Help

[James From Cali]

My mom had recently bought my 10g Tank from me since I am sorta getting out of the hobby for now. Any way she had bought four Comet Goldfish and now here are the problems. One of them has a fleshy swollen mouth and enflamed gills, the other is always at the bottom barley moving(sometimes he will move) and it seems as if it is dieing. I dont know what the parameters are since my mom didnt buy a test kit. I have been doing 10% water changes every day to keep things in balance. I cant get pictures at this point in time. But what should I do to keep things from getting worse? My mom doesnt want to sell them and she only says when they get bigger then I can sell them but I dont think they will live long enough.

 

[MissFishy]

I think you mentioned that these are feeder goldfish? If so, many feeder goldfish are not very healthy to start with, they're only bred to live long enough for a bigger fish to eat. I think you should be doing much larger water changes in such a small over crowded tank. More like 25-50% per day. Inflamed gills point to ammonia poisoning, and the mouth points to some sort of infection. My suggestion is to add some salt to the water, and maybe raise the temperature.

 

[James From Cali]

Okay. More things for my mom to buy(or her to think of buying). She doesnt have a heater(and she doesnt want to spend the money for my cockatiel cage) on a heater or aquarium salt. Could I add some warm water(slowly) to the tank? That way it increases the temperature. I also will try to spend some money on some aquarium salt. Thanks for the quick reply.

 

[MissFishy]

Honestly, I just use table salt (non-iodized, but I've heard iodized is fine as well). I haven't had any problems with it and a thing of salt is $.50. I wouldn't try to add warm water. The important thing is stable temperature and if you add warm water, it will cool eventually causing temperature swings in the tank. What is the current water temp?

 

[Katie217]

NO TABLE SALT! NOO!!! use the kind thats especially made for FRESHWATER aquariums
and BTW... goldfish are cold water, so im not sure why you would want it warm

 

[James From Cali]

Well IDK the temp(all the stuff was ruined when I sold it to her). I dont think table salt would be my best bet.

 

[Katie217]

yeah regular table salt is ur best bet for dead fish

 

[James From Cali]

Well I just got one more question. I am planning on seeing if my mom would decide to pick up a 20g starter tank for the comets. How many of them would be alright in the 20? I personally am getting out of the hobby for the time being but I dont want the poor fish to suffer.

 

[Katie217]

isnt it 1 goldie per20 gal, then 1 goldie per every 10gals extra or something?

 

[Seleya]

Even small comets need more space than a 20 provides. A 20 long might get them through the winter with dedicated care. Honestly, if your mother has such little regard for these lives, she shouldn't have fish (or birds which also require more care than is readily apparent).

The fish are suffering from ammonia poisoning from the sounds of things and secondary infections are beginning to set in. You need much more vigorous water changes considering this is an uncycled tank with 4 goldfish in it. Feeders may harbor various things, but they can also be exceptionally healthy -- their vigor, tho, shouldn't be put to the test -- they are still lives whether intended for a quick death as food for a larger fish or as ornamental pets. I have "feeders" which are now a foot long, quite tame and very healthy.

For now, increase the water changes to at least 50% and I would add some salt. If you're getting out of the hobby, perhaps you have a test kit you could let your mother have. From the sounds of things, you're not really getting out of the hobby any time in the near future -- at least as long as the goldfish last....

 

[James From Cali]

True Seleya. She takes care of the birds with optimal care. I can say that much. The thing is is that she had always done this with goldfish and think it was alright. I wish I had a test kit. I had no more drops left and hadnt had the money to buy more.

 

[MissFishy]

Without knowing the full story and not being a goldfish person, I said it sounded like the fish were suffering from ammonia poisoning and some sort of infection was setting in. I've always used table salt non-iodized and haven't had any problems with it although I know this is a contested issue. I don't really know how goldfish would react to a rise in temperature, but that's probably what I would have tried to get rid of any infection they might have. Please update us on what is going on with this.

I know experienced fish people think it's horrific to have 4 comets in a 10 gallon, but you know what, the lives they'll have in there is a he[[ of a lot better than the lives they would have if some kid shoved the 4 of them in a goldfish bowl (I've seen 10 feeder goldfish in a 1 gal. bowl before). Give James a break, he is trying his best from what I can see to give these fish a comfortable home. That tank will need a LOT of water changes, even though I'm assuming the fish are still relatively small. They will do best if their water is kept in pristine condition.

 

[James From Cali]

Thanks Missfishy. I do try to keep all the animals in this house as comfortable as possible. The fish are no different, I try to keep them in a well suited home. It was not my falt she bought them. If I was around I would have stoped her. But now we have them and I must make sure they all stay alive.

Now the one that had the infection on the lips has died and I wasnt really surprised. I got it out as quickly as possible did a 50% wc and then sat and watched. I kind of feel guilty because I told her the tank was hers and she can keep whatever she wants in there within the limits and to her the limits is endless. I am now desperatly trying to find a bigger tank at least a 20g for them all or maybe a garden pond. Im trying my best to relocate them.

 

[Seleya]

I know experienced fish people think it's horrific to have 4 comets in a 10 gallon, but you know what, the lives they'll have in there is a he[[ of a lot better than the lives they would have if some kid shoved the 4 of them in a goldfish bowl (I've seen 10 feeder goldfish in a 1 gal. bowl before). Give James a break, he is trying his best from what I can see to give these fish a comfortable home. That tank will need a LOT of water changes, even though I'm assuming the fish are still relatively small. They will do best if their water is kept in pristine condition.

I don't think anyone was blaming James for any of this, the issue was with the goldfishes' owner who is refusing to listen to good advice which is proving to be accurate. One fish has already succumbed to what is most likely ammonia poisoning -- James has his work cut out for him unfortunately and, depending on actual conditions, this tank might never truly cycle.

 

[tonythesnot]

sacramento cichlids

although i think Capitol is the superior fish store in sacramento, their cichlid selection is limited. Try Exotic. They have a new huge store on franklin. Just be careful, they dont take as good of care of their fish as capitol.

 

[MissFishy]

yes...because I'm sure James is planning on adding some cichlids to his goldfish tank....

 

[tonythesnot]

oops, guess i didnt scroll through the whole discussion. NM

 

[James From Cali]

Well the two now seem to be alot more active. Im hoping that they dont succumb to any illnesses.