Goldfish

I have a problem that I appear to be too dense to solve. I used to have a
almost 30 aquariums full of various kinds of fish. Swapped the young fish
to a fish dealer for supplies. When I went back to work full time I decided
spending my weekends cleaning fish tanks was a bit of a bore.

That was 30 years ago and I cannot believe I have forgptten so much about
fish.

As I have a fairly new pond outside that as yet has no fish, I bought three
fantails and all new equipment for an indoor aquarium. I hope to combine
some of the fish now living in my old outside pond with the new fish and put
all in the pond when the weather warms up.

When I bought these 3 new ones they looked perfectly clean. No ich, no rot,
nothing else visible. They looked and acted like healthy fish.

So I set up the aquarium and waited a day before putting the fish in. The
water started to cloud almost immediately. After a couple days their fins
started to sag. Two days later they were peppered with tiny white spots
which I presume is ich. And their tails started to shred which I assume
is fin rot.

Then they started to lay around on the bottom most of the time.

Didn't think they would live until morning so I took spring water and filled
a glass bowl, threw in a drop of methylenee blue or some such thing and
moved the fish.

This morning they are ever so much livlier and not on the bottom. The water
is starting to cloud again and unless my husband sneaked them some food, I
cannot think of any reason for this.

I just asked my husband and he said he did not feed the fish. So why is the
water getting cloudy when there are only the fish there.


My question is, where did the rot and the ich come from unless had it and it
just was not visible.

I never ever had a fish with ich before and I have had hundreds of fish in
the past.

I have removed all the water in the aquarium and am planning to rinse all
the stone and plants. Then hopefully I can let it stand over night and put
the fish back into the the 10 gallon job.

Anyone any suggestions? I don't really think this bio filter I bought at
Walmarts is doing a very good job. I got one of my 30 year old filters out
and can't believe that I can't remember how to set it up. I think it's
charcoal on the bottom with the cotton over that? Is this correct?

I didn't mean to write a book, but I feel for those poor fish and believe me
the people in that fish store will me one more time before I snub them
forever.

Hope some one can help me of point me in the direction of some h elp.
Thanks a bunch.

Pixi

Pixi,

Have you tested for ammonia. Ammonia will cause cloudiness, and in small
aquarium, newly set up, the filter has not had a chance to cycle, so it
would not be unreasonable to suspect high ammonia. The high ammonia will
stress the fish, allowing parasites, naturally present on the fish to
explode in numbers and get the better of the fish. The fish will act
strange when stressed.

Keep a close eye on the ammonia, and as the filter begins to kick in, then
you will undoubtedly have nitrites to worry about. If the ammonia is high,
then large frequent water changes or addition of Amquel is called for to
protect the fish until the filter can catch up. Once nitrites start to show
up, then large frequent water changes or the addition of about one teaspoon
of salt per gallon of water added on each of three successive days will
prevent nitrite absorbtion by the fish.

It typically takes a week or more for the ammonia levels to start declining
and several weeks for the nitrites to decline. The fish should not be fed,
or fed very lightly during the cycling of the filter to limit the levels of
ammonia and nitrites.

Patience.
--
RichToyBox
http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html

"pixi" wrote in message
erver.com...
When I bought these 3 new ones they looked perfectly clean. No ich, no
rot,
nothing else visible. They looked and acted like healthy fish.

So I set up the aquarium and waited a day before putting the fish in. The
water started to cloud almost immediately. After a couple days their fins
started to sag. Two days later they were peppered with tiny white spots
which I presume is ich. And their tails started to shred which I assume
is fin rot.

Then they started to lay around on the bottom most of the time.

Didn't think they would live until morning so I took spring water and
filled
a glass bowl, threw in a drop of methylenee blue or some such thing and
moved the fish.

This morning they are ever so much livlier and not on the bottom. The
water
is starting to cloud again and unless my husband sneaked them some food, I
cannot think of any reason for this.

I just asked my husband and he said he did not feed the fish. So why is
the
water getting cloudy when there are only the fish there.


My question is, where did the rot and the ich come from unless had it and
it
just was not visible.

I have removed all the water in the aquarium and am planning to rinse all
the stone and plants. Then hopefully I can let it stand over night and
put
the fish back into the the 10 gallon job.

Anyone any suggestions? I don't really think this bio filter I bought at
Walmarts is doing a very good job. I got one of my 30 year old filters
out
and can't believe that I can't remember how to set it up. I think it's
charcoal on the bottom with the cotton over that? Is this correct?

I didn't mean to write a book, but I feel for those poor fish and believe
me
the people in that fish store will me one more time before I snub them
forever.

Hope some one can help me of point me in the direction of some h elp.
Thanks a bunch.

Pixi

Pixi, sorry to hear you are having prolems. Way back in my 30's I had
several tanks going, but the kids left home, I got tired of cleaning tanks,
and got rid of all of them. Now I am trying to get a 50 gal. going again,
and I can't believe the trouble I am having. Finally after changing the
water twice and the fish twice it is finally settling down. I thnk my hubby
finally scared the tank into behaveing, he said if I had to drain that *&@#
thing again, and buy more fish, he was going to toss it in the alley! Maybe
when you get over 60 you have to resort to a few bad words and scare the
tank into submission. The tank is acting beautiful now. Ha Ha Ha. KathyAZ
"pixi" wrote in message
erver.com...
I have a problem that I appear to be too dense to solve. I used to have a
almost 30 aquariums full of various kinds of fish. Swapped the young fish
to a fish dealer for supplies. When I went back to work full time I
decided
spending my weekends cleaning fish tanks was a bit of a bore.

That was 30 years ago and I cannot believe I have forgptten so much about
fish.

As I have a fairly new pond outside that as yet has no fish, I bought
three
fantails and all new equipment for an indoor aquarium. I hope to combine
some of the fish now living in my old outside pond with the new fish and
put
all in the pond when the weather warms up.

When I bought these 3 new ones they looked perfectly clean. No ich, no
rot,
nothing else visible. They looked and acted like healthy fish.

So I set up the aquarium and waited a day before putting the fish in. The
water started to cloud almost immediately. After a couple days their fins
started to sag. Two days later they were peppered with tiny white spots
which I presume is ich. And their tails started to shred which I assume
is fin rot.

Then they started to lay around on the bottom most of the time.

Didn't think they would live until morning so I took spring water and
filled
a glass bowl, threw in a drop of methylenee blue or some such thing and
moved the fish.

This morning they are ever so much livlier and not on the bottom. The
water
is starting to cloud again and unless my husband sneaked them some food, I
cannot think of any reason for this.

I just asked my husband and he said he did not feed the fish. So why is
the
water getting cloudy when there are only the fish there.


My question is, where did the rot and the ich come from unless had it and
it
just was not visible.

I never ever had a fish with ich before and I have had hundreds of fish in
the past.

I have removed all the water in the aquarium and am planning to rinse all
the stone and plants. Then hopefully I can let it stand over night and
put
the fish back into the the 10 gallon job.

Anyone any suggestions? I don't really think this bio filter I bought at
Walmarts is doing a very good job. I got one of my 30 year old filters
out
and can't believe that I can't remember how to set it up. I think it's
charcoal on the bottom with the cotton over that? Is this correct?

I didn't mean to write a book, but I feel for those poor fish and believe
me
the people in that fish store will me one more time before I snub them
forever.

Hope some one can help me of point me in the direction of some h elp.
Thanks a bunch.

Pixi

On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 18:45:37 -0700, "Kathy" wrote:

Pixi, sorry to hear you are having prolems. Way back in my 30's I had
several tanks going, but the kids left home, I got tired of cleaning tanks,
and got rid of all of them. Now I am trying to get a 50 gal. going again,
and I can't believe the trouble I am having. Finally after changing the
water twice and the fish twice it is finally settling down. I thnk my hubby
finally scared the tank into behaveing, he said if I had to drain that *&@#
thing again, and buy more fish, he was going to toss it in the alley! Maybe
when you get over 60 you have to resort to a few bad words and scare the
tank into submission. The tank is acting beautiful now. Ha Ha Ha. KathyAZ

Our biggest mistake, and I've done it too, is all these BIG water changes
when a filter is cycling. Better, imo/ime, is treat the ammonia with an
ammonia locking chemical (Amquel), and the nitrite with 0.1% salt. Water
change 20% every 5-7 days. Don't feed the fish at all till the cycle is
complete, and then lightly thereafter, as the filter will have to deal with
that extra ammonia when you feed them. Slowly, over weeks, increase the
food. ~ jan


See my ponds and filter design:
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
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