Tropical Fish Forums

[stevehelium]

I just got my new goldfish tank installed, as it were. I have not yet hooked up my filters, heaters, etc.

I am looking for advice about moving them from a 11 liter tank (yes, a HUGE crime) to a 100 liter tank (still a crime, but the best I can do - please don't tell me to get a bigger tank or return them to the LFS - I cannot do either of these).

I got the fish from my brother-in-law who didn't know any better. I DO know better, but I have limited space to work with.

For normal freshwater we obviously need time to cycle the tank. I am wondering how much time I need to get this goldfish tank to a state that is acceptable for the fish that are already in a very bad situation.

ANY advice on this would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!
stephen

[stevehelium]

Okay, probably not enough info there. Sorry.

The new tank is set up. I have a canister filter capable of filtering a 200 liter tank (this one is 100). I do not have substrate yet (I bought some, but read after the fact that GF tend to try to eat the substrate and can die, so I need to get something different).

My concern is really moving them from the current tank which only has a VERY minimal filter to the new larger tank with proper filtration. It seems to me that the change in water quality is an issue here.

I know goldfish are hearty and can put up with a lot, but I want to make the move properly with the least amount of danger.

The current tank does not have a large bacteria colony in the filter, though it has been running for about a year now. If I get a bigger colony running in the new tank before moving them, is that going to shock their system? I can move filter media from my 200 liter freshwater tank, but I am not sure if that is a good idea or not, since the bacteria load is totally different.

Any suggestions? What is my best course of action?

[stevehelium]

I did a little research on the net and it was suggested that the new tank be "tried out" with ONE goldfish. So I moved one. In a matter of a few hours (according to my wife as I was at work), he was on the substrate upside down and looked dead.

I checked the water chemistry before and after and both tanks were identical. Temp, too.

I have no also read conflicting reports about the size of the substrate... one page, as I mentioned in my last post, said small is bad as it can end up in their digestive tract. But the gallery page here said small is BETTER because it is easier to clean. Just confused about that issue now.

I also read that golds do better in groups, so perhaps the lethargic behavior was due to being alone?

Also, with a spray bar and a canister filter, how low should I set the filter flow? I know golds prefer relatively placid water, but I also want to make sure that it is being filtered enough.

I would love some help here. Even a suggested website for beginner info on goldfish.

Thanks everyone.

[LittleMsBrian]

I had to move my goldfish from a little 5 Gallon to a 20 gallon. I'm pretty sure the lathargic behavior came from shock. When I moved the fish over I moved over the water from the first tank into the second tank. Which brought over the good bacteria. If you aren't using a chemical like AquaSafe then I recommend you buy some. It will help build up the ecosystem in your tank. Then after the tank ran for a couple days I would move over the fish and the water. I was able to do this successfully. Hope that I could help. Good luck...

[stevehelium]

Thanks so much for the reply! I was starting to wonder if anyone bothers to read this part of the board!

I also concluded it was shock. The fish came from a LFS and the 13liter tank or so that he was in had about 10 golds in it. Going from that to an 11 liter with 3 fish to a 100 liter with only 1 must have been confusing. The more I read the more I understood.

I do have water conditioner - no worries there. The three are doing realtively well BUT...

It looks like I have an ich infection. The biggest fold shows small flecks of white on his tail. The others also show symptoms. I have dealt with ich in bettas before, and lost them. My wife is worried since she had the same problem with golds before and they all died.

So... new problem... and I will be doing research, but what is the best course of action here? If these golds all die, not only will I be sad, but my wife will likely kill me....

I really do appreciate the response. I was on a mission to come home tonight and reply and thank you... THEN my wife told me we had a disease...

[nes999]

use an under gravel filter with a biowheel seem to work good

when I moved my rukan from a 2.5g hex I know a crime to a 20 gal long he hide and acted sick this is normal just keep an eye on your goldfish because they will squezze into things and get stuck
_________________
WHY doesn't my flying fish fly?

[BarebackDreamer]

It is NOT normal for a goldfish to get sick when moving tanks. Make sure you aren't shocking their system from going to bad water to good. Do not use an undergravel filter. They are very outdated and do not properly filter a tank. Get as much filtration on that tank as you can and do regular weekly (or bi weekly) water changes.

For the ich, dose with malachite green or an ich medication that contains it.

[Kanard]

Hi
I'm going roughly through the same path as stevehelium. Had my 2 fantails in a biorob 35l for several years before realising how wrong it was... Now I've got a 150l waiting for them, I wish I could get them something bigger but my flat doesn't fit anything bigger.

The tank is currently cycling I've put a aquael UV 500 and a fluval 2+ filters (might not start the 2 of them from the beginning to avoid water quality shock) . As Steve mentioned, having read quite a bit here and there I've found so many contradictory info that I'm puzzled.

1)the substrate: I've put some medium size gravel (5-7mmm) but I'm still not 100% is is the best.

2)transfer: shall I move them together or one by one? would it help to change to start "merging" the waters in the biOrb before transfering them

2 more slightly OT but in case:
3)tankmates: I know goldifsh tend to do better on their own but I want to add something else to the setup, mainly utilitary fishes/invert. I've read that apple snails are good. And my local fish store advise me some "stone suckers" they have (I've seen them on the same tanks as their goldies, they looked a bit like plecos but rounder and darker, 1or 2 cm, any idea of the actual name?) Also read about Dojo/weather Loaches ?

4) plants: appart for anubia and java fern, anything that would do fine on such set up ("relatively cold water 20/22 celsius due to my flat temperature) hungry goldfishes etc

cheers!
_________________
\_*< {Koin, Kouac}

[diademhill]

To move from inadequate tank to an larger one it is better to set up the new tank, adding dechlorinator, and make sure everything works ( a couple of days) then bag up the fish.

Take out 20% of the water from the new tank. Float fish, add everything from the old tank to the new tank ( & I mean everything: filters, decor substrate, water - the lot), rinse out the old with water from the new tank and tip this back into the new tank. Start adding water from new tank into fishes' bag and after half an hour release them and all their bag water.
Keep the lights off for at least 24 hours.
Any extra bacteria from mature filters won't hurt. The fish are better off in the larger tank than in the cramped quarters and this way minimises stress. Conditions are more stable in the larger volume.

f you change substrates put the old substrate in a stocking and rest it in the new tank for a week or two as you need to scrounge every bit of bacteria you can get.

You can set up a tank without substrate & add some later.

[Kanard]

OK thanks.
Looks like a plan for next saturday if my nitrites finish to vanish!
_________________
\_*< {Koin, Kouac}