neeenster
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Hi Everyone I am looking for some advice!
Last year my son was given a miniature pond and three goldfish for in the garden by a friend as a birthday gift. On the first night of the miniature pond being in the garden, the neighbours cat helped itself to two of the fish. We bought the miniature pond inside and I thought it a rather sad life for the fish. So, we got a small tank for Doc. Having set up the tank last april, all went well (13.9 US gallons). We had an internal filter for a slightly larger volume tank. Even though Doc was in it, I went through all the processes to cycle the tank. Learned the hard way with that one.
later in the year one of our neighbours heard of someone who was going to throw their three fancy fish into the local canal and he persuaded the boy to give them to us, as it didn't seem fair to the fish.. And so we became owners of four fish in a stupidly small tank, Doc, Barry (an odd looking oranda with a seemingly white scaleless body and jet black eyes), Submarine and Toothless (two black moors). I confess at the time, I thought Barry so ugly that he was beautiful (if you get what I mean).
We very quickly we scaled up to a larger tank as common sense told me that they did not have enough room. So, not having much in the budget, I spent as much as I could afford to get a larger tank, 52 US Gallons and purchased a larger filter (also for slightly larger capacity of water) and run this large filter with the smaller filter in the other corner. Cycled the tank and then moved the fish over.
As Doc (a regular run of the mill gold fish) got so big, we moved him over to my mother in laws massive pond and he's doing great there, we can spot him in amongst the other golfish and koi and he's having a lovely time. He wasn't necessarily too big for the tank, but he loved to zip around and whizz about and it just didn't seem fair to him.
When Doc left we purchased a little lion head oranda called bubble. All is good, tank tests come up great. Every week 20% water changes, rinsing out the filters in the water that's been removed, vacuuming the gravel with these water changes to get the waste out and using water treatment on the tap water. The fish are growing fantastically, they eat out of my hand. They have a varied diet, small meals twice a day of fancy fish food only what they can eat up within five minutes, waste removed from the tank and twice a week they have peeled peas and once a fortnight freeze dried blood worms.
Barry the ugly beauty is now gorgeous, he has a stunning fancy tail now. Submarine has also grown beautifully, bubble the lionhead is massive now. And now everyone has grown so much I'm wondering what is wrong with Toothless. He hasn't grown at all. I don't know how old these fish were when they came from the boy, I don't know the boy and can't ask him and it didn't occur to me at the time. I do know they were in a tiny tank, smaller than our first tank that they moved to and we quickly moved up to the 52.
Having gone into great study of the tank, the environment, the feeding, the cleaning, the testing, the filters.. all of this last year, I've failed to actually wonder how long it takes for the fish to grow. I still think the tank is too small and in a months time, I'm going to purchase a larger tank (I got a bonus and I'm using it for that). The largest I can afford will be 125 US Gallons. I think then, the fish will have the right amount of space.
I'm not sure if the tank space is the issue with Toothless, he's been totally fine, but the last week he's looking old, at feeding time he comes enthusiastically to get his food, he comes for hand fed peas, but in between times he looks depressed.. or maybe I am just mad.
Anyway, nice to meet you all, I'm going to have a look around the forums and if any of you have any advice, please feel free to help me along.
Last year my son was given a miniature pond and three goldfish for in the garden by a friend as a birthday gift. On the first night of the miniature pond being in the garden, the neighbours cat helped itself to two of the fish. We bought the miniature pond inside and I thought it a rather sad life for the fish. So, we got a small tank for Doc. Having set up the tank last april, all went well (13.9 US gallons). We had an internal filter for a slightly larger volume tank. Even though Doc was in it, I went through all the processes to cycle the tank. Learned the hard way with that one.
later in the year one of our neighbours heard of someone who was going to throw their three fancy fish into the local canal and he persuaded the boy to give them to us, as it didn't seem fair to the fish.. And so we became owners of four fish in a stupidly small tank, Doc, Barry (an odd looking oranda with a seemingly white scaleless body and jet black eyes), Submarine and Toothless (two black moors). I confess at the time, I thought Barry so ugly that he was beautiful (if you get what I mean).
We very quickly we scaled up to a larger tank as common sense told me that they did not have enough room. So, not having much in the budget, I spent as much as I could afford to get a larger tank, 52 US Gallons and purchased a larger filter (also for slightly larger capacity of water) and run this large filter with the smaller filter in the other corner. Cycled the tank and then moved the fish over.
As Doc (a regular run of the mill gold fish) got so big, we moved him over to my mother in laws massive pond and he's doing great there, we can spot him in amongst the other golfish and koi and he's having a lovely time. He wasn't necessarily too big for the tank, but he loved to zip around and whizz about and it just didn't seem fair to him.
When Doc left we purchased a little lion head oranda called bubble. All is good, tank tests come up great. Every week 20% water changes, rinsing out the filters in the water that's been removed, vacuuming the gravel with these water changes to get the waste out and using water treatment on the tap water. The fish are growing fantastically, they eat out of my hand. They have a varied diet, small meals twice a day of fancy fish food only what they can eat up within five minutes, waste removed from the tank and twice a week they have peeled peas and once a fortnight freeze dried blood worms.
Barry the ugly beauty is now gorgeous, he has a stunning fancy tail now. Submarine has also grown beautifully, bubble the lionhead is massive now. And now everyone has grown so much I'm wondering what is wrong with Toothless. He hasn't grown at all. I don't know how old these fish were when they came from the boy, I don't know the boy and can't ask him and it didn't occur to me at the time. I do know they were in a tiny tank, smaller than our first tank that they moved to and we quickly moved up to the 52.
Having gone into great study of the tank, the environment, the feeding, the cleaning, the testing, the filters.. all of this last year, I've failed to actually wonder how long it takes for the fish to grow. I still think the tank is too small and in a months time, I'm going to purchase a larger tank (I got a bonus and I'm using it for that). The largest I can afford will be 125 US Gallons. I think then, the fish will have the right amount of space.
I'm not sure if the tank space is the issue with Toothless, he's been totally fine, but the last week he's looking old, at feeding time he comes enthusiastically to get his food, he comes for hand fed peas, but in between times he looks depressed.. or maybe I am just mad.
Anyway, nice to meet you all, I'm going to have a look around the forums and if any of you have any advice, please feel free to help me along.
