Yet another concerned goldfish owner seeking help.......

Morning all,

I have a 'Biorb' set up here made by Reef One. http://www.reef-one.co.uk/

Mine looks just the same as the one on the home page and I have four fish in
it.

To the point, one of them keeps hanging with its head up and tail right down
until it then gives a few swishes of its tail to right itself. The others in
comparison seem ok but are just hanging around looking lost. I could always
take a water sample to my local shop who will test it for free, but any
pointers in the mean time please?
The one that 'hangs' (4 yr. old daughter calls her Erica!) seems a bit
rotund around the body and I wonder if it is constipated.
I only feed once a day, using Hikari Staple floating pellets. (32% protein,
4.8% oil, 3.2% fibre, 10 Ash). Is this food suitable please?
The water is very clear looking. Also, in the slighter dimmer weather we are
now having in the UK, should I be leaving the light on for a certain period?

Questions, question. Hope someone here can hold my hand for a bit 'till I
get this sorted.

Thanks and best wishes, Nick, U.K.

I assume it is goldfish you have in your biorb?
Despite their advertising with a number of fish housed in one, Biorb's are
really not suitable for goldfish. A Biorb holds roughly 30 litres or 6.5 UK
gallons, and a single goldfish requires a minimum of 8 UK/10 US gallons.
This is because of the size they become (they can live for 20 years!) and
the amount of waste they produce. In a space smaller than 8 gallons the
water quickly becomes toxic, despite best efforts to keep it good, and
that's just with one fish! 4 in one of these things is literally a death
trap!
Get your water tested a.s.a.p as I suspect your water quality is very poor.
If you ask your lfs to test it for you, make sure they give you the actual
results so you can write them down, and don't let them just say it's ok or
whatever (is a good investment to buy the kits yourself really though).
Ammonia should be 0, nitrite 0 and nitrates under 20. If they aren't then
you need to do daily water changes (and good gravel vacs) of about 30% until
they are. This could be a never ending task in such a small tank and it
really would be much easier for you and the fish if you could get them at
least a 32 Uk gallon tank.
As for the food, you must soak all of it in a little tank water for a few
minutes prior to feeding to help avoid swimbladder problems which it seems
one of your fish may have. Sinking food is generally best though if you can
get it.
To help your sick fish now though, starve him for 3 days (it wont hurt to
starve them all), then feed nothing but defrosted, shelled and chopped (very
very small) frozen peas. You can blanch them in boiling water for a few
minutes first to make them a bit softer. Feed nothing but these for another
3 days. This should relieve any trapped air in the fish. After the 3 days
slowly reintroduce his usual food, soaked first of course, but always feed
peas a couple of times a week after this (to all your fish) to help prevent
the problem returning.
Hope this helps :O)
Mel.



"Nick Jones" wrote in message
...
Morning all,

I have a 'Biorb' set up here made by Reef One. http://www.reef-one.co.uk/

Mine looks just the same as the one on the home page and I have four fish
in
it.

To the point, one of them keeps hanging with its head up and tail right
down
until it then gives a few swishes of its tail to right itself. The others
in
comparison seem ok but are just hanging around looking lost. I could
always
take a water sample to my local shop who will test it for free, but any
pointers in the mean time please?
The one that 'hangs' (4 yr. old daughter calls her Erica!) seems a bit
rotund around the body and I wonder if it is constipated.
I only feed once a day, using Hikari Staple floating pellets. (32%
protein,
4.8% oil, 3.2% fibre, 10 Ash). Is this food suitable please?
The water is very clear looking. Also, in the slighter dimmer weather we
are
now having in the UK, should I be leaving the light on for a certain
period?

Questions, question. Hope someone here can hold my hand for a bit 'till I
get this sorted.

Thanks and best wishes, Nick, U.K.

Hi Mel,

Yes, they are goldfish. Many thanks indeed for such a comprehensive reply! I
shall take all your sound advice. A shame really as this tank although small
is perfect for us in terms of size/aesthetics.
I shall swap to some sinking food after the peas routine....do you recommend
any food in particular? I have two 'regular' goldies, and two fan-tail type.
I guess you live in the UK judging your email address.
What do you think might be better suited to this Biorb?
Excellent newsgroup this! The second time I have been here with a query and
two very good answers.

Happy fish keeping all!

Nick




"Mel" wrote in message
...
I assume it is goldfish you have in your biorb?
Despite their advertising with a number of fish housed in one, Biorb's
are
really not suitable for goldfish. A Biorb holds roughly 30 litres or 6.5
UK
gallons, and a single goldfish requires a minimum of 8 UK/10 US gallons.
This is because of the size they become (they can live for 20 years!) and
the amount of waste they produce. In a space smaller than 8 gallons the
water quickly becomes toxic, despite best efforts to keep it good, and
that's just with one fish! 4 in one of these things is literally a death
trap!
Get your water tested a.s.a.p as I suspect your water quality is very
poor.
If you ask your lfs to test it for you, make sure they give you the actual
results so you can write them down, and don't let them just say it's ok or
whatever (is a good investment to buy the kits yourself really though).
Ammonia should be 0, nitrite 0 and nitrates under 20. If they aren't then
you need to do daily water changes (and good gravel vacs) of about 30%
until
they are. This could be a never ending task in such a small tank and it
really would be much easier for you and the fish if you could get them at
least a 32 Uk gallon tank.
As for the food, you must soak all of it in a little tank water for a few
minutes prior to feeding to help avoid swimbladder problems which it seems
one of your fish may have. Sinking food is generally best though if you
can
get it.
To help your sick fish now though, starve him for 3 days (it wont hurt to
starve them all), then feed nothing but defrosted, shelled and chopped
(very
very small) frozen peas. You can blanch them in boiling water for a few
minutes first to make them a bit softer. Feed nothing but these for
another
3 days. This should relieve any trapped air in the fish. After the 3 days
slowly reintroduce his usual food, soaked first of course, but always feed
peas a couple of times a week after this (to all your fish) to help
prevent
the problem returning.
Hope this helps :O)
Mel.



"Nick Jones" wrote in message
...
Morning all,

I have a 'Biorb' set up here made by Reef One.
http://www.reef-one.co.uk/

Mine looks just the same as the one on the home page and I have four
fish
in
it.

To the point, one of them keeps hanging with its head up and tail right
down
until it then gives a few swishes of its tail to right itself. The
others
in
comparison seem ok but are just hanging around looking lost. I could
always
take a water sample to my local shop who will test it for free, but any
pointers in the mean time please?
The one that 'hangs' (4 yr. old daughter calls her Erica!) seems a bit
rotund around the body and I wonder if it is constipated.
I only feed once a day, using Hikari Staple floating pellets. (32%
protein,
4.8% oil, 3.2% fibre, 10 Ash). Is this food suitable please?
The water is very clear looking. Also, in the slighter dimmer weather we
are
now having in the UK, should I be leaving the light on for a certain
period?

Questions, question. Hope someone here can hold my hand for a bit 'till
I
get this sorted.

Thanks and best wishes, Nick, U.K.

Nick Jones wrote:

What do you think might be better suited to this Biorb?


[from the colonies]

Bedda getta betta. ;-)

Maybe some pygmy cories...

-D
--
"Faced with the choice between changing one's mind and proving
that there is no need to do so, almost everyone gets busy on the
proof." -Galbraith's Law

Nick for 2 goldies and 2 fantails you need at least a 32 Gallon tank
(best with a 40 gallon).

Also, your not the same Nick Jones who used to (and maybe still does)
work in Wiltshire are you?

With feeding, a variety of different foods is best. This site sells loads of
different types of food if your fish shops aren't too great like mine!
http://www.aquatics-online.co.uk/
I feed mainly Progold and get it shipped over from the US which costs a
fortune but it's great stuff. If you're prepared to pay for it you can get
it from http://www.fishsempai.com/Contact_Us.asp.
My local fish shop sells high protein sinking pellets in little plastic bags
which the fish love so yours might sell something similar. Good quality
flakes can be soaked so they sink, and floating pellets if soaked and
squashed usually sink. Tetra gold medal food is supposed to be good, as is
Hikari lionhead. Frozen bloodworms or brineshrimp are great to have in the
freezer too. They are in little ice cubes so you just defrost them and feed.
Most aquatic stores sell them if you ask or you can buy them in packs of 12
or more from
http://www.animal-house.co.uk/acatal..._Food_135.html. I
get mine from there and they are ok to refreeze.
They also love fruit and veg as a treat once a week or so. Float a slice of
orange on top of your tank and watch them go mad! Romaine lettuce is
popular, as is brocolli and swede but they all have individual tastes so
it's a case of trial and error!
Mel.

"Nick Jones" wrote in message
...

Hi Mel,

Yes, they are goldfish. Many thanks indeed for such a comprehensive reply!
I
shall take all your sound advice. A shame really as this tank although
small
is perfect for us in terms of size/aesthetics.
I shall swap to some sinking food after the peas routine....do you
recommend
any food in particular? I have two 'regular' goldies, and two fan-tail
type.
I guess you live in the UK judging your email address.
What do you think might be better suited to this Biorb?
Excellent newsgroup this! The second time I have been here with a query
and
two very good answers.

Happy fish keeping all!

Nick




"Mel" wrote in message
...
I assume it is goldfish you have in your biorb?
Despite their advertising with a number of fish housed in one, Biorb's
are
really not suitable for goldfish. A Biorb holds roughly 30 litres or 6.5
UK
gallons, and a single goldfish requires a minimum of 8 UK/10 US gallons.
This is because of the size they become (they can live for 20 years!)
and
the amount of waste they produce. In a space smaller than 8 gallons the
water quickly becomes toxic, despite best efforts to keep it good, and
that's just with one fish! 4 in one of these things is literally a death
trap!
Get your water tested a.s.a.p as I suspect your water quality is very
poor.
If you ask your lfs to test it for you, make sure they give you the
actual
results so you can write them down, and don't let them just say it's ok
or
whatever (is a good investment to buy the kits yourself really though).
Ammonia should be 0, nitrite 0 and nitrates under 20. If they aren't
then
you need to do daily water changes (and good gravel vacs) of about 30%
until
they are. This could be a never ending task in such a small tank and it
really would be much easier for you and the fish if you could get them
at
least a 32 Uk gallon tank.
As for the food, you must soak all of it in a little tank water for a
few
minutes prior to feeding to help avoid swimbladder problems which it
seems
one of your fish may have. Sinking food is generally best though if you
can
get it.
To help your sick fish now though, starve him for 3 days (it wont hurt
to
starve them all), then feed nothing but defrosted, shelled and chopped
(very
very small) frozen peas. You can blanch them in boiling water for a few
minutes first to make them a bit softer. Feed nothing but these for
another
3 days. This should relieve any trapped air in the fish. After the 3
days
slowly reintroduce his usual food, soaked first of course, but always
feed
peas a couple of times a week after this (to all your fish) to help
prevent
the problem returning.
Hope this helps :O)
Mel.



"Nick Jones" wrote in message
...
Morning all,

I have a 'Biorb' set up here made by Reef One.
http://www.reef-one.co.uk/

Mine looks just the same as the one on the home page and I have four
fish
in
it.

To the point, one of them keeps hanging with its head up and tail
right
down
until it then gives a few swishes of its tail to right itself. The
others
in
comparison seem ok but are just hanging around looking lost. I could
always
take a water sample to my local shop who will test it for free, but
any
pointers in the mean time please?
The one that 'hangs' (4 yr. old daughter calls her Erica!) seems a bit
rotund around the body and I wonder if it is constipated.
I only feed once a day, using Hikari Staple floating pellets. (32%
protein,
4.8% oil, 3.2% fibre, 10 Ash). Is this food suitable please?
The water is very clear looking. Also, in the slighter dimmer weather
we
are
now having in the UK, should I be leaving the light on for a certain
period?

Questions, question. Hope someone here can hold my hand for a bit
'till
I
get this sorted.

Thanks and best wishes, Nick, U.K.

In article ,
says...
I assume it is goldfish you have in your biorb?
Despite their advertising with a number of fish housed in one, Biorb's are
really not suitable for goldfish. ....

And my word, aren't they just expensive as all get out!?!!
£99.95 for a not-so-glorified fish bowl!
I'm in the wrong business _again_!

Gunther

"Nick Jones" wrote:
Goldfish are completely unsuitable to use in a bio-orb, in fact I wouldnt put any
fish in one. GF need a minimum of 10 gallons per fish, superb aeration and
outstanding filtration. this doesnt have it. you are lucky the fish are alive.
Ingrid



I have a 'Biorb' set up here made by Reef One. http://www.reef-one.co.uk/

Mine looks just the same as the one on the home page and I have four fish in
it.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List
http://puregold.aquaria.net/
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the
endorsements or recommendations I make.

Thank you all very much for the advice!

Yes, I did work in Wilts years ago but now live in Worc. Who are you??!!

I'm dying to know now.

Nick

"Geezer From The Freezer" wrote in message
...
Nick for 2 goldies and 2 fantails you need at least a 32 Gallon tank
(best with a 40 gallon).

Also, your not the same Nick Jones who used to (and maybe still does)
work in Wiltshire are you?

Nick Jones wrote:

Thank you all very much for the advice!

Yes, I did work in Wilts years ago but now live in Worc. Who are you??!!

I'm dying to know now.

Nick

Nick I'm Kev, used to be in IT for AT&T, LU.