I have 1 small new shubunkin, 2 small new common goldfish and 1 adult comet goldfish, and I really love them, but it's just that they are always sitting at the bottom of the tank, they barely go up to the surface, when I feed them, the small fish slowly creep up to the surface to eat and them quickly go back down to the bottom as if the top of the tank is dangerous.
And also my adult comet goldfish doesn't eat no more, I asked my mum why the adult comet doesn't eat anymore and she said it's probably because of the loss of it's best friend (we had two comet goldfish for two years and unfortunately one of them died).
What I'm trying to say is, please give me answers about why my small new fish hate going up to the surface and why my comet goldfish doesn't eat as much as it does before?
2007-12-16 00:43:36 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Fish
Hi Thien, Sorry to hear of your loss, Goldfish do get very attached to their mates. You don't say how big your tank is but as you have replaced one fish with 3 you have doubled the poop output into the water which your filter is unable to keep pace with so this is resulting in toxic build up & this in turn is making your fish lethargic
. You need to be doing 50% partial water changes using same temperature, treated water & testing for ammonia & nitrite until both read zero. A 20 gallon tank with a fitted lid & a filter is the bare minimum you should keep 2 Goldfish in. I strongly suggest you return 2 of the new fish immediately to help resolve this.
let me know if I can help further.
2007-12-16 04:28:11 · answer #1 · answered by John 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They sound like they are stressed and there is probably an environmental cause.
Goldfish are considered "dirty" because they excrete more urea than other types of fish, so without real good filtration your water quality (ammonia levels) can go bad. Get a test kit and see what it says about your water quality. The kit should measure ammonia, PH, Nitrites and Nitrates.
Another thing is water temperature. Goldfish can handle cold water, but it slows them down a bit. Also, in a small tank without temperature control, the changes in temperature can stress them also. Whatever temp you keep them at, it should be constant.
2007-12-16 09:22:21 · answer #2 · answered by Hetep 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do you have something breaking the surface of the water? If not, you need to get one, for multiple reasons. 1. If you don't have one the temperature layers, and when the fish go to the top they get shocked. 2. Without something breaking the water they don't get oxygen, nor do the lethal gases get to escape (such as carbon dioxide) By breaking the water I don't mean a rock coming out, I mean some type of filter/aerator.
If you do have this then I'm not quite sure why. Did they used to swim around? They might have swim bladder disease, I can't tell you much on that because my fish never had it, so I never really researched it. Google it, or better yet, blackle.com it!
2007-12-16 08:51:35 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Do you have a pump that is suppling oxygen?
They need some sort of bubbling action.
Is the water too cold?
My Koi's, shubunkin, goldfish all sit at the bottom if it gets too cold.
Try a heater.
2007-12-16 08:47:44 · answer #4 · answered by Mom of 2 great boys 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
maybe he's affraid of u..
so he dont wanna come up.
maybe he's affraid to get beaten up or something, i dont knoe my friend..
and give the other something he likes :D
2007-12-16 08:45:51 · answer #5 · answered by Eric J 2 · 0⤊ 4⤋
because of deep of your tang
2007-12-16 08:46:55 · answer #6 · answered by gigi 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋