# Want to be sure I am doing right by my fish!



## Joie (Apr 6, 2011)

Hi Everyone!

This is my first time on this site, and I have really enjoyed looking around at all the information. 

I was wondering if some fishy folks could help guide me or give some opinions on my two fancy goldfish.

I have one Black Moor and one either VeilTail or FanTail (unsure which), named Carl and Ivanka. I bought them from the petstore when they were itty bitty, and of course the person that I bought the 10 gallon tank from didn't mention how big they can get. 

Or how dirty those little poopers are! :fish:

Currently, they are in a 15 gallon tank with a bubbler and a fake plant that always ends up floating anyways. They have their filter, which I think is for a 10 - 20 gallon tank. 

We used to take them out and replace all their water and clean their rocks EVERY SINGLE TIME we did their tank, but after some research stopped doing that. 

I have been siphoning out about half or so of their water when it gets really icky or about once a month it seems to be. I replace the water and put in their "chemicals". I have started using an old toothbrush to scrub their filter rather than always changing it as well. That has really seemed to help their tank stay nicer, longer.

This weekend, I am going to buy a new tank for them from Craigslist. It's a 29 or 30 gallon tank on a stand. So it's double what they have now. 

Should I siphon their tank water that is in their current tank into their new one to keep some of their normal bacteria, and to keep from the shock? I will be sure to clean the new tank out really well, but the family said they had never even had a chance to use it for any fish, so it's new. 

It comes with a filter and amonia and charcoal, but I have no idea how to use the amonia and charcoal. I need some clarification on that...

Also, with Carl and Ivanka's fins and Carl's big bulbous eyes, I understand I shouldn't have any kind of rock decor in the tank? And silk plants only?

I had no idea how much work my little goldfish would be when I got them. I didn't do the research that I should have...but I have had them several years now and they have gotten huge! And they are a part of my family. 

Any advice or opinions that might be helpful are really appreciated. Thanks SO much for all your time!!

OH! And almost forgot...are their any smaller fish or other fish that can go in with them?


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## baileysup (Nov 25, 2009)

i would use the old gravel in the new tank if you wanted to, but you don't have to. try to take a piece of the old filter and stick it in with your new filter (this way you can use a new gravel ). if you wanted a new look with the gravel you can use new gravel. both of these items have good bacteria on them from the old tank. i don't think you would need the old water, but something tells me that someone on here will say to use it (or at least some of it). i've heard that most of the good bacteria is in the filter, and in the subtrate (also on decorations ect...), and not so much in the water itself. i would then add tetra "safestart" or seachems "stability" to the tank water at the same time that you add the fish. this will help to cycle the new tank also. i've heard that you can only keep goldfish with other goldfish, but i don't know of any other animals such as frogs or snails, shrimp, or crabs ect... that you would be able to keep with them. if there are any other animals you can keep with them, they must obviously be content with room temperature water (no heater). hope this helps some.


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## Joie (Apr 6, 2011)

OH! And that reminds me of ANOTHER question...do I need to use the heater for my fish? My house is usually between 60 and 68, depending on the time of day. Should I have a heater in there to keep it at one stable temperature?

Thank you so much for your advice!! I didn't think about the filter or the rocks!


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## baileysup (Nov 25, 2009)

i've always been told that goldfish do not need heaters.


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## baileysup (Nov 25, 2009)

Joie said:


> Also, with Carl and Ivanka's fins and Carl's big bulbous eyes, I understand I shouldn't have any kind of rock decor in the tank? And silk plants only?


i believe you can have real plants or silk plants, but no plastic plants.


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## mousey (Jan 18, 2005)

goldfish in theory don't need heaters but if your house keeps changing temperatures that much between 60 and 68 I myself would use a heater and keep it set at either 68 or 70 if only to keep consistency. tropical fish can take a wide range of temperatures too but it is not in their best interests to yo yo them up and down the scale. IT STRESSES THEM OUT AND THEN THEY GE TSICK. I WOULD THINK DITTO WITH THE GOLDIES.


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## Mikaila31 (Nov 29, 2009)

Room temp is fine. Aquarium heaters I don't think go down to the 60's normally anyway. The aquarium will fluctuate temp with the room, which is fine. While temp changes are potentially harmful to fish, gradual changes like we are talking about are usually harmless. In nature temperature is changing all the time, same with most other parameters.


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## humdedum (Feb 18, 2009)

Mikaila31 said:


> Room temp is fine. Aquarium heaters I don't think go down to the 60's normally anyway.


Steady room temperature is fine except if it's an unfinished room, like a drafty shed or a chilly basement. 



Mikaila31 said:


> In nature temperature is changing all the time, same with most other parameters.


Exactly. Part of a pond being exposed to the noon sun can be very warm, and then the fish might swim under a large lily pad -- brr! That could be a five or ten degree drop right there.


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## Mikaila31 (Nov 29, 2009)

Native fish and wild carp can do some crazy temperature changes. Lakes and ponds have temperature layers in the water. The thermocline is an example of one of them. Those who do any kind of diving are probably very familiar with these. Deeper you go colder it gets normally. There are some really nice clear spring fed lakes around here, that show these wonderfully. I snorkel occasionally and you can actually see were these layers meet. They have a "smokey" water effect going. Where they meet there is often about a 10 degrees temperature change over about a foot(depth). Most of the NA native fish and carp go right through these things totally unphased. Which is better then I can do sometimes lol.


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