First aquarium... need some advice...

Am intrested in learning more about fish and aquariums and (yesterday)
bought a 16 gallon bow front tank, Aqua clear 'mini' cycleguard filter
and one gold fish (forgot the specific type of fish, but its about 3
in. in length.

I have the goldfish in a small bowl I also bought since the lady at
the petstore said the tank/filter should run for 3-4 days first.

I added tap water and stress coat to the aquarium and installed the
filter - water was cloudy, but about 24 hours later looks a lot
clearer.

Am I doing everything right so far?

I dont know if I want to just get 2 or 3 more of the same type of
goldfish or get tropical fish of some type - i'd like something fairly
playful and active since my kids will get a kick out of watching them
play around.

What advice can you all give where thats concerned?

I've read (after the fact) that its better for a beginner to get a
tank thats 20 gallons (its true that smaller ones are more work???),
but am not ready to go out and get another one now - maybe next year.

Thanks for any help/links you can provide.

It is true that bigger tanks are easier but 16 gallons is ok for a small
tropical fish community. It is not suitable for even one goldfish!
The goldfish should be out of the bowl. The idea of keeping the tank fish
free is explained here; http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/beginner.htm and
http://faq.thekrib.com/fish-popular.html.
The principles of cycling are simple. Bacteria break down the ammonia in
fish waste down to nitrites which are further broken down by different
bacteria to nitrates which are either used by plants or acted on by yet more
bacteria.
Without this bacterial action the fish become poisoned by their own wastes.
Your goldfish would be better off in the tank rather than sitting in it's
own wastes in a bowl.
I'd suggest you either take that fish back now or use it to cycle the tank &
then return it and get a few small tropical fish. It would be worthwhile
buying test kits. If your LFS does water tests do take a sample of your
water & then let us know the readings- particularly hardness & pH. We can
then suggest fish that will thrive under those conditions and save you a lot
of anguish.
Cheers,
Sue

"tony" wrote in message
om...
Am intrested in learning more about fish and aquariums and (yesterday)
bought a 16 gallon bow front tank, Aqua clear 'mini' cycleguard filter
and one gold fish (forgot the specific type of fish, but its about 3
in. in length.

I have the goldfish in a small bowl I also bought since the lady at
the petstore said the tank/filter should run for 3-4 days first.

I added tap water and stress coat to the aquarium and installed the
filter - water was cloudy, but about 24 hours later looks a lot
clearer.

Am I doing everything right so far?

I dont know if I want to just get 2 or 3 more of the same type of
goldfish or get tropical fish of some type - i'd like something fairly
playful and active since my kids will get a kick out of watching them
play around.

What advice can you all give where thats concerned?

I've read (after the fact) that its better for a beginner to get a
tank thats 20 gallons (its true that smaller ones are more work???),
but am not ready to go out and get another one now - maybe next year.

Thanks for any help/links you can provide.

Ask your LFS for some gravel from a tank of floss from their filter. You
want to introduce bacteria to the tank. ALso, buy some BioSpira or Fritzyme.
Many of the other bacteria in a bottle don't work. I would use the goldfish
to help cycle the tank. You will also need a heater if you decide to keep
tropical fish in that tank. GOldfish like it cooler but most tropicla fish
like it aorund 75. Give the tank time to cycle. You will also need a test
kit to measure PH, Nitrites, Ammonia and Nitrates. Start reading too there
is a lot of info. on the web.

"Sue" wrote in message
...
It is true that bigger tanks are easier but 16 gallons is ok for a small
tropical fish community. It is not suitable for even one goldfish!
The goldfish should be out of the bowl. The idea of keeping the tank fish
free is explained here; http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/beginner.htm and
http://faq.thekrib.com/fish-popular.html.
The principles of cycling are simple. Bacteria break down the ammonia in
fish waste down to nitrites which are further broken down by different
bacteria to nitrates which are either used by plants or acted on by yet
more
bacteria.
Without this bacterial action the fish become poisoned by their own
wastes.
Your goldfish would be better off in the tank rather than sitting in it's
own wastes in a bowl.
I'd suggest you either take that fish back now or use it to cycle the tank
&
then return it and get a few small tropical fish. It would be worthwhile
buying test kits. If your LFS does water tests do take a sample of your
water & then let us know the readings- particularly hardness & pH. We can
then suggest fish that will thrive under those conditions and save you a
lot
of anguish.
Cheers,
Sue

"tony" wrote in message
om...
Am intrested in learning more about fish and aquariums and (yesterday)
bought a 16 gallon bow front tank, Aqua clear 'mini' cycleguard filter
and one gold fish (forgot the specific type of fish, but its about 3
in. in length.

I have the goldfish in a small bowl I also bought since the lady at
the petstore said the tank/filter should run for 3-4 days first.

I added tap water and stress coat to the aquarium and installed the
filter - water was cloudy, but about 24 hours later looks a lot
clearer.

Am I doing everything right so far?

I dont know if I want to just get 2 or 3 more of the same type of
goldfish or get tropical fish of some type - i'd like something fairly
playful and active since my kids will get a kick out of watching them
play around.

What advice can you all give where thats concerned?

I've read (after the fact) that its better for a beginner to get a
tank thats 20 gallons (its true that smaller ones are more work???),
but am not ready to go out and get another one now - maybe next year.

Thanks for any help/links you can provide.

"Sue" wrote in message
...
It is true that bigger tanks are easier but 16 gallons is ok for a small
tropical fish community. It is not suitable for even one goldfish!
The goldfish should be out of the bowl. The idea of keeping the tank fish
free is explained here; http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/beginner.htm and
http://faq.thekrib.com/fish-popular.html.
The principles of cycling are simple. Bacteria break down the ammonia in
fish waste down to nitrites which are further broken down by different
bacteria to nitrates which are either used by plants or acted on by yet
more
bacteria.
Without this bacterial action the fish become poisoned by their own
wastes.
Your goldfish would be better off in the tank rather than sitting in it's
own wastes in a bowl.
I'd suggest you either take that fish back now or use it to cycle the tank
&
then return it and get a few small tropical fish. It would be worthwhile
buying test kits. If your LFS does water tests do take a sample of your
water & then let us know the readings- particularly hardness & pH. We can
then suggest fish that will thrive under those conditions and save you a
lot
of anguish.
Cheers,
Sue


why would you say a 16 g tank is not suitable for one goldfish??.

Rick

Rick wrote in message ...

"Sue" wrote in message
...
It is true that bigger tanks are easier but 16 gallons is ok for a small
tropical fish community. It is not suitable for even one goldfish!
The goldfish should be out of the bowl. The idea of keeping the tank fish
free is explained here; http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/beginner.htm and
http://faq.thekrib.com/fish-popular.html.
The principles of cycling are simple. Bacteria break down the ammonia in
fish waste down to nitrites which are further broken down by different
bacteria to nitrates which are either used by plants or acted on by yet
more
bacteria.
Without this bacterial action the fish become poisoned by their own
wastes.
Your goldfish would be better off in the tank rather than sitting in it's
own wastes in a bowl.
I'd suggest you either take that fish back now or use it to cycle the
tank
&
then return it and get a few small tropical fish. It would be worthwhile
buying test kits. If your LFS does water tests do take a sample of your
water & then let us know the readings- particularly hardness & pH. We can
then suggest fish that will thrive under those conditions and save you a
lot
of anguish.
Cheers,
Sue


why would you say a 16 g tank is not suitable for one goldfish??.

Rick


I've often wondered about this myself... I wonder if people are considering
a "gold fish" to be a foot-long comet or if they are considering the little
1inch ones..

surely if you have a good filter you will have enough surface area for
bacteria to match the bio load of the fish.

"Rick" wrote in message
...


why would you say a 16 g tank is not suitable for one goldfish??.

Rick


It's too small. Even a comet has a potential size of 12" or more. The
popularity of goldfish is a crime, to the fish, at least. Millions of them
are sentenced to death every year due to cramped quarters causing stunted
growth and eventual death.

There is a nice internet radio show which discusses how to properly
set up a aquarium. You can hear the stored broadcasts at:

http://www.petfishtalk.com/shows/021218.htm#segment_4

One of the segments listed covers goldfish.

"Rick" wrote in message
...


why would you say a 16 g tank is not suitable for one goldfish??.

Rick
Because goldfish like company & the tank isn't big enough for two!
Sue

"Sue" wrote in message
...

"Rick" wrote in message
...


why would you say a 16 g tank is not suitable for one goldfish??.

Rick
Because goldfish like company & the tank isn't big enough for two!
Sue



hmmm, I've kept 6 goldfish in a 25 gallon tank with UGF for quite sometime
without any problems at all. Now of course they were not 12" goldfish but
they were in the 3 -4 " range. I'm aware that recommended tank space is 10
gallons per fish however this in dependent only on your water change and
type of filtration. Personally I would have no problem keeping a couple of
the smaller fantail or similar goldfish in a 16 gallon tank.

Rick

Rick wrote:
hmmm, I've kept 6 goldfish in a 25 gallon tank with UGF for quite sometime
without any problems at all. Now of course they were not 12" goldfish but
they were in the 3 -4 " range. I'm aware that recommended tank space is 10
gallons per fish however this in dependent only on your water change and
type of filtration. Personally I would have no problem keeping a couple of
the smaller fantail or similar goldfish in a 16 gallon tank.

Rick

define "sometime" - goldfish can live upto 20 years. I suspect 6 in a 25 would
be lucky
to pass the 3 year mark.

Goldfish need space to swim freely.