Concerned for my goldfish

**hr87** · 04-13-2012, 05:33 PM

Originally Posted by Joonkun

tanks have to cycle. ammonia is a by products of things like rotting food, fish waste, and what they expell through their gills. high levels ammonia makes fish more suseptable to disease and can outright kill them. goldfish can get pretyy large 8+ inches fairly easily.

So he could get that from going into a clean tank? It had a little water from the pond because I had to get him into a cup to scoop him out. I know to clean fish tanks out regularly, we did as children help our parents with cleaning them out.

And Rory is about 6-7inches already. I know they can get big, but I've always been lead to believe they grow as big as they can comfortably to live in. Or is that a misconception?

**Joonkun** · 04-13-2012, 05:56 PM

they will grow to their surrounding to an extent, but this often cause massive internal defections and bad fish health. if your tank isint cycled or isint treated with dechlorinator then yes into a "clean" tank is bad. filters are used as the bacteria that grows removed ammonia. and goldfish produce ammonia very quickly. this leads to the water becoming bad quickly which is why even with good maintanace the water becaomes toxic to the fish. yeah 8+ easily alot can get well over a foot long, additionally because they are one of the high bio-load (bio-load meaning producing waste/ammonia ect.) larger tanks are always recommended as these take more time for the water to become contaminated.

**guppymummy** · 04-13-2012, 05:57 PM

Are you using a water conditioner? You must get the Chlorine and Chloramines out of the tap water or those will do him in.

Good for you getting him a bigger tank. Goldfish are not the easiest fish as most are led to believe.

**hr87** · 04-13-2012, 07:49 PM

I guess we were really lucky with our fish with just a standard plastic tank, we never had any problems with them like this.

Rory is back outside now and not doing the gasping thing at the surface, well he wasn't when I last checked him about half hour ago. I'd like to see him go to a new home though now thinking more about it. I don't want him being in a pond I can't clean thoroughly enough (I clean it out of leaves and the thicker muck at the bottom and sides but can't change the water because of my dad moaning about it) and being inside may mess with his health if I don't know what I'm doing. There are too many risks so he should go to someone who can look after him properly.

Thanks for all your help everyone

**pjoo1120** · 04-13-2012, 07:57 PM

No prob! Glad he's doing better and lucky he had a backup home to go to. Not all fish are that lucky. I've read too many posts about impulse fish-buying and then the new owners have no options available and the fish die. You should really read up on the tank cycling threads and everything about proper maintenance. THere's so much info on this site!