Sudden anger problems?

[JackOfHearts27]

I used to post here but couldn't get/remember my info, so new account ahoy!

Anywho, my 4 year old comet(I think) has suddenly turned on it's tankmate, a 1 year old oranda. For some reason Sushi(the comet) has decided to start attacking Newcastle's(the oranda) beautiful tailfin, and since I went to bed last night and got home from class an hour ago, has developed a red spot on it's tail and is having problems swimming because of it's ever-ragged-getting tail. I don't get it. I did introduce a ryukin 3 weeks ago and everything was going along great until today.
Considering Sushi may just be hungry even though they're fed plenty, but I have no idea why it'd just suddenly go cannibal. Any advice?

 

[JackOfHearts27]

Just finished up a batch of tests, ammonia is fine but pH is pretty high. Put a buffer in.

Now my ryukin is starting to nibble on it's tail! What the....what did Newcastle do to them??

 

[nealio]

If I were you I would seprate them asap...

Maybe they used to date the same girl?



Whats the temp? Do you have a heater in the tank?

My goldies get upset when they get a drastic temp change... just a guess

 

[JackOfHearts27]

Temp is steady, at 77-78 degrees. I don't really have anything to separate them in right now however/unfortunately. They've been great for over a year until today.

 

[nealio]

I'm pretty sure 78 is about the highest you want to go with a goldfish tank...
I could be wrong though.

Maybe buy some cover for them so they can have their own side of the tank either some plants or a decoration.

I found that sometimes my goldfish would pick on one of the other goldfish if it was sick or dying, kinda like it was trying to speed up the natural process. In any case I would do whatever I could to separate them for the time being until they cool their jets off.

 

[JackOfHearts27]

I put a fresh piece of lettuce in there, seems to be occupying Sushi.

Funny that the technique he learned to bite and rip lettuce became a technique for murder.

 

[JackOfHearts27]

Good news and only a little bad news.

A friend of mine's friend is moving and I'm going to buy her 80 gallon tank for the living room, so I should have that set up and ready to go by the end of the month...hopefully little Newcastle with it's smaller tail fin will be able to survive long enough that I can leave him in a ten gallon to recover by himself and the 80 gallon will have plenty of room for Sushi to grow along with a few others.

 

[Seleya]

What size tank are they all in currently?

 

[JackOfHearts27]

29 gallon. Sushi has grown in 3 years from about 1/2 inch to almost 6 inches now and Newcastle has about doubled in size, almost 2 inches head to base of tail.

 

[Seleya]

I would have the lfs test your water (get numbers from them) to double check your test kit. The timing is about right for you to have had a bit of an ammonia spike with your new addition -- this can lead to behavior problems.

How large is the ryukin?

Fish can also get nibbly if there were any parasites introduced with the new arrival. Did you quarantine him before introducing him into the 29? See any spots, sores, etc? How do the fin edges look? Is there white or red on all the tips? Is there red streaking in the fins?

Comets ~can~ be pushy and ryukin have a well deserved reputation as the bad boys of goldfish, so it may simply be temperamental. Maybe adding the ryukin shifted the balance of the tank?

They're going to love the 80 gallon.

 

[JackOfHearts27]

I used two different tests, no ammonia, and pH is back down to normal. The new ryukin is clean, he's been here for almost two weeks and is fine save about an hour or two of swim bladder problems after eating.
I've been leaving the light off most of the day and it seems everything has calmed down. I just hope I can get that tank today and running as soon as possible so the little Oranda Newcastle can heal.

 

[Seleya]

What was your pH and what caused it to spike?

 

[JackOfHearts27]

Sadly I have to report that poor little Newcastle died, likely because of his injuries, and all my levels have returned to normal. Unfortunately my ryukin has developed a swim bladder problem now...I'm frankly getting sick of swim bladder stuff, does anyone know the best goldfish for not having these problems? I'll be stocking a 72 gallon soonish.

 

[nealio]

Give them eat some peas.

It should clear it right up if it is a swimbladder problem

 

[JackOfHearts27]

I've been doing the pea thing, actually, I'm just out of peas and hate having to cook them.
I think with a 72 gallon I'll get 3 koi or 4 comets, because my first fish was a comet and he's 3 1/2 now and has had no problems, ever.

 

[Seleya]

I wouldn't get koi whatsoever -- they easily grow out to 3+'. The more "natural" a goldfish is, the less likely it will have a swim bladder problem. For a little variety, you could get a couple shubunkin or sarassas. The single-tailed goldfish, however, do grow quite a bit themselves and need room for zoomies -- they may eventually outgrow the 72. Other options include wakin (very cool fish but their silhouette takes some getting used to) and jikin (not commonly seen and definitely less common than wakin but also very cool)

There is another solution to swim bladder problems I have not tried but some people swear by -- stuff the fish several times a day as much as he will eat (keep on top of the water quality) and the problem supposedly will resolve itself.

 

[JackOfHearts27]

That seems like an odd solution...you'd think they might just explode from all the food or suffocate because they float right out of the water. See right now I'm feeding them in the morning and at night and the ryukin is floating on it's side at the top about 80% of the day yet my comet is swimming around happily.

I think after some debate and research for the 72 gallon will house my comet Sushi, my ryukin James Douglas, another comet and two shubunkin.