Need Input

[mudracer06]

I had my Golfish in my tropical tank for a little while temporarily until I got my cold water tank done. They are such awesome fish, they were not easily scared, ate out of my hand.

Then Thursday I put them in the new tank, transition was smooth. Within a few hours they were acting normal. Swimming normally, always wanting food when they saw me, etc...

Then all of a sudden, they ALL are acting very strange, not just a few, but all have the same strange behavior. Acting very scared, instead of getting excited and wanting food when they see people, they dart across the tank scared, sometimes running into the glass. Hiding in the corners or plants, which they never used to do, always swimming around looking for food and stuff. And they will huddle in groups, like all 5 being together in the corner side to side or on top of each other.

Any ideas?

[homebunnyj]

I would check my water parameters immediately, esp ammonia. Are you sure the tank was completely cycled before you added the fish? Even so, they may be-- Wait a minute... just read your sig--..... You are waaayyy overstocked in that 10g. Bet your ammonia is over the moon. Go ahead & test but if you don't have an ammonia test kit handy, do a drastic water change and see if that doesn't help. I wouldn't wait. Fancy goldfish, like the shubunkin, are not as hardy as 'feeders'. Plus, I know you don't want any of them to suffer. I love my goldfish too. They really are awesome.
Once you have them in a more comfy state of being, come on back in & read the goldfish stickies.
Good luck with the goldies!

[seastaar88]

the GENERAL rule of thumb with goldies is that the first goldie requires at least 20G of water, each additional goldie requires another 10G -- this is to compensate for ammonia. goldies are rediculously messy fish.

[prettypleco]

As was suggested your tank is way to small for 5 goldfish. It is barely big enough for one. You probably have an ammonia and nitrate problem. Change 50% of your water and see about a bigger tank or trade some of the goldfish back if you can. [ Like 4 of them }.

As far as them being skittish...it could be the water or did someone make a loud noise near them? Drop something in the tank? With poor water i would expect them to be gasping for air at the top verses being scared. Though i imagine ammonia poisoning can change their personalities drastically.

Continue to do 50% water changes every other day or daily until you fix your problem. Even if they are very small fish now they still produce a lot of ammonia and will get big fast. Good luck.

[mudracer06]

I did a 50% water change and they calmed down some. How does this sound?

My eventual plan was to get a 100 gallon or so tank and move my tropical fish into to it. When I do this, move the goldfish to the 25 gallon, where they seemed very healthy and happy before. And until then, just do water changes every other day.

[Seleya]

Your goldfish would be better off in the larger tank -- you could even consider getting them a few more friends. The 25 simply isn't large enough for them. What sort of goldfish are they?

Your balas also need a larger tank than they are currently in.

Your dojos can be transitioned in with the goldies once they are in a larger tank. They also do well in cool water.

[mudracer06]

Like I said, the Balas as well as the other fish in the 25 gallon tank will eventually be going to a 100 gallon. I think I want to keep the Dojos with the tropical fish, especially if you think 5 goldfish in the 25 is pushing it.

You are telling me a 25 gallon tank wouldn't be big enough for 5 goldfish? People keep 1 goldfish in 2 gallon, or 2 in 5 gallons, etc... I would never put them in that small of a space. I think space wise at thier current size they are ok in the 10 gallon. 4 of the goldfish were bought as feeder fish, 1 of them as a Shubukin Pond Comet.

Any other comments on my previous post?

[Seleya]

A 25 absolutely isn't anough room for 5 goldfish, especially commons, comets or shubunkins. They require room both because they are in cool water instead of tropical temps (the cooler the water, the less you can stock a tank regardless of species) and also because they are very active fish. Goldfish (comets, commons and shubunkins especially) can easily reach a foot or more with proper care. If a 25 is way too small for some balas (an active cyprinid which grows to about a foot or so), why would it be suitable for common goldfish (another active cyprinid which grows to about a foot or so, in cooler water no less)?

I would venture to say, goldfish are the victims of more fishkeeping myths than any other species. They are insuitable for bowls and small aquaria -- most die in very short order. They do not grow to the size of their tanks -- they can simply be stunted by poor conditions......

IMO they are regularly victims of both ignorance and also their own hardiness.

[homebunnyj]

Just because people keep goldfish in small tanks doesn't mean it is good for them.
You can very quickly tell the difference in the amount of upkeep you have to do on a tank when you go from overstocked to a proper bioload. It's like the difference between day and night.

[Shaunna]

Mudracer, I think what Seleya was trying to say was to leave the 25 tropical and move the goldfish to the 100 and then you could even put your dojos in there with them because they prefer to be in cooler water, too. Of course you would havet o get rid of the bala sharks if you chose to do that but there are some other cool alternatives to them. Noone is trying to make you change your setup, just rethink it. the goldfish will not be as happy as they should be with that many in a 25 gallon tank. Perhaps you could keep a couple in the 25 (which is still one more than "recommended") and then possibly get one of those pop up ponds from Wal-Mart and put a couple in there with some duckweed or something growing on the top. I just noticed you were in CA so you should be able to still get them. I am in Ohio and have to wait until it warms up again but that is what I am planning on doing and I can't wait!! I think that would be a really cool alternative. Do you have a patio or something you could set one on? If you did something like that you could still use your 100 for the tropical tank.