Black Moor Goldfish Help Needed :_

[RedTiger]

My son was given a Black Moor Goldfish this week. I didn't really want a live pet but we have it now and it makes him happy. The problem is that I didn't do any pre-purchase investigating (because I didn't know that Swimmey was coming). I have little clue as to how to take care of a fish. If this pet dies, oh that would be very very bad for my son. He wouldn't get over it very easily. He cried for two weeks when he though he lost his Pokemon chip, a live pet would be MUCH worse bc he gets attached so easily.

Does anyone know how to take care of them?

I've figured out that they require clean water, which is hard because it sure "goes" a lot. Though he was delivered in a fish tank bowl, I learned that's a bad option if we want him to survive. I have an office desktop tank that holds about 2 gallons and has a air pump. I'll be moving him in there within the next few days. (I want to make sure that all the chlorine from the spring water is evaporated. There's also distilled water in there. It's about 50/50. I did read that distilled water is bad in the long run so I'll just stick to spring water going forward.) I also realize the small tank is not really the best option but I thought it would be better than the fishbowl. Unfortunately, I cannot afford to buy the appropriate 15 gallon tank right now. (I hope that changes by the year's end.)

I'm so confused on the food (like how much). We have goldfish flakes but is it enough? How do I keep the tank bio-acceptable? Currently, I cannot afford to spend a lot of money. So cheaper acceptable options would be great.


Okay that's enough for now. If someone knows, that would be GREAT! Thanks so much (in advance)!

 

[WILDER]

One goldifsh alone need 20 gallons for the first goldfish and ten gallons for every other one added to the tank.
Goldfish are massive waste producers so they need double the filter size to the tank.
You need 15 to 20 gallon tank, then a 40 gallon filter.
You will need liquid test kits in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph.
Water declorinator for water changes.

If you can't afford the tank I would see if an lfs will take him as he will just end up dying of ammonia poisoning.

 

[RedTiger]

hi! thanks for answering!! 20, that's huge. our place is too small for one that big . I was looking at petsmart, they have some plain rectangular 10 gal tanks. it doesn't come with a filtration or anything but would that would be better than the 5 gallon tank that comes with them? (the 5g is $22 and it has an air pump, filter -- basically everything you need for set up.) if i could the 10 gal, it's $12. maybe there's a filter for around $10, not sure. what do you think?

we just moved him to the 2 gallon tank with the air pump. i emptied out the fishbowl tank and the water reeked. we added a live plant.

 

[aaronnorth]

i would get the 10g now as it is better, but only if you can upgrade to the 20g in the future. dont know about the US market but a 20g internal filter over here would cost about £20-£30

 

[RedTiger]

i would get the 10g now as it is better, but only if you can upgrade to the 20g in the future. dont know about the US market but a 20g internal filter over here would cost about £20-£30

thank you! i will look into getting him the 10 gallon one this week. do you think he will be OK in the 2-gallon one for a week? when i move him, how long should he acclimate inside the bag?

 

[aaronnorth]

yes but he may be stressed. float him for 5 minutes, then every 5 mins pour a cup of the tank water in the bag until it is full, this is so he doesnt get shocked.

 

[RedTiger]

thank you so much! i've been googling looking for cheaper 10-gal aquarium set ups. i'd rather have that than the glass rectangular.

i started the transfer from the fishbowl to the 2 gal tank a little while ago. i'll start adding water in the bag now. (he's been sitting in the bag for abt 30min.)

oh i used dishwashing liquid to clean the new tank. i did rinse it really well before i added the water. is that okay?

 

[aaronnorth]

yes it should be, as long as it was a thorough wash! Clearseal do cheap tanks.

 

[RedTiger]

yes it should be, as long as it was a thorough wash! Clearseal do cheap tanks.

one more thing, now that he is in clear water, we can see that he has some white spots by his nose. i don't remember seeing that before. is that normal?

i'm confident that i rinsed the tank well. thanks, i'll go check out Clearseal now.

 

[WILDER]

How big are the whitespots near his nose.
Are they the size of grains of salt.

 

[aaronnorth]

if they are not bubbles (sometimes they are) then it may be whitespot/ ich. You will need medication for this. It doesnt help with him being stressed either. Wilder is better to answer this though, she is great

 

[WILDER]

A stressed fish can soon break out in whitespot.
Any signs of the black moor trying to rub himself on things in his bowl.

 

[RedTiger]

he's got a white spot on his back and the ones on his nose almost looks like a film. i thought that they were the size of a grain of sea salt but then when i looked again, it looks like a film and it covers most of his nose.

 

[WILDER]

http/www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/health/ich.shtml

 

[RedTiger]

A stressed fish can soon break out in whitespot.
Any signs of the black moor trying to rub himself on things in his bowl.

in his old bowl, he spent most of the time near the top. i thought it was bc it was so dingy. (i cleaned it within 3 days but it was still gross.) right now, he is swimming up and down in the bag. he is going near the edge of the bag and sucking a lot.