Worried About New Fish

[kittencapes]

Hi everyone,

I got three small fancy goldfish last Saturday, and until now all three seemed very happy and perky. This morning I noticed that one of them is being a bit quieter than the other two now. He has swum about a bit, and eaten his dinner, but is less active than the others - and less active than he was yesterday. Does anyone know if there might be something wrong? Thanks

 

[Skins]

Hi everyone,

I got three small fancy goldfish last Saturday, and until now all three seemed very happy and perky. This morning I noticed that one of them is being a bit quieter than the other two now. He has swum about a bit, and eaten his dinner, but is less active than the others - and less active than he was yesterday. Does anyone know if there might be something wrong? Thanks

Hello kittencapes and welcome to the forum,
Can you give us some more info please:

How big is your tank/how much water does it hold(ltr/gal)?
have you cycled your tank/filter?
*when we say "cycled", have you built up enough bacteria in your filter to remove the toxins(ammonia/nitite)from your waters chemistry, this process can take 6-8weeks.
Do you have a test kit?
*This kit will enable you to know whats happening within your waters chemistry(ammonia,nitrIte,nitrAte,pH)
Do you use a dechlorinater?
*This removes chlorine/chloromine from your tap water.
What fancies do you have?

Keep us all posted, Keith.

 

[kittencapes]

Hi everyone,

I got three small fancy goldfish last Saturday, and until now all three seemed very happy and perky. This morning I noticed that one of them is being a bit quieter than the other two now. He has swum about a bit, and eaten his dinner, but is less active than the others - and less active than he was yesterday. Does anyone know if there might be something wrong? Thanks

Hello kittencapes and welcome to the forum,
Can you give us some more info please:

How big is your tank/how much water does it hold(ltr/gal)?
have you cycled your tank/filter?
*when we say "cycled", have you built up enough bacteria in your filter to remove the toxins(ammonia/nitite)from your waters chemistry, this process can take 6-8weeks.
Do you have a test kit?
*This kit will enable you to know whats happening within your waters chemistry(ammonia,nitrIte,nitrAte,pH)
Do you use a dechlorinater?
*This removes chlorine/chloromine from your tap water.
What fancies do you have?

Keep us all posted, Keith.

Hi,

It is a 19l tank (although I am getting a bigger one at the weekend). I filled it with water and treated it with a tap water treatment, then left the tank to stand for a week before adding the fish. I don't have a test kit, but I am happy to get one if it is helpful? I am attaching a picture of the fish as I confess to not knowing much about them!


Thanks for your help,

Laura

 

[Skins]

Hi everyone,

I got three small fancy goldfish last Saturday, and until now all three seemed very happy and perky. This morning I noticed that one of them is being a bit quieter than the other two now. He has swum about a bit, and eaten his dinner, but is less active than the others - and less active than he was yesterday. Does anyone know if there might be something wrong? Thanks

Hello kittencapes and welcome to the forum,
Can you give us some more info please:

How big is your tank/how much water does it hold(ltr/gal)?
have you cycled your tank/filter?
*when we say "cycled", have you built up enough bacteria in your filter to remove the toxins(ammonia/nitite)from your waters chemistry, this process can take 6-8weeks.
Do you have a test kit?
*This kit will enable you to know whats happening within your waters chemistry(ammonia,nitrIte,nitrAte,pH)
Do you use a dechlorinater?
*This removes chlorine/chloromine from your tap water.
What fancies do you have?

Keep us all posted, Keith.

Hi,

It is a 19l tank (although I am getting a bigger one at the weekend). I filled it with water and treated it with a tap water treatment, then left the tank to stand for a week before adding the fish. I don't have a test kit, but I am happy to get one if it is helpful? I am attaching a picture of the fish as I confess to not knowing much about them!


Thanks for your help,

Laura

Your fish:
Red cap oranda, orange fantail, bristol shubunkin(may be wrong)

I would strongly suggest investing in a liquid test kit(Api freehwater master kit). Has your tank got a filter?
If you havn't got a filter you will need to water change everyday(min 50%), if it has a filter then water changes every other day to keep toxins(ammonia/nitrite)low. As these fish get quite big you really want a good sized tank(100-125ltr).
May i also suggest having a read of the article "fish-in-cycle", you will find a link to this in my signature at the bottom of this post.

Keep us all posted, Keith.
P.S do love the colours of your fancies.

 

[kittencapes]

Thanks for the information, yes the tank does have a filter. When I get the new tank on Saturday, do you have any hints on moving the fish into it? I planned to fill it half full with tap water which I would treat. I then planned to leave it a week and then add the fish along with the water from their current tank - does this sound right?

Can you recommend a good water testing kit, or any good online shops for getting fish products from?

Thanks

 

[Skins]

Thanks for the information, yes the tank does have a filter. When I get the new tank on Saturday, do you have any hints on moving the fish into it? I planned to fill it half full with tap water which I would treat. I then planned to leave it a week and then add the fish along with the water from their current tank - does this sound right?

Can you recommend a good water testing kit, or any good online shops for getting fish products from?

Thanks

Do you know anyone who has got a mature setup(6 months+)?
Test Kit=Api freshwater master test kit(have a look on ebay, defo the cheapest)

Keith.

 

[kittencapes]

Thanks for the information, yes the tank does have a filter. When I get the new tank on Saturday, do you have any hints on moving the fish into it? I planned to fill it half full with tap water which I would treat. I then planned to leave it a week and then add the fish along with the water from their current tank - does this sound right?

Can you recommend a good water testing kit, or any good online shops for getting fish products from?

Thanks

Do you know anyone who has got a mature setup(6 months+)?
Test Kit=Api freshwater master test kit(have a look on ebay, defo the cheapest)

Keith.

Just had a look on ebay, they aren't cheap are they! I will get one though. I don't know anyone with a mature set up sadly

 

[fluttermoth]

bristol shubunkin(may be wrong)

Calico fantail

Thanks for the information, yes the tank does have a filter. When I get the new tank on Saturday, do you have any hints on moving the fish into it? I planned to fill it half full with tap water which I would treat. I then planned to leave it a week and then add the fish along with the water from their current tank - does this sound right?

Can you recommend a good water testing kit, or any good online shops for getting fish products from?

Thanks

kittencapes (great name, btw!), you don't need to run the larger tank for a week; you can just add the fish straight away, once you've dechlorinated the water, especially as you've got no friendly bacteria yet.

I'd be doing a 50% water change every day if I was in your position; lots of water changes are the best thing you can do to keep your fish healthy during a fish in cycle. When you get your test kit, test every day and if the ammonia or nitrite are anything above zero, it's time for another big water change (you're going to have to get used to doing a lot of water changing, I'm afraid!)

The API test kits are quite expensive, but are well worth the money and last for a long time; I've had mine 18 months and I have 4 or 5 tanks on the go at any one time.

Best of luck

 

[kittencapes]

Thanks for the advice all, I will go and do a water change in a few minutes - first though I am posting a picture of Brutus who is the fish I think looks unwell, he is hiding in a corner of the tank with his face pointing down. The other two are both swimming round as normal but his behaviour is not quite right Is there anything I can do to help him?

 

[Skins]

Thanks for the information, yes the tank does have a filter. When I get the new tank on Saturday, do you have any hints on moving the fish into it? I planned to fill it half full with tap water which I would treat. I then planned to leave it a week and then add the fish along with the water from their current tank - does this sound right?

Can you recommend a good water testing kit, or any good online shops for getting fish products from?

Thanks

Do you know anyone who has got a mature setup(6 months+)?
Test Kit=Api freshwater master test kit(have a look on ebay, defo the cheapest)

Keith.

Just had a look on ebay, they aren't cheap are they! I will get one though. I don't know anyone with a mature set up sadly

They can cost £30 to £35 on the high street.
When you get your new tank setup and running, let the tank settle for a few days then you could move fish over(making sure new tank water is roughly same temp as the one there in now),don't forget to condition your tap water. Then have a good read of the articles linked in my signature(fish-in-cycle, whats cycling, the nitrogen cycle).
Next time your in the local fish shop ask them if they can spare you some "mature filter media", this will really help to start biulding up the bacteria you need to take out the toxins(ammonia/nitrite)in your tanks water.

Keep us posted, Keith.

 

[Skins]

Thanks for the advice all, I will go and do a water change in a few minutes - first though I am posting a picture of Brutus who is the fish I think looks unwell, he is hiding in a corner of the tank with his face pointing down. The other two are both swimming round as normal but his behaviour is not quite right Is there anything I can do to help him?

Ok a 50% water change asap and can you position the filter so there is some disturbance on the waters surface.

Hope he cheers up, keep us posted, Keith.

 

[kittencapes]

Hi again, I did a 50% water change last night and plan to do another tonight. I have ordered a water testing kit off ebay so hopefully it should be here fairly soon. The fish I was worried about yesterday seems ok today, so hopefully the water is helping! They do all seem a bit less active than when I first had them though?

 

[Skins]

Hi again, I did a 50% water change last night and plan to do another tonight. I have ordered a water testing kit off ebay so hopefully it should be here fairly soon. The fish I was worried about yesterday seems ok today, so hopefully the water is helping! They do all seem a bit less active than when I first had them though?

Glad to hear things are better than what they were yesterday.

Keith.

 

[Skins]

Just been looking back over your thread, I think it would be good advice to mention when your performing water changes to let your tap water stand in a bucket for a few hours just to bring it up to your room temp. I do this myself for my fancies, You will find a big difference between tank and tap water temps. Its just another way of preventing any stress for are fish.

Keith.

 

[karin]

I would do bigger than 50% water changes until you can test the water for ammonia and nitrite. I would do 80% water changes daily until you can test.