Regular Member soulkat2005 Posted February 28, 2007 Regular Member Share Posted February 28, 2007 I'm hearing all these things about being a bad pet owner for having your fish in such a small tank, but I think my fish are happy in my 10 gallon tank... at night they sleep huddled and I know they are fond of eachother, I can't imagine just having one all alone... that would be sad I've made a video of them if you want to see... the big white goldfish didn't always use to be that big, he was a prize I won @ a festival last year, he grew a lot, and when I picked him, I wanted to take home and care for him because he looked kinda sickly , but now he's really healthy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRycLfJmhRE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member dknygrlie4 Posted February 28, 2007 Regular Member Share Posted February 28, 2007 while possible to house more than 1 goldfish in a 10gallon tank...it's not suggested. it makes for a harder life on the goldie. the suggested 10 gallon rule makes for better water params, healthier fish, more swimming space, etc. after all, is it possible for a human to live in a tiny, miniscule room...but it doesn't make for a happy, healthy life! Is getting a bigger tank out of the question? ideally, at least a 40 gallon tank with frequent water changes that way, you don't have to separate them. i know it might be difficult, but it's great in the long run. i started my poor goldfish in a 1 gallon tank for the first couple months i had him, now he has a 20gallon to himself. and he has grown significantly (once he was moved to a bigger tank). and he's more active b/c of all his free space to roam around in. welcome to kokos! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member d_golem Posted February 28, 2007 Regular Member Share Posted February 28, 2007 Hmm they do look okay, and your tank look lovely. Before I say anything or give any advice, can u tell me your water change regime (ie. 50% once a week)? And if you can, post the test results for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, if u have any test kits. 4 goldfish and 2 cories in a 10 gal is, hmmm how should I say this, not ideal at all. Can you picture a full-grown 8-10 inch goldfish in a 10 gallon tank? Not much space, isn't it. More water volume not only means more rrom to swim, it means the toxins is more diluted and therefore less harmful to the fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member viscosity2004 Posted February 28, 2007 Regular Member Share Posted February 28, 2007 As dkny mentioned, it's strongly suggested to get 10-gallons per fish. While parameters may be okay in the short-run, long-run in small volumes have been known to knock a mighty blow to even the healthiest of goldfishies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Bob the Goldfish Posted February 28, 2007 Regular Member Share Posted February 28, 2007 soulkat2005, are you loco? They can barely move in there! That's a ten gallon tank with 4 medium-large Goldfish, and two Emerald Catfish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Kimma Posted February 28, 2007 Regular Member Share Posted February 28, 2007 I have to agree with the above posts. Your tank is very overstocked. They might look healthy but the possibility of them growing to their FULL potential is slim to none! Do you know what your water paramaters are? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member viscosity2004 Posted February 28, 2007 Regular Member Share Posted February 28, 2007 Btw, did you also get this tank in a kit? If so, I believe you're using a either a small Whisper or a Top Fin filter and that's only 80-GPH. I'd be very worried about your parameters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member SpaceCakeGirl Posted February 28, 2007 Regular Member Share Posted February 28, 2007 I know it's hard to hear that you might not be doing the best thing for your fish. I first had a 2 gallon tank with 1 fish and he got really sick and almost died. Then I had a 10 gallon tank with three small goldies (about 2" each including tail) and they were not happy at all. I lost one and the other two were starting to become ill. I got a 200 gph filter and that helped, but not a super lot. Now I have two in a 29 gallon tank and they are SO MUCH HAPPIER. They are growing and they swim around and I swear, I can tell they're happier! It wasn't expensive, either. I went to craiglist.org and found my city. Then I checked every day for a nice fish tank. I finally found a 29 gallon tank for $20! I e-mailed the seller and told her that it would make my fish happy so she picked me out of everyone. So cool. And it is honestly much easier to take care of. I change less water now than I did before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member glitterfish Posted February 28, 2007 Regular Member Share Posted February 28, 2007 Also isnt the white one a single tail? They need a little more room than the fancies. Welcome to Koko's by the way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Jeana727 Posted February 28, 2007 Regular Member Share Posted February 28, 2007 Well Welcome....you have come here just as many of us did.....Too many fish & not enough water!! You will definately need a bigger tank ASAP. I suggest getting the biggest you can afford! Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member soulkat2005 Posted February 28, 2007 Author Regular Member Share Posted February 28, 2007 u_U* Thanx for the welcoming, but not the part about making me feel bad... hehe, I know it would be really cool to have a bigger tank, for the fish that is. but it's not really possible, my family used to have a 75 gallon tank but it broke a while back, they used to keep saltwater fish, but that tank took up a WHOLE wall, and we just really don't have the room anymore. we live in a small apartment. About the filter I'm using, it is a whisper I purchased a month ago because my other one broke, but its for a 10 gallon tank and it's 90 gph... but I change the water, I take out about 15 to 20 percent a week, and I leave the clean water overnight so its ready the next day. I have an ammonia free and stress ease formula that I add with each change. Do you think it would be wise to get an in water filter as well... OH WAIT! do you guys know if they make tanks that are the same width and length as the 10 gallon but is much taller? that's the only things I think I can use right now, I'm not sure but, I'll ask my mom what she thinks about upgrading... u_u thanx for the replies, and I'm sorry if I hurt your eyes when you saw the movie... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member d_golem Posted February 28, 2007 Regular Member Share Posted February 28, 2007 One thing u can do, is to change more percentage (50% or more is good) when u change water. It'll go a long way to making sure ur fish is healthy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member soulkat2005 Posted February 28, 2007 Author Regular Member Share Posted February 28, 2007 Hey thanx! 50% sounds like a lot but with all those fish it's probably best! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member soulkat2005 Posted February 28, 2007 Author Regular Member Share Posted February 28, 2007 u_U* Thanx for the welcoming, but not the part about making me feel bad... hehe, I know it would be really cool to have a bigger tank, for the fish that is. but it's not really possible, my family used to have a 75 gallon tank but it broke a while back, they used to keep saltwater fish, but that tank took up a WHOLE wall, and we just really don't have the room anymore. we live in a small apartment. About the filter I'm using, it is a whisper I purchased a month ago because my other one broke, but its for a 10 gallon tank and it's 90 gph... but I change the water, I take out about 15 to 20 percent a week, and I leave the clean water overnight so its ready the next day. I have an ammonia free and stress ease formula that I add with each change. Do you think it would be wise to get an in water filter as well... OH WAIT! do you guys know if they make tanks that are the same width and length as the 10 gallon but is much taller? that's the only things I think I can use right now, I'm not sure but, I'll ask my mom what she thinks about upgrading... u_u thanx for the replies, and I'm sorry if I hurt your eyes when you saw the movie... OOH, I asked my mom how much gallons the old tank we used to have had, and she said it was like 100... HOLY CRAP! I need to find a picture of it. I wish we still had it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member viscosity2004 Posted February 28, 2007 Regular Member Share Posted February 28, 2007 You shouldn't give up large tanks just b/c of the size! There's a large difference between a 100 and a 75 and a 55. You may be able to get a good enough tank (if not bigger) that'd fit well in your apartment. Check out this link: http://freshaquarium.about.com/cs/tipsandt.../bltanksize.htm It's a list of common tank dimensions and weights. Take a tape measure around your home and maybe a larger tank might not be as impossible as you think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member soulkat2005 Posted March 1, 2007 Author Regular Member Share Posted March 1, 2007 I ran some tests on my tank today and everything was normal, but I noticed that my air pump was outdated and soo I baught a nice new High powered one and WOOT! The filter is working much better now, the water is actualy circulating now. and looks cleaner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member d_golem Posted March 1, 2007 Regular Member Share Posted March 1, 2007 I ran some tests on my tank today and everything was normal Define "normal". Please mention specific values. "Normal" is of little use in diagnosing the circumstance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member viscosity2004 Posted March 1, 2007 Regular Member Share Posted March 1, 2007 I ran some tests on my tank today and everything was normal, but I noticed that my air pump was outdated and soo I baught a nice new High powered one and WOOT! The filter is working much better now, the water is actualy circulating now. and looks cleaner. I'm a little confused. What does having an airpump have to do with your filter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member SpaceCakeGirl Posted March 1, 2007 Regular Member Share Posted March 1, 2007 I understand the space issue FOR SURE! I am only allowed to have pets that can be contained in a cage and that cage/aquarium/whatever must be in my room. My room is 9'x10' and I have a full size bed, a small dresser, and two bookcases with over 300 books! There is just not very much wall/surface space for a tank! I was really lucky when I found my tank. It was advertised as a 30 gallon but turned out to be a 29. It was only a one gallon difference in VOLUME, but the SHAPE of the tank is very different. The tank is much taller so is a lot shorter in length and width. It fits my dresser perfectly. Of course I had to re-arrange some things and move all that stuff off my dresser! But it worked out okay. Although we always recomend that you upgrade to the FINAL size you want to have, to save you the trouble of buying a slightly bigger tank, a slightly bigger filter, etc and having to change your fish/water/decorations (it took hours, I had no idea it could be such a huge task!), but for you even getting a 29 gallon would GREATLY improve your fish's situation - you don't need a big fancy 100 gallon tank, you know? Also 50% water changes sounds about right to me! Especially with such a small filter. I had a 200gph filter with three LITTLE fish and I was doing 40-60% changes a day! Is your tank cycled? What are your readings for ammonia and nitrite? How are you doing water changes? Changing 5 gallons isn't too bad, it just depends how you do it. I went to the store and bought a 2.5 gallon bucket ($3) and the smallest "gravel vaccum"/siphon that they sold ($3.50). The water takes itself out, I only had to do two buckets worth, and while the water was being sucked out of the tank I'd be doing general fishkeeping stuff. Testing my water, cleaning anything inside/outside/etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member LaurieP Posted March 1, 2007 Regular Member Share Posted March 1, 2007 Hi Soulkat2005, welcome to the site. It is good to have new members. One thing though, if you could make your signature picture smaller (about half that size) would be great. Our members with dial up would so appreciate that. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member soulkat2005 Posted March 1, 2007 Author Regular Member Share Posted March 1, 2007 I ran some tests on my tank today and everything was normal, but I noticed that my air pump was outdated and soo I baught a nice new High powered one and WOOT! The filter is working much better now, the water is actualy circulating now. and looks cleaner. I'm a little confused. What does having an airpump have to do with your filter? I guess because the water is circulating more... o_o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member soulkat2005 Posted March 1, 2007 Author Regular Member Share Posted March 1, 2007 Hi Soulkat2005, welcome to the site. It is good to have new members. One thing though, if you could make your signature picture smaller (about half that size) would be great. Our members with dial up would so appreciate that. Thanks. Hey Laurie, I made the pic smaller in file size, is that better? it's less than half of what it was before! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kiki Lola Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 I feel awful after reading that I keep 4 small goldfish (the smallest is about 2cm and is very young and the longest at the moment is about 5" including tail and fins) in an 8 gallon tank!!!!! (though I was planning anyway to get a gigantic tank for them all) What would people recommend, size wize? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member LaurieP Posted March 2, 2007 Regular Member Share Posted March 2, 2007 It is still coming across as the same size as before. Hmmm, maybe try again? Kiki Lola, it is best if you start your own thread. We would be happy to help you out, but when threads are intermingled it can get confusing. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kiki Lola Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 Ah okay - sorry! (Newbie alert! Hehe) Will do that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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