Getting Into The Fish Owning Hobby

[Kits]

just started over a week ago, i kinda jumped in to fast and well lets say alot of things have gone wrong, pretty much i got a ten gallon tank with the power whisper 10 a heater and a hood with light got the gravel and some decor put in two goldfish(didnt know they were feeders) few days went by and got a sucker fish next day got a catfish the next day someone decided to put 5 mollies in my tank and tahts when the goldfish appeared to be turning black in some areas and developed ichs, took out all the fish cept the goldfish(they are at a friends whos got a good tank) and applied ichs medicine and did a water change after that, one goldfish has died the other seems to be healing, also i have obtained a 25 gallon tank with hood/light submersible Elite Stingray 15 filter, no heater(yet), i plan on returning the 10 gallon tank kit(was over 60 bucks) after my goldfish heals and im still asking around (yahoo answers) to see if i can put my goldfish in the new tank(after a weeks been over) im planning on getting anotehr stingray filter to keep up i just hope i dont mess up again ._. so yea hi im kits and well ive been having some problems >.>

 

[rabbut]

and welcome to TFF

Oh dear, this is the most common problem in the hobby; Poor LFS advise. You have added fish to a tank that is not cycled. This will likely have lead to an ammonia build-up, stressing the fish. This in turn probibly lead to the ICH

Do you have a liquid regent based test kit? If so, can you give any waterstats?

Goldfish are fine to be added to a new set-up after it has been fishless cycled, adding liquid ammonia for a few weeks to build up the good bacteria in your filters Cycling is very important, as it prevents fish stress and ultimately deaths. Many LFS will surgest you leave the tank to "cycle" for a week with all the equipment on, often adding bacterial filter enhancement products. What these enhance often is a mistery, as they have no visible effect, and the process does nothing to cycle the tank

Have a look round in the "new to the hobby" section for more information on cycling and propper maintanance

Goldfish grow large, about 8 inches in large enough aquariums, but over 18 inches in a pond. For this reason, you need a minimum of 20g for the first fish and 10g for each extra. Your two goldies will need a 30g tank realy, or 135litre

Goldfish are temperate fish requiring cool water. The other fish are tropical, needing heated water. It is impossible to keep both happy together, as either way you will have to compromise one or other's wellbeing Realy, they need seporate tanks...

Mollies need hard alkaline water, preferably with salt, to do well. Salt is harmful to other fish though long-term, so idealy they also need their own set-up in softwater areas. With the current fish, you would idealy need 3 tanks, so if you have limited space and budgets, IMO, you'd be best returning some to your LFS

HTH
Rabbut

 

[t_s22]

quite right rabbut. always condition your water. try using sponge filters as well as they give almost no interuption to water flow. i found filters like the stingray were just sucking everything in. i'd personally only use them to cycle my water

 

[chesterscot]

have to agree one goldfish needs at least a 20g and then another 10g's for every other fish
scot