Adding friends doesn't work.

[JetClarke]

Hi all, new user here. I have a 20G tank with a happy 7" Shubunkin. He seems quite healthy and happy.
I have been trying to get a couple friends for him. The local store had a few small shubs, I bought 2. One of them died within a day, with a quite darkened body (inside). Took him in and got a replacement for half price. He lasted one night. The third one, one of the original two, died the day after. All had the same dark blue to blackened internal torso.

I've given up on adding them, and the store has run out of shubs unless they got some in the last batch anyways. I was wondering if anyone might know what the cause of death was.

I was afraid they couldn't eat the chips (Tetra Goldfish Crisps) I feed Julian, as they are so much smaller than he is and can't really 'bite into' them, so I was crushing them up for the last few days, but it didn't seem to help. I did see them feeding the last day or two. I know Julian wasn't chasing them or anything, and they didn't seem to be scared of him, just drifting out of his way and not hiding or 'zipping' away from him. He didn't seem to even notice them.

Any clues? It's been about a week and a half and the chemicals were fine throughout that process, as they have been for the month or so I've had this new tank.

 

[JetClarke]

Here is a picture of the first one to die, before I took him in for replacement. All of them looked much the same.

Healthy Julian picture (a bit old now): Photo Album - Imgur

Body of Corey: http://i.imgur.com/nbWHb.jpg

 

[dkpate]

What I would do is wait until you get a bigger tank before getting any more goldfish. One goldfish needs 15 gallons, and every fish after that needs 10 gallons. I am not sure about shubunkins though, since I don't know how big they can get, but they get as big or bigger than fancy goldies, so you will need more space, regardless.
You have had the tank set up for a month? What are your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate readings? What is your water changing schedule?

 

[JetClarke]

Readings

As of yesterday, my Ammonia was 0, Nitrite 0.3, ph 7.2 (as usual), temperature between 72-74. I do a water change of 25% about once per week or if the water seems to have a lot of floating stuff, which isn't often. I do have brown goo on the back of the tank and I know I need to rinse the filter today. The pet store said that the brown although ugly doesn't hurt my fish. I have one live plant as well, which does fine even though it has brown all over it's leaves.

 

[i3k]

How are you acclimating new fish to the tank?

 

[glassbird]

Did these fish all come from the same store?

Also, before you get ANY more fish, do some research on setting up a quarantine tank. Hopefully, whatever the problem was with the now dead fish, it was not transmitted to your original fish.

I agree that you need a bigger tank if you want more fish than the one you have now. Shubs will grow, and a 20 gallon won't last for long with just him in it, nevermind him plus a friend or two.

 

[JetClarke]

Yes all of my fish have come from the same store. i3k, I just floated their bag for about 20 minutes then netted them in to the tank. Maybe I should have mixed in some tank water during that time..

Now I have new problems. Julian has started a new weird behaviour.. at night, and now again today, he wedges himself into a corner between my plant and the tank side, at a sharp upward angle, and just sits there, and it doesn't look like he even breathes - his gill covers don't seem to move, just his eyes. I put his food in at normal time today, and he didn't seem to notice until i nudged him with my net. He swims normally and is eating now.

Also I've noticed he has in the last day grown bright 'blood lines' in his tail and a couple of lower fins: here are some blurry pics.

http://i.imgur.com/OmhHbl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/NrnvK.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/NrnvKl.jpg

I don't want to lose my last fish, as I can't afford to keep shelling out cash for all of this apparatus and food much less livestock. Just retested and there is 0 ammonia and 0 Nitrite registering. I don't have a Nitrate tester.

 

[dkpate]

Red streaks usually mean ammonia poisoning/burns. Try changing part of the water every day or every other day.