can fantails and orandas be mixed? also do i have room for anymore goldfish?

how do i clean everything once im ready to get more goldfish? does the filter need cleaned? or the tank? how do i make sure its not the silicone?
 
AAF, I am so very sorry. Know that you did everything that you could to help her. I am sorry for your loss.

You might consider scraping the seals off the tank and reseal it. It's a PIA, and you have to be really careful to avoid bubbles, but it is a really good skill for fish enthusiasts to have. Obviously, if you sealed it the first time, you know how to seal a tank.

The easier thing would be to do research on the silicone that you bought from Walmart to make sure that it had no additive. That is as easy as reading the tube, or taking a trip to the mart to match up products. I would do that before I took out the seals and totally re-did the tank.

I would wash all filter elements in a weak bleach solution and let dry. If you are worried, you can always soak them in a bucket of water with dechlorinator if you need to. I would start from scratch, see if you can seed the filter from one of your other ones and recycle.

Please keep us posted on the next goldie project.
 
I really wish I were closer. I would send you a pair of my babies so that you could try again. Good for you for getting back on the horse and trying again. This time will work out better, I'm sure :)
 
what kind of bleach solution would i need? i have a 3 gallon bucket i can use. id like to make enough to do the 2 tanks, ornaments in the tank, the filter, and my nets. also what all do i do to get the bleach off, and will i be able to use the bucket after?
 
I really wish I were closer. I would send you a pair of my babies so that you could try again. Good for you for getting back on the horse and trying again. This time will work out better, I'm sure :)
what do they look like? its not to hard to ship fish, but i do know i want 1 oranda, 1 fantail, and 1 ryukin.
 
You need very little bleach in a bucket to clean the items. I would say probably a tablespoon in a 3 gallon would do it. Like I said, rinse, rinse, rinse and then add dechlorinator to the water.

Purists would tell you not to use the bucket again, but after a thorough rinsing, if you used a weak solution, you should be fine. I have never had any problems. Bleach decomposes over time, anyway.

As to my babies, I don't ship. Shipping goldfish is not the same, really, as shipping other fish. Trust me, I know. I have received two very beautiful near show-quality fish dead due to bad shipping methods. It's too soon to know what they will look like. They are just starting to color, and as you know, colors aren't stable on goldfish until adulthood. The mother of the spawn was jet black as a juvie and is now a completely gold telescope. When you pick your new ones, I would tend to do so based on body shape and balance rather than coloration. Wens will start to develop at between 3-4 months. While they usually don't change completely, you can get some pleasant and not so pleasant surprises.
 
Get your tank ready and start hunting. Mine have all come through once per week shopping at big box stores. Learn the standards for the fish that you want. Get to know the managers. You have to be willing to walk away from ones that aren't what you want. I have two white fantails right now-- both were from careful hunting. They are more common than you think. Bailey- one of my faves, grew from a tiny, tiny morsel of a fish to be almost as big as a bread and butter plate. There is no better answer that I can give you. If you want to shell out the big bucks, there are several serious suppliers where you can see the actual fish that you are buying and they can tell you the breeding lines (We are talking over $100 plus additional shipping.)

I prefer my method. It's easier on the wallet and more fun. Don't be too eager to buy, and enjoy the thrill of the hunt!
 
AquariaCentral.com