Not enough air?

[Joe-turbo]

I have noticed my black more spending a lot of time at the top of the tank gasping for air

Any advise?

 

[Samzter]

What's size tank? You could add a airstone or two.

 

[Joe-turbo]

Not sure, think its only about 5gallon.

 

[Sssea]

It's probably due to the size of the tank. Black moors need 20 gallons. The amount of ammonia from his waste and lack of oxygen in the water are the cause.

 

[Samzter]

Not sure, think its only about 5gallon.

Yes... That's your problem . They do need a 20g minimum. Do you test your water? And if so with strips or liquid test kit?

 

[Joe-turbo]

It's my gf's fish, we jut moved in together, I got a tester kit that measured the below a couple weeks ago.

Ph 8.2
Ammonia 0.25
Nitrate N02 0
Nitrate N03 10

I'll try measure again tomoz, he's not that big at the mo

 

[tamtam]

you need to get it a bigger tank ASAP. How long has it been in this tank? Hopefully not too long. Being in such a small space will stunt it's growth. This shortens their life drastically. I believe goldfish do most of their growing in their first 2-3 years of life. Though it doesn't seem like they are big they can still have their growth stunted. Something to hink about is that by stunting their growth you sort of stop the body from growing but the organs keep growing until they fail. Most goldies can live well passed 10 year,s I've seen 18 year old goldies.. sadly many don't make it 5 years because they are kept in too small of a space.

It sounds like it's a water quality issue. Those results are pretty old so who knows what's going on it there but if ammonia was at .25 a few weeks ago depending on what your water change schedule has been like I bet it's gone up. .25 is considered dangerous and requires a water change. I would do a 40% change right away and see how it does. Test tomorrow, or as soon as you can. Any ammonia or nitrite over .25 needs a water change.

 

[jlk]

Its already been said but Ill mention it again- he needs a much bigger tank. I would change 50% of his water daily until you can properly home him in a 20g. Do you know the temp of the tank? Warm water holds much less oxygen than cold water. Its likely a combination of too small of a tank, lethal amounts of toxins & possible too warm temps. Water changes are needed asap.

 

[Joe-turbo]

I will change water again this eve, it has been very warm lately so that probably dont help.

Would it be worth getting a airstone for small tank? Have read they are pretty loud, any recomendations?

I have been lokoing at 20g tanks, over £100 most the time, I dont have that cash to hand at the moment

 

[revchristinejday]

Dear Joe-Turbo,

One Black Moor really, really, really, really needs at least 20 gallons (US) to keep healthy. Please consider using a plastic 20 gallons bin which can be obtained more reasonably as an interim home for the Black Moor as you save up for a proper 20+ gallon aquarium. These bins are usually sold in the house goods sections of department stores and storage shops. Rinse out well before use and don't use the top.

Moors also require as do all goldfish 10 times the gallon size filtration per hour. So you will need to up your filter to one that turns the water over 200 gallons per hour. (Goldfish have a simple digestive system and therefore produce more waste more often.) Many Goldie people do at least 75% water changes weekly to stay on top of the nitrates.

Without a 20 gallon home for the Moor, you will have to try daily testing of the water--even ammonia can cause illness, etc.--and if necessary to keep ammonia, nitrite at 0, daily water changes with de-clorinated water.
Chris+

 

[Samzter]

Dear Joe-Turbo,

One Black Moor really, really, really, really needs at least 20 gallons (US) to keep healthy. Please consider using a plastic 20 gallons bin which can be obtained more reasonably as an interim home for the Black Moor as you save up for a proper 20+ gallon aquarium. These bins are usually sold in the house goods sections of department stores and storage shops. Rinse out well before use and don't use the top.

Moors also require as do all goldfish 10 times the gallon size filtration per hour. So you will need to up your filter to one that turns the water over 200 gallons per hour. (Goldfish have a simple digestive system and therefore produce more waste more often.) Many Goldie people do at least 75% water changes weekly to stay on top of the nitrates.

Without a 20 gallon home for the Moor, you will have to try daily testing of the water--even ammonia can cause illness, etc.--and if necessary to keep ammonia, nitrite at 0, daily water changes with de-clorinated water.
Chris+

Okay, I think he know now. when he has the money he will upgrade the tank.

 

[Joe-turbo]

Right, I have now purchased 90litre ( 24US gallon). Will pick up on Friday, is there any particular way to swap him from one tank to another? I assume transfer the water he is already in plus add new (tap safe water) to new tank with the filter that's been in the current tank?

Also just realised the filter I have (http://www.rena.uk.com/Products/Product.aspx?ProductID=525) only does up to 40Litres so will need a new filter too. Any recomendations?

 

[Nimo]

Yes you have the right idea. When u set up the new tank of course you will need a larger filter but if the tank can hold both filters (the one currently in use, plus the new one) it will be all the better. Or you could just take the media out of the old one and put it on the new filter along with the new media. This will help seed the new tank and might be enough beneficial bacteria to keep the new tank from cycling.
You can also either mix the substrate from existing tank with new substrate in the new tank or just scoop some out and put it in a clean nylon stocking and hang it in the new tank for a bit. This will give even more beneficial bacteria to the new tank.

 

[Joe-turbo]

As I have a Rena superclean 40, but have just noticed on their website "Biological Filtration through the bio-chem Stars (non-included)" so I assume I dont have these. Should I purchase them? Where abouts on the filter would they go?

Also I was thinking of getting a Rena superclean 90 Rena SuperClean 90 and have both attached to the tank? would this be worth while?

When transfering the fish, should I scoop half/ 3 quarters of the 5gallon tank into the new tank with the fish, both filters and top up with new tap safe water?

Last thing, do I need to add an airpump / airstone?

 

[Nimo]

I don't know any thing about that particular filter maybe someone else can answer that one. I use marine land pinguin bio-wheels on all of my tanks.
Using the old filter along with the new filter is definitely a plus.just don't let the filter media dry out while you are moving things, scoop out some of the tank water if needed and just drop the media in it to keep it wet.
As far as moving the fish yes you can use the water in the old tank and top of with declorinated water.
test the water about an hour after the move and then daily for a while, watch for ammonia spikes, if at any time you get an ammonia reading do a water change and as always keep up with your weekly water changes. Even if your water tests are good do weekly changes any way, this keeps the water good. It is a lot easier to keep good water rather than try to clean up bad water.

And yes an air stone is always helpful for adding extra oxygen to you tank.

 

[Joe-turbo]

any suggestions for making water changes easier?

 

[Nimo]

If you can set the tank up close to a sink it helps, but most people don't want a fish tank on their countertops out they want them in the living area.
Their is a water changer called a python I think that's suppose to make water changes easy. I just use a pain old gravel vac and 5 gallon buckets. I have 9 tanks and change the water in all of them the old school way of siphoning from tank to buckets and dumping the clean water from buckets to tank. Lol

 

[Joe-turbo]

have just ordered a hand pump syphon on ebay