice FINatic
I only mean that when people give me the old " when I was a kid we had 18 goldfish in a bucket and they lived for 12 years with no problem" sort of attitude. I have people tell me that I sure know how to makes things complicated and geeze, they're just fish for crying out loud. This is when I chime in that it is easy to do a poor to average job of fish keeping What's not so easy, and what I want is to have a tank that thrives and looks beautiful and that I honestly do care about the well being of the fish. Honestly, I do think of the fish as much more of a hobby than a pet but that each one is a living creature.
I don't like getting in tiffs about this stuff because many people do have the "they're just fish" attitude that they won't let go of and I'll never share.
That was a little more that my 2 cents worth I guess, but... oh well
I don't like getting in tiffs about this stuff because many people do have the "they're just fish" attitude that they won't let go of and I'll never share.
That was a little more that my 2 cents worth I guess, but... oh well
shayfish said:I only mean that when people give me the old " when I was a kid we had 18 goldfish in a bucket and they lived for 12 years with no problem" sort of attitude. I have people tell me that I sure know how to makes things complicated and geeze, they're just fish for crying out loud. This is when I chime in that it is easy to do a poor to average job of fish keeping What's not so easy, and what I want is to have a tank that thrives and looks beautiful and that I honestly do care about the well being of the fish. Honestly, I do think of the fish as much more of a hobby than a pet but that each one is a living creature.
I don't like getting in tiffs about this stuff because many people do have the "they're just fish" attitude that they won't let go of and I'll never share.
That was a little more that my 2 cents worth I guess, but... oh well
That's the problem I have. I dont' like getting into arguments with people about it. Like I said, I don't want to sound like a know it all about it. It's just frustrating.
hc8719
Aquarium Advice Addict
is there a secure pond you could perhaps persuade him to setting the fish free
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