question on aerate newbie here

[paribest]

Hi all,

have a small question on aeration. I am new to aquarium maintenece. I bought a small tank with a air pump which works on electricity. My question is how long do I have to aerate the tank in a day approx. if i have say 6 small goldfishes in a 1 gallon tank.

Thanks in advance

 

[loganj]

For starters, a one gallon tank is overloaded with one small goldfish...no way you'll be able to keep 6 in there. How long has the tank been set up? Has it cycled yet?
Goldfish are heavy waste producers and need a fairly large tank. On the subject of aeration, you don't have to have it at all as long as you have a filter that is creating surface turbulence. If you like the look of the airstone running in the tank, you can run it 24/7. Most of the gas exchange in your tank will take place at the surface. You really need to get those gold fish out of that small tank though. Either take them back to the store and get something like a betta that will do OK in a 1 gal tank or get a larger tank. IMO, you'll need a minimum of a 55 gal tank for 6 goldfish and they will probably outgrow that eventually. JMHO.

 

[madasafish]

*Paribest*

I think you've unwittingly stumbled upon some good advice here. Most people who buy goldfish have no idea just how much these fish consume and "produce." Even more importantly, they have no idea that keeping these fish can require a lot of space. Goldfish can grow to a very large size if they're in a proper space, and it is unfair to keep them in a small space (though this is all part of a particular *culture* of goldfish keeping).

Loganj is right, do yourself and your fish a huge favor by choosing a larger tank for them or by returning them all. Unfortunately, even the hardy goldfish won't survive living with 5 of its friends in a 1-gallon bowl.

"Cycling" is a whole other issue. If you're unsure of what this term means, send me a personal message, and I'll be glad to fill you in (just press the "PM" button). A 1-gallon tank never truly "cycles" (allows beneficial bacteria to form to get rid of fish-waste toxins) by virtue of its size, so this is perhaps a moot point.... If you're willing to upgrade your tank a bit and make it larger, you should definitely think about doing some research into this subject. In which case, post away on the site and get as much knowledge as you can!

Hope this isn't too incredibly confusing. You asked one question and got the answer to a set of completely different questions. Fish keeping isn't as simple as it seems at first...

Jon

 

[tkos]

I fall you can afford or want is a small bowl in your place, then I suggest getting a betta fish. They do fine in a 1 gallon bowl (not one of those little cups) with a light feeding and plenty of water changes.

Goldfish, as most coldwater fish, require larger amounts of oxygen in their water than do tropical fish. That is why you always see little goldfish stuffed into bowls biting at the surface of the water. They aren't hungry all the time like people think. They are gasping for air.

 

[LondonGman]

My question is how long do I have to aerate the tank in a day approx. if i have say 6 small goldfishes in a 1 gallon tank.

you use the word "IF" so I suppose you have not yet gotten 6 gold fishes in a 1 gallon tank.
If you did, I would run the air pump constantly, 24 hours, to keep the surface of the water agitated so ensure your theoretical 6 fishes have enough oxygen.
Other factor come into play though, i.e. other filter systems