Some Help With My Goldfish

[Johnlenham]

Ok this may take awhile ill try to shorten it as much as poss.

Dodgy carnival comes to my village.
Step brother wins a goldfish that appears to live in a plastic bag from the fair (I though this was illegal?)
He gets given a bowl about 14"X14" and left to it. (I find this out after coming back)


I come home after a week away and he has done little more than over feed it, the tanks disgusting and the fish seems to have got fin rot ( i think he had it before it was his)



Now ive taken it from him and its been two weeks.
Ive given him a small ornament he likes to hide in, fake plant he like to sit under and kept him clean and his fin rot seems to have healed.

But I need some help now as I know this isnt the way they should be kept but im trying to do my best for him with my very limited budget and knowledge

I keep seeing him come up to the surface and I guess breath? Is this because the oxygen level in the water isnt high enough?
I bought some tablets that are supposed to oxygenate the water but they are obviously not working so how can I help him out there?

Edit: these http/www.wilkinsonplus.com/invt/0195320

I plan to get him a bigger tank today (mind you its only a £5 thing from Wilkinson) but its bigger than what hes in right now is plastic tank going to be ok and will it be able to support a air pump or whatever I may need?

How am I supposed to do water changes properly?

I cant test the water and have no way of affording the kit but being the messy fish they are the water gets disgusting within four days and even after a 50% change the water is still murky and full off crap so I have had to do a 100% change but dosent that ruin the cycle (if there's even one)

I think ive covered everything im not sure on but ANY help is appreciated and ive probably committed some cardinal sins but as I said im just trying to do my best for the poor bugger as its not like I can just chuck him down the toilet or release him to the local fish pond..

 

[drufly]

A plastic tank is fine for goldies as long as it is big enough, what size is it. You should think about getting a filter for the tank, i used 1 that is ment for a bigger tank than what i have(recommended)

For water changes you can use a gravel vac, which will also help with left over food and waste, 25 to 30% is the norm.

Gold fish are quite hardy fish if it is on its own then a test kit imo is not needed judt keep the tank clean with regular water changes.

Think i covered everything, hope it helps and good luck the ' little bugger'

 

[Johnlenham]

A plastic tank is fine for goldies as long as it is big enough, what size is it. You should think about getting a filter for the tank, i used 1 that is ment for a bigger tank than what i have(recommended)

For water changes you can use a gravel vac, which will also help with left over food and waste, 25 to 30% is the norm.

Gold fish are quite hardy fish if it is on its own then a test kit imo is not needed judt keep the tank clean with regular water changes.

Think i covered everything, hope it helps and good luck the ' little bugger'

Just thought id re-edit it.

Back from Wilkinson's with

11 litre tank (would have got bigger if they sold bigger) for £5
800 something something air pump (was £5)
7" air stone (£1.20)
5ft of tubing (79p)
some more water treatment. £2

So didnt break the bank.

Cleaned the tank ,added new gravel which had been cleaned then the decorations.

Netted the fish out of his old tank into a tub with old tank water.

Poured old tank water through a net into the new tank which filled maybe 25% of it then added old tank gravel.

filled the tank to 3/4 inchs from the top with treated water.

Rigged the air stone up to the pump turned it on

Added fish then fed him some de shelled peas.


He seems happy enough and seems to be enjoying swimming in and out of the bubbles.
Just wondering if there's any particular place it should be positioned (the air stone) and also weather I should block out the rear of the tank with some black paper (outside ofc) as I think the sunlight is causing him to see his reflection

 

[pixiesandfairies]

It`s really nice to see that they can improve the living conditions of s goldie, too often people keep them really badly, I would say you should do 50% water changes daily untill you can get a filter for the tank and keep doing water changes tillthe water is test ig all clear. you can get free water tests at you lfs, don`t buy in to the buy this and that, that they will give you! Just get a filter, a sponge will be a cheap option at about £6 to add the your pump, but not ideal, a fluval one should be great £15, maybe some cycle, lots of water treatment ( stress coat is a good one!) for all the water treatments! Feeding live food or frozen once or twice a week will help prevent swimbladder, feeding peas once a week is good and sinking food is better than floating food. Good luck!

 

[JenCliBee]

It`s really nice to see that they can improve the living conditions of s goldie, too often people keep them really badly, I would say you should do 50% water changes daily untill you can get a filter for the tank and keep doing water changes tillthe water is test ig all clear. you can get free water tests at you lfs, don`t buy in to the buy this and that, that they will give you! Just get a filter, a sponge will be a cheap option at about £6 to add the your pump, but not ideal, a fluval one should be great £15, maybe some cycle, lots of water treatment ( stress coat is a good one!) for all the water treatments! Feeding live food or frozen once or twice a week will help prevent swimbladder, feeding peas once a week is good and sinking food is better than floating food. Good luck!

hmmm..... not herd of feeding frozen food prevents swimbladder before , also dont waste ur money on cycle it wont work, if u have no filter get 1 sponge filter would be fine for that size tank it's just a pitty the goldfish wont be the tank is not cycled so u could have some major problems there, the water changes are a must daily, stress coat or any declorinator will work.

but most inportantly as i said that 11 litre tank is nowhere near big enough for a goldfish personnaly i would rehome him/her and look into maybe a small tropical or upgrade the tank more 2wards the latter


jen

 

[Johnlenham]

Yeah Id love to give him a bigger home I just flat out cant afford it right now and If i had chosen to get a fish it would have been a Beta but old Fishly has been thrust upon me and its not like I can just chuck it down the bog or dump him at the local pond


Any sites I could get a cheap filter from in the UK?

 

[JenCliBee]

Yeah Id love to give him a bigger home I just flat out cant afford it right now and If i had chosen to get a fish it would have been a Beta but old Fishly has been thrust upon me and its not like I can just chuck it down the bog or dump him at the local pond


Any sites I could get a cheap filter from in the UK?

u could always take him 2 ur LFS and ask for store credit against a betta, trust me that tank is NOT big enough for a goldfish not even a small goldfish they produce alot of waste and need extreamly high filtration


jen

 

[Johnlenham]

Yeah Id love to give him a bigger home I just flat out cant afford it right now and If i had chosen to get a fish it would have been a Beta but old Fishly has been thrust upon me and its not like I can just chuck it down the bog or dump him at the local pond


Any sites I could get a cheap filter from in the UK?

u could always take him 2 ur LFS and ask for store credit against a betta, trust me that tank is NOT big enough for a goldfish not even a small goldfish they produce alot of waste and need extreamly high filtration


jen

You can do that

Well I guess ill hold onto him till I can afford a new heater and filter, I assume he will be ok for a month or so in the tank right?

 

[JenCliBee]

Yeah Id love to give him a bigger home I just flat out cant afford it right now and If i had chosen to get a fish it would have been a Beta but old Fishly has been thrust upon me and its not like I can just chuck it down the bog or dump him at the local pond


Any sites I could get a cheap filter from in the UK?

u could always take him 2 ur LFS and ask for store credit against a betta, trust me that tank is NOT big enough for a goldfish not even a small goldfish they produce alot of waste and need extreamly high filtration


jen

You can do that

Well I guess ill hold onto him till I can afford a new heater and filter, I assume he will be ok for a month or so in the tank right?

yeh usually most LFS will take fish in full or part exchange for another fish ..... depending on how many and how much water u change then yeh he probably will be fine but long exposure 2 ammonia and nitrites will start affecting him/her and can cause some major problems and even lead 2 the fishes death


jen

 

[Johnlenham]

Well im about to do the water change now so what would you suggest 25% or 50%?

Just wondering also but do you know of any cold water fish that would be fine in a 11 liter tank?

 

[JenCliBee]

Well im about to do the water change now so what would you suggest 25% or 50%?

Just wondering also but do you know of any cold water fish that would be fine in a 11 liter tank?

at least 50% water change.... not sure wot size tank danio's woul dneed but they will cope with the cold temps quite easily but like i said i dont keep them and never have so wouldnt know wot size tank nor how many would be needed 2 keep 2gther maybe some 1 else would be able 2 help on that 1


jen

 

[smudger72]

Well im about to do the water change now so what would you suggest 25% or 50%?

Just wondering also but do you know of any cold water fish that would be fine in a 11 liter tank?

at least 50% water change.... not sure wot size tank danio's woul dneed but they will cope with the cold temps quite easily but like i said i dont keep them and never have so wouldnt know wot size tank nor how many would be needed 2 keep 2gther maybe some 1 else would be able 2 help on that 1


jen

Please please don't add any more fish to the 11 litre tank not with the goldfish in there anyway.


If you are just thinking about what fish could go in there minus the goldfish.
Then may I suggest some White Cloud Mountain Minnows(THINK THAT'S RIGHT)
They are suprising pretty little fishes, put a few plants in there as well and they look lovely.

 

[Johnlenham]

Well im about to do the water change now so what would you suggest 25% or 50%?

Just wondering also but do you know of any cold water fish that would be fine in a 11 liter tank?

at least 50% water change.... not sure wot size tank danio's woul dneed but they will cope with the cold temps quite easily but like i said i dont keep them and never have so wouldnt know wot size tank nor how many would be needed 2 keep 2gther maybe some 1 else would be able 2 help on that 1


jen

Please please don't add any more fish to the 11 litre tank not with the goldfish in there anyway.


If you are just thinking about what fish could go in there minus the goldfish.
Then may I suggest some White Cloud Mountain Minnows(THINK THAT'S RIGHT)
They are suprising pretty little fishes, put a few plants in there as well and they look lovely.

Yeah ofc Im just thinking of when I head to the LFS what I could get that wouldn't need a heater and possibly filter

Oh I found this list Is it reliable info? and anything I could put in off there when my gold fish has been rehomed?
http/freshaquarium.about.com/od/fishqa/f/coldwaterfish.htm

 

[smudger72]

I really think you should get a filter of somesort.
If money is a bit short then ebay may well turn up a few bargains.
I just looked and there's no reason why you can't get am ok filter for £10 delivered.

 

[BecciMac1987]

Where abouts are you? I could take the fish off you if you wanted to rehome it x