Goldfish - How to Keep Alive

[SpAceGiRl94]

Hello all,

So I'm new here and I have a 10 gallon tank with a penguin biowheel model 150 filter. I got an unexpected goldfish from a family member and received him in a tiny approximately 5 gallon tank. After reading up on them I discovered that the 5 gallon would eventually kill said goldie so I managed to upgrade him to a 10 gallon that was given to me by a friend (her turtle had passed and she no longer wanted to keep a tank). However, obviously I can't keep him in a 10 gallon because that is way too small so I decided to move him to my parents pond, which has a small population of goldfish already. However I can't move him yet due to it being winter. Luckily, he's only an inch long at this point, but I'm assuming he won't stay that small for long. My questions are:
1) how do I keep this poor guy alive until summer (which is when I can get him to my parents pond)?
2) how big will he get between now and summer and how do I safely transport a fish an hour to his new home?

I already know about the nitrogen cycle and have been doing water changes to keep the ammonia down. When I received him a few days ago his gills were getting close to bright red, but now the redness seems to be going away and he seems much more active and curious. I'm hoping that is a good sign.

 

[SpAceGiRl94]

Oh - other notes, I am a single mom and I can't afford a larger tank, but if he gets too big then I'm going to see if I can get a large sterilite tote to put him in. I also got the more powerful filter since I read that goldfish are messy and I didn't want him to die in his own waste.

 

[SaraB]

Just try to keep up with weekly water changes and don't overfeed. It should be ok in there until you can move it.

 

[Autumnsky]

Master liquid test kit. Like API would be huge for you to keep tabs on things, and online is economical, and lasts for years.

If you keep tabs on the free cycling and CL and FB offerings, and curbs on trash day, and if you happen to be in a college town, the weeks when the students move out for hte summer yield amazing things!

You could easily get a 55G for a reasonable amount if not free, I would bet. I gave away a 90G tank last month. Just to get rid of it. Beat up and far from perfect but a good deal for a fixer upper. Frequently people have to move out and no one has bought their tank,m, and they want it gone fast.

Post asking for a unwanted larger tank. You may need to spend 10 for aquarium sealer but there are good how to /DIY for it.

There is a good article for getting started in my signature link.

and these two
Fish-in Cycling: Step over into the dark side - Aquarium Advice

I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?! - Aquarium Advice

 

[King Fisher]

He'll be fine in a 10g at his size until spring. Until your tank is cycled you will, more than likely, have to do 50% water changes every 3 days roughly. Feed just once a day and don't over feed. After feeding it's worth taking a turkey baster and sucking up food he doesn't eat and poop while you're at it. This is generally how I keep my new fish in quarantine for a month at a time in an uncycled tank.

 

[SpAceGiRl94]

I managed to get an API testing kit just a few days ago. Funny you should ask about college town, I happen to be a grad student and live about 15 minutes away from Ball State University. I'll definitely be looking when students start moving out. They tend to just toss out stuff (laptops, furniture, etc) but I've never thought about looking for fish tanks.

Also - I mentioned the 5 gallon tank. Any ideas on what I can safely keep in there? I'm only guessing on the size, it may be 3.5 gallons. I'm not sure. It's a circular tank. I'm debating on keeping it as a quarantine tank but I also want my son to appreciate fish life and to make it his aquarium. But I also dont want to make a fish miserable and have a terrible life. So any suggestions on the stocking of that tank would be fabulous, as well as stocking ideas on the 10 gallon after the goldfish goes to the pond. Oh - and any suggestions on keeping a very curious feline away from said tank or tanks would also be great. Said feline scared the crap out of the goldfish.

 

[SpAceGiRl94]

Oh also - the goldfish seems healthy and he's been active but he doesnt swim up to the top of the tank. He likes to peck at the bottom. I have never seen him swim up and get the food. Normal goldfish behavior? Or is he a weirdo?

 

[King Fisher]

You could put a Betta in the 3.5-5g. 10g you could get some small schooling fish like tetra or guppies.

If you got a cat then try to get a hood or lids for the tank. Or a shock collar. Lol. JK.

Try to get sinking goldfish pellets. New spectrum is a good brand. So is Omega One.

 

[SpAceGiRl94]

So a betta would be happy in the tiny one? I just don't want to cause any fish to be miserable. Can I give him or her (betta fish) a snail or shrimp or 2 as tank mates? Or would that be pushing it?

I have a lid for the 3.5g or 5g but nothing for the 10g. I made one out of this sewing stuff and velcro but it's just to keep the little fella from jumping out. No where strong enough to keep the cat out. I've been keeping my door shut when I'm gone and sleeping but I don't like doing it due to my son. I can't hear him if he cries out in the night if my door is shut. Plus it makes my room cold. I'm assuming I'll have to get a lid but is a lid from Walmart (the $21 dollar for the 10g) going to have a hole large enough for my filter.

Awesome on the pellet idea, I'll look into it. I just worry about getting him used to the pellets when my parents feed with the flakes. The goldfish that they have are all hungry and I worry that he'll be out eaten and starve... or maybe that is a needless fear LoL

Also - on the filter. It is larger than what usually goes on a 10g and does create a nice current. Will the larger current create a problem for smaller fish? I was also considering White Cloud Mountain Minnows - I read that they love aerated water and a strong current. Would they be a good fit? I also have a bubbler on the opposite side of the 10g. Lots of movement of water in my tank LoL but seriously, would my filter (a penguin model 150) harm a smaller fish? I already know it would be a no go for a betta since I've read they're weak swimmers but any other fish a no go?

 

[King Fisher]

Yes that's fine for a Betta. My son has had his Betta in a 2.5g for a year now and he's healthy and happy. There's also a Nerite Snail in there with him. I wouldn't go with shrimp. It's food for Betta. I've never been able to successfully keep the two together.

Amazon sells glass lids for a 10g fairly cheap and it leaves room across the entire back for your filters and heaters.

Goldfish are usually scavenging the bottom for food constantly. And they are usually good eaters. I'd be a little skeptical about his health if he isn't accepting food for 6-7 days.

You could get away with that penguin 150. It's gonna be a bit turbulent. You may have to slide it to one side of the tank when you mount it on the back. Place a decoration near the inlet of the filter (where it draws the water up) on the side facing the more open part of the tank. This will divert some of the flow. Place plants around the tank.

You can tell if the fish are struggling by how hard they are swimming without a break. You don't want that. Steady swimming where they can take a break and not be blown around the tank is what you want.