Cold Water Fish Question

[tez2k007]

I know this is not about tropical fish but need to ask. I currently set up my 125ltr tank which is cycling well at the moment. It got cloudy but passed after a day. However 2 weeks ago we bought a small 7lt litre tank for our daughter and left it 2 days before putting in 3 fancy goldfish. The water has went cloudy and everyday i have done 50 percent water change but its not making it any better. Still the same after 2 weeks. Whats happening?

 

[Schmill]

Whats happening is the goldfish are probably poisoning themselves.
I'm sorry but goldfish are one of the most misunderstood fish around, people historically have always thought of them as simple 'little' fish that can be kept in bowls. These fish live in ponds, they require a huge amount of water, and 7 litres is nowhere near enough for 1 let alone 3
Does the 7 ltr tank have any kind of filtration or airstone running on it?
Do you have a water test kit that you are using for your 125L tank? If so do a test of the water in the 7Ltr tank and post the results, then we can at least see how things are.

 

[loubega]

Whats happening is the goldfish are probably poisoning themselves.
I'm sorry but goldfish are one of the most misunderstood fish around, people historically have always thought of them as simple 'little' fish that can be kept in bowls. These fish live in ponds, they require a huge amount of water, and 7 litres is nowhere near enough for 1 let alone 3
Does the 7 ltr tank have any kind of filtration or airstone running on it?
Do you have a water test kit that you are using for your 125L tank? If so do a test of the water in the 7Ltr tank and post the results, then we can at least see how things are.

im sorry but i totally agree with schmill here, goldfish require a lot more space than 7litres, so three in a tiny bowl will only certaintly cause problems?

What size are the fish now? also post what ammonia and nitrite levels you have?

 

[tez2k007]

Whats happening is the goldfish are probably poisoning themselves.
I'm sorry but goldfish are one of the most misunderstood fish around, people historically have always thought of them as simple 'little' fish that can be kept in bowls. These fish live in ponds, they require a huge amount of water, and 7 litres is nowhere near enough for 1 let alone 3
Does the 7 ltr tank have any kind of filtration or airstone running on it?
Do you have a water test kit that you are using for your 125L tank? If so do a test of the water in the 7Ltr tank and post the results, then we can at least see how things are.

Ok will do cheers. It does have a filter but no airstones.

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, sadly have to agree with the others above. As a parent I would be swinging into action to re-home the goldies as fast as possible before your daughter has to watch them die and then I'd be active in figuring out a completely different type of small tank for her room, perhaps a bigger "small tank" with very tiny inhabitants!

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Schmill]

Of interest I found the following links:

Goldfish - Wikipedia

Like most carp, goldfish produce a large amount of waste both in their feces and through their gills, releasing harmful chemicals into the water. This also happens because goldfish, like other cyprinids, lack a stomach and only have an intestinal tract, and thus cannot digest an excess of proteins, unlike most tropical fish. Build-up of this waste to toxic levels can occur in a relatively short period of time, which is often the cause of a fish's sudden death. It may be the amount of water surface area, not the water volume, that decides how many goldfish may live in a container, because this determines how much oxygen diffuses and dissolves from the air into the water; one square foot of water surface area for every inch of goldfish length (370 cm²/cm).

The popular image of a goldfish in a small fishbowl is an enduring one. However, some countries have banned the sale of bowls of that type under animal rights legislation due to the risk of stunting, deoxygenation and ammonia/nitrite poisoning in such a small environment.
The supposed reputation of goldfish dying quickly is often due to poor care amongst uninformed buyers looking for a cheap pet. The true lifespan of a well-cared-for goldfish in captivity can extend beyond 10 years.

and this one:
Goldfish Care

When designing a filtration system for goldfish, keep in mind their increased metabolic
requirements. This means that you will likely have to over‐spec both biological and mechanical filtration
for a goldfish aquarium. Similarly, when determining water volume requirements, err of the high side
with goldfish; in other words, always plan to provide a larger volume of water than you originally
estimated. Most successful goldfish breeders and show participants have stocking levels of 3 – 4 fish (3
inches and over) in a 55 gallon aquarium. While this might seem too restrictive, consider that you
should not be aiming at having your fish survive, but thrive.

 

[dwilli36]

I agree with them too. My daughter had a comet goldfish in a 2 gallon tank.They are very messy fish, they produce huge amounts of waiste and amonia. It grew fast , had to give it to a friend so they could put it in thier pond. Goldfish are a part of the carp family.