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[korinna5555]

We are getting my stepdad (Sam) a cockatiel for Christmas.. he has been wanting one FOREVER..
My family also has a pinto pony named Oreo, a mini donkey named Mikey, a Sheltie named Lady (or Bitchface, if you ask Sam), a mutt dog named Nick, and we have this human-like football-playing creature named Zach that lives in the basement. My mum says he's my brother, but I don't know..
At my dad's house, we have a Rottweiler named Macey, two black&white cats named Oreo and Mouser, and a calico named Iona/Noonie.

I need to go out and feed the horses now..

[Underwater Ophelia]

Originally Posted by honeythorn

There is no such thing as mini goldfish. Goldfish themselves are a species of dwarf carp. Your goldfish is just young. You MUST get at least a 4 foot long, 55 gallon tank for that fish, as they have an adult size of at least 10 inches

I also hope you aren't keeping it in with guppies as they are tropical fish and require a heater. Likewise golds should not be kept in a heated tank as they are a coldwater species.

I'm really glad you posted this, because I'm a fish person, and it really bothers me how people love to have fish, but don't love actually take care of them.

[korinna5555]

My dad (the asshole) has a 7" goldfish, a 3-4" koi, and a 3" goldfish in.. a 20 gallon tank.

Ophie and Honeythorn, please do me a favor and kill him now.

[Underwater Ophelia]

Originally Posted by korinna5555

My dad (the asshole) has a 7" goldfish, a 3-4" koi, and a 3" goldfish in.. a 20 gallon tank.

Ophie and Honeythorn, please do me a favor and kill him now.

...why aren't they dead?

[korinna5555]

I don't know.. he overfeeds them, too.

[honeythorn]

Originally Posted by Underwater Ophelia

...why aren't they dead?

Golds and koi are incredibly tough fish. Which why many can survive the horrendous conditions millions of ignorant fuckers keep them in. I'm sure most people, me included, have at one point in their lives kept a goldfish in a small tank with no filter, ( I had mine for 11 years from when I was 1 year old ) .

Since I now know better, I won't keep goldfish at all. I don't have space for a 500-2000 gallon pond in my garden, and no room in the house for a 4-6 foot long tank.

Korinna, does your dad's tank at least have a filter? Is there no way you can convince him to rehouse the fish? ( although they will more than likely be severely stunted anyway if they've been in there more than a year ) The Koi alone should have an adult size of at least 2 feet long+. I have seen some absolute monster Koi in my time. The two golds could go in a filtered 55 gallon as long as no other fish were added. That would make a decent setup for them if done properly.

The koi should be rehomed if there isn't a large pond.

[honeythorn]

This is my 30 gallon

]

[korinna5555]

It does have a filter, but he never changes it.
He would never put them in a larger tank because he would need to buy one, and he is a cheap bastard.
He's had them in there two years.. the poor babies.

[Solumina]

awww poor fishies, I really wish that I had room for a 50 gallon tank so that I could get some without cramping them but as I like in a somewhat small apartment there really isn't room for one. Oh well, no fishies for now

[Crying_Crimson_Tears]

Well I don't think the 'goldfish' I have is really a goldfish, for one it's small and doesn't have the characteristics of one, and two I won it at a fair.

And yes they all live in the same tank. And the guy at the fish store told me my guppies did not need a heated tank nor the other fish did.

They've been living like that for months.

But thanks for the advice anyway.

And thanks everyone for the name help.

[honeythorn]

Originally Posted by Crying_Crimson_Tears

I won it at a fair.

Never get fish from fairs.They are poorly kept and usually surplus stock from people who have allowed them to breed.

And the guy at the fish store told me my guppies did not need a heated tank nor the other fish did.

Wrong. They are a tropical species. This is a fact of nature. They originate from Central America, the Carribean, and South America. They require a heater to be at optimum conditions. They can certainly survive without one, but since they come from warm waters it is logical that they need one . The fact that this idiot told you that a tropical species doesn't need a heater speaks volumes about the petstore. Was it a chain store by any chance? like petsmart or petco , ect? I can tell you straight off that many ( not all ) petstore employees know very little about the animals they sell. After all, to the store the animals are simply produce, there to be gotten rid of by people in part time jobs so they can get more in and sell those.

They've been living like that for months.

.

All the more reason to do something about it. May I ask what size tank they are in?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not having a go at you, It just really bothers me when people don't keep specialised animals the way they should because of bad advice. And trust me, you have been given bad advice there.

Do you have any pictures of the setup?

[Crying_Crimson_Tears]

I didn't think you were trying to have a go at me. I understand that you telling me the facts.

And I am not allowed to post pics on the internet.

And it's only 2 gallons. I couldn't afford a bigger one. Hopefully for Christmas I will be getting a ten gallon one, and I'll ask for a heater.

And so far the fish I won at the fair has been alive for months.

The pet store wasn't a chain pet store. It's a privately owned one. He said that the guppies could be kept at room temp and they would be fine.

[honeythorn]

Originally Posted by Crying_Crimson_Tears

And it's only 2 gallons. I couldn't afford a bigger one. Hopefully for Christmas I will be getting a ten gallon one, and I'll ask for a heater.

2 GALLONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Christ on a bike.....ask for a 20 gallon if you can ( about 2 feet long ) and a filter. A filter is the most important peice of equipment you need for a tank. Google the nitrogen cycle for aquaria and you will see why.

Five guppies will be fine in a ten, but if you don't know what the other one is...Also, guppies are livebearers ( which is fairly self explanatory ) and breed like crazy. You will need more than one tank if you wish to avoid a population problem.

With regards to the mystery fish, have a look on the net for basic tropical fish species. And then copy + paste a pic of one from a site, that looks like what you have.

If the guy sold you basic starter fish then I will make a rough guess that, being orange it may be a mollly or a Platy.

I can promise you the guy is wrong on the heater business. Just set it to 24-26 degrees C and that will be fine for them.

How often do you change the water? and do you use a dechlorinator? This is very important, since while chlorine makes water ok for us to drink, it is extremely bad for fish.


You really need to look at fishkeeping websites and books. They make all the difference

[Methadrine]

I had lots and lots of guppies (I love the colours on them) when I was a kid. In a proper aquarium too, with heat and all.

Unfortunately, my cats liked guppies too.

[honeythorn]

Originally Posted by Methadrine

I had lots and lots of guppies (I love the colours on them) when I was a kid. In a proper aquarium too, with heat and all.

Unfortunately, my cats liked guppies too.

Aww poor liddle guppies!! . Hang on...how did the cats get in?

[Methadrine]

Originally Posted by honeythorn

Aww poor liddle guppies!! . Hang on...how did the cats get in?

From above. There was these glassplates with one of the corners cut off so one could lift it... well, the cats figured this out too. So that made me tape them down, which did stop the cats for about a week then suddenly they apparently remembered they had sharp claws and scratched the tape away one day.

Then I got duct-tape and THAT solved it. Damn smart cats if you ask me, but not smart enough to have three or four little accidental swims in the aquarium. Ah, those were the days... *sighs happily*

[honeythorn]

Originally Posted by Methadrine

From above. There was these glassplates with one of the corners cut off so one could lift it... well, the cats figured this out too. So that made me tape them down, which did stop the cats for about a week then suddenly they apparently remembered they had sharp claws and scratched the tape away one day.

Then I got duct-tape and THAT solved it. Damn smart cats if you ask me, but not smart enough to have three or four little accidental swims in the aquarium. Ah, those were the days... *sighs happily*

Ahhhhh I seeee. I had to buy a new hood for my tank ( it was secondhand and had no hood at all ) . But I have no cats anymore, so I don't have that problem . Instead, my fish always think they are about to be fed because the bird walks up and down on top of the hood, and the vibrations make them crazy .

[Crying_Crimson_Tears]

Originally Posted by honeythorn

2 GALLONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Christ on a bike.....ask for a 20 gallon if you can ( about 2 feet long ) and a filter. A filter is the most important peice of equipment you need for a tank. Google the nitrogen cycle for aquaria and you will see why.

Five guppies will be fine in a ten, but if you don't know what the other one is...Also, guppies are livebearers ( which is fairly self explanatory ) and breed like crazy. You will need more than one tank if you wish to avoid a population problem.

With regards to the mystery fish, have a look on the net for basic tropical fish species. And then copy + paste a pic of one from a site, that looks like what you have.

If the guy sold you basic starter fish then I will make a rough guess that, being orange it may be a mollly or a Platy.

I can promise you the guy is wrong on the heater business. Just set it to 24-26 degrees C and that will be fine for them.

How often do you change the water? and do you use a dechlorinator? This is very important, since while chlorine makes water ok for us to drink, it is extremely bad for fish.


You really need to look at fishkeeping websites and books. They make all the difference

I don't change the water. I never had. I've always had a filter and elodea. The water has never been murky or anything. And he said having six fish in a 2 gallon tank would be fine. And all my guppies are males.

http://www.fishlore.com/Pictures/Profiles/Guppy.jpg
They all look like that.

[honeythorn]

Originally Posted by Crying_Crimson_Tears

I don't change the water. I never had. I've always had a filter and elodea. The water has never been murky or anything. And he said having six fish in a 2 gallon tank would be fine. And all my guppies are males.

http://www.fishlore.com/Pictures/Profiles/Guppy.jpg
They all look like that.

I think my head is going to explode.

OK. The reason you MUST do regular water changes, is because fish waste ( piss and shit, uneaten food ..) Contains high levels of ammonia. The levels build and build, and cause severe stress to your fishes bodies and breathing. Effectively they are poisoned by their own waste. Ammonia, nitrites and nitrates are all invisible to the naked eye. The fishes immune systems weaken and they are then very susceptible to all manner of nasty diseases such as whitespot, velvet disease, swimbladder disease, dropsy, pop eye, bloating, fin rot, ulcerations of the skin.....the list goes on :/

( have you ever smelt ammonia? how it stings the eyes and nose? imagine living in a tiny enclosed space with that in the air, and no ventilation )


Basically, when you add a filter to a tank , the sponges or other filter media ( the stuff you occasionally change for fresh inside the cannister ) grow a few types of bacteria on them. These bacteria convert the ammonia into nitrites, which are less harmful to fish, but still not remotely good to have in a tank. Then they are converted by a different bacteria into nitrates, which are less harmful still, but need to be removed as well. Live plants take in some nitrates by the roots, but that still leaves a lot in the water.

This where you come in.

You need to remove the excess nitrates and anything else, by doing once weekly water changes with dechlorinated water ( you can get dechlorinator in bottles from fish stores ) that has been brought to the same temp as the remaining tankwater. Don't take all the water out of the tank and change it, as you will remove a lot of the friendly bacteria that help to keep the tank cycle stable. Just take half.

Since your current tank is so small, you really need to do 25-50% water changes every 3 days or so.


I am flabbergasted at the lack of info and bad advice you have been given. I am no expert by any stretch of the imagination, but these are the absolute basics of fish care !

I know your fish look fine, and have been that way for months, but you ARE seriously damaging their health by not changing the water ( remember, you can't see their piss, which contains the most ammonia ) especially in such a small space. The ammonia builds up far more rapidly in small spaces, and that bit of elodia is nowhere near enough to naturally filter out the waste of 1 fish let alone 6.

[Crying_Crimson_Tears]

I'll keep that in mind. I'll start to change the water and keep my babies happy.

[honeythorn]

Originally Posted by Crying_Crimson_Tears

I'll keep that in mind. I'll start to change the water and keep my babies happy.

Great stuff Don't forget to ask about a bigger tank. A 2 gallon is seriously inhumane. A ten gallon is the absolute bare minimum for those fish. And such a tank isn't large at all. About 18 inches long. It's better to have a tank longer than it is deep. A bigger surface area will allow more oxygen to infuse with the water, which is what your fish need of course

[korinna5555]

I used to breed guppies in a 20-gal.. the babies were so cute

My cat has never hurt my fish, but she will sit on top of the hood and flick water in my face.. crazy cat..

[Noumi]

I want a turtle. I had one when I was little girl, but I accidentally killed it =S .

[Haunted House]

So I've discovered that a medium coffee, a breakfast bagel sandwhich, and two packs of Camels plus tax at 7-Eleven comes out to exactly $13.34. Lollerzing.

[Godslayer Jillian]

Hah, that should be an interesting thing to do, see what's the gothiest things you can buy for exactly $13.34