911: Hurt Goldfish

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kiyannastar

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Jan 30, 2007
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Hey all,

I work at wal mart in the pet dept., and while I was on break, someone thought it would be funny to put a small, less than an inch, goldfish in one of the beta bowls. By the time I got to it, it was missing one eye and most of it's tail.

I have obtained an old, ten gallon aquariam and a new aqua-tech bio filter. I need to know 1) what's the best fast way to clean an old tank with age and storage against it, and 2) What do I do about cycling and my hurt fish?

Squirt's in a bowl right now, so I'd like to get him to the tank ASAP.

Thanks for any help!
 

maronov

AC Members
Dec 14, 2006
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New York, NY
People are so cruel...

I would just put the poor guy out of his misery - maybe feed him to a carnivorous fish at the store.
 

kiyannastar

AC Members
Jan 30, 2007
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That's what Monica said, but I couldn't do that! <_<; I'm weird. I have no problem feeding rosy reds to oscars and cichlids, but this poor thing has been tortured.. Anyway, he seems to have gotten over the stress. He's eating properly as long as I sink the food, and he swims around happily up to about halfway to the top of the water, which is a little more than a third from the top. I heard his tail will regrow, but I need to get him so a filtered tank so infections won't set in.
 

fishcatch22

The Picotoper
Jun 13, 2006
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Morris, Illinois
That's what Monica said, but I couldn't do that! <_<; I'm weird. I have no problem feeding rosy reds to oscars and cichlids, but this poor thing has been tortured.. Anyway, he seems to have gotten over the stress. He's eating properly as long as I sink the food, and he swims around happily up to about halfway to the top of the water, which is a little more than a third from the top. I heard his tail will regrow, but I need to get him so a filtered tank so infections won't set in.
yes. buy some bio-spira to cycle the 10G immediately, and buy some melafix to makes sure his eye doesn't become infected. once he shows signs of recovering, move him into a larger tank, about 55Gs is fine. goldfish are NOT small fish, and will reach an adult size of around a foot (maybe more)
 

maronov

AC Members
Dec 14, 2006
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New York, NY
I'm glad the fish has recovered slightly. Since you are very nicely trying to save it, perform frequent water changes until you set the new/old tank up. Clean it without using soap - just rinse it out as best as you can. What kind of filter you have is important since goldfish get messy - what aqua-tech do you have? Hopefully his tail will heal... I know it does eventually with tropical fish.
Good luck!
 

5xevy

Member #62,749
Jan 3, 2007
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Upstate, NY
I can't believe someone did that. When I first read your post, I thought a fellow employee did it. Was it just a Walmart shopper or another employee (if you happen to know)?

I think it's great that you brought him home. As long as he's not suffering massively (and it doesn't seem as if he is), then I wouldn't think of euthanizing the little guy.

Keep us updated on how he's doing!

:)
 

phaedraeos

AC Members
Nov 30, 2006
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Boston, MA
My goldfishs' tails have always healed super fast.

Make sure the current isn't too strong for him! I bought a tailless fish the other day - a little 1 inch fantail that looked like he'd gotten his tail caught in a nasty filter accident - and he died overnight :( I think the stress, plus it being so difficult for him to swim, did him in.

You might want to get some Pimafix too, just in case. Maybe keep the temperature at around 74 to speed up metabolism and healing, if possible?
 

InR reason

InR reason
May 28, 2006
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Hey all,

I work at wal mart in the pet dept., and while I was on break, someone thought it would be funny to put a small, less than an inch, goldfish in one of the beta bowls. By the time I got to it, it was missing one eye and most of it's tail.
The future of this country gets more and more dim as time goes by. I'm sorry. Whether it's someone careening in and out of traffic at 90mph or someone dumping a goldfish into a small bowl with a betta, I see morals slipping day by day. No respect for life, or courtesy, or common sense. And we will "endure as a nation." Right.
 
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