My Goldfish keep dying?

Question

I have 5 goldfish. 2 normal ones 2 schbumkins and a fantail. My tank is 2 foot, 72 litres. Every time i get new fish they die. I put tonic salts in and Water Safe but they still keep dying.

I went to the pet shop this morning and hes told me to put Water Safe and 2 teaspoons of normal house table salt in and that should work.

Anyone else have any ideas as i really don't want to lose anymore fish. Thanks

Answer 1

First off stop adding salt. Salt and goldfish do not mix. It creates more problems with goldies than it cures.

Secondly, is your tank cycled? your tank needs to run the cycling process. this is where the beneficial bacteria builds up to rid the tank of the waste from the fish. This needs to run for around 2 weeks before adding fish. Testing the water is the best way to know if the tank is ready to house fish. Also, adding more than 1-2 fish at a time will send your biofilter into overdrive and spike ammonia and then nitrites.

Use tap water with a good water conditioner / dechlor. that is all you need to add to your fish tank.

Are you floating the fish properly before adding them to the tank? The tank temperature should be below 70 degrees (NO HEATER). When you bring your fish home from the pet store float your fish bags closed for 12-20 minutes. Open the bag and add 1/2 cup of your tank water to the bag with the fish. Float for another 15 minutes Add another 1/2 cup or so of your tank water to the bag and let it sit another 15 minutes. Do this one more time if you have more than one fish in the bag. this will allow the fish to slowly adjust to the water and PH of your tank vs. the store. Release your fish.

goldies need lots of dissolved oxygen. this only enters the water through movement of water against air. i.e. filters, waterfalls, fountains, waves etc. try to drop the water level in the tank by 1/2".

Also if you are sure you have everything done right, perhaps you should think about changing fish stores. Walmart is not the place for purchasing fish. Try a different store.

Good luck
If you feel everything

Answer 2

You are double over stocked in that tank. You can't change enough water to maintain it. For now I'd suggest stop feeding and start changing a lot of water. You really need to be changing around 50% about twice a week or more to maintain this. When fish numbers are reduced to only two it will be much easier to keep. Just because you see the fish at the petstore crowded like that does not mean you can successfully do this at home. Even with 2 in there you want to change 25-50% of the water every week. Water quality is always the problem and should be the first thing you look at and fix when the fish start becomming ill. Read up about your pet, there is a lot you're going to have to learn to do this right.
www.goldfishconnection.com

Answer 3

First of all, if you are using any soap to clean any of the tank then STOP! That is what is killing you're fish if you are doing that. If not well try this...
Buy a PH water testing kit from the pet store and test the fish tank...a too low or too high PH can kill fish.
Make sure that you are not over or under feeding them. If you are not sure how much to feed them then ask a vet or pet shop worker.
Stress can also cause fish to die. If they are put into a new tank, sometimes the shock can be sooo overwhelming that they just, die. And also if the other fish are bullying it...eg; chasing it, nudging it or biting it then it could get stressed from that too.
Check those out...hope this helps : )

Answer 4

How often do you change water? Waters changes should be done every week for that many fish in such a small tank. Goldfish produce a lot of waste. When new fish die it indicates that your tank has gradually become toxic and your older fish have become acclimated to living in their own crap,however the tank conditions shock newer fish to death.

Answer 5

hiya.

i saw your problem and thought of one of the same one we had.
I few months back we got new fish and put a whole new lot of water in the tank and on the same day we put the fish in and over night the fish all died.And because it was new water there was still clourine in the water because it was brand new water.
My solution is leave the water in the tank for about a month and then but a couple of new fish not fancy ones just normal goldfish and then put them in the tank and see how they go for a couple of days and then if they dont die then the problem is probally solved just make sure you do that everytime you put a new whole lot of water in.
But yes your problem is because it is new water it still has clourine in.
Hope i could help hannah

Answer 6

Aerate the water before you fill the tanks, keep it away from sunlight, try not adding any water softeners and see what happens? Ive had 1 goldfish for 12 years now and I only use tap water, I spray it hard into the bucket to get out any chlorine or stuff out.

Answer 7

dont use salts, use antichlorine. are u using a water filter? if you are, let the filter work its wonders an hour or so before placing the fish back into the tank. the filter will fitler out any contaminents as well!

Answer 8

dont put salt anymore..its not necessary, instead put anti chlorine when you use the tap water. Thats what I do.

Answer 9

are you making sure to condition your tap water before you put the fish in??...water temp may be to warm....over feeding....

Answer 10

Feed them