trying to save a carnival goldfish

[moonstream]

so, I won three goldfish at the fair this weekend, two red and whites (comets, I think) and a common calico (white under belly, black path over the back, gold between those two, extending past the black and up over the face). the red and whites died within 48hrs, but much to my suprise, Panda (yes, I named it already) is alive and well.

my question is, what can I do to get this guy eating and doing better, if anything? he is swimming around now and then, and then going back to the surface and sitting there.

I have a 29g tank I can set up, with a filter and some hiding places, but Im not sure if the sudden move from bacically stagnant (except for a bubbler) water to fairly fast moving filtered water will shock the little guy to death.

so, any ideas? right now he's in a small bowl (maybe 1.5-2g) with a bubbler. I have to go to the dentist now, and once I get back Ill be getting him into an actual tank....

 

[Kashta]

so, I won three goldfish at the fair this weekend, two red and whites (comets, I think) and a common calico (white under belly, black path over the back, gold between those two, extending past the black and up over the face). the red and whites died within 48hrs, but much to my suprise, Panda (yes, I named it already) is alive and well.

my question is, what can I do to get this guy eating and doing better, if anything? he is swimming around now and then, and then going back to the surface and sitting there.

I have a 29g tank I can set up, with a filter and some hiding places, but Im not sure if the sudden move from bacically stagnant (except for a bubbler) water to fairly fast moving filtered water will shock the little guy to death.

so, any ideas? right now he's in a small bowl (maybe 1.5-2g) with a bubbler. I have to go to the dentist now, and once I get back Ill be getting him into an actual tank....

Hello Moonstream. We're very happy to help.

Setting up your 29 gallon tank and filter is just what your new goldfish needs the most. You should also buy a bottle of conditioner to dechlorinate your tap water (recommend you look for Prime) and if you can.. also purchase an API Freshwater Master Test Kit. Both are very important to prepare the water and take tests to make sure the water stays safe (non-toxic) from the waste your goldfish naturally produces. Also look for a sinking pellet food for goldfish. Good quality brands are made by Hikari or Omega One. Those are better foods than the ones sold under the Tetra brand name.

If you can do this much very soon, we can then continue to help you with this step by step.

 

[bettaobsession]

oh so thats why the goldfish i kept getting from the fair died within the week........

 

[Kashta]

Yes... goldfish cannot survive in small unfiltered bowls. They need a complete aquarium setup that's large enough to provide them a volume of 15-20 gallons of water per fish.

 

[moonstream]

Im not new to fish, I know all the basics of goldfish, I just havent kept them since I was like, 8.

unfortionatly, I just checked back, and the poor guy is on the brink of death. I think the ammonia poisoning from the fair, plus the fact that I couldnt get a bubbler on his tank until I got back from my beachhouse 24hrs after moving him, plus the fact he hasnt eaten since I got him home is just too much for his itty bitty body to handle.

He is sitting at the surface and basically unresponsive to touch. Its not ammonia, since I just changed the water in the bowl, or clorine since I used declorinator. I do have a bubbler on his bowl, and if he lives through the night will set up the 29g. my only worry was that he would have gotten so used to horrid conditions that moving him to much better ones would shock him to death. poor little guy.

 

[Lupin]

Hope the goldfish will be fine. It's sad they are used as prizes in fairs.

 

[Lupin]

Im not new to fish, I know all the basics of goldfish, I just havent kept them since I was like, 8.

unfortionatly, I just checked back, and the poor guy is on the brink of death. I think the ammonia poisoning from the fair, plus the fact that I couldnt get a bubbler on his tank until I got back from my beachhouse 24hrs after moving him, plus the fact he hasnt eaten since I got him home is just too much for his itty bitty body to handle.

He is sitting at the surface and basically unresponsive to touch. Its not ammonia, since I just changed the water in the bowl, or clorine since I used declorinator. I do have a bubbler on his bowl, and if he lives through the night will set up the 29g. my only worry was that he would have gotten so used to horrid conditions that moving him to much better ones would shock him to death. poor little guy.

Ohmigoodness! There is nothing you can do here despite the water change, Moon. I would suggest not getting the goldfish from the fair anymore. Part of me want to rescue them from the horrid conditions but part of me also tells me I'd be promoting their activities for getting the fish as part of the prize.