i am thinking that my goldfish is probably going to die *sniffle* soon despite my efforts to figure out what exactly he has (stupid fircking walmart!!! learn how to take care of cute innocent fisshies!!!!!!!) after he does (if he does...i'm still hoping he won't!!!) i'm going to get a betta. however, i'll need to treat this tank to get rid of whatever my goldie has....i plan on throwing away all the gravel/plants that are in the tank now, cleaning everything obbsessively with salt water, and keeping the water at a very high temperature and treating it with ick away. my question is, how long should i do this for before it'd be safe for me to put a new fish in? and does getting rid of everything currently in the tank with infected fish after (if he should) it dies work very well, along with continuing to treat the water sound like it would make the tank safe for a new fish? i know i've been asking a lot of questions, but i'm very inexperienced when it comes to caring for non-mammals..
2007-03-22 13:57:22 · 5 answers · asked by Duelen 4 in Pets ➔ Fish
he died from ick. and i know i don't have to get rid of everything, but i'd rather be safe than sorry... for a third time....*sigh* this is definitely not a good year for me pet wise!! oh, well. hopefully i'll get the hang of taking care of fish soon!!!
2007-03-22 15:21:02 · update #1
what should i look for in a new betta? like their activity level in their tank or stuff like that?
2007-03-23 00:22:06 · update #2
oh, i didn't have a heater for the goldfish!
2007-03-23 04:37:39 · update #3
48 hours two days. You can let it be longer. You don't have to treat the tank since you are treating it or were treating it when your fish was in it. Let it sit and run for 2 -3 days. you don't have to toss the gravel or the plants. Ich parasite is in the water. Only sich, injured or stressed fish are prone to getting ich. Not healthy ones. Since you should have your filters in the tank anyway, I would suggest pitching those.
My question is, why did you have a heater in your goldfish tank to begin with? Gold fish are cold water fish and need to be kept at temperatures below 68 degrees. Too hot of a tank will stress your fish.
Walmart is not known for having healthy fish to start with. I would find another pet store if I were you. Even if you choose to go with a beta, and they really should have a heater.
If you have any other questions, feel free to email me.
Sorry about your fish. (Kick walmart for me too!)lol
2007-03-23 03:12:26 · answer #1 · answered by danielle Z 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Ick is a water-borne parasite. I've never had success curing it with anything but Maracide. Unfortunately all those medications treat the water, not the fish... See the problem? I wouldn't just discard all the water and ornaments. Depending on how long your tank has been up, it has already completed the Nitrite/Nitrate cycle. The tank has loads of beneficial bacteria. I would continue treating the water for the allotted time the medication specifies. Don't buy any fish during this time and keep the light off. Make sure you remove the carbon from your filter if it is less than 7 days old. Once the tank is treated, do a partial water change and buy some activated carbon to get rid of the chemical in the water.
Betta are also labyrinth fish. They take oxygen directly from the air, so filtration is not necessary, but recommended. Hope this helps...
2007-03-23 03:38:21 · answer #2 · answered by Mrs. Mustang 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sorry to hear about your fish, it's always sad to lose a fish.
You really don't have to do all of that to save your tank. Just turn the heater all the way up for a day or two and add a big hand full or two of salt. Let it sit a day like that then turn the heater down, drain the tank and let it dry out. You can then refill it and be safe for more fish.
MM
2007-03-22 14:14:15 · answer #3 · answered by magicman116 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Well dont throw everything away just wash it enough to be very clean(with good water) and goldfish, not good for first fish. anyway bettas are easy to do and just keep everything (but clean it good) Bettas are better in bowls anyway.
2007-03-22 14:22:03 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
How big is that tank? What is he dying of? Could it just be something simple like ammonia or nitrite poisoning?
2007-03-22 14:21:17 · answer #5 · answered by bzzflygirl 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋