My grandma agreed to take care of 2 (20cm or 8inches) goldfish for a friend for one month because she wanted to go on vacation. We were given a 4 gallon (i think, from looking at pictures), a little pump and some fish food (no water filter). We filled the tank with Toronto, Canada tap water. We were told to feed the goldfish 1 meal a day.
These two goldfish were raised for 10 years by my grandma's friend in the same conditions. We raised them for about 2 weeks. Then one day, I woke up to find one of them laid on its side at the bottom of the tank and by night, the other was also. After a few more hours, the two fish passed away.
I was shocked! How could the 2 goldfish, raised in the same condition for 10 years, die at this moment? what on earth happened?!
2007-04-16 16:54:07 · 16 answers · asked by sweetmusic 2 in Pets ➔ Fish
All anyone can do is offer educated guesses of course, but my guess would be ammonia poisoning. When the tank was moved the beneficial bacteria died. This allowed ammonia that was previous controlled by the bacteria to reach lethal levels. The time frame and the symptoms you describe fit perfectly.
MM
2007-04-16 17:26:24 · answer #1 · answered by magicman116 7 · 3⤊ 3⤋
Sorry but the fish did not die due to old food, varying temperatures, bacteria or over feeding.
Chances are the water parmiters were totally different. Did you change the water in their bowl? If you didn't they suffocated if you did change the water chances are even if using dechlor for the water change it was the change in the PH of the water itself.
Goldfish are very hearty and can survive for many years in a bowl with proper water conditions despite what most people think. Temperatures do not affect goldfish much. they can go from extreamly cold water to warm water with no real harm. However no fish can adjust that quickly to a sudden PH change.
Did the fish arrive at your door in a bag or container? When you filled the tank/bowl, were you given a dechlor or water conditioner? Although chlorene in the system usually won't kill a goldfish unless it is in high concentrations the PH will.
I am sorry to hear about the fish
2007-04-16 19:35:53 · answer #2 · answered by danielle Z 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Did you let the water sit until it reached room temp on its own? This means not heating up the water at all. Some goldfish need a heater, do you know if they ever used one for the fish before?
They may have gone into shock. Or the change in Ph may have done it. If the new environment changed to not having any algea this my have affected their ecosystem
Im sorry this happened under your grandmas care.
2007-04-16 17:04:33 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's hard for me to imagine these two goldfish survived in a 4 gallon tank for 10 years. My guess is they asphyxiated from lack of air and the buildup of gases in the water for not having changed it or at least replaced some of it.
My other guess is that they were stressed because they were out of the environment they had been used to for 10 years. Goldfish do learn to recognize their caregivers and form some kind of bond with them. They are pretty delicate, so who knows?
P.S. My goldfish is 16 years old and still doing great.
2007-04-16 16:59:34 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Sorry to hear about that.
Goldfish cannot survive for 10 years in a 4 gallon tank, not to mention with no filter. That is hard to believe and almost impossible. The fish probably died because of changes in environment such as smaller tank and bad water quality due to lack of water filter. All of this lead to stress, which lead to health problem, which lead to death.
2007-04-18 10:24:51 · answer #5 · answered by Dragon2323 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Sometimes due to overfeeding. Sometimes its the water Ph. To neutralise the tap water when i change the water, i have to put anti-chlorine, green stuff and blue stuff. Then i have to add the salt as well. But goldfish are hard to maintain. I gave up when all my goldie died. I tried for 6 months, one after another died.. Now i have moved on to Koi. They have been with me for 3 years and they have grown so large.. I love them to bits.
2007-04-17 20:30:21 · answer #6 · answered by Say what? 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Did you put fish water conditioning tablets or drops in the water before putting the fish in? The conditioner Removes chlorine,chloramine heavy metals that can kill fish.
I use Bowl Buddies fizz tabs for my Betta fish water.
Drop one tablet in the water...When its done fizzing you can put fish in.
2007-04-16 17:06:25 · answer #7 · answered by ASDZA’NI 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Most likely, change of water. Next guess, (cause thats all I can do) is perhaps she kept them under a lamp and they were warmer, temperature change can cause shock and death. It wasn't old age because they have been known to live 40 years!
2007-04-16 17:00:57 · answer #8 · answered by Faerie loue 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The tank is WAY too small for one. The stress from being moved and I assume new, uncycled water in the tank, killed them.
2007-04-17 02:23:19 · answer #9 · answered by something_fishy 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
haha * fish soup,cat soup,no fish soup,no cat soup....i'm getting a feeling that fridays each of people who haven't any humorousness visit this website,could be they seem forward to get in Y/A and be unsightly,their weeks spotlight !
2016-10-22 09:29:23 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋