Goldfish/shubunkin disliking tank light

[crmpicco]

Hi,

My goldfish (5 yrs old) and shubunkin (3 months old) appear to be taking a dislike to the fluorescent tank lights. When I put them on within 1-5 seconds they are hiding underneath the filter together, similarly when I turn the light off they're out and swimming about like normal within seconds.

They have gone through periods of this before, but I can't seem to understand what the problem is?

Has anyone else experienced this before? The light isn't flickering or anything so i'm at a loss as to why they behave this way.

Cheers,
Picco

[Fishguy2727]

What size tank is it?
What kind of goldfish is the five year old 'goldfish'?
Do they stay hidden all day while the lights are on, or do they relax after a while and come out?
Any pics of the tank?

[crmpicco]

What size tank is it?
What kind of goldfish is the five year old 'goldfish'?
Do they stay hidden all day while the lights are on, or do they relax after a while and come out?
Any pics of the tank?

The tank is 70ltrs - Hagen Tropiquarium 68

The 5 year old goldie is a comet.

Very rarely do I see them come out when the light is on, certainly recently anyway. Although, when I turned the light off earlier they came out then ran back in

I don't have any pics on this laptop of the fish hiding out under the filter, but I do have this that shows the filter and the fish :)

Do you think it could be related to the small drop in temperature at this time of year? The tank water seems to be down a couple of degrees. It's now around 14-15 degrees celsius.



What do you think?

[Fishguy2727]

I think the five year old is severely stunted. That is a pond fish capable of obtaining 12" or more in size, no fish for a 17 gallon tank. I think the last thing that should have happened is is to add a second one. I think you need to do one of three things: 1-buy them a tank that is at least 125 gallons 2-build them a pond or 3-give them to someone who has one of these.

I think the light issue is pointless to discuss since they should be re-homed.

[crmpicco]

I think the five year old is severely stunted. That is a pond fish capable of obtaining 12" or more in size, no fish for a 17 gallon tank. I think the last thing that should have happened is is to add a second one. I think you need to do one of three things: 1-buy them a tank that is at least 125 gallons 2-build them a pond or 3-give them to someone who has one of these.

I think the light issue is pointless to discuss since they should be re-homed.

I understand what you're saying here, it's been in my mind for a while. My mother-in-law has a pond, but i'd be gutted to see him put in the pond as I wouldn't see him all that much. What will happen to him if I don't move him to the pond? Similarly, what will happen if I leave him in my tank?

Unfortunately, I don't have enough space for a bigger tank at this moment in time.

With regards to the light issue, do you think this could be a red herring? Could the slight drop in temperature be causing him some distress?

Cheers.

[Fishguy2727]

If you care about the well being of the fish and not your enjoyment you will put it in the pond.

[crmpicco]

If you care about the well being of the fish and not your enjoyment you will put it in the pond.

I understand.

He does seem to be behaving quite strangely over the past few weeks, maybe even month now. For instance, I just done a 30% water change; added AquaSafe and a small touch of ammonia remover too. Once I had finished I put the tank light on and he was straight under the filter. I turned the tank light off and he came back out, swam around for 15-20 seconds and then went back under the filter. He has been there since and that was 10 minutes ago

Do you think something other than tank light is causing him to behave in this way? I have noticed little other change in him other than his two main gills at the side of his head (sorry don't know the real name) seem more "closed" than they used to be. Normally, when he would be swimming around they'd be opening and closing all the time but they look sort or sunken/collapsed. Is there a possibility this is a symptom of his behaviour recently?

[j250nyahweh]

Goldfish are extremely dirty fish. So first you should have double filtration for your tank, meaning if you've got a 17 gallon you need at least 34 gallons worth of filtration.
I think your fish is probably hanging out near the filter because that's where the "freshest" water is coming into the tank. In a tank that small the ammonia build up is what is probably going to kill your fish, and is probably killing your fish as we speak judging from his activity.
If ammonia doesn't do your fish in then stunted growth in a massively undersized tank will. Basically his internal organs grow while his 'frame' remains the same size resulting in what I would assume would be a really painful way to die. Think of a water balloon bursting when the rubber can no longer contain the volume of water being pumped into the balloon. Of course your fish won't 'burst,' it'll die long before it gets to that.
So either reconcile yourself with the fact that you did probably give him a longer life than if a child who would put it in a bowl bought him instead of you, and say our goodbyes, or let him live the full 20+ years he was meant to in the pond.

Good luck, I know it's hard, we love our fish too and would hate to give them up if we had too. Your's is a beautiful fish, but just imagine what he'd look like at a foot long!

[Fishguy2727]

Not that the overall message is wrong, but that is not how stunting works. The internal organs do not simply keep growing to max size while the 'frame' stops growing. I have heard this idea over and over but I have never seen a single piece of factual information to support the idea. It seems to me to be another over-regurgitated myth that won't die. But like I said, the bottom line is the same, stunting is extremely unhealthy.

[j250nyahweh]

Thanks for the clarification, fishguy. You have at least killed that myth in my brain