is there something wrong with my goldfish?

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Freegardo

Registered Member
Mar 14, 2006
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hi, ive recently bought two regular goldfish about 2 weeks ago and i am keeping them in a starter tank which is fairly large but has no pump. I have noticed that they've both got a whitish bubble forming under their scales above their mouths. I thought it might have been something to do with the gravel but it came with the bowl so it should be suitable. Also one of the fish had a tiny black spot on its tail fin but now has a lot more black on it. Is this a normal colour change due to the stress of a new environment?
Thanks in advance
Tara
 

liv2padl

cichlidophile
Oct 30, 2005
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north carolina
it sounds like these fish are (1) being kept in a bowl and (2) that bowl is not equipped with a filter. if so, you need to correct this immediately. GF need a fully functional filter just like other fish and need a ten gallon tank for each fish ... which means you need a 20 gallon tank for your two fish.

test your water for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. since your 'bowl' has no filter, i'm going to assume your goldfish are suffering from toxic levels of ammonia. this needs to be corrected at once or these fish are going to die.

i'd suggest you start with a large water change .. at least half of the total volume, and keep this up (several times a week) until you get that 20 gallon tank you need.
 

Dangerdoll

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Aug 27, 2002
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I would suggest a 30 gallon at the very least as the first goldie (provided it's fancy) will need a 20 gallon tank, and then as a stretch, go 10 gallons for each additional fish..... preferably more but 10 is do-able if the maintenance is consistent.
 

Larissa

Katherine Hope
Jun 9, 2005
381
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brenham, tx
I noticed that she said two regular goldfish. They may not be fancies at all and if that is the case, they really need to be taken back to the store.

If you want to keep goldfish, then go get a 55g at least and keep fancies or extra-fancies. Plain goldfish really should be in a pond or a very, very large tank.

Anyway, as liv2padl said, they are in a small, unfiltered tank and that is why they are getting sick. Even if you treat them with medication, they will continue to get sick because of the inappropriate housing.
 

Larissa

Katherine Hope
Jun 9, 2005
381
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brenham, tx
The reason that I suggested a 55g tank or larger is so that you can possibly keep three goldfish instead of two. You could get by with a 30g for two fish as RA and DD said if you do a waterchange every week.
 
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