Do I need a bubbler with my Eclipse 3 tank?

[bmarcus]

Right now I just have fancy goldfish. Do I need a bubbler?

[Zic]

Air pumps are good ideas. You don't need one with goldfish. Some people keep them in glass bowls with no filter, heater or air pump. However, you would have to keep up with water changes, or the fish will 'suffocate' after it 'breathes' all the oxygen from the water. An air pump will make sure the fish can still 'breathe'. You will still have to do water changes.

So, no, you don't need an air pump, but, yes, you probably should have one.

[tkos]

Since you have goldfish you probably don't have real plants so a bubbler is fine. You can even get some cool airstones and pumps that make walls of bubbles that look nice. There is ni reason not to have one for goldfish and they will increase the oxygen levels in the water.

[loganj]

Can you add one? Yes...no problem. Do you NEED it? No, the filtration system in the hood will provide plenty of surface turbulence to keep the O2 levels up. The Eclipse 3 is too small a tank for goldfish unless it is a very small one. Even then, you'll have to move it to a larger tank pretty soon. Goldfish produce a lot of waste so you'll want to do frequent water changes...at least once a week IMO. I would not recommend adding any other fish to this tank while the goldfish is in there. JMHO.

[bmarcus]

The tank is 40 gallons. That is too small for goldfish?? Does the tank size affect the answers? I also have a foot long pleco in there.

[tkos]

That tank is too small for that pleco. He can get up to 2 feet in size. And a lot of goldfish can attain 1.5 feet in length. But the worst part is that you have the 2 biggest waste producers out there. So make sure to do a lot of water changes as loganj mentioned to keep those ammonia levels down. USe the bubbler if you like it. But you don't have to have one if you don't want it.

[bmarcus]

8O Great I'll add that to my list of problems! What size tank should my pleco be in? At some point will this tank be enjoyable?!?!?

While I'm asking, what is the opinion on gravel or no gravel?

[TankGirl]

We were confused because we were thinking of the Eclipse 3 as being the 3-gal Eclipse that many of us have (way too small for goldfish). I think you will be fine with goldfish in a 40-gal. I kept 3 goldfish in a 35-gal (one fancy comet, and two fantails) for ten years with happy fish and no problems. The pleco will take a little time to outgrow that tank so in the meantime enjoy! That tank is plenty big to have a lot of pleasure out of, so don't worry. Once the pleco gets big find someone with a 90-gal or up and give him over. That tank can handle a rubberlip or a bristlenose, or one of several other smaller plecos for algae. Yes, some goldfish get big but it takes many years for them to get there, as long as they are not koi.

When you say gravel or no gravel, you mean bare-bottom? I don't find that terribly attractive, so unless this is a breeding or growout tank I am all for gravel, and the gravel is crucial to establish a biofilter. You need all the biofilter you can get with goldfish. I don't recommend undergravel filters, as they get cruddy and you can't get to the debris.

Please don't be discouraged and DO enjoy your tank. As long as you monitor the water and move the fish out once they get huge you will be fine.