dirty, murkey water in my fish tank. help!?

Question

i hav a small plastic fish tank with 2 goldfish. there is gravel in the bottom, a plastic plant and a rock brigde thing.
the water is always murkey even when its just been cleaned, and u can not see the fish if its left for two weeks, i would buy a filter but the tank is 2 small and i dont want 2 take up any more of the fishes room.
any ideas what might b causeing the murkeyness?
whats the best way 2 solve this, so that i dont hav 2 clean it every week.

Answer 1

Get a small filter that mounts on the outside of the tank. Otherwise best to put a few guppies in a tank that small.

Answer 2

Yes, I once had a plastic fish tank last year. That is a good idea, as when you learn more and more about pet fish then you can progress onto glass, heated and maybe even saltwater. Obviuosly you are feeding the fish way too much. as granules and flakes cloud the water. No matter how good the brand is, or wether it says on the packet it is a new formula, fish food always clouds the water. How often do you feed the fish. goldfish always appear to be hungry so don't be food. I would suggest a small pinch once a day would be fine. Remember, hungry fish are healthy fish. Also, the gravel is another thing that is making the water cloudy, as the gravel traps the poo down on the bottom and the old poo just sits there and colours the water. Get rid of gravel and replace it with medium sized rocks, or stones. But that is not really nessesary and can be taken out altogether. Another thing is your plastic plant. Get real plants as real plants help give oxygen to the water and cleans it by taking out harmful chemicles. {just like trees }. And also plastic plants have a habit of having a buildup of green algea on its body, so its not good for the fish. Please reduce the hours of light, {if any}. coz it is expensive on your bill and the exess light will encourage green algea growth, which can be disgusting in appearance. That pretttty much covers taking care of fish, but there is more complicated things and i would suggest you go to the site : www.aqualandpetsplus.com/ and-or www.aquahobby.com

good luck.

Answer 3

Hi There, I Clean My Fish Every Week, Maybe The Reason It's So Dirty Is Bc You Clean It Once A Month. May I Suggest A Filter, It Helps Make The Tanks Water More Pure, And Less Dirty. Hope It Helped. 3LLii3, x

Answer 4

Your problem is the two golfish. Goldfish are probably the messiest fish around, so the murkyness is most likely caused by the fish's waste. The best way to solve this would be to either buy a filter or, more recomended, buy a larger tank, get rid of the goldfish and buy something that isn't so nasty. You should be cleaning the tank every week no matter what in a small tank, it makes the fish's lives alot more enjoyable.

Answer 5

Well if you want clear clean water to see the fish then you have to be prepared to do the work!

The water becomes murky firstly because of the food residue which rots (you could be over feeding) but eventually the natural waste from the fish themselves will send the water murky.

As for cleaning out the tank - don't be so lazy - sounds as though you only have a very small tank which should take no time at all and you should make 25% water changes at regular intervals (say every 2 weeks ) anyhow.

Thats the joys of owning fish. I had 9 separate huge tanks on the go at one time and thats why I eventually got it down to one because I got sick of the incessant cleaning and water chaning which could take me all day.

Answer 6

If your tank is too small for a filter then your tank is WAY WAY WAAAYYY too small for goldfish. Get a bigger tank or new fish ASAP or your fish are going to die soon. Until you get a bigger tank you need to be changing water and cleaning that gravel every single day if you want your fish to have any chance of living a healthy life.

The water is always dirty because your tank is so incredibly overstocked. I'm sorry but your tank right now is like an aquatic torture chamber to your fish. You are subjecting them to a slow painful death without even realizing it.

BTW it worries me that you want a way to do it so you don't have to clean every week. Every tank must have a water change peformed weekly to control nitrates and prevent mineral buildup. The exception it saltwater tanks with a protein skimmer.

Answer 7

If it is too small for a filter, it is too small for your fish. Golfish are dirty fish. 2 gold fish in a 2 gallon tank is too many fish or too small of a tank. Get rid of your rock bridge thing and the plants. Chances are you are going to need a bigger tank. If you don't want to clean the tank more than once per week, get a 10 gallon with a filter.

Answer 8

Get a tank that's big enough for two goldfish. Change the water frequently,stop torturing the poor fish. Goldfish make a lot of waste two weeks is too long to wait between cleanings.Without a filter two cleanings a week is just barely enough.

Answer 9

the murkiness is most likely bacteria feeding on the extra food and goldfish poop.

with goldfish in a small bowl you probably need to change the water every couple of days. you can try a gravel vacuum and take out 1/2 the water and replace that every couple of days and its easier than having to do everything.

you might want to change food to hikari pellets for goldfish too -- they make less waste.

Answer 10

Well, I had the same problem. Not as bad, but I bought a new tank, and it has a built-in oxygenator thing, and it seems to really help! Now I only have to clean it like once a month!