Oranda Red Cap Emergancy!

[Forestpisces]

Hunny your overstocked now. Those fish are going to be miserable and i'm pretty sure all aquatic frogs need heaters.

The one inch per gallon rule in many peoples opinion is utter b/s as it does not take into account

Fish behaviour/temperment

Amount of waste the Fish can produce (goldfish are huge waste producers)

Common goldfish are a pond fish and can grow to over a foot in length. You cannot keep that stocking happy in that size tank for very long at all a few months at most.

I think afishdude is getting annoyed because you are not listening to what we are telling you, we are not here to bully or pick on you we want to help you.

We've all made mistakes but when you are given very good advise from a very reliable source then seem to completely ignor it then people may get a little peeved.

Please listen to what has been said we want to help you.

 

[rl4400]

Thanks for your help. Not trying to get people angry. I am getting competing advice from different sources: this forum, our local pet store, and other web sites. I am trying my best to learn and I really do care about my fish. They are looking really well today. My plan is to do frequent but small water changes during the cycling period of the new tank(4-6 weeks?). Some people are saying absolutely not, others are saying you have to do it this way.

Our pet store suggested the frogs and told me they don't need a heater. Right now I have about 10 inches of fish and they all seem pretty happy together! I am thinking of moving the frogs into the 10 gallon tank with one betta fish. The store guy is also saying they don't need a heater either but I'm guessing you guys will explode if I get a Betta with out a heater?[/quote]

 

[afishdude]

Never ever ever listen to a pet shop. They are after one thing, your money. They will say anything to get you to spend money, and if the fish die even better for them because you will come back and buy more. Most of the time they give you the wrong advise on purpose so you buy products or more fish from them.

And again, if you read the link i gave you now three times it tells you what to do in a fish-in cycle.
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=224306

 

[Curiosity101]

DO NOT TRUST FISH SHOPS - THEY WANT YOUR MONEY - WE WANT YOUR FISH TO LIVE HAPPILY

Now that I have your attention...think about it, who is it who is going to be giving your the correct info?
So...
You may only have 10 inches of fish at the moment, but when they're only even half grown (within the next few months!) you will have
2 Fancy's at 4" each
3 Commons at 6" each

Which is 26" of fish. And if you were using AN inch per gallon rule with goldfish then it is 1" of fish per 2 gallons. It's not the same as with tropicals.
You tank IS overstocked. You tank can take 15" of coldwater fish which is the 2 fancys, NO MORE, end of story. And fancys can sometimes grow in excess of 8" which would make you overstocked once they are fully grown. But so long as you doubled your filtration then it wouldn't be a problem.

Back to my big red writeing... fish shop will tell you whatever it takes to sell you fish. WE will tell you what it takes to have happy healthy fish for life.
Our advice is correct, as is SOME of the advice you will find on the internet will also be correct. I can see exactly what you're doing, you're excited about the fish keeping hobby, so are willing to believe whatever you are told that allows you more fish, BUT YOU WILL KILL THEM, however much you love them. And overstocked tank is a death trap, this is what yours is.

Goldies are HUGE HUGE waste producers, my boyfriends parents have 2 fancies, a black moor and a fantail. They are going into a 30gal much like yours. This will hold them for life, BUT I have advised them not to get anything else as it will lead to SERIOUS water quality issues and stunted growth. They wanted tank mates such as frogs and other fish, I put it straight and said no. They have accepted this, and so in 10 years time there will still be some happy healthy goldfish in their tank.

RETURN the commons, keep the fancies. Otherwise you WILL kill them. Simple as that. I know you probably adore your fish. But if you want goldfish to be healthy then this is what you have to accept. They've already been ill due to the advice you took from the fish shop. It may sound harsh but, the fish that got ill....it was your fault. As soon as you followed our advice it got better. See where I'm going with this....

Whilst cycling you do whatever sized water changes it takes to keep the ammonia less than 0.25ppm. Probably around 60% twice a day with that many goldfish in an un-cycled 30gal.

 

[Forestpisces]

You are absouloutley correct if you bet a betta then i will explde bcause you cannot keep them without a heater or with the other fish you want to stock

DO NOT GET A BETTA OR ANY OTHER TANKS UNTILL YOU HAVE SORTED THIS ONE OUT

AND DO NOT I REPEAT DO NOT LISTEN TO YOUR LFS THEY WANT YOOUR MONEY AND HAVE GIVEN YOU AWFUL INFORMATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[rl4400]

Thanks for setting me straight guys,
I am giving my 2 commons to a friend with a large outdoor pond. And I am giving my frogs
to a neighbour. I am not buying anymore fish for my 30g. And my 10g will have to wait until I understand
my other tank better. Thanks for all your help!

-RL4400

 

[Curiosity101]

I thought you had 3 commons now? If so then all 3 need re-homing ideally.

But aside from that, this is great news to hear! You really will see the difference in your fish as they grow. Plus you can really develop a bond with them over time, as they live 10 years or more, it's normally a food driven bond. But a bond none the less!

 

[Forestpisces]

I can hear the hallelujah chourus!!!!

What you are doing is great and deffinately right by your fish, goldies are great if you can house them properly and you can keep you two fancies happy in that tank

It's always best to understand one tank before starting another. Also tropical fishes needs are quite different (not just meaning heat)

When you do feel ready for another tank, which should be when this one is established, cycled and setteld so about 6-7 months then consider it carefully and check on the forums that what you want to do is ok.

You have no idea how much of a releife it is to hear you've realised we are helping you.

Fish and pet shops can be so awful with information it makes me sick.

Well done

 

[afishdude]

Thanks for setting me straight guys,
I am giving my 2 commons to a friend with a large outdoor pond. And I am giving my frogs
to a neighbour. I am not buying anymore fish for my 30g. And my 10g will have to wait until I understand
my other tank better. Thanks for all your help!

-RL4400

Thats good to hear, I'm sure the fish are going to be very happy in a pond! I know mine are!