Confessions of a goldfish serial killer... update
 

On Thu, 12 Oct 2006 17:56:49 +0100, "El Roberto"
wrote:

Just to say a huge thanks to everyone for all the advice, it's very
welcoming as I'm sure you guys have to answer these questions every single
week, so thanks for your patience.

So, my background looks like OMAHA BEACH at the moment, with six crucifixes
in it, but fingers crossed that'll be the last time... I gave everything a
good wash, let it dry out over night, and once I'd put the gravel in I
bought this massive new rock-face / cliff decoration that looks absolutely
amazing, full of places to hide and a lot better than what I had before.

I've put some nutrafin cycle in the water,

Not sure how much that helps. Fresh, properly handled Bio-Spira is
the best "instant cycle product" AFAIK. Just be careful about the
water conditioner you use.

dechlorinated it, and am going to
leave it for about a week before putting in - on the advice of the aquarium

You don't need to use dechlorinator if you are going to let it sit for
a week. Water will naturally "dechlorinate" if left standing for a
couple days. After that occurs you could have added any cycle aids
(very optional) and begin cycling the tank.

owner - a really hardy species of goldfish, just to speed things up. Is this
quite a common thing to do? I also think I'll give up on fantails as I've
been told they are one of the harder species to keep (after killing four of
them, I see why)... suggestions? I like the idea of smaller fish, maybe
orandas and a zebra fish... anything that's not going to get swimbladder
disease or finrot as easily as the last few... whatever happens, I'm going

No don't do that. Some ppl use goldfish with the idea that it will
provide the wastes that will start the biological cycle. But you will
only end up repeating what you just went through. When you use a fish
this way it is intended to be _disposable_. Furthermore cheap GF are
very poorly treated and harbor a lot of disease. New GF should always
be quarantined. I wouldn't use one that way (for both ethical and
practical reasons)

Either buy Bio-spira from a reputable shop or google "fishless
cycling" before adding any more fish.

to make sure I add them at big intervals and make sure the water's kosher,
as I don't want a repeat of the killing fields that my last aquarium became.

You certainly will repeat what you went through if you use a fish to
break in the tank. I agree with swarvegorilla. You should have left
the tank alone and continued a fishless cycle. It was the poor water
quality from an uncycled tank that killed your fish. Probably not
some strange virulent pathogen or unusually unhealthy fish.

Since you already destroyed whatever biobugs may have already started
in the tank already you could have taken the cleaning one step further
and sterilized it for good measure. You could have used bleach, but
peroxide is safest. What it leaves behind is completely benign. But
by cleaning it you just went back to square one.

I'll get the hang of this eventually - meanwhile, thanks for your help!

In order to get the hang of it you going to need a few things and a
bit of research. Buy at least an ammonia and nitrite test kits and
learn how to use them and how the readings relate to establishing a
cycle. For the hundreds of dollars that easily go into a small tank,
it is $10 well spent. You may consider buying a product like amquel
to have on hand, but again focus on establishing a good cycle with a
good filter, and enough gallons of tank.

Finally before buying any new fish research, research, research. Look
up their needs re tank size, compability, and care like their need for
water changes and water parameters, and anything else you can find.
Look for fish that are "easy" and "hardy," but take with a grain of
salt any uncorroborated statements to that effect. GF, for example,
are poor fish for a beginner despite the popular misconception. They
demand much more respect and care than typically afforded.

Confessions of a goldfish serial killer... update
 

you need to put fsihfood in the tank to feed the filter bacteria
otherwise theres no real point to leaving it a week.
think
and no fantails aren't that hard if the water is free of ammonia and nitrite



"El Roberto" wrote in message
...
Just to say a huge thanks to everyone for all the advice, it's very
welcoming as I'm sure you guys have to answer these questions every single
week, so thanks for your patience.

So, my background looks like OMAHA BEACH at the moment, with six
crucifixes in it, but fingers crossed that'll be the last time... I gave
everything a good wash, let it dry out over night, and once I'd put the
gravel in I bought this massive new rock-face / cliff decoration that
looks absolutely amazing, full of places to hide and a lot better than
what I had before.

I've put some nutrafin cycle in the water, dechlorinated it, and am going
to leave it for about a week before putting in - on the advice of the
aquarium owner - a really hardy species of goldfish, just to speed things
up. Is this quite a common thing to do? I also think I'll give up on
fantails as I've been told they are one of the harder species to keep
(after killing four of them, I see why)... suggestions? I like the idea of
smaller fish, maybe orandas and a zebra fish... anything that's not going
to get swimbladder disease or finrot as easily as the last few... whatever
happens, I'm going to make sure I add them at big intervals and make sure
the water's kosher, as I don't want a repeat of the killing fields that my
last aquarium became.

I'll get the hang of this eventually - meanwhile, thanks for your help!

R

Confessions of a goldfish serial killer... update
 

you know, cliff decorations are better for small fresh water. GF are little pigs,
they go after food down into those crevices and get stuck... tightly.
GF do best in bare bottom tanks.
So I think you are on the right track with other freshwater fish rather than GF.


"El Roberto" wrote:
and once I'd put the gravel in I
bought this massive new rock-face / cliff decoration that looks absolutely
amazing, full of places to hide and a lot better than what I had before.

I've put some nutrafin cycle in the water, dechlorinated it, and am going to
leave it for about a week before putting in - on the advice of the aquarium
owner - a really hardy species of goldfish, just to speed things up. Is this
quite a common thing to do? I also think I'll give up on fantails as I've
been told they are one of the harder species to keep (after killing four of
them, I see why)... suggestions? I like the idea of smaller fish, maybe
orandas and a zebra fish... anything that's not going to get swimbladder
disease or finrot as easily as the last few... whatever happens, I'm going
to make sure I add them at big intervals and make sure the water's kosher,
as I don't want a repeat of the killing fields that my last aquarium became.

I'll get the hang of this eventually - meanwhile, thanks for your help!

R




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