How do I clean a little fish tank?

Question

I have 3 tiny goldfish. the tank I have is quite small, there is no filter so it gets quite dirty fairly often. How do I clean this?

I likely will get a tank that has a filter. what kind do I get?

First time I ever took care of fish before!

Thank you

Answer 1

Some good answers, some not so good so far.

Remove some of the water and the fish to a separate container for a little while. Rinse out the tank with water and wipe any buildup from the inside of the glass. Rinse off the gravel and any ornaments as well. Refill the bowl with water very close to the same temperature as what the fish are in and use dechlorinating drops to dechlorinate the water. Allow the two containers to sit side by side for a hour or two to be sure the temperature is quite close (within 3-5 degrees F is close enough). Then net your fish into the tank. Repeat this process every 2-3 days.

MM

Answer 2

Hi Julie Anne,

Unfortunately I don't think you'll like to hear what I have to say. The first thing is that you shouldn't keep goldfish in a small tank/bowl. Did you know goldfish will grow to a foot long and can live 35 years? They really need to have a very large tank, at least 55 gallons for them to thrive.

Secondly there are virtually no fish that will do well without a filter of some sort.

If you want to keep fish I encourage you to look into getting a 10 gallon setup with a filter and heater.

Answer 3

Just go to the pet store (Not the dept store) because there will be so much more variety. They have all kinds of cute tanks and filters to buy as a kit or separately. Filters come in sizes from tiny to huge. In the meantime change a percentage (not all) the water often. The water should be clear and have no smell in a healthy tank. By the way, more gravel will also help with or without filtration. The more gravel in the tank, the more surface area there is for the "good guys" to live on (nitrifying bacteria that process fish urine and make it harmless.)

Answer 4

Hi Julie Anne, Well done for taking the trouble to find out about the needs of your fish, they will certainly appreciate it. I see you already have plenty of advice about cleaning your small tank, some more dubious than others! I would go with Magic Man's suggestions if I were you.

For their new tank they will need at least a 20 gallon (they need lots of space) with filter (they make a lot of mess) & lid (they're also good jumpers). The attached page tells you what your Goldfish will need to be happy. Click on each link as you go down the page, there is a quite a lot to read but well worth a few minutes of your time now to prevent problems later.

Answer 5

You should NEVER empty all of the water. only a 25% water change is reccomended. and that is only every 2 weeks.if it is really bad replace half of the water.You can stir up the gravel before you take the water out. its gross but all of the floatie stuff you catch will no longer be in the bowl.

Goldfish are not really bowl fish. they are disgusting. they create 5x the waste of other tropical fish. They need a spacious tank. At least 5 gallons per inch of fish. and you should take their full adult size into consideration.You dont need to buy a huge tank right now for 3 little guys, just be prepared when they get huge.They also need a strong filter in there to manage all that waste.

Your fish are most likley experiencing shock from the spike of nitrate(what fish poo and uneaten food creates when broken down) in their bowl. You can get some stuff called Cycle. I t is good bacteria in a bottle. it helps break down the waste so it isnt poisoning your fish. You cannot over dose your fish with this so put quite a bit in the first time like 3-5 capfulls for a small bowl.

If you want a fish for a bowl that is content living in a bowl, get a beta. you can only have one male in there, but i have kept frogs and snails in my beta bowls, and i now have a beta in almost all of by community tanks.

If you really want to raise goldfish, id start with atleast a 33 gallon tank. They can get pretty big pretty fast. and remember what i said about the fish waste. You can buy starter kits that come with filters and lights and stuff. that is the cheapest way usually.

good luck with your goldfish.

Answer 6

Try vinegar and water to clean inside and out. Rinse well!Make sure you take out the fish first. Go to Walmart and purchase a 10 Gallon tank and a filter. You may also purchase a Algae Eater. The Algae Eater usually does not bother the fish. I would buy this at the per shop. If you do not have enough room for the fish to grow they will die .I would not put anymore in the tank. Talk with your local pet shop they are Great with your questions. Do not spray air fresheners or perfume in the air.

Answer 7

Change all of the water every day. Goldfish really need 10 gallons of water per fish and a filter. The tank is too small for them. When they all die get one betta instead and change all of the water every 5 days. Remember to dechlorinate with water conditioner first.

Answer 8

If you are cleaning out the one without a filter....put the fish in some water that has sat overnite.....never use fresh water as the chlorine content will damage the fish. Wash with hot soapy water and rise with vinegar water.....this neutralizes the PH of the fish tank. Also you can purchase some Algae eaters and they will self clean your fish tank. They are bottom dwellers and eat the "debris" out of your tank. Your pet store can help you find the best tank and filter for the amount of fish you want to keep. Use a charcoal filter as they are the most efficient!!

Answer 9

What ever you do, use a water conditioner that takes the harsh chemicals out of the water before adding the fish to it..it's called "stress coat". Get a large container and put fresh water with stress coat in it..then gently net the fish and put them in the clean water while you clean the tank. DO NOT USE SOAPS OR OTHER CLEANING PRODUCTS. Warm water and a sponge that hasn't been used to clean other things will do. Just rinse the rocks and wipe the sides of the tank and then replace all of the clean items and fill with conditioned water/stress coat. They REALLY need a filter. Just make sure what ever aquarium you get, water is heavy...make sure you put it on a suitable surface that can hold it's weight.

Answer 10

since this is a small fish tank, just fish out the fishes, drain the water. clean the tank. put in fresh water. Add in salt and chemical for fishes. Then put back the fishes.

If your tank is a big tank, then you should use a pipe to suck 1/4 of the water every week and pour in new water.
Once a while use cotton to clean the fish tank interior.