Sparrowhawk
Aquarium Advice Newbie
- Joined
- Sep 30, 2014
- Messages
- 3
Hi folks,
I really need some help and guidance from experienced fish keepers - No judgement please! I'm doing the best I can for these fish!
A few days ago, my sister in law told me that her bad tenants had been evicted by court order. At the point that the bailiffs arrived and removed the door, they found that the tenants had bunked the night before, leaving behind a whole load of rubbish and a tank of fish! My sister in law didn't know what she should do with the fish and so I offered to take them. I asked what kind of fish they were and she said that she believed they were goldfish and some other kind of small fish in cold water. I assumed they were probably zebra fish.
She dropped the fish around a couple of days ago and I was surprised to find that it was 1 goldfish and 3 neon tetras living in this tank together! The tank is a 21L aquarium with a light (bulb had gone), filter and no heater.
I used to have this exact tank model myself a few years ago, but I have only ever kept cold water fancy fish.
Despite my limited experience of trops, I knew this wasn't right and immediately took to Google to investigate the matter. I found a lot of information saying that tetras can survive in cold water, but shouldn't be kept in cold water for extended periods... and certainly should not be living with with a goldfish!
Late on a Saturday evening, I accepted that there wasn't anything I could do at this point other than try to settle them in and keep an eye on them.
I noticed almost immediately that the goldfish had been nibbled to pieces by the tetras and was being bullied by them. He had taken to hiding behind the filter and would not feed. I attempted to coax him out from his hiding place but with little success on the one occasion that he did venture out, he was chased by the other tetras until he hid again.
I set about finding the largest receptacle that I could muster (a large tupperware box, I'm afraid!) and immediately separated him from the neons. I moved him upstairs, (out of reach of the cat!) and noted an instant improvement in his behaviour (despite now living in a giant lunch box!)
The following day, I set about finding him a better home. I asked around everybody I knew and, just as I had resigned myself to buying a second tank, I found him a lovely home, in an established cold water aquarium, with a lonely blackmoor. Great!
But what of the neons? Well, this morning, on my way to work, I dropped into a pet shop and bought some tropical pellets and a heater... Although I'm not sure what to do next. Does anybody have any advice?
Can I just switch the heater on and bring the tank up to the right temp? Or should this be a gradual process (increase the temp every couple of days).
Should I completely / partially change their water in the process?
Should I add salt to the water? I have heard that saline levels are important - and also, how much??
Are pellets enough? I used to give my cold water a break from pellets with blood worms, but I'm not sure if this is appropriate for tetras? Also, they appear to have only ever been fed goldfish flakes - should I transition them off these flakes slowly?
After all of the stress I have been through over the last couple of days, I really don't want them to just die now! I think they have had quite a sad little life so far, and I really want to do everything I can to improve that for them! Please could I have some advice? There isn't a lot about this situation written online!!
Thank you all in advance!
I really need some help and guidance from experienced fish keepers - No judgement please! I'm doing the best I can for these fish!
A few days ago, my sister in law told me that her bad tenants had been evicted by court order. At the point that the bailiffs arrived and removed the door, they found that the tenants had bunked the night before, leaving behind a whole load of rubbish and a tank of fish! My sister in law didn't know what she should do with the fish and so I offered to take them. I asked what kind of fish they were and she said that she believed they were goldfish and some other kind of small fish in cold water. I assumed they were probably zebra fish.
She dropped the fish around a couple of days ago and I was surprised to find that it was 1 goldfish and 3 neon tetras living in this tank together! The tank is a 21L aquarium with a light (bulb had gone), filter and no heater.
I used to have this exact tank model myself a few years ago, but I have only ever kept cold water fancy fish.
Despite my limited experience of trops, I knew this wasn't right and immediately took to Google to investigate the matter. I found a lot of information saying that tetras can survive in cold water, but shouldn't be kept in cold water for extended periods... and certainly should not be living with with a goldfish!
Late on a Saturday evening, I accepted that there wasn't anything I could do at this point other than try to settle them in and keep an eye on them.
I noticed almost immediately that the goldfish had been nibbled to pieces by the tetras and was being bullied by them. He had taken to hiding behind the filter and would not feed. I attempted to coax him out from his hiding place but with little success on the one occasion that he did venture out, he was chased by the other tetras until he hid again.
I set about finding the largest receptacle that I could muster (a large tupperware box, I'm afraid!) and immediately separated him from the neons. I moved him upstairs, (out of reach of the cat!) and noted an instant improvement in his behaviour (despite now living in a giant lunch box!)
The following day, I set about finding him a better home. I asked around everybody I knew and, just as I had resigned myself to buying a second tank, I found him a lovely home, in an established cold water aquarium, with a lonely blackmoor. Great!
But what of the neons? Well, this morning, on my way to work, I dropped into a pet shop and bought some tropical pellets and a heater... Although I'm not sure what to do next. Does anybody have any advice?
Can I just switch the heater on and bring the tank up to the right temp? Or should this be a gradual process (increase the temp every couple of days).
Should I completely / partially change their water in the process?
Should I add salt to the water? I have heard that saline levels are important - and also, how much??
Are pellets enough? I used to give my cold water a break from pellets with blood worms, but I'm not sure if this is appropriate for tetras? Also, they appear to have only ever been fed goldfish flakes - should I transition them off these flakes slowly?
After all of the stress I have been through over the last couple of days, I really don't want them to just die now! I think they have had quite a sad little life so far, and I really want to do everything I can to improve that for them! Please could I have some advice? There isn't a lot about this situation written online!!
Thank you all in advance!
Many people would have just flushed them so you rock. 
