Giving respect where respect is due.

J

JoshuaCade

Registered Member
Feb 9, 2006
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Louisiana
How's it going? I'm pretty new to the fishkeeping scene, but I've managed to get very interested in it. I started out with a 2.5 Gallon Package, included the light and filter (Whisper). I managed to keep few fish alive, but I can say I tried my best. I believe my problem was ignorance of water chemicals. A few months ago I bought a 10 Gallon Package that included the hood/light, filter, and heater. I set it up with fake plants and blue gravel, and housed a common Goldfish. Learning that I was unsure how to use water chemicals. I decided on plain tap water, four months later Im still going strong. At the moment, I have one Common Goldfish (about 2 1/2"), one Fancy/Fantail? Goldfish (about 1 1/4", and 2 Gold Mystery Snails. I bought some aquarium plant seeds at the local Wal-Mart , that guranteed to sprout in 20 days, needless to say it took one of them 35 days and the other never did. After it sprouted, it grew very rapidly. I'm waiting for it to grow out of the tank. :) . Im starting to realize this hobby I've come across will stick with me for a very long time. I'm interested in getting a larger tank soon (between 55g and 90g). The thing is money is tight at the moment and Im afraid I'm to inexperienced to handle the responsibility of maintaining that large of an aquarium. I came across Aquaria Central browsing the internet about fish and aquariums and realized this site is very solid in terms to a community of experienced fish keepers, I respect the fact that everyone here helps out everyone else in the needs for knowledge via fish and fishkeeping. I know Im rambling, I just wanted to share my story and just wanted to let everyone here know that I appreciate the fact the there are people like the people here willing to lend a helping hand and a few wise words to the people looking for it. I know this is my first post but I've been viewing the forums for a little while now, and I plan on becoming an active member here and helping out with what I can. Im just the type of person that respects people's desire to help out other people. And I'd be glad to be a part of this site knowing the people here have that desire.

(sorry Ive posted this in this forum, meant to post it in the main one, but it slipped my mind.)
 
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Its great that you want to learn and get better, but here is my advice.

Big tank = easier to take care of. More room for erros with your water. Chemicals usually bad. Dechlorinator, possibly a ph buffer if its needed and thats all.

Common gold fish and fancy gold fish can be a bad combination. Make sure the fancy gets his fair share of food and that he isn't harassed. I should talk, but ten gallons really is too small for gold fish.

Read up on cycling. Its probably why your earlier fish died. Gold fish are very hardy and can survive all sorts of horible condidions. In a way its kinda bad because people buy so many thinking they can just throw them in water and everything will be great.

Welcome to fish keeping!
 
joephys said:
Its great that you want to learn and get better, but here is my advice.

Big tank = easier to take care of. More room for erros with your water. Chemicals usually bad. Dechlorinator, possibly a ph buffer if its needed and thats all.
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Axe the pH buffer. In 99% of the cases it's not needed and you do *not* use chems to "fix" pH. No chems in tank. Condition water. That's it.

A bigger tank is easier to care for than a little tank. I'm gotten rid of all my tanks that are under 20g, except for my two 10g QT/Breeder tanks.

Common gold fish and fancy gold fish can be a bad combination. Make sure the fancy gets his fair share of food and that he isn't harassed. I should talk, but ten gallons really is too small for gold fish.
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Ten gallons is too small for even ONE goldfish. You need at least a 30g tank for two Fancy Goldfish and a 40-50g tank would be even better.

Your common goldfish can grow 12+ inches and it needs to be in a pond. They really aren't suited for in-home aquaria at all.

Hope that helps
Roan
 
Welcome JoshuaCade! If you've been browsing for some time, you probably know that sometimes replies can come across a little more harshly than intended. Be that as it may, hold on 'cuz your in for a ride :hang:

I agree with Roan, even though I can't persuade my sister-in-law to get her 4 (or 5?) goldfish out of that 15gallon :eek:

I got into this hobby thinking "who would want to keep fish as pets?" It's been a long learning process but AC (Aquaria Central) is truly awesome! Welcome aboard!!!!

Bill
 
beviking said:
Welcome JoshuaCade! If you've been browsing for some time, you probably know that sometimes replies can come across a little more harshly than intended. Be that as it may, hold on 'cuz your in for a ride :hang:
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Bill's right, of course and I often come across harshly when I don't mean to.

However, in my defense my reply was directed at Joephys and not JoshuaCabe. Joephys should know me by now and knows I'm not going to thump him with a hammer. Just dent him a little bit :joke:

Roan
 
i agree everyone here is here to help each other out. i was a member to another forum and the moderators would delete your post if what you said did not go with their opinions or beliefs and they would insult you. everyone here is very nice and i appreciate aquaria central. :D
 
Roan Art said:
Bill's right, of course and I often come across harshly when I don't mean to.

However, in my defense my reply was directed at Joephys and not JoshuaCabe. Joephys should know me by now and knows I'm not going to thump him with a hammer. Just dent him a little bit :joke:

Roan
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Ju...wha...uh...I...wasn't directing that at you Roan...directly ;) We all do it. O.k., if you're not going to thump joephys with the hammer...can I? :duh: :joke:

Wow, mods on another site deleting posts b/c they didn't agree? I'd have left too AMETHYST212!

-be
 
I don't dent easily, and I know I have come off sounding harsh when I don't mean it. I usually come across as being harsh in person when I don't mean to be.

The pH buffer, I think it's needed sometimes. I never add anything to try and change my pH, only to keep it steady. My tap water is so soft (KH) that there would be all sorts of pH swings if I didn't. If my tap water had a good ammount of buffering capacity I wouldn't add anything too it.

I know ten gallons is too small for gold fish, but I am kinda stuck at the moment. Like my sig. says, I got them from my neighbor that moved. I don't have the money or the space for a bigger tank right now.

If someone really wants to hit me with a hammer i suppose they can, but I get to hit them with a bigger one first :D
 
Welcome, JoshuaCade.

My wife got our first tank. I said, "You know d@mned well you won't maintain that thing! You know who's going to have to do the water changes, feeding, bow wow, woof woof..."

She won (always does), and we got the tank. Kids love their fish. I like working on it (now she says I pay too much attention to it).

joephys said:
I don't dent easily, and I know I have come off sounding harsh when I don't mean it. I usually come across as being harsh in person when I don't mean to be.
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You, harsh? Not at all. Good lord, where I came from in LA, harsh was, well, just imagine...the media is not all that inaccurate there! Here on AC I think the worst anybody could be accused of is a drive-by slapping with a wet hankie (which is a good thing...keeps it civil).

Okay, back on track! Welcome to a friendly, informative fish forum. This hobby will consume you (or assimilate you, Borg style).

v/r, N-A
 
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