Somethings Wrong

[sparky_555]

Hey, i'm new to the forums and also fish keeping.

I recently bought a small 25 litre (cold water) tank just to get started and learn the basics. I first bought 2 Orandas about 2 days after the tank was set up, both fish were just sitting at the bottom of the tank not swimming around much, and within a week both died.
I left it a few days before getting more fish, which were 3 minnows and one black moore. the black moore was doing axeactly the same as the orandas just sitting on the gravel not swimming around. But the minnows are fine. The black moore has also died, but the minnows are still happily swimming.

I have cleaned 25% of the water out twice since i bought the tank (about 2 and a half weeks ago).
The temperature is at the moment 73f.

I have also treated the tank for white spot.

I dont know whats wrong, could the orandas have brought a disease to the tank?

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Gav_B_UK]

Look for subjects entitled 'cycling'

You need to put your tank through a process called 'cycling' before you start adding any livestock...otherwise you just poison them!

Basically, it mean that your tank needs to build up a stock pile of beneficial bacteria so that polutants such as the waste produced by the fish can be nuetralised......

I think you would be lieing on the floor sulking if you had been forced to eat your own excrement, and to drink your own urine.......well...it wouldnt do you much good anyway...

Have a good read....cycle your tank (could take 14 days to 6 weeks)...and then try the fish again....

Good luck..

 

[Locke]

Eh, I'll leave it up to more knowledgeable people to tell you what might it be, but IMO there could be several factors.

1. The Orandas were deseased and brought desease into your tank
2. Not enough filtration for the water.
3. Not enough O2 in the water.
4. Didn't let the tank cycle.

Answers:

1. Clean the tank thourally and add clean water. Do not scrub with soap. (I hope you didn't wash the tank out with soap before setting it up.) Test the water to see if the parameteres are O.K. for your fish.

2 & 3. Buy a new pump and filtration system. Make sure that your fish are definately living in their parameters. Check to see how hot/cold your fish like it, and adjust your heating as necessary.

4. You should have cycled your tank before you ever started thinking about putting fish in there. Do a search for "cycling."

But, heh, what do I know. I just started on these forums. Let someone with more "experience" in freshwater systems to help you out.

SB

 

[jayjay]

it's most likely that the tank wasn't cycled ? as stated before.

by the way i don't think 25litres is enough for fancy goldfish correct me if i'm wrong?

 

[mark.w.jones]

Next time you get a new tank or if all your fish die this time then please do a fishless cycle (click link in my signature and follow the add and wait method.)

Fingers crossed they wont obviously.

For keeping goldfish you need to allow about 10 gallons minimum for each one. Your tank is about 6 gallons so too small really to keep any goldfish at all. At absolute most you should have one but then nothing else in the tank and even then you are over stocked so will need to keep on top of water quality with a good gravel vac and 25% water change every week.

If you keep the minnows then you can't add anything else im afraid. Your tank is about fully stocked just with them. If you want anything else consider a few shrimps maybe OR take them back and get 1 goldfish OR 1 Siamese fighter (betta).

My personal opinion would be to return the minnows and go with the betta. Get yourself a small filter (if you havnt already) and read up in the betta section on keeping them as I havnt myself.

Good luck

 

[Ginge]

Yeah youre right you need 20G per fancy (e.g. an oranda or moor) and then another 10G ontop of that fo every other fancy goldfish. My guess is the fact the tank wa set up for 2 days.

 

[mark.w.jones]

Yeah youre right you need 20G per fancy (e.g. an oranda or moor) and then another 10G ontop of that fo every other fancy goldfish. My guess is the fact the tank wa set up for 2 days.

So a 30 gallon tank for 2 poxy goldfish. Why would anyone bother . You can do so much more with tropicals.

 

[sparky_555]

Thanks for the replies, i was looking into buying a larger tank as i also thought this was too small.

Would LENGTH 24"/61cm, HEIGHT 12"/30cm, DEPTH 12"/30cm. be ok?

Thanks

 

[jayjay]

is that about 14g? if it is, no for goldfish a tank of 20g for the first with 10g more for each one after that.

 

[sparky_555]

But its ok for a couple tropical fish? I could go tropical.

Sorry for the questions

 

[sparky_555]

I'm looking into buying a Juwel Rekord 80, are these good tanks for beginners?

Also what does BETTA mean?

Thanks

 

[savo318]

betta this is a name give to the siamese fighting fish, beautifuk fish, come in many colours with lovely trailing fins. real eye pleasers

 

[oneponygirl]

Just bear in mind that if you get tropical fish, including a betta, you will need to get a heater for your tank. Bettas are beautiful and easy to care for, check out the betta section to see some, people love to post pics of their bettas (that is also one of mine to the left).

 

[carrera]

rekords are nice tanks, i have a rekord 70, you can see my stocking of it in my sig. there are so many reasons that tropical are better than coldwater (imo). just make sure you read up on cycling beforehand

 

[sparky_555]

If you keep the minnows then you can't add anything else im afraid. Your tank is about fully stocked just with them. If you want anything else consider a few shrimps maybe OR take them back and get 1 goldfish OR 1 Siamese fighter (betta).

Are shrimps cold water? and would 2 shrimps ne ok in my tank untill i get a larger one?