My new goldfish in bowl keeps coming to surface of water, one died, how to aerate without pump? pls help asap?

Question

the country that i am in does not speak any english, i cannot communicate to buy an aerator as i did not even see one there and after buying the bowl and fish as a first time user, i discovered it was wrong. so i need a solution as to how often to change the water and feed it.. i bought 2 plants as well. Pls do not reply with dumb answers like affordability of aerators-money is not the point here-i want to save the fish and i have realised the folly of getting one in the bowl. Also did not see any fish tanks, so i have to make the best of the situation and ur experience counts. thanks.

i also will not buy anymore goldfish for the bowl..

Answer 1

Do not worry about the aerater since they do nothing for the fsh anyway. Gold fish need Dissolved oxygen not bubbles. Dissolved oxygen enters the water by movement only. Wind, waves, fountains, filters etc. An air stone and pump won't help your fish.

you will need to change the water every three days, and only 1/2 of the water from the bowl not the entire bowl. A turkey baster will help with poo on the bottom of the bowl. Plants are nice and add oxygen however don't crowd out your fish.

You can add dissolved oxygen by simply scooping out water from the bowl and pouring it back into the bowl. Do this a few times a day and your fish will be fine. Also, when changing the water if you use a plastic bag or closed container, shake the water viggerously before putting it back in his bowl. this will add lots of dissolved oxygen to the water.

Also, colder water has more dissolved oxygen than warmer water. Keep your fish in a shaded or cooler spot.

Answer 2

Everything's not perfect if you are changing all the water every 3 days. You should never change all the water. If you do so, you are throwing away the 'beneficial' bacteria each time. This bacteria is essential to break up and decompose the 'waste' matter in the tank. Without the bacteria the toxic ammonia and nitrite levels will shoot up - killing the fish. You have not mentioned the tank size or if you have a filter installed. Neither have you said how many fish are living in the tank. If you give these details it would help in more accurate diagnosis. Also, how did you check the PH ? Heres what you should do immediately - - change only 25% of the water every 3-4 days. - feed your fish less. 2 times a day is maximum - each time give only how much they can completely finish in 3 minutes. - reduce the no. of fish if your tank is over-stocked. Better to have fewer healthy fish than many sick ones. - install a suitable filter according to the tank size and fish load. Get back with the missing details - and we can all help you better. All the best.

Answer 3

Pat on the back for trying to save your fish! I don't know why someone would think you Suggest you change the water every two days. What is the volume of your fish bowl? How many goldfish are there, and what are their approximate size? It sounds like it's hard to find things where you are, how is the quality of water that you put in the bowl (does your tap water smell strongly of chemical? If yes, do you have access to clean rain water or well water?). You may also want to be mindful of how much your feeding your fish, because the uneaten particles will breed bacteria which uses more oxygen (watch that it doesn't get cloudy).

Answer 4

That's a good fish keeper not to buy more goldfish for your bowl. What you could do is try to go online at http://drsfosterandsmith.com and search for the right aerator for your tank. I would also try changing your bowl's water biweekly so ammonia or nitrite won;t spike. Don't drain the water out just some of it. I would feed your goldfish once every two days. Research shows that an underfed goldfish lived healthier and longer, just like humans do.
Other places you couls order:
http://fish.com
http://thatfishplace.com
http://petco.com
http://petsmart.com
http://petlanddiscounts.com

I hope you find the right pump for your tank.

Answer 5

Plants will help, but only during the day when there's light for photosynthesis. Unfortunately, if you have adequate light for photosynthesis, it's probably enough to warm the water, so you're negating any benefits the plants would have provided.

The key to adding oxygen is water movement. If you can get a small fan and aim it at the water surface to create ripples, this will help until you can find a more permanent solution.

In a bowl, they should get water changes more frequently, 2-4 times a week sepending on the size of the fish and volume of water in the bowl. Changing the bowl water for new water will also increase the oxygen, even if only temporarily.

Answer 6

You can not have an aerator without a pump. The only thin gyou can do is do water changes once a week, if that's not enough due to it being a goldfish and they are notorious for the amount of waste they excrete, then twice a week should be fine. I had a betta in a bowl and I did my water changes on Saturdays. He now has a little tank with a filter and everything.

Answer 7

How To Aerate Water

Answer 8

air pumps are a very good way to put oxygen into your tank.
while the bubbles do not put oxygen in the water they help get it there by pushing the water from the bottom to the top and keep it turning over . when the water hits the top of the tank its there it lets go of the co2 and other wast from fish that turn into gas. The water is then free to pick up oxygen again.
so its clear that anyone that says they dont do anything dose not under stand what is going on.

Answer 9

You can buy filters & pumps for bowls - they are quite cheap & any aquarium shop will have them. If you aren't able to buy one though, you will need to keep the fish's water very clean. A half water change once a week should be enough. Make sure you don't overpopulate the bowl, so don't buy any more fish to put in. Use a water conditioner in the clean water you plan to put into the bowl, and make sure it's the same temperature (letting it sit in the same room to age it for a day is a good way). You will need to minimize the amount of gravel you have in the bottom of the bowl - the more gravel, the more waste it will collect, and the amonia in the small volume of water will build up to fatal levels very easily. So, no more than an inch of gravel, and keep it clean by stirring it up a little (don't scare your fish too much) and syphoning out the waste with a thin plastic hose, then remove & replace half of the water weekly. Any more often & you could stess your fish to death. Also don't overfeed him - you want to avoid waste food settling in the bottom. It's most important to keep the bowl & water as clean as you can. Good luck with your fish!

Answer 10

So you can't buy the right equipment because it's not available and you can't communicate your needs because of a language barrier. Major problems for you fish!!!

Try bringing a picture to the store of what you need. Perhaps that will help. What country are you in? There are many countries that are very fond of goldfish and should have many stores with proper supplies. Try to find someone who can direct you to the right store in your area and be prepared with pictures of what you need or bring your poor fish with you and ask for help.

The surface area will determine the amount of oxygen that makes it into the water. The larger the surface area, the better the oxygen level. Never fill your bowl completely to the rim but to the largest area of the bowl. In a pinch, you might try transferring them to another container until you can get a proper aquarium with filtration for them. You can use a large plastic bin if you are sure it is clean with no cleaners. The cleaning products are likely to kill the fish. Do a scrub with distilled white vinegar and make sure that it is completely rinsed out before using it. Also, make sure you do water changes probably twice a week depending upon the size of the container and the size of the fish.

There is no substitution for getting the right equipment to properly care for the animals you have in your care. They depend upon you for their life. But until you can find the right equipment, perhaps this will help.

PS We live in the world of the web. See if Petsmart, or other web dealer, ships to the country you are in.

Answer 11

If you cannot aerate the tank you should change the water every three or four days. Be sure not to use any chlorinated water as this will injure your fish. You should consider letting the new water stand for a day before you add it. Shake or stir the new water to help oxygenate the new water before you change it.

When feeding your fish only give it as much food as it can eat because any extra food will cause the water to be bad. Feed only once a day or one every other day.

The problem with fish bowls is the water quality gets bad in a few days because of fish waste and low oxygen content.