HELP! I don't know what's wrong with my fish

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whitneybsu

AC Members
Sep 22, 2005
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Yesterday I purchased a very small black moor, on comet goldfish, a female betta, and a Plecostomus to put in a smaller tank (I plan on getting a ten gallon tank eventually).


My black moor was perfectly fine yesterday. Now he's swimming around pretty quickly and looks like he has white cottony substance growing on him. Now... I did purchase him from Walmart, so I expected some recovery time (I had to treat all three of my male bettas with maracyn to treat their fin rot and they had to get acclimated to living in a GOOD SIZED tank, rather than a little cup).

I don't recall him having any spots on him earlier today. Earlier s/he was going around nipping at my red cap oranda..

also. The tank water was clear last night when I filled it... and it's arleady somewhat cloudy. SHoudl I replace all the water and start again? (it's a brand new tank) or should I just replace SOME of the water?

On top of that, my Oranda has been laying down at the bottom of the tank (still upright, but stationary). Is that a bad sign? Or is the poor guy just getting used to his new home?

Thanks. I'm a new fish tank owner.

In good news, my famale betta seems quite happy and prosperous.

What medicines, or chemicals shoudl I use to treat the tank? TO get a good ecosystem set up. I really need a simple tank setup (another reason I got a Plecostomus to help keep the tank clean) as I'm a college student and don't necissarily have a large amount of time. If I had a lot of time, I would have gotten a salt water tank. lol

thanks
 
Well first i am gonna refer you to this thread. http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=42633

second I am gonna say that you did a few beginner no-no's it sounds like you just started up your tank, I am not sure what size it is but you got to many fish for a tank that is not cycled. Plus a few of the fish that you have will easily out grow that tank no matter what any one says but the pleco and goldfish will out grow that tank. Also, you should not mix goldfish with tropicals, a train wreck about to happen down the line.
 
tricksterpup said:
Well first i am gonna refer you to this thread. http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=42633

second I am gonna say that you did a few beginner no-no's it sounds like you just started up your tank, I am not sure what size it is but you got to many fish for a tank that is not cycled. Plus a few of the fish that you have will easily out grow that tank no matter what any one says but the pleco and goldfish will out grow that tank. Also, you should not mix goldfish with tropicals, a train wreck about to happen down the line.
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really? I had no idea you couldn't put goldfish with bettas.

And what is cycling?? I've heard it used, but never explained.

And well... I am a beginner... so I suppose I should take this as a learning experience. Which goldfish will outgrow the tank? I have a common goldfish, a moor, and an oranda. I figured the Moor will eventually (it's about an inch long, if that) and I'm planning on getting a 10 gal perhaps this weekend and will move the oranda into that because it'll grow out of my existing tank sooner than the others.

And please don't insult me by linking to condescending posts. I do not view my fish as a commodity and DID research before purchasing my fish. I've never seen it anywhere nor been told that I can't put bettas with goldfish. If you're referring to the pl*co, it was in the same tank with my oranda at the petstore.

I asked for help, you insulted me and offered no solution to my "no-no"s. That's not what I was asking for.
 
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I gota be quick so Ill just answer the cycling part. Bacteria in the tank need to break down ammoina and nitrites and turn them into nitrates. Ammoina is the fish poo, and rotting stuff in your tank. Some little bacteria come along and eat this stuff. They then produce nitrites. Nitrites are the end reuslt of ammoina. Another bacteria comes along and eats the nitrites. It then produes nitrates. These nitrates are safer than the ammoina, and nitrites. They can be safe up to 80ppm (parts per million), but 20ppm is a good limit.
 
hi, I'm so glad that you came here for help. I hope your feelings weren't hurt by stuff that has already been said. Unfortunately though, trickster pup is right and he knows what he's talking about. Okay, let's start with " how big is your tank and how long has it been set up?", " what fish do you have in there?" Most people on this site are really nice and want to help.
 
You Really Shouldn't be Insulted

I'm a freshwater newbie myself. I've put a couple posts up on this website, expecting that the people I'm asking know more than me.

I read the link that you say you found insulting and I wasn't sure why. I think that if you have no idea what "cycling" is, you couldn't possibly have done much research at all. I did one web search for "goldfish" because my daughter wanted one, and discovered almost immediately that not only should I not keep one in a bowl, but that a ten gallon tank isn't big enough for one, either. I also got tons of information about cycling from that one web search.

Okay, so maybe you didn't even know that you didn't know enough to buy the fish you bought, but you really shouldn't be insulted by someone telling you you've made mistakes. The whole point of asking for advice means you already admit you DON'T know enough, right?
 
Larissa said:
hi, I'm so glad that you came here for help. I hope your feelings weren't hurt by stuff that has already been said. Unfortunately though, trickster pup is right and he knows what he's talking about. Okay, let's start with " how big is your tank and how long has it been set up?", " what fish do you have in there?" Most people on this site are really nice and want to help.
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Thanks. Right now I have a five gallon because that was all I could afford at the moment, but my parents said they'd get me a ten gallon or bigger this weekend as they've promised for months.

It's been set up about two days.

pl*co, really small black moor (the one I'm worried is sick), red cap oranda (also doesn't look to be doing well), small normal goldfish, and small female betta. (my three male Bettas are all in their own 1 gallon-ish tanks and have been set up for two or more weeks and are doing really well)

I know there are bacteria enhancers that aide in setting up ecosystems. Unfortunately, the tank instructions didn't say anything about letting it cycle through, it just said to rinse it and set it up.

I was wondering if my black moor had ich, but his white spots don't look like the picture.... is there an all inclusive medication that would kill ich and whatever else his spots might be?
 
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Fish Kate said:
I read the link that you say you found insulting and I wasn't sure why. I think that if you have no idea what "cycling" is, you couldn't possibly have done much research at all. I did one web search for "goldfish" because my daughter wanted one, and discovered almost immediately that not only should I not keep one in a bowl, but that a ten gallon tank isn't big enough for one, either. I also got tons of information about cycling from that one web search.

Okay, so maybe you didn't even know that you didn't know enough to buy the fish you bought, but you really shouldn't be insulted by someone telling you you've made mistakes. The whole point of asking for advice means you already admit you DON'T know enough, right?
Click to expand...

There's a difference between just assuming I know everything about fish, and asking for help. The post talked about people who just view fish as disposable commoditites. I HAVE done research and have been for little over a month since I got my apartment, perhaps not on the right sites. My research focused more on the fish themselves, their needs once a tank is set up, and disease, rather than the tank setup. I've also bought books on goldfish and read up on them that way, but oftentimes the books just said that goldfish need aeration, you can't put them in bowls (which I knew), and went into breeding (which I didn't need because I'm not going to breed because I know I don't have the time or the capabilities for it).

I wasn't insulted by being told I made mistakes. I asked for help. s/he offered none. I was insulted by being told/ insinuated at that I was ignorant. THAT I am not. If I was, I wouldn't have come here for help.
 
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oh. Forgot to mention that I've been doing a 25% water change each day


rather... more of a 40% change, but yes. Daily water changes. new Water, of course, treated with "aquasafe" by tetra aqua.
 
okay, in answer to your original question, the black moor most likely has fungus and there are medications at Wal-Mart and the pet store made for that purpose. But here's the deal, though. Some websites say you can get by with less but what I have read the most is that goldfish need 20-30 gallons for the first fish and 10-15 gallons for each additional fish. Some people claim that that is not even enough room. Shocking, isn't it? I don't understand why they even sell goldfish bowls seeing how they're completely innappropriate. So basically, even a ten gallon will not safely house your goldfish. When goldfish "grow to the size of the tank" such as a 10 gallon they are stunted and will always be prone to illness. They will most likely not live very long either. Also, I just had to get rid of my pleco because he outgrew my 55 gallon tank. They do eat algae but they poop so much that all they do is make your tank nasty. They can get over a foot long so as you can see, he's not appropriate for your 5 or 10g either. Also, the reason why you are not supposed to mix goldfish with bettas or plecos is because the food and temperature requirements are different for goldfish. They are coldwater fish and the others are tropical fish. Oh, also bacteria enhancers, to my knowledge, the only one that actually works is biospira. Unfortunately, you are somewhat limited on what you can put in a 5 gallon tank however I'm sure plenty of people would love to give you some stocking suggestions. My advice is to get rid of all those fish, take them to the pet store (unless you want to keep the betta), cycle your tank and start over with some different fish. That may not be what you want to hear and I hope you're not too disappointed. Welcome to aquaria central and I hope we've been some help.
 
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