:scared: I am getting Natasha a fish! Haven't had goldfish before, got the tank today, medium sized to fit up to 5 fish, with a pump.

Any tips? I know I have to put the water in then leave it a few days before putting the fish in. The tank is second hand so I need to clean that, I'm assuming I can only use hot water, no detergent, not that it looks dirty.

Was hoping to set the tank up tomorrow then take Tash shopping for fish and assorted Spongebob Squarepants toys for the tank lol!

Use plain flower for the batter and don't overcook! :chef:

Use plain flower for the batter and don't overcook! :chef:

 

:lol::lol:

Lol! Apparently sparkling spring water or beer added to the batter makes it extra light and crispy

gold fish are pritty hardy fish compaired to tropics.

 

Tropics you have to wait for about 3 weeks for the water to do its thing.

 

Just fill the tank up with warm water. ie not freazing and put the fish in the tank while it is still in the bag, leave it in for about an hour for 2 then release it job done.

 

easyest fish to keep. youve brought up a little daughter so im sure you will cope :lol::lol:

gold fish are pritty hardy fish compaired to tropics.

 

Tropics you have to wait for about 3 weeks for the water to do its thing.

 

Just fill the tank up with warm water. ie not freazing and put the fish in the tank while it is still in the bag, leave it in for about an hour for 2 then release it job done.

 

easyest fish to keep. youve brought up a little daughter so im sure you will cope :lol::lol:

 

I'm sure I'll cope, will get 4 or 5 of them, at least 1 will inevitably be swimming sideways in a few days no doubt lol

I had a cat fish and for about 3 years it would only swim upside down :lol::lol:

I had a cat fish and for about 3 years it would only swim upside down :lol::lol:

 

I had one to but got fed up with the dog fish I had chasing it!

You put in normal tap water and use a water treatment and an additive to give the water the climate the fish can live in, clean the filter regularly and when changing for fresh water you do about a third of the tank with treated water again each time.

Im sure you can get away with doing no treatment, but thats what the pet store insist we do before adding fish. They wouldnt sell us more than 2 small goldfish or 5 tiny things for the size of the tank.

If you dont clean the water regularly or clean the filter, the water stinks.

just use normal tap water but always treat it, it gets ride of the clorine and other crap otherwise it rots the gills of fish apart from that as has been said change the water regulary but make sure the new water is room temperature so its temp as the stuff in the tank, u can give them treats of bloodworms aswell buy the live 1s much ncer for them than frozen and it should live for years

LOL! Best advice is never buy a marine setup!! I had Marine fish for a few years, amazing to keep but cost more than the zed to run LOL!! :ohmy:

an ammonia kit is a good investment, tbh the way to set the tank up properly, is get an ammonia / nitrate and nitrite kit. sort the tank out before you add the fish this way you wont get a problem with ill health. as much as gold fish are hardy buggers, they can still suffer when subjected to a tank that hasn't had time to get its balance right.

 

Set the tank up a good 3 weeks before you get your fish, get a stocking and add some frozen prawns, test the tank after 3 days (be warned the prawns will stink so best to have a lid of this) the tank will go all cloudy as the bacteria grow in the water. keep your filter running through out this whole process, test the tank what will happen is you will get a large spike of ammonia, followed by nitrite, both of which are poisonous to fish. clean out the prawns and add some fresh ones to the stocking. keep doing this and testing every 3 days, what you are looking for is the ammonia level to drop, and the nitrite to drop. and the nitrate to start. once you have nitrate that's when you have good bacteria.

 

Now continue doing the fresh prawns in the stocking in the tank with the filter running, until ammonia levels are at 0ppm, and nitrite levels are at 0ppm, and nitrate is quite high. now do a water change and take the prawns out. only do half a water change you need to keep some bacteria in the tank and then add the fish. then for the first week do a 1/3 water change every 3 days until the nitrate level comes down to around 10ppm.

 

after that its happy days, and just do a 1/3 water change every other week.

cheers for the helpful replies (ie not Dave ir Anth lol)

Gonna go to the pet store tomorrow, get all the gubbins. I remember my dad feeding his fish bloodworms, or tubifex worms when I was a kid, don't they stink too?

I will def clean the water and filter regularly, I don't like stinky :thumbdown:

cheers for the helpful replies (ie not Dave ir Anth lol)

Gonna go to the pet store tomorrow, get all the gubbins. I remember my dad feeding his fish bloodworms, or tubifex worms when I was a kid, don't they stink too?

I will def clean the water and filter regularly, I don't like stinky :thumbdown:

 

if you clean the filter you run the risk of killing your healthy bacteria, only clean half of the sponge inside the filter and rotate it. just remember that the chlorine in tap water kills the healthy bacteria in the tank, so always add a tap safe substance when changing.

an ammonia kit is a good investment, tbh the way to set the tank up properly, is get an ammonia / nitrate and nitrite kit. sort the tank out before you add the fish this way you wont get a problem with ill health. as much as gold fish are hardy buggers, they can still suffer when subjected to a tank that hasn't had time to get its balance right.

 

Set the tank up a good 3 weeks before you get your fish, get a stocking and add some frozen prawns, test the tank after 3 days (be warned the prawns will stink so best to have a lid of this) the tank will go all cloudy as the bacteria grow in the water. keep your filter running through out this whole process, test the tank what will happen is you will get a large spike of ammonia, followed by nitrite, both of which are poisonous to fish. clean out the prawns and add some fresh ones to the stocking. keep doing this and testing every 3 days, what you are looking for is the ammonia level to drop, and the nitrite to drop. and the nitrate to start. once you have nitrate that's when you have good bacteria.

 

Now continue doing the fresh prawns in the stocking in the tank with the filter running, until ammonia levels are at 0ppm, and nitrite levels are at 0ppm, and nitrate is quite high. now do a water change and take the prawns out. only do half a water change you need to keep some bacteria in the tank and then add the fish. then for the first week do a 1/3 water change every 3 days until the nitrate level comes down to around 10ppm.

 

after that its happy days, and just do a 1/3 water change every other week.

 

3 weeks?!!! Stinky prawns?!! Oh god, that is way more than I bargained for :blink: suddenly what I thought would be a cool, easy pet for Tash is turning into something entirely different. I bet the tank is still at work at the weekend, I def don't have time for that!! Lol

Hmm, back to square 1 re the pet situation!

3 weeks?!!! Stinky prawns?!! Oh god, that is way more than I bargained for :blink: suddenly what I thought would be a cool, easy pet for Tash is turning into something entirely different. I bet the tank is still at work at the weekend, I def don't have time for that!! Lol

Hmm, back to square 1 re the pet situation!

 

that is the problem, pet stores don't think of the health of the fish, people are not educated about fish keeping and think its easy, if you want less problems best to do it properly.

that is the problem, pet stores don't think of the health of the fish, people are not educated about fish keeping and think its easy, if you want less problems best to do it properly.

 

Or stick to my guns about not ever having another pet!!!

You don't have to do all that work with the prawns. Just get some Stress Coat for the water conditioning and Stress Zyme+ for the live filter bacteria.

 

Set the tank up and put the required amount of each in the water. Leave the tank with the filter running for a couple of days and then add a couple of fish. Don't put all 5 of the fish in at once as this will upset the balance. Leave a couple of weeks, then add another one. Do this until you've got the five goldfish you want.

 

Make sure you put the tank in a good position away from direct sunlight and radiators.

Every time you change the water or clean the filter add some more of the stress stuff.

 

Oh, and don't over feed them..

You don't have to do all that work with the prawns. Just get some Stress Coat for the water conditioning and Stress Zyme+ for the live filter bacteria.

 

Set the tank up and put the required amount of each in the water. Leave the tank with the filter running for a couple of days and then add a couple of fish. Don't put all 5 of the fish in at once as this will upset the balance. Leave a couple of weeks, then add another one. Do this until you've got the five goldfish you want.

 

Make sure you put the tank in a good position away from direct sunlight and radiators.

Every time you change the water or clean the filter add some more of the stress stuff.

 

Oh, and don't over feed them..

 

id much rather take my time and do it properly than risk it with that quick start stuff. most peoples fish die with in the first month due to not setting up the tank properly. anyway jane why do you want a gold fish when you could have one of these, this is my old fish oscar (yes i know, inventive name for a oscar)

We had an Oscar when I was Tash's age, the cat always liked the look of it - til he stuck his paw in and the fish went for it! He steered clear after that!!

 

Ta for the replies everyone

id much rather take my time and do it properly than risk it with that quick start stuff. most peoples fish die with in the first month due to not setting up the tank properly. anyway jane why do you want a gold fish when you could have one of these, this is my old fish oscar (yes i know, inventive name for a oscar)

 

If your setting up a large tropical or marine tank then I'd agree with you mate, but what I suggested for goldfish is perfectly safe for them. I've being doing this for twenty years and not had a problem.

 

Nice Oscar by the way but I'd have called him Brian :tt2:

If your setting up a large tropical or marine tank then I'd agree with you mate, but what I suggested for goldfish is perfectly safe for them. I've being doing this for twenty years and not had a problem.

 

Nice Oscar by the way but I'd have called him Brian :tt2:

 

my oscar and my tinfoil barb, yes he really was bigger than the Oscar and they were inseparable lol, and also my 16 and half inch Gibbycepts

I bought my daughter some tropical fish and a turtle a few years ago for her birthday, I don't need to worry about the fish anymore as the turtle ate of them all except one.

Even bought another a turtle instead of getting more fish and it ate that aswell!

just fill up the tank a few days before and leave to stand . ideally with some airation going on . get a few plants in there to help the oxygen levels . i nearly forgot this , make sure your tank is stood on a bit of polstyrene ie ceiling tiles to take the stresses out of the glass . once your tanks been at room temp for a couple of days as others have said place the fish in their bags into the tank and float them for half an hour to level out the temp . regarding your fish you are best to go for standard golfish . fish with big fancy fins are prone to desease . keep it simple to start with and dont overfeed them .

dont forget the chips

I bought my daughter some tropical fish and a turtle a few years ago for her birthday, I don't need to worry about the fish anymore as the turtle ate of them all except one.

Even bought another a turtle instead of getting more fish and it ate that aswell!

:lol::lol::lol: sorry mate but thats just too funny