Hello,
I really need help! I know nothing about fish and never intended to have one. I'm overwhelmed with internet info and I don't know who to listen to. Last Saturday, I was walking my dog in the morning and I came upon a small goldfish in the middle of the sidewalk. He was on the concrete in the sun and covered in mulch. He was alive, but I have no idea how long he was there. I found a discarded cup in a nearby trash can, had a stranger fill it with tap water and rushed him home. He was in the cup maybe 10 minutes. I didn't have a fish tank, so when I got home I put him in a large Brita water container (maybe 1-2 gallons) with some spring water from a bottle. I didn't try to do anything else at that point, as I had to go to work and I figured he'd been through enough. He survived the day and seemed okay. On my way home from work, I got a 10 gallon starter tank by Tetra with a lid and filter. I set it up as instructed, filled it with water, put in the recommended amount of water conditioner and safe start and I tried to acclimate the little guy to the temperature of the new tank as best I could. In he went. All seemed well. He was active and looked to be thriving. I got a dip type water testing kit (by Tetra) that has one strip to test for ammonia, and another to test 6 other factors (hardness, nitrite, etc.) Everything has come back within the safe and normal ranges on the tank every time I test. However, Wednesday I noticed a tiny blackish area on his top fin. This morning, his belly and head have more blackish areas on them. They are not exactly spots, more like he's been painted with a black water color paint. The water is still testing in "safe" zones on the strips. He is active and eating.
What I know: I think he's an Oranda based on what the other fish at the pet store look like. He's small, maybe 3-3 1/2" from nose to tip of his fin.
Questions: Is it ammonia burns and are they from his trauma on Saturday, or is it a current water condition issue causing new burns? If it's ammonia burns, what should I do? I was planning 20 -25% water change this weekend, should I do it sooner?
More General questions: When I do the water change, how far in advance do I put in the water conditioner and safe start into the new water that I'm preparing? The general consensus says I will need a 20 gallon tank, but I need a bit of time to work that into my tiny, tiny apartment. How long is it reasonable to keep him in the 10 gallon? I understand the water test strips aren't that great. What kind of kit should I get? I've been giving him 2 - 4 flakes of goldfish food per day-is this about right (feeding info on the web is frustratingly vague)? Is there anything else I can do for this little guy to help him along?
I know I probably did alot of things wrong, but I did the best I could. Please help me help this little fish.
I really need help! I know nothing about fish and never intended to have one. I'm overwhelmed with internet info and I don't know who to listen to. Last Saturday, I was walking my dog in the morning and I came upon a small goldfish in the middle of the sidewalk. He was on the concrete in the sun and covered in mulch. He was alive, but I have no idea how long he was there. I found a discarded cup in a nearby trash can, had a stranger fill it with tap water and rushed him home. He was in the cup maybe 10 minutes. I didn't have a fish tank, so when I got home I put him in a large Brita water container (maybe 1-2 gallons) with some spring water from a bottle. I didn't try to do anything else at that point, as I had to go to work and I figured he'd been through enough. He survived the day and seemed okay. On my way home from work, I got a 10 gallon starter tank by Tetra with a lid and filter. I set it up as instructed, filled it with water, put in the recommended amount of water conditioner and safe start and I tried to acclimate the little guy to the temperature of the new tank as best I could. In he went. All seemed well. He was active and looked to be thriving. I got a dip type water testing kit (by Tetra) that has one strip to test for ammonia, and another to test 6 other factors (hardness, nitrite, etc.) Everything has come back within the safe and normal ranges on the tank every time I test. However, Wednesday I noticed a tiny blackish area on his top fin. This morning, his belly and head have more blackish areas on them. They are not exactly spots, more like he's been painted with a black water color paint. The water is still testing in "safe" zones on the strips. He is active and eating.
What I know: I think he's an Oranda based on what the other fish at the pet store look like. He's small, maybe 3-3 1/2" from nose to tip of his fin.
Questions: Is it ammonia burns and are they from his trauma on Saturday, or is it a current water condition issue causing new burns? If it's ammonia burns, what should I do? I was planning 20 -25% water change this weekend, should I do it sooner?
More General questions: When I do the water change, how far in advance do I put in the water conditioner and safe start into the new water that I'm preparing? The general consensus says I will need a 20 gallon tank, but I need a bit of time to work that into my tiny, tiny apartment. How long is it reasonable to keep him in the 10 gallon? I understand the water test strips aren't that great. What kind of kit should I get? I've been giving him 2 - 4 flakes of goldfish food per day-is this about right (feeding info on the web is frustratingly vague)? Is there anything else I can do for this little guy to help him along?
I know I probably did alot of things wrong, but I did the best I could. Please help me help this little fish.
