Yesterday, I brought my old fish tank out of the basement of my house and rinsed it off. I didn’t use soap or anything, just water and my hands. Then I put tap water in it, and let it sit for several hours. While the tank was sitting in my room, I was out getting fish and fish supplies. That took about 4 hours. I came home, rinsed off the gravel I just bought, and put in in the tank. Then I put the air pump and bubble stick in, and put the fish bags in the water (the fish were still in the bags the pet store put them in). Then I let those sit for about 1 1/2 hours. Then I put the fish in the tank and gave them some fish food…which they didn’t seem to eat. And then I turned off the lights and went to bed, after adjusting the bubble stick several times because it keeps floating up or creating a strong current.
Today, I boiled some rocks and put them in the tank. I also fed my fish…but they still don’t seem to eat…although one of the goldfish occasionally puts a piece in its mouth and then spits it out.
Anyway, I did most of the stuff the right way, right? I have a five gallon tank and three fish that aren’t longer than an inch and a half.
I have a black moor, a fantail goldfish, and an emerald cory catfish. And I fed them goldfish food. I know the catfish isn’t really supposed to be in there, since it’s tropical and probably doesn’t eat goldfish food, so I was going to move it anyway. -.-
Nope, you didn’t do your procedure right.
First, your water must be conditioned, you didn’t mention that.
Tap water contains Chlorine (which kills the good essential bacteria that protects your fish from poison created by fish waste and decomposed leftover food.)
Or your tap water will have Choloramine, which is a combination of chrlorine and ammonia, which harms your fish.
You should always put water conditioner in your tap water before being exposed to fish.
Secondly, you didn’t let the water settle in terms of temperature. You bought your fish on the same day you set up your tank, That doens’t work.
Thirdly, when fish are newly transported, it’s normal that they don’t eat for the first day or 2, due to stress. You shouldn’t feed them the first day. The uneaten food will just create ammonia later to kill your fish. Take them out.
Lastly, and MOST IMPORTANT, you didn’t cycle your tank. That’s the most basic procedure to do prior to putting fish into a new tank. Google on on how to Cycle a Tank.
You should start over, and follow the instruction in this link that i just posted:
http://ca.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100825052637AAxak4q&r=w#ErVaAnvNGWJ8pSE7XEMK
(Jack The Wong’s post)
This will guide you to how to set up a new tank. It will teach you every step including Cycling a Tank).
Your tank is quite small. What fish did you buy btw?
Tell us as much as you can.
And if needed, you can personally email me at chshwong@hotmail.com
I need to know what they are exactly to save the fish you already bought a few weeks early.
Else, their death is guaranteed within a week or 2 once the ammonia starts to build in the water.
Good luck! and let’s save them
- Oh good lord, I was so hoping to not hear "Goldfish".. but you got 2 of them. They are the messiest kind, and required most filtration and definitely space. You should return them all, and start all over if that’s an option.
Get a 20-30 gallon instead of these 2 gold fish.
Get your filtration ready, cycle the tank, and then put your goldfish back in afterwords. And your catfish can’t be there, different temp from cold water goldfish.
If you’ve seen people owning goldfish in a bowl, it’s just a bad practice. It really shouldn’t occur. Just cause they are hardy, people make them suffer. I know you won’t do that. Return them and restart.
Good luck dear
Oh no, you’re suppose to cycle your fish tank and this takes about 3-4 weeks. (This is vital for your fish to survive)
http://www.firsttankguide.net/cycle.php
May I ask what kind of fish you have? I would suggest you returning back the fish to the petstore to prevent them from dying, but if it’s the hardier type of species you may get away with it, although it’s not recommended. I will help you out more once you give me what kind of fish you have. And to your question, your fish may or not die depending on the species like I said, but your fish may have a shorten life span.
Add on: Ugh, why didn’t I catch it, you said goldfish. No goldfish should be living in a 5 gallon fish tank, and 3 is way too over stocked. 3 fancy goldfish (bubbled eyed, black moore, etc) should be living in atleast a 60 gallon fish tank. 3 comets should be living in atleast a 100 gallon fish tank. I know this may sound surprising but the petstore employees tell you the wrong things, and you will never find out before researching or asking a reliable friend. You have to return your goldfish back to the store, they’re not going to do too well. In your 5 gallon fish tank you can always add a solo betta fish, or do a shrimp tank.
Second add on: Oh boy, cory catfish are schooling fish so they need to be in a school of atleast 4. He’s going to feel lonely and insecure by himself, and also he is in such a small tank when they’re active. And you’re right, they’re tropical so you would need to return him as well. I don’t want to sound harsh, but you have to return all of them back to the petstore. If you really want a fish I suggest you getting a betta fish, you can cycle the tank with them in it, but you gotta take caution meaning testing the water frequently.
A fish tank needs to be cycled at LEAST 2 weeks, depending on the size. You need a filter, and you needed dechlorinater for the water. Fish can’t live in tap water, there’s to much chlorine and other metals that are very harmful. You have just killed your fish, congrats.
you did pretty much everything wrong … you can not fill up a 5 gallon tank and add goldfish … you mentioned a bubble stick but that is purely for decoration and does nothing for the tank … where is the filter ??? where is the water dechlorinator … keeping fish in a sealed bag from the pet store for an hour and a half would most likely deprive them of oxygen, you should cut the bags open and float for 20 minutes … but i can not see a 5 gallon uncycled tank with goldfish and no filter to succeed on any level … have you heard of cycling a tank ??? have you heard of dechlorinator ??? do you know how big of a tank goldfish need ??? it sure isn’t 5 gallons … if those fish are not already feeling the effects of ammonia i would be surprised … it is sad these fish are going to die because you lacked the foresight to do a little research … so to answer your question, no you did nothing right and sadly the fish are going suffer and/or die …
hey i used to have the same problem, i used to have a 5 gallon, with everything. i bought some goldfish.
i fed them goldfish flakes, what do u feed them? they eat the food and spit it back out because its how they eat. they like their food in small pieces(very picky).. they won’t die, unless they are sick. So just watch your goldfish eat, if they don’t take any of the food, then email me a message, or go ask the petstore because they should eat it.
hope i helped.
Read this person’s question, I have a detailed answer there that should help you too.