fish seem to gulp underwater all the time - is it normal

Hi,

My girlfriend is new to keeping fish and has recently brought a 35
litre tank. She set it all up except the fish and one week later
added 2 goldfish, maybe 1.5 inches in length. Then one week later
still she added the final two fish which are about 1inch. So she
thinks she has done everything correct.

The only thing she is not sure is right with the fish is that their
mouth constantly gulp. This is underwater and not at the surface.

They all swim around and look for food near the bottom (she uses
sinkng food) and in the evenings they seem to get more active and swim
around mind tank and also near the surface sometimes. They seem
pretty active.

Their mouths open and shut all the time. From memory she doesnt think
her friends fish mouths move so much and I have no idea myself.

The ones in the shop dont but then they are pumping oxygen into the
water all the time, whereas my girfriend just has about 4 plants and a
pump to move the water around (plus the filter etc).

So is is normal for the fishes mouth to move this much.

Sorry if this is a really stupid question.

Regards,
Scott

http://weloveteaching.com/puregold/c...new%20goldfish

it isnt normal. However, keeping goldfish requires around 40 liters per goldfish, a
minimum of 80 liters, for 2 goldfish. they need good filtration, aeration, and a
heater to keep the tank temp constant. GF are not cold water fish. they like it
warm. the mouthing is probably due to a lack of oxygen.
Ingrid

"scott" wrote:

Hi,

My girlfriend is new to keeping fish and has recently brought a 35
litre tank. She set it all up except the fish and one week later
added 2 goldfish, maybe 1.5 inches in length. Then one week later
still she added the final two fish which are about 1inch. So she
thinks she has done everything correct.

The only thing she is not sure is right with the fish is that their
mouth constantly gulp. This is underwater and not at the surface.

They all swim around and look for food near the bottom (she uses
sinkng food) and in the evenings they seem to get more active and swim
around mind tank and also near the surface sometimes. They seem
pretty active.

Their mouths open and shut all the time. From memory she doesnt think
her friends fish mouths move so much and I have no idea myself.

The ones in the shop dont but then they are pumping oxygen into the
water all the time, whereas my girfriend just has about 4 plants and a
pump to move the water around (plus the filter etc).

So is is normal for the fishes mouth to move this much.

Sorry if this is a really stupid question.

Regards,
Scott



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List at
http://weloveteaching.com/puregold/
sign up: http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?...s=Group+lookup
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I receive no compensation for running the Puregold list or Puregold website.
I do not run nor receive any money from the ads at the old Puregold site.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Zone 5 next to Lake Michigan

Lack of oxygen or even ammonia in the water will often get your fish gasping
near the surface.
Myself I would hazzard a guess that your water contains too much nitrite.
This enters the fish and poisons it.
I imagine the tank is about due for a nitrite spike.
Please google the phrase 'new tank syndrome' to see what your dealing with
here.





"scott" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi,

My girlfriend is new to keeping fish and has recently brought a 35
litre tank. She set it all up except the fish and one week later
added 2 goldfish, maybe 1.5 inches in length. Then one week later
still she added the final two fish which are about 1inch. So she
thinks she has done everything correct.

The only thing she is not sure is right with the fish is that their
mouth constantly gulp. This is underwater and not at the surface.

They all swim around and look for food near the bottom (she uses
sinkng food) and in the evenings they seem to get more active and swim
around mind tank and also near the surface sometimes. They seem
pretty active.

Their mouths open and shut all the time. From memory she doesnt think
her friends fish mouths move so much and I have no idea myself.

The ones in the shop dont but then they are pumping oxygen into the
water all the time, whereas my girfriend just has about 4 plants and a
pump to move the water around (plus the filter etc).

So is is normal for the fishes mouth to move this much.

Sorry if this is a really stupid question.

Regards,
Scott

On 4 Apr, 07:19, "swarvegorilla" wrote:
Lack of oxygen or even ammonia in the water will often get your fish gasping
near the surface.
Myself I would hazzard a guess that your water contains too much nitrite.
This enters the fish and poisons it.
I imagine the tank is about due for a nitrite spike.
Please google the phrase 'new tank syndrome' to see what your dealing with
here.

"scott" wrote in message

oups.com...



Hi,

My girlfriend is new to keeping fish and has recently brought a 35
litre tank. She set it all up except the fish and one week later
added 2 goldfish, maybe 1.5 inches in length. Then one week later
still she added the final two fish which are about 1inch. So she
thinks she has done everything correct.

The only thing she is not sure is right with the fish is that their
mouth constantly gulp. This is underwater and not at the surface.

They all swim around and look for food near the bottom (she uses
sinkng food) and in the evenings they seem to get more active and swim
around mind tank and also near the surface sometimes. They seem
pretty active.

Their mouths open and shut all the time. From memory she doesnt think
her friends fish mouths move so much and I have no idea myself.

The ones in the shop dont but then they are pumping oxygen into the
water all the time, whereas my girfriend just has about 4 plants and a
pump to move the water around (plus the filter etc).

So is is normal for the fishes mouth to move this much.

Sorry if this is a really stupid question.

Regards,
Scott- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -


Hi,

The 'new tank syndrome' was a real helper. One question though.
Should I refrain from cleaning the sponge filter (in the tank water I
have removed while water changing) while the tank is cycling. Is it
best to just leave it alone. Same for gravel. Seems like everything
should be left alone except doing lots of water changes (and maybe
adding something to bring down the ammonia/nitrite levels if thats
possible, ie another chemical??)

TIA
Scott

"scott" wrote in message
oups.com...

The 'new tank syndrome' was a real helper. One question though.
Should I refrain from cleaning the sponge filter (in the tank water I
have removed while water changing) while the tank is cycling. Is it
best to just leave it alone. Same for gravel. Seems like everything
should be left alone except doing lots of water changes (and maybe
adding something to bring down the ammonia/nitrite levels if thats
possible, ie another chemical??)
==========================
When cycling a new tank I don't bother the filter or gravel unless there is
uneaten food sitting there turning into ammonia. But that doesn't happen
anymore since I feed very, very lightly while a tank cycles. I keep doing
partial water changes faithfully though so the fish don't sicken or suffer.
--
RM....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
rec.ponder since late 1996.
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
Zone 6. Middle TN USA
ISP: Hughes.net
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö

yes, dont clean the sponge right now. there is biospira trade name for bacteria that
is added to the water to help colonize the filter.
you can add chemicals that will bind to the ammonia. forget the name. Ingrid

"scott" wrote:
The 'new tank syndrome' was a real helper. One question though.
Should I refrain from cleaning the sponge filter (in the tank water I
have removed while water changing) while the tank is cycling. Is it
best to just leave it alone. Same for gravel. Seems like everything
should be left alone except doing lots of water changes (and maybe
adding something to bring down the ammonia/nitrite levels if thats
possible, ie another chemical??)

TIA
Scott



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List at
http://weloveteaching.com/puregold/
sign up: http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?...s=Group+lookup
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I receive no compensation for running the Puregold list or Puregold website.
I do not run nor receive any money from the ads at the old Puregold site.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Zone 5 next to Lake Michigan

On Thu, 05 Apr 2007 02:30:15 GMT, wrote:

yes, dont clean the sponge right now. there is biospira trade name for bacteria that
is added to the water to help colonize the filter.
you can add chemicals that will bind to the ammonia. forget the name. Ingrid

ChlorAm-X or Amquel are a couple brand names to bind ammonia, yet still
provide it for the bacteria to grow on. Use salt to detox the nitrite. Easy
on the water changes, not too much or you'll defeat the cycle. ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us

hey hjey..look, its one of the CArol Gulley hate forum members tip
toeing outside her protected moderated environment....Nice to see the
outside world huh Jan? Sure smells better outside that room full of
assmongers I bet! Next time don;t stay away so long.....What happened
to your co-hort Gill, looks like she flew the coop big time for
damage control huh? Unlike you I guess you do not have any morals to
worry about then huh?

On Fri, 06 Apr 2007 19:32:19 GMT, ~ jan wrote:

On Thu, 05 Apr 2007 02:30:15 GMT, wrote:

yes, dont clean the sponge right now. there is biospira trade name for bacteria that
is added to the water to help colonize the filter.
you can add chemicals that will bind to the ammonia. forget the name. Ingrid

ChlorAm-X or Amquel are a couple brand names to bind ammonia, yet still
provide it for the bacteria to grow on. Use salt to detox the nitrite. Easy
on the water changes, not too much or you'll defeat the cycle. ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us



-------
I forgot more about ponds and koi than I'll ever know!

In article ,
says...
hey hjey..look, its one of the CArol Gulley hate forum members tip
toeing outside her protected moderated environment....Nice to see the

user added to bozo bin.

--
Duncan

"scott" wrote in message
oups.com...
On 4 Apr, 07:19, "swarvegorilla" wrote:
Lack of oxygen or even ammonia in the water will often get your fish
gasping
near the surface.
Myself I would hazzard a guess that your water contains too much nitrite.
This enters the fish and poisons it.
I imagine the tank is about due for a nitrite spike.
Please google the phrase 'new tank syndrome' to see what your dealing
with
here.

"scott" wrote in message

oups.com...



Hi,

My girlfriend is new to keeping fish and has recently brought a 35
litre tank. She set it all up except the fish and one week later
added 2 goldfish, maybe 1.5 inches in length. Then one week later
still she added the final two fish which are about 1inch. So she
thinks she has done everything correct.

The only thing she is not sure is right with the fish is that their
mouth constantly gulp. This is underwater and not at the surface.

They all swim around and look for food near the bottom (she uses
sinkng food) and in the evenings they seem to get more active and swim
around mind tank and also near the surface sometimes. They seem
pretty active.

Their mouths open and shut all the time. From memory she doesnt think
her friends fish mouths move so much and I have no idea myself.

The ones in the shop dont but then they are pumping oxygen into the
water all the time, whereas my girfriend just has about 4 plants and a
pump to move the water around (plus the filter etc).

So is is normal for the fishes mouth to move this much.

Sorry if this is a really stupid question.

Regards,
Scott- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -


Hi,

The 'new tank syndrome' was a real helper. One question though.
Should I refrain from cleaning the sponge filter (in the tank water I
have removed while water changing) while the tank is cycling. Is it
best to just leave it alone. Same for gravel. Seems like everything
should be left alone except doing lots of water changes (and maybe
adding something to bring down the ammonia/nitrite levels if thats
possible, ie another chemical??)

TIA
Scott


DO you know someone with a setup aquarium?
If you do and there tank is healthy try and grab some filter material from
their filter (sponge etc) and attach it too your filter (slot it in or
elastic band it to it)
This act of 'seeding' a tank with bacteria from another tank is by far the
quickest way to cycle a tank.
I try grab a bit of water, bit of gravle (or sand) and a bit of filter gunk.
That way ya get 3 types of organism to process your fish waste.

This first month is as hard as fishkeeping usually gets.
make it thru the cycle and its alll easy!