My gold fish keep dying :(

[sinister sheep]

HELP!!!!

calling any one who knows any thing about the wonders of gold fish. I have a little 14l tank, all the water levels have been tested at they are spot on apparently, good filteration, light etc. My fish died about 3 weeks ago that id had for a yr,(untill then no problems) and then the next one died, so i replaced it, and after the 2 weeks it died and the new one too. all i have in there at the moment is a chines alge loach thingy, too keep it clean, dont want to keep murdering the fishies... any info any one????

I dont know what to do my tank before i replace garcia and bob again.. :(

[cheezemonkhai]

Empty the tank and clean it with hot water.

Let it dry out totally, then fill it with clean water and let it settle for a day.

Put in a new tank additive to condition the water and kill bacteria and then another additive to keep the water all fish friendly.

Then go to a decent pet shop and buy a couple of fish. Put them in the water inside the bag to bring the two waters slowly to temperature. Then take them out of their bag with the new and put them in the main tank.

Edited 15 September, 2008 by cheezemonkhai

[philc]

The tests you can do will check for the chemistry being right, but if there's a bacterial or virus infection that kills goldfish in the water, it'll keep killing them Loaches are as tough as old boots, and can survive bugs that will kill less tough fish. As above, a good clean out should sort it.

Phil

[Loz]

Try one of these?

[redbaron]

buy a heater and keep tropical fish... they stay cleaner longer and tend to last longer.. most goldfish just die.

[slider]

Empty the tank and clean it with hot water.

Let it dry out totally, then fill it with clean water and let it settle for a day.

Put in a new tank additive to condition the water and kill bacteria and then another additive to keep the water all fish friendly.

Then go to a decent pet shop and buy a couple of fish. Put them in the water inside the bag to bring them two waters slowly to temperature. Then take them out of their bag with the new and put them in the main tank.

If at all possible get water from a local stream. Tap water contains all sorts of nasties.

[Lady Elanore]

Try one of these?

Loz quick, your fish is out of water!!!!!!!!!!!!:eek:

[Loz]

Haha! It's quite cute actually. I want one! I had some shubunkins and a weather loach for years and years. They were ace. A big one called Bubbles, a little one called Tiddles, a medium sized pretty gold and black one called Wanda (everyone has to have a fish called wanda!!) and weather loach called Siddy

[cheezemonkhai]

If at all possible get water from a local stream. Tap water contains all sorts of nasties.

Which the tank conditioner additive will neutralise. There are all sorts of bugs that could be in the local stream and you can end up with other problems.

[philc]

Which the tank conditioner additive will neutralise. There are all sorts of bugs that could be in the local stream and you can end up with other problems.

A mate of mine uses 5 litre bottles of Buxton water to top his tank up!

Phil

[cheezemonkhai]

Pah I'd use san pellegrino, the distinctive water for the classy fish, with a naturally sparkling note

The problems with bottled water is plasticisers unless it comes in glass, so you're pretty much going to have to do something to it either way :(

[Johnny50]

I had a similar problem with my daughters goldfish, used to last 2 weeks max, but i wasn't too clued up about them, so wasn't doing anything with the water etc.

I bought some tap conditioner, and some fish loss additive and the new ones have been fine for a few months now.

[Fab Estate]

Have you changed the sponge inside the filter?

3453

[WaveyDavey]

Might be worth speaking to your local aquarium shop..... I'm sure you can get treatment tablets but to be honest i think a good total clean out will do the job.... Then let the tank sit empty or just with the loach for a couple of weeks.

I tend to get between 3 and 4 weeks between emptying and cleaning the tank and filters..... Also try and change water on a Wednesday or Thursday as they are days when the supply has the least additives in it.

Our two are still as mad as ever.... Only thing is that the goldfish (Patch) has lost all his colour so is now totally silver rather being patchy..... The Shebunkin (Elphaba) still has all her markings though..... Colour loss is a pretty common thing and not related to conditions in the aquarium so we're not too fussed.

Cheers

Dave.

Cheers

Dave.

[red-devil]

buy a heater and keep tropical fish... they stay cleaner longer and tend to last longer.. most goldfish just die.

:iagree:

[BFG]

I'd suggest a couple of things:

I know this sounds excessive, but goldfish really require approx 40ish litres each as they're such messy fish. The reason they survive for a couple of years is that they're also quite hardy and can survive for quite a while in dirty water (ammonia). In good conditions, goldfish can live >30 years. In poor conditions they'll succumb to diseases like fin rot, dropsy, or something else that makes them go belly up.

The reason your replacement fish are dying so quickly, is that where as your first additions had time to get accustomed to the poor water quality, the new ones get 'dropped in at the deep end' and can't cope with the shock.

If you have the patience, look up fishless cycling (I'm a member on another forum that discusses this in detail). Make sure the tank is filtered. Really you need to set up the 'friendly' bacteria in the tank that process ammonia -> nitrite -> nitrate. Ammonia (from fishy "output") is nasty as they're basically swimming around in their own wee, but nitrite is worse. If you can get the tank 'cycled' then any fish you put in there are much more likely to survive. Ideal tank conditions should be ammonia ZERO, nitrite ZERO, nitrate <100ppm. Liquid tank additives to help the tank cycle are normally useless. Some Maidenhead aquatics stores are now selling frozen bacteria to instantly cycle your tank. It's probably worth a try.

Get yourself a test kit from a fish shop - not very expensive and give you much more idea of the conditions your fish are living in.

For the size of tank, I'd suggest a Betta (siamese fighting fish) in there on its own.

If you want / need any more info , drop me a PM. Good luck

Edited to add: If you've got a fish in there, obviously don't fishless cycle. Just consider it if you have to start from scratch again. Also, don't buy ammonia removal products as they stop the bacteria cycle (remove their food), and you'll be buying those same products for ever more to prevent ammonia build up

[All torque]

I had the same problem years ago and had to do a nitrogen cylcle (fish less cycle) Basically there is too much amonia caused by the fish themselves and their food. I was testing the water before I put them in (it was fine) but they were dieing a week or two later because of the ammonia. Details here -

Tropical Fish Centre - The Nitrogen Cycle

Did the cycle, tank has now been going for 2 1/2 years with minimal fatalities.

HTH

[mellowyellow]

I wouldn't bother again with those goldfish ............get a real pet , get a mongrel..............

[sinister sheep]

lots of things here tried, ive cleaned the sponge in the water from the tank as advised, done a 50% change of water treated it with tap safe and disease stuff. the amonia and nitrate levels are perfect the filter is big enough for the fish, given they are messy, and is working well. i dont over or under feed them.

oh so confusing..

as for real pets mellow.. does an insane springer spaniel work? or a mental rabbit that has it in for cats??

[Conshine]

Empty the tank and clean it with hot water.

Let it dry out totally, then fill it with clean water and let it settle for a day.

Put in a new tank additive to condition the water and kill bacteria and then another additive to keep the water all fish friendly.

Then go to a decent pet shop and buy a couple of fish. Put them in the water inside the bag to bring the two waters slowly to temperature. Then take them out of their bag with the new and put them in the main tank.

Exactly as above....

I as going to type out something similar but noticed this first.

This is what we do for our 4 Goldfish every now and again, they seem happy enough.

[sms]

ive already suggested to you to take the fish out give the plants and gravel and tank a very good wash and start afresh, the filter will not get rid of any diseases in the water it will just take out the algae.

[sinister sheep]

ive already suggested to you to take the fish out give the plants and gravel and tank a very good wash and start afresh, the filter will not get rid of any diseases in the water it will just take out the algae.

I know you already told me, and i know the filter does not get shot of germs, but i thought that id see if any one else had ideas too.

that ugly thing that swims around mentally eats the algae he thinks its yummy!

[Vix]

I'd suggest a couple of things:

I know this sounds excessive, but goldfish really require approx 40ish litres each as they're such messy fish. The reason they survive for a couple of years is that they're also quite hardy and can survive for quite a while in dirty water (ammonia). In good conditions, goldfish can live >30 years. In poor conditions they'll succumb to diseases like fin rot, dropsy, or something else that makes them go belly up.

The reason your replacement fish are dying so quickly, is that where as your first additions had time to get accustomed to the poor water quality, the new ones get 'dropped in at the deep end' and can't cope with the shock.

If you have the patience, look up fishless cycling (I'm a member on another forum that discusses this in detail). Make sure the tank is filtered. Really you need to set up the 'friendly' bacteria in the tank that process ammonia -> nitrite -> nitrate. Ammonia (from fishy "output") is nasty as they're basically swimming around in their own wee, but nitrite is worse. If you can get the tank 'cycled' then any fish you put in there are much more likely to survive. Ideal tank conditions should be ammonia ZERO, nitrite ZERO, nitrate <100ppm. Liquid tank additives to help the tank cycle are normally useless. Some Maidenhead aquatics stores are now selling frozen bacteria to instantly cycle your tank. It's probably worth a try.

Get yourself a test kit from a fish shop - not very expensive and give you much more idea of the conditions your fish are living in.

For the size of tank, I'd suggest a Betta (siamese fighting fish) in there on its own.

If you want / need any more info , drop me a PM. Good luck

Edited to add: If you've got a fish in there, obviously don't fishless cycle. Just consider it if you have to start from scratch again. Also, don't buy ammonia removal products as they stop the bacteria cycle (remove their food), and you'll be buying those same products for ever more to prevent ammonia build up

I couldn't have put it better myself