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Setting up tank for goldfish....

15K views 269 replies 19 participants last post by  djembekah 
#1 ·
So as some of you know from my other thread, I just rescued two Comet Goldfish when my cousin was giving them away as "prizes" at her daughter's birthday party (ugh).

I haven't been able to rehome them and I'm pretty attached to them already....so I decided to keep them (I think this is how the addiction starts LOL).

I went on Craigslist and found a guy selling a 10 gallon tank and a bunch of accessories (decorations, fake plants, food, filter, cover, rocks) for $10. I went and picked it up today. I KNOW 10 gallons isn't big enough for Comets, but they are still babies and I figured this would at least give me a few months to save up for something larger.

I guess my first question would be where do I start? I think someone mentioned that you didn't have to cycle a 10 gallon tank if you didn't want to, is this okay? If it's recommended that I cycle the tank, how should I go about doing it for these guys? No idea how to cycle D:

Also, I assume the filter is a must? I'm probably going to get some crap from my parents because I'm "using electricity," but if I have to use it, I will. What do I need to know? I was given an "Internal Whisper Power Filter" for a 10-30 gallon tank by Tetra.

Sorry if I'm repeating a bunch of things already posted. I just want to do what I can for these little guys!
 
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#2 ·
I just want to let you know what you are getting into: those little comets will grow to around a foot long and need a 100+ gal tank by the time they are mature. This is going to be about a year maybe a little more. They are much better suited for pond life and will live a longer an happier life as pond fish. Comet goldfish don't make good aquarium pets.

Now, to answer your questions:
A 10 gal tank will only be a suitable home for these guys for about a month. They grow like crazy, produce a ton of waste, and like to have a lot of swimming room. You will be upgrading them almost monthly. You are better off just getting a massive tank to start with or building a pond. I wouldn't have bought the 10 gal and would have gone straight for a huge plastic tub from WalMart (or the like). They come in much larger sizes and will provide them with a more long-term home than a 10 gal tank would. However, it won't be a permanent home.

You will have to cycle the tank. You have no choice with goldfish as the amount of ammonia they produce is significantly larger than a betta. I suggest reading this to get started with your cycle: http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/...inners-guide-freshwater-aquarium-cycle-38617/

A filter is an absolute must. I recommend the AquaClear 30 as they are going to provide a lot of biological filtration and you can get an ammonia removing insert. Just skip the carbon insert; the ammonia-removing one will be a much greater help. A heater is not needed and not really advisable either. Goldfish will grow faster at higher temperatures. If you can keep the tank around 60F you will only have to feed them every other day.

This is a great goldfish resource: Gold fish Care Sheet This website also has a forum that is filled with very knowledgeable people. They also have a fish vet that frequents the forum. You could also try PM-ing Lupin as he is a very knowledgeable individual. He also frequents that forum.
 
#3 ·
I have three Shubunkin (biggest is around 6-7 inches) in a standard 3 foot tank and even that seems cramped to me.

They do have a 110 gallon tank I just haven't gotten around to moving downstairs yet, and even then I'd ideally like to have a pond for them to move into.

Aside from all the excellent points TheKoiMaiden has made, comets and other non-fancy goldfish are all very active swimmers. My biggest shubunkin can travel the whole length of their tank in only a few seconds. The three of them love swimming into the current (I run a Fluval 3 and 4 Plus) and spend a lot of time moving around foraging for food.

While it's great you rescued these guys, a lot of the hassle with goldfish is the amount of space needed by even the smaller ones. I can see first-hand the result of stunting on my oldest shubunkin (it's around 4-5 years old now) and it's really not fair on the fish. I don't know how much damage has been done by previous bad care, or how many years have been scrubbed off their lives.

Definitely go as big as you can as soon as you can. We didn't, and it's quite obvious that it was a mistake.
 
#4 · (Edited)
Thanks for the help! I'm definitely looking into a bigger tank and will keep the time frame in mind. There's a slight possibility of me moving in with my boyfriend soon, so I don't want to have to worry about moving a huge tank until I'm settled in.

I've been spending the afternoon researching cycling. It's so confusing to me, but hopefully I'll do okay D: I'll make sure to use the filter. Good to know about those inserts.

Edit: I can't decide if I should do a fishless cycle or a fish-in cycle. I don't want them crammed in this little tank for weeks while the tank cycles... any advice?

Ugh, this is why people should not treat fish like disposable animals and give them away at parties. There is too much preparation involved! D:<
 
#6 · (Edited)
Even my fancy goldfish are pretty active swimmers considering their chubby bodies. They regularly swim the entire length of the 55 gal. Swimming room is a must with these guys.

I completely agree with Bomba. Doing a fish-in cycle in this case is the best way to go about it. It will give these guys some swimming room and company (goldfish don't like being alone). Once you get the tank cycled you won't have to do a full cycle again in the upgraded tanks because the good bacteria will stick to the filter media. This is why I suggest an AquaClear filter as they have biological media that will easily fit into a larger size filter.

I wish fish weren't treated as disposable, too. I've seen legislation in the UK that is trying to make the giving away of animals (fish or fuzzy) as carnival prizes illegal. I wish something like that could come about in the US.
 
#7 ·
Bomba - 100% daily water changes until the tank (10gal) is cycled? Or for as long as I have it?

Koimaiden - I have a question about the filter (I know nothing about filters). I currently have ( http://www.walmart.com/ip/Tetra-Whi...-Gallon-Acquariums-Power-Filter-1-ct/10291764 ). It didn't come with the bag thingy to put inside of it, so I'm not sure what to get. There are things called Bio Bags and also filter cartridges ( http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41Z28eK2aTL.jpg ), but I don't know what one is the right one.. D:

And yeah, that is an awesome law that I wish would come to the US also.
 
#8 ·
I am not sure 100% water changes would benefit any cycle, as once an area dries up the bacteria dies. If such large water changes are needed, I would go with 50% twice a day rather than 100% daily.

I so wouldn't want to do 50% twice a day, or 100% once a day. Oh my gosh... I cry when I have to clean my 10g's 100% twice a month LOL
 
#9 ·
I imagine filters can be kind of daunting if you've never dealt with them before. That Whisper filter says for "up to 10 gal tanks." With goldfish you want to overfilter, so you want to have something that is rated for a 20-30 gal tank.

These are the aquaclear filters that I'm talking about --> Aqua Clear Power Filters by Hagen PetSmart I would go with the either the 150/30 model or the 200/50 model. If you go with the 150/30 model you will need to upgrade when you get your next tank.
These are the three inserts you'll want for it.
AquaClear Ammonia Remover Filter Insert PetSmart <-- Ammonia-remover
AquaClear Foam Filter PetSmart <-- Foam pad (mechanical filtration to remove particles)
AquaClear BioMax Filter Insert PetSmart <-- Bio-media (or bio-balls). It provides a lot of surface area for the bacteria to grow. This is what you'll want to move between tanks. Also never put it in tap water as the chlorine will kill the good bacteria you worked so hard to get.
These inserts aren't the same for all the models. You should be able to match your filter with the correct-size inserts in the store.

Any other questions about filters?
 
#11 ·
When you start up a filter, always make sure it has water inside. Without the water, you can burn up your motor. Just pour a little bit of water into the filter and then plug it in.

Otherwise, that sounds great. But in the future when you are taking out water for water changes I would dechlorinate the water before you add it to the the tank as the chlorine kills the good bacteria. In this tank you are going to want a strong cycle, so you should try to keep as much of the good bacteria alive as possible.
 
#15 ·
Thank you! Wow it must be powerful. The stuff I bought for my betta requires a teaspoon so I was like "Whaaaat?"

Alright, checklist time.
- All washed and decorated
- Water has been in it and sitting since 11 this morning
- Just now put in filter with filter insert (I think this filter requires a sponge to go in front of the insert - should it be okay without one for now)
- Put in Prime

Anything I'm missing? When should I put these little guys in? Also, when should I start testing the water quality?

Thanks for all your help so far, Koimaiden! Couldn't have done it without you :D
 
#16 ·
Do you have a thermometer? It's not really required since you shouldn't be heating the tank, but it's always a nice gauge to have. Also did you pick up a water testing kit?

I'm more than happy to help. Goldfish and koi are some of my main passions in life. Helping others enjoy big, healthy, long-lived fish gives me great pleasure.
 
#18 ·
Drops are the best! PH doesn't matter as much as ammonia, nitrIte, and nitrAte right now. The first two because they are toxic to fish, and the last because a spike indicates your cycle is nearing the end. It is also good to test your tap water as a baseline. That way if you get a nitrAte reading of 30ppm the first time, we'll know where it came from.

A well-cared for goldfish will easily live 15 years. You'll have those little guys with you for a long time!
 
#19 ·
I did some research on here before getting them and found that the drops worked best, so that's why I snagged them! I also learned that Ammonia, Nitrate, and Nitrite were the most important, so I made sure these drops tested for those!

Should I test the tank right now while it doesn't have any fish in it? Or just test my tap water? I guess with the dechlorinater in the already, it doesn't help much hahaha.

Other than that, I'm thinking of putting them in tonight. I'm so nervous and excited at the same time hahaha.
 
#20 ·
I would actually test the water straight from the tap. At least that's what I do. I don't know how that large dose of Prime would affect it.

As for when to add them, I think you'll be good to add them now (if you plan to stay up a little longer and make sure everything is okay). You're doing a fish-in cycle, so you don't have to wait for your parameters to be good. They should already be acclimated to your local water supply. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you are good to go. You can add them.
 
#23 ·
TheKoiMaiden is doing a bang up job helping you out, but just to add in some points...

You can speed up/help the cycle by doing a couple additional things here. If you know anyone that has an establish, HEALTHY tank, you can borrow some "bioseed" to add to your tank. "bioseed" can mean anything on which beneficial bacteria can grow (filter media, substrate, decorations, plants). This addition can seed your tank with bacterial and cut down on the time it takes you to multiple your own bacteria. Just make sure you only use seed from a healthy tank, no diseases or illness (past or present)!

Another thing to help is to add plants. With goldies being the little plant eating machines they are, this can either work or just ending being a snack. So choose plants carefully! I would reccommend two plants- duckweed and hornwort. (You can click on the shaded names to read more.) Both are fast growing, so they suck up (at least some of) the ammonia before it gets a chance to hurt your fish. Duckweed is a surface plant, and goldies do love to eat it. Its nutritious! So just make sure you get a large enough portion that they fish don't eat it all up before it gets a chance to start to multiple. Hornwort is a floating plant, but it can also be anchored. It does shed its needles annoyingly under lower light, so its a bit messy and you really have to keep up on vacuuming up the shed leaves (you should be vacuuming at least weekly, anyway). But even considering the shedding, hornwort is awesome because it grows quickly, can survive low light, and isn't usually eaten by goldies (unless they're desperate, and even then it usually grows quickly enough to survive the damage).

During cycling, it helps to feed sparingly. The less you feed, the less waste is being produced, so the less ammonia (both from fish waste and food waste) is being released into the water. Lower, but still in the comfort range, temps can help too by slowing metabolism.

I think you said you have gravel, right? This should be vacuumed at least weekly. Do you have a gravel vac? If not, one can be made for common materials. There's a tutorial on youtube.com for a gravel vac made from a plastic water bottle.

A great alternative to the 10g temp aquarium would be using a large plastic storage bin as a temp tank. You can treat it just like an aquarium, using your filter and substrate, etc. This will allow you to have a much larger temp home for CHEAP or FREE while you're saving your money for their permanent home. Its not pretty, but its better for the fish.

Good luck! And thanks for trying to look out for fish!
 
#25 ·
Actually, the ammonia sucking abilities outweigh the increased waste, IMO. But there are other plants that suck ammonia just as well but aren't as appetizing, like hornwort. The other reason that I didn't recommend Anacharis is because it requires more light than hornwort in order to grow well, and therefore doesn't suck up as much ammonia in lower light.

If it were me, I'd stick to duckweed and hornwort. Other plants can be added later, if the OP wants, and has the needed light and conditions.
 
#26 ·
Mina is right. Anarcharis shows the best growth under a higher light. Duckweed and hornwort are the two plants that have given me the most growth with my goldfish (sometimes as much as a foot a week with the hornwort!). Water sprite and anarcharis (as great as they are) need better lighting than what comes with the hood.
 
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