How come my fish are lethargic?

Question

I have a 10 gallon tank. Water is clear and (just tested it today) the water is good. I have 4 small fish. 3 goldfish and a algea eater. The filter is good and I have a medium size air pump with a 12 inch long bubbler bubbling away. Everything seems to be in order and well except they are all hanging out at the bottom of the tank. Any ideas why that is? Usually they are pretty active and always swiiming around. One of my goldfish (is freckled tabby colored) is young and has red colors\splotches appearing on his body, not on his fins. Is that normal as they grow?

The temp is 78F steadily. It may go to 79F or 80F during the day when we have the light on. The water quality is great.

I think it's an old wives tale! How many of us grew up with fish bowls and 1-3 goldfish in them with no filter and no bubbler in less than a gallon of water for years? I don't get it.

Answer 1

well three goldfish and the alga eatter in the 10 gallon....

Thats your answer.

That is a overstocked and bad set-up and frankly the ammonia and bio-load crash too often. doesnt matter if the water looks clean , it probably isnt due to amount of ammonia that the goldfish produce.

You need to upgrade ASAP.

Remember that goldfish really should e in anything smaller than a 55 gallon,

And alage eatters vary in length, but if it is a common pleco, then it will reach over 24 inches.


The problem is that your fishes are suffering to put it frank, as you cant keep goldfish in a 10 gallon successfully. Thats why they are always legthargic.

Also sounds like lack of oxygen and poor water quality. Again that is a road that leads to diaster.

You relaly need to upgrade.

Answer 2

u hav 4 small fish, 3 goldfish, and a algea eater in a 10 gal tank!!! do u ever read the limits on how many fish a 10 gal could hav?! a normal pleco can get 2 an average of 1 ft in length. u hav an over crowded tank. i would also recommend taking out some goldfish cuz some types of goldfish get really big if properly taken care of, so just limit the amount of fish in the tank and the remaining fish should be in good condition.

Answer 3

Is the ammonia and nitrites reading 0 ppm and nitrates under 20 ppm? Those are the only safe levels. Any amount of ammonia or nitrites is toxic to fish, contrary to what some pet stores/test kits say. Fish sitting on the bottom is usually a sign of ammonia poisoning, as well as the red patches. That can be ammonia poisoning or septicemia-an internal bacterial infection. It's recommended to have a minimum of 15 gallons for one goldfish, so your tank is a bit small for all those fish. Are they breathing heavy as well? That could also be a sign of gill flukes....Hard to tell what's going on exactly without more information.

EDIT: Do not turn your filter off at night....that will deplete oxygen, suffocating the fish, and it will allow the ammonia to build up dramatically. Bad advice there.....

Answer 4

You didn't mention temperature. Slow temps will slow a fish's metabolism down, higher temps will increase it. Lower the temp a bit at night, just before you go to bed.

Also, make sure the bubbler and filter are turned OFF at night, otherwise the fish have to "work" to keep from getting "sucked" into or through those devices! We all need a good night's sleep, after all!

As far as the red splotches are concerned, nobody can tell you what's what without seeing the fish! Can you post a quality pic of your fish (not from a book!) somewhere on the web?

BTW, crystal clear water is not necessarily a "good" thing. Healthy water for fish always has some algae and bacteria in it; you can't prevent all of it without killing the fish!

Answer 5

You don't mention temperature. This time of year, aquariums can get quite warm. The water at the bottom is slightly cooler, so that may explain why they are hanging out down there. Be sure to install a thermometer and check it regularly. If the water gets too warm, just dip some put and replace it with cooler water. Don't forget to treat it first to remove chlorine, etc. The patterns on your fish are most likely normal.