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i cant take them back, i love them already!
And i think i know the basics. Just change the water and filter as often as possible. Feed them once every 2 days to minimize the amount of waste they produce. Like i said they wont be in the small tank too long. I plan to get a stand and have them in the big tank by next month now. They are going to be very small goldfish. I ordered the smallest. I don't have the kit but i can get it soon too.

And my brother in law had a puffer. Do you mean the little brownish ones with the bright green spots? Those are adorable they look like little frogs. And i thought after puffers get a little bigger they need salt water. Is that true?

Have you ever heard the saying, “If you love something, let it go?” The best thing for those fish would be to take them back, unless you buy that stand in a few days. You can even ask your LFS to hold them for you.
 
on the 55g, your going to need either a big canister or two hob-type filters. I run over 1000gph combined on my 55g's between big hob's and powerheads with sponges. 550gph (gallons per hour) or 10x the tank size is recommended for a goldfish tank. I do cover the intakes on the filter tubes with filter foam (aq sponge) because of the risk of delicate eyes or fins being injured or sucked into the intakes. Make sure there is nothing pointed, jagged, tight (ie, a cave) or sharp (including plastic plants) because bubbles are very easily injured. :)

i like the idea of the sponge cover. Do i just replace the sponge once it gets covered in soot? How about pantie hose? Can i use that to cover the little slits on my filter. It doesn't have a tube, i'm speaking of the 20 gal filter, its just a box with slits on it.
 
it's a lot of work( or as us hobbyists call it "fun") getting a new tank up and running. Once it is setup and ready though it is just regular water changes with gravel vac'ing and feeding. But as most on here can attest to, you will find yourself constantly tinkering and making changes.

i hope i can get the hang of it and start having fun too. So far i just love watching them swim around.
 
have you ever heard the saying, “if you love something, let it go?” the best thing for those fish would be to take them back, unless you buy that stand in a few days. You can even ask your lfs to hold them for you.

but don't i need a fish in the tank for the cycling? I don't have any ammonia drop-things. And what is lfs?
 
Sponge covers can be rinsed in tank water every week. Replace when they start to fall apart. pantyhose will work to keep fins out but keep a close eye on everyone. If you find anyone stuck or struggling, I would opt for adding some sponge/foam.

The acronym 'lfs' means 'local fish store' or 'live fish store', depending on who you ask. If you check out the faq section or the adminstration section, you will find lists of the most commonly used acronyms.

I would not worry too much about fishless cycling right now (using an ammonia source such as bottled ammonia). You already have fish, so your doing a fish-in cycle. This is perfectly fine as long as you stay on top of your daily testing and frequent water changes. If you feel you are not up to the commitment, then returning the fish and doing a fishless cycle is an option. Please ask if you have questions! :)
 
sponge covers can be rinsed in tank water every week. Replace when they start to fall apart. Pantyhose will work to keep fins out but keep a close eye on everyone. If you find anyone stuck or struggling, i would opt for adding some sponge/foam.

The acronym 'lfs' means 'local fish store' or 'live fish store', depending on who you ask. If you check out the faq section or the adminstration section, you will find lists of the most commonly used acronyms.

I would not worry too much about fishless cycling right now (using an ammonia source such as bottled ammonia). You already have fish, so your doing a fish-in cycle. This is perfectly fine as long as you stay on top of your daily testing and frequent water changes. If you feel you are not up to the commitment, then returning the fish and doing a fishless cycle is an option. Please ask if you have questions! :)

thank you for your help. Ill do my best to keep my fish healthy and happy. Ill also keep this thread updated when i move them to the 55gal.
 
I did a fish in cycle 3 years ago. I didn't want to but came home and my bf at the time had put 4 tetras in the tank. They are still alive and well. And as far as exotic fish work, Mine aren't bad aside from one of the puffers teeth I have to trim. Mine are strictly freshwater (there are a lot of species of puffer). And for your goldfish--All goldfish need a really big tank or a pond. Preferably a pond. And personally I would pick another fish. Don't make it suffer in a tank too small. Do some planning and like someone else said you can have the store hold them for you. You obviously also need to do more reading on fishkeeping (the cycle) anyways so ask if they will hold them.
 
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