Essential Tools for Goldfish Keepers

[murraycod]

I bought salt for live stock, including aquaculture stock, and it was only $6AUS/25kg bag.
$4US/55lb. Most aquarists won't need that much, but a group together could share a bag.

 

[jenazen69]

7itanium, be careful with table salt. Today table salt contains magnesium carbonate, dextrose, or potassium ferrocyanide as anti-caking agents. Although these have been tested as "safe for plant and animal life," they may have long-term effects on goldfish.

Do you really think that a once in a lifetime dose of table salt will have permanent long term effects on a goldfish? I mean if you use it for the first two of three days of treatment over the weekend before the LFS opens, do you really think this would harm the fish as opposed to not treating it for the three days? What about sea salt? I'm asking because I don't always have aquarium, or rock salt on hand, but I do have sea salt, idozed, and non-iodized table salt on hand.

 

[Flaringshutter]

jena, table salt should be fine for a single use. however, be sure to check the ingredients and research any anti-caking additives before using to be sure they are safe for your fish. sea salt should be fine to use, as it is pure sodium with trace minerals. i wouldn't hesitate to use sea salt in any situation.

 

[MTiffany]

I'd like to make two recommendations to add to the list.
1) Under the "Everyday basics" category, a high school intro chemistry textbook is a must, especially if people want to understand what pH is, how bicarbonate works as a buffer, why 5.0ppm ammonia at pH 6.5 and 20C (68F) isn't as harmful to fish as 0.5ppm ammonia at pH 7.8 and 26C (79F) is, the difference between organic and inorganic phosphate and why one causes algae blooms and the other doesn't, etc...
2) For the "Advanced aquarist" a gram scale, for properly measuring out the correct masses of salt, powdered medicines and fertilizers to make achieving the correct concentration of a solution easier and more accurate, especially when dealing with things like copper sulfate...

 

[corrieberry]

I'd like to make two recommendations to add to the list.
1) Under the "Everyday basics" category, a high school intro chemistry textbook is a must, especially if people want to understand what pH is, how bicarbonate works as a buffer, why 5.0ppm ammonia at pH 6.5 and 20C (68F) isn't as harmful to fish as 0.5ppm ammonia at pH 7.8 and 26C (79F) is, the difference between organic and inorganic phosphate and why one causes algae blooms and the other doesn't, etc...
2) For the "Advanced aquarist" a gram scale, for properly measuring out the correct masses of salt, powdered medicines and fertilizers to make achieving the correct concentration of a solution easier and more accurate, especially when dealing with things like copper sulfate...

I was thinking this just yesterday. Great minds think alike or fools never differ?

 

[dixienut]

this is a wonderful list and sticky,...

 

[bazil323]

Be very, very, very careful with the clove oil listed for sedation. It's true that it works as a sedative, but if you overdose (which is easy to do), you will end up killing a fish you didn't intend to. For puffer keepers who have used this in the past, the recommendation was 3 drops of clove oil in 3 cups of tank water and do not let the fish sit in this solution for more than a few minutes. Just long enough so that they slow down and appear to be dead (should see some breathing but slow). Then do what you have to quickly and put them into a container of plain tank water until they revive and seem fine. Then you can release back into the tank.

However, while clove oil was very popular until recently, studies have shown that repeated use or prolonged exposure to clove oil has negative effects on the fish, and repeated use of clove oil can have a sort of cummulative effect to where it becomes easier and easier to overdose and takes longer and longer for the fish to recover. Some even reported that their fish did not have the same perky personalities and seemed somewhat slower to respond, etc.

A much safer, though more expensive, option is Finquel. It's still possible to overdose with Finquel, but it is not quite as easy to do and does not appear to have the negative effects on the neurological system (delayed recovery from sedation after repeated uses).

However, I do keep clove oil on hand for those quick, once in a blue moon, sedation needs. But, I keep it more for euthanization. It seems much more humane than chopping heads off or freezing fish to me and is much easier to do. The fish just gently drift off to sleep and then die. It's very handy for those fish with severe injuries or illness that will not likely recover and need to be put down.

 

[red_wall]

Sooo...
Goldfish can breathe air?

I don't need a tank?

erv:


(just a joke)

Could you list some of the more popular/common species of goldfish and their tank requirements? I know it sounds a bit lengthy and dumb (just google it)
But some websites that pop up in the first searches of google (http://www.firsttankguide.net/goldfish.php) advise to use a 10 gallon tank.

 

[Lupin]

Could you list some of the more popular/common species of goldfish and their tank requirements? I know it sounds a bit lengthy and dumb (just google it)
But some websites that pop up in the first searches of google (http://www.firsttankguide.net/goldfish.php) advise to use a 10 gallon tank.

This is another topic though, Red_wall. I understand your enthusiasm to have this information available but we will have to come up with another topic about it.

 

[Flaringshutter]

MTiffany, those are excellent suggestions!

I really should have listed them in the first place. I am always looking at reference articles online when explaining cycling to beginning aquarists, or even when I need a refresher myself! It would be a good investment to grab a high school chemistry book.

Also, I bought myself an old gram scale (originally used for jewelry) at a thrift store a while back when I needed to weigh praziquantel for my fish. It is definitely a great tool to have on hand!

Bazil, I'm not sure about your experience with clove oil, but I recommend it precisely because it is difficult to overdose. It's an extremely safe sedative and when used properly, an extremely effective product for euthanasia . Finquel, or MS-222, as most veterinarians know it, is harder to obtain for the average aquarist and it is easier to overdose with this med. One huge advantage to clove oil, or eugenol, is that there is an inverse relationship with dosage and sedation time. For example, even with a very strong solution, if the fish is moved to fresh water in a short amount of time, it can be revived. With a lower dose, the fish can be safely sedated for much longer before there is any danger. If Finquel is the only med available, there is no reason to go searching for clove oil, since they are both excellent chemicals for anaesthesia. But I don't think it is inherently safer than clove oil.

Keep in mind that goldfish and puffers have different reactions to the same chemicals. The recommended dosage for sedating goldfish is no more than 5 drops per gallon.