Two of my Goldfish have claudy eyes. I need help!!!

[Nreyes6316]

Hello. I am new in Fish keeping so I need your advice.

On december I bought a 10 gallons tank and I put 3 Goldfish there. I was able to control everything in my water but I read I should put them in a bigger tank which I did it. My ammonia levels, nitrite, and nitrate where 0 and fishes were in good shape in my old tank. In order to get a bigger thank I bought a 36 gallons and I treated with safestart from Tetra and prime. I set it last monday (01/14/2013) What I did was I clean everything with hot water before put in my tank, I put water in when everything was set. I ran my filter, I put prime, and aquarium salt (7 soup spoons according to the label). After 24 hours I put safestart and after 24 hour more I put my fishes in and small quantity of prime. I feed them 24 hours after they were introduced to my aquarium and I put little more prime ( I follow this from wiki aquarium "cycling your tank") I use api kit in order to measure ammonia, ph, nitrite, and nitrate. During these three days my readings are: Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 0 and Ph 7.5. Yesterday my water begins a little claudy and today it keeps claudy and my fishes, two of them, begin to have claudy eyes. I do not want to treat with medicine because the cicle has just started, and do not want change my water for the same reason.

I know there is a problem with the water and I do not think is bacteria. I made this asumption because I wash everything with hot water before I put water in even my tank itself.

Can someone help me in order to save my fishes?

Thanks!!!

 

[jlk]

Hi! Welcome to AA!! Good job getting your fish into a bigger tank!! What type of goldies are they? Ok, you mention using the api tests but are they liquid or strips? If they are liquid, are you using both bottles (and shaking VERY well) to test ammonia and both bottles to test nitrate? Exactly how big are these soup spoons?

What I suspect is a combination of excess salt burning your fish's eyes, overuse of chemicals and possible high ammonia. Start by doing a 50% water change with temperature matched, properly conditioned water. Ue only Prime to condition and nothing else. If you using buckets, treat per bucket. If using a water changer, dose Prime to the size of your tank. Match the temp of the new water to that of your tank. Wait an hour or two after the wc, then do another 50% wc using the temp matched, properly conditioned water. This will have hopefully have removed 75% of the salt & chemicals (except prime). Tomorrow, do the same thing to further dilute the salt. Their eyes will hopefully heal without incident with time and LOTS of healthy water but keep a close watch for signs of fungus or infection.

As you are just starting a fishin cycle, please read the link below for more info & ask any questions! I will also post a link with more info on goldies & their care. keep us posted!

I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?! - Aquarium Advice

http://www.myaquariumclub.com/goldfish-101-11174823.html

 

[Nreyes6316]

Thank you for your response.

My goldfishes are comets about 3" and they were in a good shape.

I am using liquid API test kit and I shaked well before I used it. It works perfectly in my old tank.

For the Marine Salt I used a soup spoon (the size that you use when eat soup) and I put one spoon for each 5 gallons so I put 7 spoons.

I will do what you say in order to get my fishes in good shape but I have a question, What happens with the cycle if I do what you say about water changes? Will it stop my cycle? What should I do in order to get a good tank cycle after I save my fishes?

Thank you so much

 

[jlk]

Thanks for the info! The marine salt is what has burned your fish's eyes. Its intended for brackish/sw tanks. Goldfish do not need salt (of any kind) in their water. The water changes will not harm or slow your cycle and will keep your fish healthy through it. Once you have removed most of the salt from the water, you simply need to test daily and do water changes anytime your ammonia and/or nitrite hit @ .25ppm. And be patient.

Do you still have the filter media from your old tank? Or know anyone with a healthy, established tank or pond? Adding some cycled media will be fastest means to help seed the new tank and establish your cycle. Please ask if you have questions!

 

[Nreyes6316]

Hello Jilk. Thank you again for your advice.

I did yesterday what you said. I changed 50% of the water and after two hours I changed 50% more. Today I will do another 50% .

Yes I have a pond and filter from my old tank. I will get the pond and put it into my new tank.

I will keep you post it

I've got three questios. how many fishes can I put in my 36 gallons after cycle? I have 3 goldfishes already. Can I put another kind of fish?

Finally I am thinking to set my 10 gallons with some small fishes like 4 guppies or danios or endler's livebearer, 2 dwarf gourami, and 3 or 4 cory catfish or schrimp. What would be your advice?

Thank you

 

[jlk]

No more fish for the 36g. If you want, you can add some large snails but thats it. If you have a pond, I would move these guys to it when the pond temp is close to your tank temp then you can consider what fish you would like for this tank.

As I only keep goldfish, I am not comfortable offering advice stocking a tropical tank. I would post a new question in the 'Getting Started' section for advice from tropical members on stocking your 10g.

 

[Nreyes6316]

Thank you so much. You have been great with your advice. Unfortunaly if I would have known that goldfish needs huge room I would have gone for something different at the beginning in order to not kill the fish but I like this Specie so I will be keep them until they have 5" or more. At time I will trade them for another fish.

I do not have pond to put them

I was thinking to put another goldfish in my tank until you told me, do not do it

Finally. What kind of food do you use in order to feed them?

Thanks

 

[jlk]

Look for decent sinking pellet. Hikari, NLS & ProGold are all good brands but some people like Omegaone. And offer them daily veggies to munch on. Please ask if you have questions!

 

[Nreyes6316]

JLK thank you for your advice. My fishes have begun to improve. I am happy for them. I just measure the ammonia and it is .25, Nitrite 0 and Nitrate less then 20. My ph is almost 8 which is a little high but the ph is always 8 in this place, I use ph 7.5 for API in order to regulate the ph. I have not used it yet because I am waiting to my fishes improve. I think overall that my cycle is running well.

For food I use AQUEON flakes and NLS. I use NLS most of the time. I see in this new tank that They wait until the balls are sinking on the grave in order to eat. In my old tank they did not wait but I think is the new space.

I will keep you post it

Thanks!!

P.S. I attach a picture of the my tank

 

[jlk]

Your ph is fine- do not mess with it or add chemicals. Just stay on top of your testing and water changes to keep toxins in check. Glad to hear they are improving!

 

[Nreyes6316]

Jik thank you so much. Your advice safe my fishes. After 7 days they are really good. The cloudy eyes are gone and they look happy swiming around.

Today, I measure the ammonia, ph, nitrite and nitrate and the values are: ammonia 0, ph 7.8, nitrite 0, and nitrate 0. I assume that my tank is cycled with this values. By the way, the temperature is 74 F

Thanks again for your great advice!!!!!

 

[jlk]

Glad to hear they are all doing well and your tank is stable!