what to tell a friend

Jan 26, 2009
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Newark DE
www.myspace.com
#1
who keeps a fancytail goldfish in 2 gallons of water?!?!?!!!

My friend who lives down the hall from me in my dorm has this poor little gold fish who is probably about 3 years old (and 2 1/2") that she keeps in this tiny plastic 2gal "tank" with a filter/airator combo and no light. She forgets about the tank for months at a time to the point where its only half full and there is so much algae you can't see poor little Fanta (the goldie's name is Fanta). The poor little guy gets a water change maybe every 2 months (if i keep bugging her to do it). She won't part with him (i've begged her to let me take him, i told her i'd buy him his own 10 gal tank and everything) but yet she keeps him in such awful condition!!!

I know there's really nothing else I can do, but I feel so bad for this little fish.:confused::confused::confused:

Oh just as a side note, she's a very experienced fish keeper, with a 24gal marine tank, so it isn't that she's clueless, it's that she's LAZY!!!

Any suggestions?
 

#6
I think coffee meant you clean it for her. You don't have to take the fish, you just clean it where it is.

Last time I was babysitting for a neighbor I discovered they had three goldies in a one gallon salad bowl!! :( I politely asked her later why they had them. Turned out they got them at the fair (so typical) and I told her that that often happens and then they die because they don't get proper care. She was actually interested in the information I gave her and ended up buying my 5g, putting three neon tetras and something else in it, and giving the goldies to Petco. It really depends on how the person reacts.

In your case, it seems a little strange that such an experienced person would neglect a fish like that and even keep it in a bowl!!! I would just start by asking if you can clean it and eventually make it really clear that the fish is going to die if it doesn't get a bigger home.
 

Jan 26, 2009
71
0
0
Newark DE
www.myspace.com
#7
What happened was, when I offered to clean it for her, she was like "no no, i'll do it myself" and she FINALLY did (after about 2 months of not even looking at the tank) She wont get him a bigger tank because she doesn't have the room for it, nor do I think she really cares about him being in a small tank, because he's been living in a plastic 2 gallon container for about 2-3 years now.

I think the reason she neglects Fanta is because she has her beautiful marine tank (which she cares for like crazy) and she says she's done with Freshwater.