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My goldfish are dying - 11/3/2008 1:13:16 AM
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Mrs.X
Posts: 2943
Joined: 7/7/2005
From: Newberg, OR
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I had 6 gold fish, just the $.10 cent ones from Walmart. Anyway, we got them last month, and one died, and now another one is dying. I noticed the first fish "Dorothy" sort of floating near the top. She wasn't swimming really, but still alive. She had a hard time it looked like swimming around and going to the bottom, so she basically just floated upright, still breahting and everything. The next morning she was dead.
Now Nemo, another fish is doing the same thing, kind of floating around on top, had a hard time bringing his head up to the surface to eat fish food. His back fin isn't really moving like it is with the other fish.
Do they have some kind of contagious diease and are all going to die?
Thanks!
ETA: Do you think I should quarantine each of them until the ones that are going to get sick die, and then put the rest back in the bowl when they are done dying, in like a week or so?
Also, when they start to die, like when they do the floating thing for a day, do you think I should just flush him right then so he doesn't have to suffer....like is it a pretty good chance that once he starts doing the floating thing, he won't make it?
< Message edited by Mrs.X -- 11/3/2008 1:24:33 AM >
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-Stina
From Sweet Grass to the Packin' House
A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. -Proverbs 15:1
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RE: My goldfish are dying - 11/3/2008 7:04:24 AM
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creationtalk
Posts: 703
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Have you tested your water for various problems? This can be caused by ammonia, Ph problems, nitrates, etc. There are test kits that you can get, plus all sorts of water conditioners to correct problems like this.
Another possibility is insufficient aeration--do you have a good filter and aeration set up on your tank?
Either of the above problems can be exasperated by over crowding. You should have no more than about 1" of fish per 1 gallon of tank water--So if you have fish that are 1" long, you can have 10 in a 10 gallon tank. If the fish are 2" long, only 5 will fit in a 10 gallon tank. If they are 3" long each, then the most you should house in a 10 gallon tank is 3.
It is also possible that they have some disease, but I'd look at the water first. Most diseases have external signs. I once had some goldfish start dying as you described, took the water to be tested...and the guy at the pet shop said: "Now this is a saltwater tank, right?" It seems that the water from the tap was very high alkaline--Ph was too high even if it had been a salt water tank...We fixed that an most of the remaining fish died from shock.
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RE: My goldfish are dying - 11/3/2008 8:30:38 AM
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Wild-Rose
Posts: 426
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From: Upstate NY
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What size tank do you have? The problem is probably over crowding. I also agree that you should get the water tested.
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Wild-Rose
Rejoice that your name is written in heaven. Luke 10:20
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RE: My goldfish are dying - 11/3/2008 11:09:26 AM
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Mrs.X
Posts: 2943
Joined: 7/7/2005
From: Newberg, OR
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Nemo died this morning.
We just have a one gallon bowl.  The guy at Walmart said we could have up to 6 fish in there. He said there is enough surface area that they can go to the surface for air. We don't have a filter or anything in there. I just used a gallon of purified water, and the bowl came with a kit like with purifier drops, food, a net, rocks, fake plants, etc. The fish are about an inch long or less.
Poor guys, so I guess they are just going to die until they are not overcrowded anymore?  I don't have another tank for them. Maybe I can just put them in bowls. You think 2 quart pyrex would be better for each fish, so they have more room? I know you said one gallon per fish, but I don't have any gallon pyrex, only 2-quart pyrex. Don't have any money for another fish bowl. I could leave two fish in the gallon tank, one in a pyrex and another one in a pyrex, then at least they would have 2 quarts to themselves.
Should I clean their bowl and change out the water, just in case it's a disease? It still looks clean.
What happens when one overfeeds them, do they just die right then and there, or do they float around like that? I told my hubby that I would be responsible for feeding them, but I think he still feeds them sometimes after I have done so.
_____________________________
-Stina
From Sweet Grass to the Packin' House
A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. -Proverbs 15:1
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RE: My goldfish are dying - 11/3/2008 8:15:48 PM
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creationtalk
Posts: 703
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Hate to say it, but the guy from Walmart doesn't have a clue (I'd use a less complementary term, but it isn't very nice so I'll restrain myself). A one gallon tank can hold at most 1 goldfish or any size. SOMETIMES, if you have sufficient aeration, you can keep up to 6 smaller fish such as neon tetra or small guppies in a one gallon tank.
I think your best bet would be to go back to walmart or to petsmart or what ever and buy a 10 gallon tank, some gravel, and one of the submersible filters--I have "whisper"; it works well. Don't use an undergravel filter with goldfish since they tend to dig in the sand--if you can only afford the tank right now, get that and add the filter and sand, in that order, later.
I have isolated goldfish in the past with poor results (they often died).
I would not recommend changing out the water. If you set up the tank the same day as you got the fish, your tank did not have a chance to stabilize; test the water, do any adjustments necessary, but don't make any other major changes unless you know you have to.
I don't think you need to medicate at this time--and if you cannot afford a 10 gallon tank, you cannot afford the medicines--and it really sounds like they are dying from lack of oxygen. Fish are not designed to get their oxygen from the air, so having enough "surface" water for them to get up to breath from the air is immaterial...the surface area to volume ratio is only important to make sure that you have enough air in the water (air from the atmosphere will get trapped in the water--this is what the fish breathe).
Also, do not use rocks collected from outside your house in a fish tank. They can have chemicals (primarily salts) that leach out of the rock in to the water (learned this one the hard, no pun intended, way too).
Overfeeding: the result of overfeeding is ammonia in the water (the extra food rots and forms ammonia) and/or Ph problems with the water. Cleaning the tank regularly (using a tank vacuum that sucks up waste) will help alleviate any problems from over feeding.
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RE: My goldfish are dying - 11/4/2008 11:29:16 AM
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Wild-Rose
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From: Upstate NY
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quote:
He said there is enough surface area that they can go to the surface for air.
The guy at Wal-mart is an idiot. There, I said it. I agree with the other advice (bigger tank and proper equipment). My other advice is to go back to Wal-mart and see if you can get your money back. You shouldn't have to pay for dead fish, going on their advice.
Secondly, find a good pet store where they are experienced with fish. I have a 55 gallon tank, and have had a lot of enjoyment out of my fish. Never a goldfish, though. Always Tetra, Mollies, Platies and Cory (catfish, the cute little ones).
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Wild-Rose
Rejoice that your name is written in heaven. Luke 10:20
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RE: My goldfish are dying - 11/4/2008 11:51:46 AM
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Ps103
Posts: 11743
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A good rule of thumb is just to avoid buying anything alive from Walmart.
It's a **** shoot about whether or not they know anything at all about that department, as most Walmarts I have been to move the employees around to that department just when someone is there trying to buy something. So, while he was clueless, it is probably not his fault.
I would not put goldfish in a bowl. The only fish that would do well in a bowl would be fish that breathe air, like bettas and paradise fish. These fish are also *extremely* territorial, though, so you can only have one per container.
Despite what the guy said, bowls have very small surface areas--long, rectangular tanks have the highest.
If there is a small pet store in your town, I would go there. They will help you a lot more and have more knowledge. Second choice would be a "big-box" pet store, like Petsmart. They may charge more than ten cents per fish, but you won't have to replace them, so you will really come out ahead.
[ETA: the filter caught a word here. I was not swearing, I was refering to rolling dice  ]
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RE: My goldfish are dying - 11/4/2008 11:55:24 AM
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Ps103
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Bettas are good and fun, too.
Iggy the Betta is watching me type, right now.
They behave more like dogs than fish--they are really social and enjoy your company.
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Fasten your seatbelts...it's going to be a bumpy night.
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RE: My goldfish are dying - 11/4/2008 12:00:24 PM
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Mrs.X
Posts: 2943
Joined: 7/7/2005
From: Newberg, OR
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Yeah, you're probably right. There is a pet store in the next town, so we'll probably go there when we want to get another fish. I'm not sure if my landlord allows the nice big tanks with pumps and stuff, plus they are more money, so I think we'll stick with a bowl and get either the betta fish or paradise fish like you said.
I went and dropped off my fish at the neighbors. They are in their baggies now in his tank getting used to the temp. I'm sure they will do much better over there. He has a couple of those orange and white fish that look like they have big brains.
_____________________________
-Stina
From Sweet Grass to the Packin' House
A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. -Proverbs 15:1
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RE: My goldfish are dying - 11/9/2008 3:46:05 PM
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flyboy2610
Posts: 141
Joined: 5/10/2005
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Do not just fill a bowl with water and dump the fish in there. The chlorine in tap water will kill them. You can get special chemicals to neutralize the chlorine, though.
You need to get the bacteria cycle going. The bacteria neutralize the waste products from the fish so that they don't drown in the own waste products. Otherwise, it's like living in a toilet after a while.When you dumped the fish in the bowl, you pretty much doomed them.
Not trying to add guilt here, but that's a no-no.
Here is an article on how to get the bacteria cycle going for a new aquarium, or fish bowl.
http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquarium/cycling.php
And a general rule of thumb is one inch of fish length per gallon of water. And I agree with getting your fish someplace besides Wal-Mart.
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Red Green
If you're going to live like there's no hell..... you'd better be right.
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RE: My goldfish are dying - 11/10/2008 3:31:17 PM
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Mrs.X
Posts: 2943
Joined: 7/7/2005
From: Newberg, OR
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Oh, I actually didn't just "dump them in the bowl". I used bottled water and a drop of purifier chemical as recommended by Walmart fish department guy. And, I made sure they were used to the water before letting them out of their bag into the bowl. I didn't everything Walmart fish department guy recommended.
If you read my other posts, I gave the rest of the fish away to the neighbor with a fancy fish tank.
_____________________________
-Stina
From Sweet Grass to the Packin' House
A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. -Proverbs 15:1
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RE: My goldfish are dying - 11/10/2008 6:58:25 PM
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Mrs.X
Posts: 2943
Joined: 7/7/2005
From: Newberg, OR
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Thanks, Nicole. Yeah, betta fish sounds pretty nice. Or, maybe minnows.
_____________________________
-Stina
From Sweet Grass to the Packin' House
A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. -Proverbs 15:1
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RE: My goldfish are dying - 11/10/2008 7:09:52 PM
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Cloak
Posts: 4761
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From: Canada
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I had a neighbour who would give me the key of her apartment when she' away to feed her gold fish. Later, she would tell me how often she had gold fish dying and since they're cheap - she would buy them from a pet store, she would simply go there and buy another 2.
When I asked her about the reason why they would die so often, she said that being over-fed would kill them. So many be this is another tip you should consider - Stina.
Sorry to hear about the death of your beautiful goldfish, I hope you will feel well soon!
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Blessings!
And My God shall meet ALL Your Needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4: 19)
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RE: My goldfish are dying - 11/11/2008 4:17:36 PM
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laura...
Posts: 2924
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From: NE Ohio
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I kept a couple of goldfish in just a fish bowl with no extras for at least 6 month. I had to replace half the water every couple of days to keep the oxygen level up. I would ladle out half the water and fill the bowl back up with fresh water. If the fish started swimming up at the top like you described it was definitely time to change out some of the water. That was the sign that the oxygen level was getting too low.
About every 2 weeks I would put half the fish bowl water into another bowl and transfer the fish to that bowl in order to clean the rocks and the primary bowl. When I was done cleaning it I would fill the bowl half way with fresh water and put the fish with the old water from the temporary bowl back in. I never replaced all the water with fresh at once. It was alway half and half at the most.
My son had a beta that lived over 2 years. I've been thinking about getting some beta fish. It's been a long time since I've had any fish.
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This is what the Lord says: “Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls. But you reply, ‘No, that’s not the road we want!’ Jer 6:16
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RE: My goldfish are dying - 11/11/2008 4:40:36 PM
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Mrs.X
Posts: 2943
Joined: 7/7/2005
From: Newberg, OR
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Yeah, maybe that would have helped, Laura. I think that's how my neighbor does it. He doesn't have to clean his as often though because he has some machine in there that helps keep it clean, and he has some snails too.
_____________________________
-Stina
From Sweet Grass to the Packin' House
A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. -Proverbs 15:1
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I became one of those people I despise so much that get a pet and have no clue how to take care of it. Walmart has 90 day warantee on the fish, but I don't think I'll both driving 15 miles for $.10c each. My neighbor has a nice big freshwater tank, and he said he'll take my still living goldfish and care for them. I don't have the money for pumps or anything like that. 
