Someone please tell me their goldfish does this too...

[SeverinBarbossa]

And red_wall, I'll try not to take that as an insult.

And another problem is that, as much as I'd love to give him a different tank, I can't. One, I'm a little short on money, and two, I don't have a tank for him.

And I didn't ask for chastisement here. I only asked if anyone else had a goldfish like mine. Sorry that I don't seem to be doing every little thing I'm supposed to; no one is perfect.

 

[Amante_di_Betta]

I was just suggesting that your stocking ideas were not good. If a gold fish can fit it in its mouth, chances are it will. They also have a 4 minute digestive track. Being "gulp" eaters, they are messy and dirty. Waste is produced 4 minutes after eating. Im not doing anything wrong but trying to help, and this is a forum so we do give advice. Im not saying anyone was perfect. Just trying to help. Take it or leave it. Good luck

 

[SeverinBarbossa]

di_Betta, I appreciate the advice but some things that work for some people don't work for others. And every fish is different.

Hope my Koehler survives with a piece of oto still stuck in him...

 

[Inka4040]

No offense, but otos, cories, baby plecs, guppies, and all manner of things very often get caught in the mouths of goldfish. In fact, the vast majority of people who are serious about goldfish keep them in a species, and even cultivar/variety specific setting. Truth is, they will survive quite well at warmer temps, but the conseqence is a general decrease in overall life expectancy. The zebra danios actually, would probably be most comfortable in the cooler water the goldies appreciate, but they still are at risk for being eaten. Granted, different things do work for different people, but considering what's happened, it doesn't seem to have worked for you. Like AdB said, the advice is here, the rest is up to you.

 

[wataugachicken]

i don't think our "helpful hints" matter very much - it seems like the way this goldfish is going, it'll be a goldfish-only tank soon enough. and then the OP can just turn the temperature down. being short on money it's not like he'll buy more fish to put in with the fish-eating goldy, right? it would make more sense to save up for a separate tank at that point. . . .

i had a 4-inch black moor that slowly but surely ate a dozen 2-2.5 inch feeder rosy reds. i had bought them for my oscar on a whim and then changed my mind, and they went into the goldfish tank because i thought they would be safe there. no such luck, and no where else to put them once they started 'disappearing'. if you're not willing or able to separate the fish, regardless of water and temperature requirements, you're going to lose the little ones. ime, once large goldfish realize that their tankmates are yummy, there's no stopping it.

 

[SeverinBarbossa]

And as I've said before, when I get the chance to move him and Mozart to a different tank, I will but I can't right now. I have a 29 gal but it's empty and I can't afford the filter, heater, substrate, and decor for it right now so it can cycle.

I was mostly looking for someone to sympathize with me...Koehler is my favorite fish and I don't want him to die because of that piece of oto still inside him. And he's not even that big; he's not a giant goldfish. He's maybe three and a half inches...*maybe* four and Mozart is barely and inch and a half.

 

[Blueiz]

Severin, you are getting some really good advice here, of which all is correct. I dont think any is trying to badger you, only trying to help solve your situation so that your fish survive and dont get injured. Altho I do see a few posts that are a bit not so friendly.

Lets keep the posts friendly and remember that we are here to help users. Considering the user has already accepted and explained the situation, lets try to help make the situation the best possible for the fish. If the user didnt care about the tanks, they wouldnt take time to post here asking for help..

Thanks,
Blue

 

[Amante_di_Betta]

For the 29, you can go simple for you fishes health. No heater needed. No decor, no substrate. Decor and substrate are FOR YOU not for the fish unless youre doing live plants and rock. The filter is a must. And your gold fish can do fine at room tempature water. A heater is NOT A MUST. Decor and substrate ARE NOT A MUST. But thats just me. Good luck. Hope you get everyone straightened out soon

For the record, Im not trying to be mean, just helpful

 

[Inka4040]

I'm sorry that Koehler ate an oto, but thats half the reason that oto shouldn't have been there in the first place. As long as none of the oto's spines are still stuck in his throat, i'm sure he'll be able to pass whatever is left in there one way or the other. I'd suggest getting them into that 29 asap. Good HOB filters can be had pretty cheaply if you know where to look, and using your pre-existing media, there shouldn't be much of a cycle since the bioload remans unchanged. As far ask getting Koehler through this, first thing would be to take all the other fish out so he doesn't try his hand at something else, and keep the water in tip top shape for a few weeks. Adding melafix and/or salting to a 0.03% concentration could also be helpful, but won't do half the job good water will do.

 

[red_wall]

And red_wall, I'll try not to take that as an insult.

I didn't mean it as an insult
Sorry if it sounded like I did