happygirl65
Aquarium Advice Addict
Hello all,
I am so excited to finally start getting everything all set up in my 55 gal tank. I have my plan, my stocking list and have a log all ready to go for my fishless cycling so that I can document everything.
I tell my Mother in law about everything who has had some tropical FW fish before but now only keeps gold fish in a small aquarium in her greenhous in the winter. They are in her water garden all spring/summer/fall but it gets too cold in the winter so she puts them there just before the water starts to freeze. She has been very sucessful with these goldfish as there are now 7 of them ranging from 4 to 7 inches.
The problem is, that now that I have a "big tank" in her opinion she would like for me to house them for the winter so she doesnt have to look after them this winter. I dont know how to say no to this woman because she is always so good to me and is honestly my best friend. I did explain to her that my concern is that my tank will not be cycled yet and I dont want to put her fish in there before that. I explained the fishless cycle and she keeps insisting to me that since we have pure unfiltered mountain spring water that all of that is already taken care of and I dont even need to do it. I explained the whole cycle and she says that is only for people who have treated city water. I told her that NO, it is a "balancing a new eco system thing" and she just changes the subject telling me that she just scoops them out of the pond and puts them back into her tank after thouroughly cleaning it every year.
I tell her that yes, but she is still using the same gravel that has had water in it all year and that her micro colony of bio-bacteria is still there ready to do it's job. I told her that I am afraid if she doesnt at least let me do a fishless cycle then it could kill some if not all of her fish.
She disagrees, says they will be fine and refuses to budge. I then tell her that these goldies are rather large compared to anything I will be stocking in my tank and I dont want any of my own fish to get eaten. She says it wont happen just because she has had them with one danio and a pleco before.
I told her that goldfish need cooler water, my tank will be around 78 degrees she says thats fine, I told her that her fish will pretty much fill my tank so that I can't even begin stocking until next spring....she says, nah, there's plenty of room in there.
So I feel at this point like I cant say no....I think I will do the fishless cycle without her knowledge since she doesnt agree with me there, but it really boils down to not wanting her goldfish because they are already so big.
Will they eat my small fish....my gut says any fish that big will eat smaller fish.
I did tell her that I did not want to do it every winter but I probably could do it this winter for her but I honestly dont see the point. These are her fish and her responsibility.
Any suggestions/advice?
I am so excited to finally start getting everything all set up in my 55 gal tank. I have my plan, my stocking list and have a log all ready to go for my fishless cycling so that I can document everything.
I tell my Mother in law about everything who has had some tropical FW fish before but now only keeps gold fish in a small aquarium in her greenhous in the winter. They are in her water garden all spring/summer/fall but it gets too cold in the winter so she puts them there just before the water starts to freeze. She has been very sucessful with these goldfish as there are now 7 of them ranging from 4 to 7 inches.
The problem is, that now that I have a "big tank" in her opinion she would like for me to house them for the winter so she doesnt have to look after them this winter. I dont know how to say no to this woman because she is always so good to me and is honestly my best friend. I did explain to her that my concern is that my tank will not be cycled yet and I dont want to put her fish in there before that. I explained the fishless cycle and she keeps insisting to me that since we have pure unfiltered mountain spring water that all of that is already taken care of and I dont even need to do it. I explained the whole cycle and she says that is only for people who have treated city water. I told her that NO, it is a "balancing a new eco system thing" and she just changes the subject telling me that she just scoops them out of the pond and puts them back into her tank after thouroughly cleaning it every year.
I tell her that yes, but she is still using the same gravel that has had water in it all year and that her micro colony of bio-bacteria is still there ready to do it's job. I told her that I am afraid if she doesnt at least let me do a fishless cycle then it could kill some if not all of her fish.
She disagrees, says they will be fine and refuses to budge. I then tell her that these goldies are rather large compared to anything I will be stocking in my tank and I dont want any of my own fish to get eaten. She says it wont happen just because she has had them with one danio and a pleco before.
I told her that goldfish need cooler water, my tank will be around 78 degrees she says thats fine, I told her that her fish will pretty much fill my tank so that I can't even begin stocking until next spring....she says, nah, there's plenty of room in there.
So I feel at this point like I cant say no....I think I will do the fishless cycle without her knowledge since she doesnt agree with me there, but it really boils down to not wanting her goldfish because they are already so big.
Will they eat my small fish....my gut says any fish that big will eat smaller fish.
I did tell her that I did not want to do it every winter but I probably could do it this winter for her but I honestly dont see the point. These are her fish and her responsibility.
Any suggestions/advice?
