New fish bowl maintanence, cloudy water?

[what..the?]

Just got a new fish bowl/tank and fish at the weekend its 21 litres, it's a bowl type i.e it doesn't have a filter etc. Here's what it looks like:

http://www.feedem.co.uk/small-animals-40/small -animal-carriers-193/ferplast-plastic-animal-1 0598.htm

I have 12 little tiny fish and two small gold fish in there. I rinsed everything before I put them in gravel ornament. I have treated the water with a 'goldfish start up pack' from API with two bottles called Ammo-Lock and Stress Zyme, the first neatralizes chemicals in the tap water it says and protects goldfish from ammonia. The other Stress-Zyme contains live bacteria and is said to help develop a natural biological filration cycle.

But half way through day 2 of the tanks life the waters gone all cloudy??

I have looked on line and they say it could be dirt i.e over feeding, the waters old and needs changing. Unbalances in the chemicals, too much light.

I don't know if I am feeding them to much i use say 3 flakes crunched up and sprinkled in twice a day and most that is eaten on the surface, when floating down or is sucked off the floor by one of the gold fish after.

I have had fish cold and tropical before but it was many years ago and they were with filters. I dont know if it is too many fish, over feeding or chemicals?? I dont think it is too many fish you can look in there and have to 'try' to see one, their not all crammed in there!

Can any one help?

[hammerman]

Probably a mixture of all the things you mention. Far too many fish, no filter, putting all the fish into a new tank without maturing it.

The advice i would give you is to take the fish back to the shop and then set it up properly....with filter etc. Get a good book and whilst you're there, buy a sackful of patience !!!

[what..the?]

Who got out the wrong side of the bed this morning, I'd go back to bed if I were you!

[B00]

What H.Man said is correct, no need to get narky with him over it!

I agree with him too, many people seem to think that its perfectly fine to fill a tank and dump fish in it without researching properly first. Possibly they have the attitude that they're only fish afterall??

Anyhoo, to also answer you, and to reiterate once again what HMan said, you have far too many fish in that teeny, totally unsuitable tank,

Your water is still going through its cycle and is more than likely burning your fish as we speak.

Also, should by some miracle that your fish survive, you'll lose the tiny ones anyway (minnows?) as your goldies will gobble them up as snacks inbetween you feeding them.

[B00]

Also, still on the size of that tank, it's unsuitable for even just one goldie, never mind two and the minnows.

[divegirl]

Please read this....

http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/page s/show_article.php?article_id=418

....and this.....

http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic= 175355

Lisa x

[what..the?]

you can all kiss my arse

[what..the?]

except divegirl who has not judged and just helped thanks alot.

The fish are still alive and healthy thanks and I was sold all the items on the advice of an aqurium adviser who also sold me the fish to live together.

I might just flush the fish though I might be bored already!!

[shomer42]

Talk about unconstructive criticism from some of you. I think in future you should try and help people on answer bank and not criticise! After all this is called answerbank and not insultbank isn't it?

What...the, you should follow the advice from the aquarium where you bought them and not listen to these people.

[B00]

Yes because their local aquarium is not in the business to sell you as many fish as possible are they?

[shomer42]

I suppose you assume the NHS want people to get swine flu so they can be kept busy do you? Or MI5 want terrorists to blow things up to justify their budgets?

Do you think it is possible the aquarium just gave what...the the correct advice? isn't that possible?

[hammerman]

Shomer42. These are live animals we are talking about, just because they're "just fish" it doesn't mean that we should cut corners or not do the research when it comes to their care.


You wouldn't just go out and buy a dog or a parrot without making sure you can keep the correctly would you....mind you, judging by some of the tw@ts on here, you probably would.

Some people should simply not be allowed to keep animals

[shomer42]

Hammerman you are missing the point. The aquarium should advise on how to keep the fish, not you, not me. Unless they are crooks and should be avoided and nothing would suggest that is the case here.

I do not care to be insulted by you and being told I should not be allowed to keep a pet when my advice is to follow the instructions given by the aquarium is frankly ridiculous.

I recommend you think carefully before having children.

[hammerman]

Are you on drugs or something ? What makes you think the aquarium shop knows any more than you or i ? I've been keeping fish (tropical, marine, reef, koi and coldwater) for 35 years now and there have been times when i've walked into a fish shop and the advice i was given was dangerously bad and misleading.

When a hobby becomes a business, you tend to start giving people bad info just to make a sale......of course you can keep piranhas with neons and those seahorses will happily survive in your goldfish pond....that sort of thing. You can also buy fish in supermarkets these days....do you think the 15 year old saturday girl is going to know about the nitrogen cycle or how to keep a flagfin angelfish ?

In my opinion, anyone who sells one of those "aquariums" shown in the original post should not be trading. The shop should be asking questions about what they new owner will be keeping.....and then advise that a filter is the MINIMUM required piece of kit

[mollykins]

what. . .the? you should have 1cm of fish per litre of water.

you should definatly have a filter system.

have you got water conditioner in the tank? that should be in for a few days with the filter running a couple of hours before you put the fish in.

i have a baby goldfish with minnows and they get on alright.

i got this info out of various leaflets from pets at home and other pet shops so its not just me guessing.

[mollykins]

the same container should not be able to hold insects reptiles and fish. reptiles will need a heater so will tropical fish. but all fish will need a filter system and coldwater fih won't ned a heater.

[tamborine]

I have similar tank with 6gf (shoal). You need an air-filter. Cloudy = dirty water!

Weekly bale out tank water into jug leaving enuf to cover fish. Move fish and rest of water into jug. Rinse out tank with plastic scourer. Fill up tank with clean water.

Run tap water into jug with fish to clean water. Return fish to tank.

n.b.get air-filter

[hammerman]

I do hope that was a bad attempt at humour Tamborine ???

[B00]

Ok, apologies for my rudeness yesterday what..the? I've found a page that seems to have simple A&Q's regarding keeping goldies, and it does recommend (among other things) seperating the minnows as your goldies grow to prevent them becoming inbetween meal snacks.

http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/page s/show_article.php?article_id=418

[what..the?]

Thank you for all this new good advice everyone very good, and helpful, thank you so much

[shomer42]

I think you should be considerate of other users, clearly hanging around with fish for 35 years you have lost some of your abilities to communicate with people in a polite manner. I certainly would not take your advice.