Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Dear experts-

I am writing on behalf of my friend who has been trying to set up a goldfish tank for a couple of months now. (I have bettas, so I don't know much about goldfish.)

First the facts: She has a 10-gallon tank with a waterwheel filter and a heater. She started out with one fish and all went well. She had the water tested and it seemed fine. She then added two fishes. Soon one got sick and died. Then the other. She got two new ones. The first one would die. To make a long story short, the fishes kept dying on her (after a week or so) even though the water tested well. The temperature, however, stayed at about 80F even though she had it turned to the lowest setting. The water also evaporated rapidly, so the water level was rather low at all times. Finally, the fishes had ick, and she treated the tank with the medicine from the store.

She just now called me and said her last fish is belly-up as well, and that there are many, many tiny fuzzy things attached to the glass. (Similar to dandelion seeds, but much smaller.)

Any advice how she could start over and do it right this time? I thought she should get rid of the heater. Is that correct? I also thought she should stick to one fish for a while.

What do you think? Thanks for any help with this.

Carolin

Hi there --
I am the friend that Carolin wrote about (thanks, Carolin!). I just wanted to add one piece of info to Carolin's correct description of our problems. The tank is fully clycled - I have had the water tested about every week and was given the info that it is fine (don't know the exact levels, though).
Please send us your ideas - especially what those fuzzy things are that are clinging to the windows. Some parasite? Will I need to get clean out the whole tank and start a new cycle?
I hope our fish will survive!
Silke

I am by far an expert on goldfish, but I do know a thing or two about them. She shouldn't have a heater for the goldfish, as they are cold water species and like it about 65-70 degrees F. Her fish may have suffocated because the temperature was too high for them (my first possible explanation). Water evaporation would be the same as the above explanation as well as maybe she needs a lid for the aquarium.
If it were my tank, and my fish died from ick, I would completely clean the tank (i.e.: start all over again because ick can survive in the water and especially if she is putting new fish back in the aquarium - bad).
As for the fuzzy things... that's not very descriptive, but I am going to take a stab at it anyways... could be nematodes (usually not harmful although there are parasitic species). A fresh start would also get rid of these guys.
One fish for a while is a good theory. You can try that out just to see how things go.

So... do you currently have a fish in the tank? I'm confused. If you still have a fish, you shouldn't start over yet and you will need to try to give a better description than fuzzy things. However, if you don't have any fish currently, I would suggest to you that you start over. Use a 50/50 bleach/water mix to sterilize your tank, and make sure you rinse it until you can't smell ANY bleach. Then leave it to sit (outside in the sun if possible - that is if it's not snowing where you are) for at least 24 hours before adding water to it.

Also, check out the link below on proper cycling.
How to set up your aquarium

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Phishie

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

Thanks, Phishie! I let Silke describe the "fuzzy" things.

I think starting over is a good idea. Thanks for the link. I just had no idea how complex this is. I guess bettas are pretty hardy because I had no idea what's happening.

Thanks again.
Carolin

You are right, bettas are hardy (plus their natural habitat is a mud puddle in Thailand). However, goldfish are also considered to be hardy as well.
Also, who is Silke and where is the post? If you're starting over it doesn't really matter what the fuzzy things were because if you do the 50/50 bleach solution everything will be sterilized so you shouldn't have any re-occurrences.
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Phishie

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

Silke is the one who owns the goldfish tank we are discussing. She posted under FLYwantfish right after my first post. Not sure what the situatiuon is at this point.
Thanks again
Carolin

Oh ok. I'll wait for the post I guess. I hope everything is going well.
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Phishie

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."