FishiesAreCute
Aquarium Advice Newbie
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2014
- Messages
- 7
Hello everyone, this is my first post here. Before I describe my issue, I'll let you know my tank stats,
I have a 30 gallon with a 3 inch Shubunkin, a 1.5 inch Common Goldfish, and a 2 inch Rosy Red Minnow. I also have a 10 gallon with 2 guppy fry and 2 blacknose dace fry. When the guppies and daces get big enough I'll move them into the same tank as the other fish. I know my goldfish will outgrow their tank so I'm going to get a 75 gallon for Christmas and may make a pond over the summer. I've had my water tested at my local pet store and all my levels are perfect except for my water being slightly acidic (almost 7). I always treat my water with stress coat before adding any, I do 1/3 changes every week, my tanks are fully cycled, and I add the reccomended amount of salt (6 tbsp in the 30 gallon). As for oxygenation, I have an air stone and a properly rated above tank filter in both tanks. I keep the tanks at room temp. I'm feeding them high quality fish flakes, except for the daces which seem be very partial to blood worms.
Now, with that out of the way, here's my issues. My shubunkin keeps swimming to the surface to gulp air every 20 seconds or so. The tank should be properly oxygenated right? He's quite active and seems healthy otherwise except that he won't eat any food except flakes; which is odd because I was told goldfish love spinach for example, but he just spits it out. I'm very worried about him and I don't want to loose him. Occasionally, but less often, my common will do this too. I have heard it's never ok for them to exhibit this gulping behavior; but what could be the problem?
I hope someone can help... thanks!
I have a 30 gallon with a 3 inch Shubunkin, a 1.5 inch Common Goldfish, and a 2 inch Rosy Red Minnow. I also have a 10 gallon with 2 guppy fry and 2 blacknose dace fry. When the guppies and daces get big enough I'll move them into the same tank as the other fish. I know my goldfish will outgrow their tank so I'm going to get a 75 gallon for Christmas and may make a pond over the summer. I've had my water tested at my local pet store and all my levels are perfect except for my water being slightly acidic (almost 7). I always treat my water with stress coat before adding any, I do 1/3 changes every week, my tanks are fully cycled, and I add the reccomended amount of salt (6 tbsp in the 30 gallon). As for oxygenation, I have an air stone and a properly rated above tank filter in both tanks. I keep the tanks at room temp. I'm feeding them high quality fish flakes, except for the daces which seem be very partial to blood worms.
Now, with that out of the way, here's my issues. My shubunkin keeps swimming to the surface to gulp air every 20 seconds or so. The tank should be properly oxygenated right? He's quite active and seems healthy otherwise except that he won't eat any food except flakes; which is odd because I was told goldfish love spinach for example, but he just spits it out. I'm very worried about him and I don't want to loose him. Occasionally, but less often, my common will do this too. I have heard it's never ok for them to exhibit this gulping behavior; but what could be the problem?
I hope someone can help... thanks!
. As the comets started dying few weeks later of ammonia shock I rushed out to buy the 10 gallon and luckily one of them survived in it. I bought him a koi friend and they seemed to be doing fine in the tank. At this time I still did not know about dechlorinating your water but I only moved a few weeks ago and the place I was living at had very good water quality (low chlorine content), so maybe that's why they seemed to be doing fine. A few weeks ago though I moved to where I am currently residing where, unfortunately, the water quality is very poor. I noticed my fish were piping and changing colors so I researched online and learned about dechlorinating your water. Unfortunately I received poor advice that you could dechlorinate your water by just leaving it to sit for 24 hours, so I thought I was fine and the problems would pass. About three weeks ago I decided to buy a bigger tank because my koi and comet were outgrowing the 10 gallon. At this other store I met someone who actually was very knowledgeable and helpful who informed me that I was not actually dechlorinating my water and that I was slowly killing my fish. I bought my 30 gallon tank there and some stress coat. When I transferred them to the new tank I used the old gravel and water so this is why I assume the tank should be cycled. Sadly, after treating my water my comet quickly became lethargic and then sick. He developed a bad infection and died. The koi died at the same time rather unexpectedly (he seemed ok except a bit lethargic). My theory is that the chlorine was killing off any infectious organisms but also slowly killing my fish; when I dechlorinated the water they did not have the immune system to fight off the infections. As upset as I was after being so attached to my fish, I decided to get new goldfish because I love how goldfish behave (or any fish in the carp family for that matter). This was two weeks ago, so my fish have been in there for two weeks. 
