My goldfish are laying eggs--how do I stop this?

Question

So I had 10 goldfish in a tank. They had been fine for a couple months, but then 4 of them died... I realized it was because the ammonia levels were through the roof. I added ammo-chips, ammonia removing solution, and have been regularly doing 20% partial water changes with a gravel siphon to remove the excess ammonia. However, I just realized that the females are all getting chased by the males and trying to lay eggs--which I read can cause the ammonia levels to become very high if they are unfertilized/in improper coniditions (because they just become decaying matter). I don't want to breed the fish, I don't have the time and I definitely don't want more goldfish... do I just have to let them have the eggs and hope I can keep the ammonia levels under control, or is their some other solution? I don't want any more fish to die!

Oh and, if the females are uncomfortable and can't lay the eggs (I have no natural plants or heavily secluded areas), is their health at risk? Would I have to manually release their eggs or something?

Thanks for all the help. To answer some of your questions. My goldfish are about 2 years old, though I've had them for 3 months. They are in a 10 gallon tank, which I do know is too small, but I bought them off of someone who was moving and I wouldn't want to start killing fish so that I would have less in there. Three died (from the ammonia I imagine), and then 1 jumped out of the water and committed suicide (I had people over and it jumped out and fell behind my dresser where the tank is, so neither myself nor anyone else noticed and I didn't find him until recently after realizing one less fish was in there).

Answer 1

You have nothing to worry about. Goldfish don't often breed before the age of three and even then not before they are two. Also, for them to even be considering breeding, that would have to be a fairly large tank considering you have 6 goldfish in it.

MM

Answer 2

Dont worry they will eat the eggs. Cannibalistic yes. That or put the males and females in seperate tanks. You are doing the right thing for the ammonia. I just tested my tank for ammonia today but I only have a little bit. Why not invest in an ammonia meter once you get it under control? They sell them in almost every petstore. Then you will notice the ammonia the minute it starts going up so it doesnt get to such a bad level.

Answer 3

Don't worry about them. You should be siphoning your gravel at least twice a month, and that will get rid of all the decaying eggs. You won't have any babies in your tank, because they won't survive. The females will release their eggs, so don't worry about comfort, and even if they do not release, the eggs will just be absorbed back into the body.

Answer 4

dont do anything to the eggs, they will get aten but they other fish (if you want them to hatch, then you take the eggs and the female out, otherwise, the eggs will eith dye or get aten by the ther fish) and how many gallons is your tank, you should have no more than 4 fish/10 gallon tank, thats why they are dying and ammonia is so high.