WeMightBeCrazy
Aquarium Advice Newbie
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2016
- Messages
- 8
((You can skip the first paragraph if you don't feel like reading))
Let me start off by saying hello everyone, while I'm not new to fish, I am new to properly taking care of them. I was raised by a father who broke just about every aquarium rule there is. Mixing unfriendly fish, freezing cold water, feeding three times a day, cleaning by putting fish in a bucket of untreated tap water and scrubbing tank/decorations with dish soap... yeah. It was bad. So I literally had NO idea there was all this special stuff you had to do. Fast forward to a month ago when we accidentally won three goldfish at the carnival. I thought they'd be good first pets for my two year old so we kept them. Assuming at least one would die (carnival fish after all) and being limited on space I got a small tank for all three. I was not prepared, had no idea about cycling, etc. Que the problems.
I have a 5 gallon tank with three goldfish. Yes I know that's VERY overstocked. Can't do anything about it right now. I will be getting a bigger tank as soon as we can. In the meantime I want to know what I can do to help my fish. I do have a filter, air stone, and have treated the water. The tank was not cycled. The ammonia is testing SUPER high, the water is cloudy, and the fish have just begun bottom sitting and gulping at the surface. I have been doing DAILY water changes of about 50%. It's not helping.
Here are my questions. Will a filter designed for a bigger tank help? Do I need a second air stone? Is my cloudy water due to bacteria trying to eliminate the ammonia or just dirty? Should I stop the water changes and let the bacteria grow and do their thing? Or should I increase water changes since the fish seem to be suffering? Should I get some Safe Start? Help! Lol I've been reading SO MUCH all the info seems contradictory.
Let me start off by saying hello everyone, while I'm not new to fish, I am new to properly taking care of them. I was raised by a father who broke just about every aquarium rule there is. Mixing unfriendly fish, freezing cold water, feeding three times a day, cleaning by putting fish in a bucket of untreated tap water and scrubbing tank/decorations with dish soap... yeah. It was bad. So I literally had NO idea there was all this special stuff you had to do. Fast forward to a month ago when we accidentally won three goldfish at the carnival. I thought they'd be good first pets for my two year old so we kept them. Assuming at least one would die (carnival fish after all) and being limited on space I got a small tank for all three. I was not prepared, had no idea about cycling, etc. Que the problems.
I have a 5 gallon tank with three goldfish. Yes I know that's VERY overstocked. Can't do anything about it right now. I will be getting a bigger tank as soon as we can. In the meantime I want to know what I can do to help my fish. I do have a filter, air stone, and have treated the water. The tank was not cycled. The ammonia is testing SUPER high, the water is cloudy, and the fish have just begun bottom sitting and gulping at the surface. I have been doing DAILY water changes of about 50%. It's not helping.
Here are my questions. Will a filter designed for a bigger tank help? Do I need a second air stone? Is my cloudy water due to bacteria trying to eliminate the ammonia or just dirty? Should I stop the water changes and let the bacteria grow and do their thing? Or should I increase water changes since the fish seem to be suffering? Should I get some Safe Start? Help! Lol I've been reading SO MUCH all the info seems contradictory.