First tank. :)

[Halcion]

Hi, so this is my first tank since i was about 4 and my parents bought me goldfish!

So its an 8 gallon tank with a Fluval filter/pump. Ive got a ATMAN 100W heater, and a suction cup thermometer.

Tomorrow ill be getting fish excited much.

Anyway, for a couple of days ive been trying to get a roughly accurate 27*c water temp. But it keeps wildly fluctuating between 25.5 and nearly 29.

The tank is kept in my bedroom, which is small and usually warm. But how much does a couple of degrees matter with my fish?

Thanks

 

[BeavisMom62]

Halcion. I'm sorry to tell you but that tank is entirely too small for goldfish. One goldfish needs 20 gal with an extra 10 gal per additional fish. Goldfish typically reach around 8" long (but can grow much bigger), depending on the type and can live 20 years if correctly taken care of. They are big eaters and big waste producers. You won't be able to keep the water clean in that small of a tank, even if you do water changes every day. Even though goldfish are coldwater fish, temperature fluctuations aren't good for them. I always keep a heater in my goldfish tank so that the temp is stable. I have a 55 gal tank with two orandas and a ryukin. I plan to get one more fish but even four fish in a tank my size is almost overstocked, although I do stay on top of water tests and changes.

Seriously, the only fish that you could keep in a tank that size would be one betta. Although I personally wouldn't keep a betta in anything smaller than a 10 gal. I have a betta with 3 african dwarf frogs, two bristlenose plecos and a couple of nerite snails in a 23 gal flatback hex tank.

Bigger tanks are much easier to care for. The larger volume of water gives you at least some room for error. Please don't put goldfish in that tank. If you have your heart set on goldies, can you take your tank back and get at least a 20 gal tank (for one fish)? Seriously, you won't be sorry. And whatever you do, do not get a common or a comet. They get very large and actually need to be kept in a pond.

 

[Halcion]

Hi, really sorry you misunderstood. My fault conpletely.

What i meant was that when i was younger my parents bought me goldies. Now im older im not into them, especially as we have some in a pond in the garden.

But thanks for the advice, and its great to know people out there care this much for fish welfare, which is good, considering its a fish website!

Thabks for the reply, but no worries, my tank will not become overstocked

 

[BeavisMom62]

Oops. Sorry about that. Then you can disregard my PM Halcion! Goldfish are my absolute favorites and the people in the pet stores especially don't seem to know how to care for them or just don't care. One of my pet peeves is how most fish, but goldies and bettas in particular, are basically abused. Not always intentionally but it happens. Cool that you have a pond! I would LOVE to have a pond in my yard. Someday......

So what do you plan to put in an 8 gal tank?

 

[Halcion]

Dont worry, my fault completely!
And yeah, i think its that people dont realise the fragility of fish, and that their certain conditions must be met

And originally i had planned for 3 Ottos, and 4 Fancy guppies. But, when i got home this evening, (after id written the original post) i found that my gf had brought me a 55gallon tank for our anniversary! Needless to say i was overwhelmed and speechless!

So i intend to get a Red Tailed Black Shark, (because their amazingly cool) and im not sure what else.
And do you know about temperatures, because thats mostly whats concerning me atm

Cheers

 

[BeavisMom62]

Whoo hoo! Congrats! Thats wonderful. For the most part, you're usually pretty safe stickng with around 78 degrees. I have a rainbow shark, pretty similar to a red tail and I keep him, along with his tank mates, at 78.

 

[Halcion]

Okay thats really helpful thanks. Its tricky getting the right temperature, but it should be okay

So what do you keep in your tank? Because even rainbow sharks are quite picky ive heard? And especially red tailed, theyre hard to find tank mates for!

 

[rich311k]

A red tailed shark gets to 6 inches plus, I do not see this in an 8 gallon tank. You need to be looking at a betta or guppies or some other micro fish.

 

[Maya]

Rich... If you'd read the thread you would see he has a 55 gallon for the shark.

 

[rich311k]

I only saw 8 gallon, sorry.

 

[BeavisMom62]

Okay thats really helpful thanks. Its tricky getting the right temperature, but it should be okay

So what do you keep in your tank? Because even rainbow sharks are quite picky ive heard? And especially red tailed, theyre hard to find tank mates for!

I haven't had too much trouble with my rainbow. He's in a 60 gal with 4 angels, 2 bristlenose plecos, 1 raphael cat, 2 apple snails and one each dwarf gouramie, platy and serpae tetra. The last three had all been part of a school, either in this tank or others, but their tankmates died, so they are all that is left. I know I should probably have more of the last three but that tank is close to overstocked. Not alot of trouble with the shark in there. He'll chase the smaller fish on occasion, but they have plenty of places to hide. And the angels definitely don't take no crap from him!

 

[Halcion]

Thats quite interesting... Sounds like a beautiful tank, bubbling with life
If angelfish work then theres 2 golden marbeled down my local store, their absolutely beautiful
Do you have a favourite fish in your tank?

Ps. Temperature of my water is staying at about 26*c... Is that okay?

 

[BeavisMom62]

Thank you. That tank just got over an ammo spike which made the shark sick. Had to put him in QT and do daily w/c's in the 60 gal to get it down, which is a pain because I don't have a Python, so I was hauling 4-5 five gallon buckets evey day! Whew! But its under control now. Out of all of my fish, I actually like goldfish the best. I have a 55 gal with two orandas and a ryukin.

I wish I could remember the name of this one angel that I have. It reminds me of a jeweled purse, its very metallic and almost looks like its made of gold beads. There is a name for it and my brain isn't awake yet. But I have that angel, named Diamond and then a black marble, a solid gold and a "normal" silver one, the kind with the black stripe?

Umm... don't do metric. I don't know what temp 26 is in "american" temperatures! LOL. Help, someone?

 

[Deep Seven]

Temperature Converter - Fahrenheit and Celsius (Centigrade)

quick answer , 26 celsius = 79 american.

I usually just google "temperature conversion"

 

[BeavisMom62]

Oh, I finally remembered the name of my favorite angel. It always escapes me, don't know why. He's a pearlscale angel.

Thanks deep seven. Just too lazy to google in the middle of posting!

 

[Halcion]

Thats a beautiful anglefish!!

 

[Revenantwing]

i have my betta in a 5 gallon. He's happy :/

 

[BeavisMom62]

Thanks Halcion. I wish i was better at posting pics. Ive never seen a pearlscale before and the minute I saw him I snagged him. Or her I guess, since she's the one that lays eggs.

 

[Homer8]

Dont worry, my fault completely!
And yeah, i think its that people dont realise the fragility of fish, and that their certain conditions must be met

And originally i had planned for 3 Ottos, and 4 Fancy guppies. But, when i got home this evening, (after id written the original post) i found that my gf had brought me a 55gallon tank for our anniversary! Needless to say i was overwhelmed and speechless!

So i intend to get a Red Tailed Black Shark, (because their amazingly cool) and im not sure what else.
And do you know about temperatures, because thats mostly whats concerning me atm

Cheers

redtail sharks are awesome, but i wish that they would like to school. They get aggressive around there own kind. Mine likes to hide for a little bit and then he comes out to scavenge. I have him in a community tank and he doesnt show any signs of aggression.

 

[Halcion]

Acctually, in bigger groups of 6ish you can school red tailed sharks. But that could get quite an expensive fishing shop!

And i think if u put a male with a few females then thats okay aswell, because in my local fish store they have 6 or 7 in a tank with a frog and some snails