Got a bad start...need help

[chez90]

Hi,
I'm pretty new to this fish thing. I started off with a single black moor in a bowl then two months after got my 60L tank and two more goldfish. A week after that one fish dies, 3 days later my other two got white spot and fin rot. The pet shop gave me some medicine and it started to clear up. I then got a live plant and a snail but the snail died after two days and my original black moor died a few days later again. I've had all my water tested, have been doing partial water changes weekly please what am I doing wrong that everything keeps dieing. I now only have one fish and would love to add a couple more but am worried my tank isn't up to scratch.

 

[Wy Renegade]

Hi,
I'm pretty new to this fish thing. I started off with a single black moor in a bowl then two months after got my 60L tank and two more goldfish. A week after that one fish dies, 3 days later my other two got white spot and fin rot. The pet shop gave me some medicine and it started to clear up. I then got a live plant and a snail but the snail died after two days and my original black moor died a few days later again. I've had all my water tested, have been doing partial water changes weekly please what am I doing wrong that everything keeps dieing. I now only have one fish and would love to add a couple more but am worried my tank isn't up to scratch.

So, first up, lots of questions from me to you, before we can even start to help. 65 liters is the equivalent of about 18 gals if my math is correct? So if we are talking regular goldfish, your first issue is that your tank is way too small. Beyond that, we need to know some things like is the tank heated or not? If heated, how warm? Salt or no salt added to the tank? What are your water parameters; specifically ammonia, nitrates, pH, hardness, and if you have it, TDS. How are you measuring? Test kits or test strips? How about substrate in your tank? How are you acclimating the fish to the tank?

 

[Autumnsky]

60L is only 15.8503G. The recommended tank size for a Goldfish is 20G min. Then there is the filtering which should be 10 + times the size gallons per hour flow or liters.

Check out the link in my signature. Also do some reading in the articles section at the top of the page in the green bar, about Cycling, fish in and fishless cycling for the tank.

This is a great visual
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...uire-big-tanks-visual-perspective-265871.html

 

[chez90]

The tank is not heated. Salt and conditioner was added to the water . I have a pH test kit, results come about a pH of 7 for the rest I take a sample of my water to the pet shop where they. Test everything for me. They said it was all fine.
If goldfish are not the proper fish to have what can you suggest?
Thanks for the help guys. Have read a fair bit of stuff about the size etc but my black moor did so well in a bowl for two months before I got my tank I thought they would be fine since it's like 5 times bigger.

 

[Fishfur]

Pet shops should get with it and tell people that goldfish do not suit being kept in bowls. Betta fish are the only fish that can be kept that way, if you're willing to do the water changes often enough. Plants help a lot, because they use up the ammonia from the fish waste, but you'd need a light strong enough to grow the plants.

There are small fish species you can keep in a 15 G, but you might consider a Betta fish. They are very pretty, and most have distinct personalities, something like goldfish can have too. If you get a gentle filter, you won't have to do so many water changes either.

Check out Betta fish online and see what you think of them, or look up small fish species. Some of the Rasboras or Danios might suit nicely. Strawberry rasbora are a tiny fish, that like to swim in schools, in a 15 you could have a dozen of them and a few other critters, like cherry shrimp, for example. There are plenty of choices even for a smaller tank, just do some research to see what appeals to you. People here can soon tell you if what you like is practical for the tank you have.

 

[chez90]

Thanks for all the help I still have one goldfish so I'll see how he goes. I just got really worried with everything dropping dead within a few weeks. My Goldie doesn't seem to be sick anymore and looks like he is doing fine. I won't add any more fish but should I try adding a snail or something again to clean up some of the algae growing on my fake plants? I also have one live plant, had it a week and doesn't look like its about to die or anything.

 

[Fishfur]

Some low light plants might survive for some time, even without a tank light, hope yours is one of those. A Nerite snail would eat that algae, and they are not very big and don't lay viable eggs. Their eggs won't hatch unless they have salt water.
The big problem with bowls is that fish produce a LOT of ammonia, and it does not take very much at all to kill a fish, or damage it badly, so that it dies much sooner than it should have done.
Maybe you could trade the goldie for another fish ? Many stores will do that, or give you at least some credit toward another fish purchase. Meantime, make sure to change at least half the water every two or three days, to keep ammonia in check.

 

[Coursair]

Don't run your light more than 6-8hours.

Do large PWCs

Keep testing water.

Read up on Fancy Goldfish. No floating food. No sharp decor etc.

Don't add more fish.




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