newbie queries...

In message ,
writes
the tank is overstocked. dont mix GF with other species.
http://puregold.aquaria.net/pg/care/...htm#essentials
change water according to the nitrate levels..
http://puregold.aquaria.net/pg/care/care.htm

Hi,

thank you for the reply and the links! I'd worked out that according to
the surface area/inch of fish rule that this was as many fish as I could
put in the tank, but I hadn't thought it was overstocked. If it is, I'm
certainly going to be a little annoyed with the aquatics shop, as they
assured me that this would be fine. They have a reputation as a very
good shop, too. :-(
As I've said, I will get a bigger tank in the summer - will things not
be ok until then?
nor had I realised that goldfish shouldn't be kept with other fish; the
friends I caught the bug from have kept goldfish with white clouds for
years with no problems... is there a specific reason not to do this?

thanks again,


sophie wrote:


Hi,

Firstly, is there a faq? - I hope I'm not asking questions that get
asked all the time.

A few months ago I bought a smallish tank setup for my small son (it's
above the level where he can tap on the glass, and he's surprisingly
responsible about his fish). It's 18*12*15 (l,w,d) and to start with I
put two goldfish (a plain yellow one and a slightly fancy one which I
think is a comet) and three white cloud minnows in the tank; it's got a
fluval one filter and some plants (which need restocking, the fish eat
them!) one of the minnows died a couple of weeks after we got them but
the others were all fine and happy (although I would like at least one
more minnow because they seem happier in numbers.) I've also got a few
trumpet snails - the burrowing ones that help keep the gravel clean.
Anyway, after a few months and the fish all doing well, I've put in
another goldfish (a little calico ryukin, who is lovely) and a small
sucking loach who had been acclimatised to a coldwater tank (yes, I know
about the loach, but I'm prepared to give it its own tank if it gets too
big and stroppy). I'm aware I shouldn't put any more fish in the tank (I
want to get a three foot one in the summer - have you guessed the fish
are really for me and not for the little one?) anyway, my queries are
these:

what are the goldfish doing when they suck up a piece of gravel and then
spit it out?

is it usual for goldfish behaviour to change when you add another fish
to the mix? they're much livelier and seem constantly hungry (I'm not
giving in to their "feed me" stuff, though). They're swimming around in
a boisterous gang. The new ryukin chased the minnows to start with but
has now stopped.

am I getting the cleaning right? I take out and replace either a quarter
of the water weekly, or half fortnightly. every six weeks I take the
fish out of the tank, remove and keep half the water, and take the
gravel out and swill the tank out (I don't overclean the gravel, just to
remove the goo, which with goldfish is revolting.) and wipe down the
front and sides of the tank with wet cotton wool. (I'm going to be
leaving the back of the tank now, for the loach.) then I refill the
tank, half with old and half with new water. the fish seem happy and
don't react badly to being removed - is the cleaning
adequate/appropriate?

is fishkeeping addictive? I'm getting a bit worried!

sorry for the slightly huge post, and thank you very much for any help.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~
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.

--
sophie