Help?

[skidtank]

Hello can anyone help me with a 10 gallon aquarium problem?
I recently got my daughter a fishtank for valentines day i set it up and 2 days later i put in 1 large black goldfish and two calicoes medium sized.
after a week the water was brown and nasty stinky i took them out changed the water waite a day put them back in and now they are gasping at the top and water is very milky can someone help?

 

[Katome556]

Well your problem is your tank is over stocked goldfish need 20 gallons of water for just one and ten for each one after that.I'd suggest returning them and getting another type of fish also is this tank cycled? if not read the sticky about cycleing.

they are most likely stressed or oxygen deprived.Does your tank have a filter?

also welcome to the site i hope we can help you and your fish.

 

[Fishywishy]

so far.......everything you have done has been wrong.....but it's okay because there is a ton of information around to help you set it right!

start off by telling your daughter that you need to return the fish, because they get larger then the tank

take the fish back to the store, have a look there at some of the other fish you might like, then come back here and research how large they get and what kind of care they are going to take, (this is getting your stocking plan in mind and building your daughter's excitement) while you are there pick up a test kit for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate (don't get the all in one strips, get the bottles of chemicals with test tubes......not only are the strips not accurate the drops are more cost effective)

you need to read the stickies about starting an aquarium. this will explain all about what happens when fish pee and poo (goldfish do this a lot) and how to get it all under control. This is referred to a cycle (ammonia to nitrite to nitrate)

right now, your milky water is a "bacteria bloom" (explained in the sticky), your fish are gasping for air because their fish pee (ammonia) is burning their lungs when they breathe (explained in sticky, i think) the bacteria bloom is good thing, you're on your way to cycling.....but you really need to rethink your fish choices

 

[inlovewithwater]

Danios

After your tank is established, get a few small *BOUNCINGS Danios. They are hardy and never stop moving. Make sure you have items they can swim through and they will delight your daughter.

 

[FroggyFox]

I'd second the suggestion of getting some danios for the tank and returning the goldfish, as a smaller fish like danios would be much better suited for that size of tank. Of course, goldies do have that habit of moving their mouths a lot and may not be gasping...just doing the goldy thing.

I'd agree with fishywishy that your tank is cloudy because of a bacteria bloom, which is a good thing. So just leave it alone...it'll clear up on its own.

You want to get in the habit of changing about half of the water once a week...just as good tank maintenance. That is with fish other than your goldies, unfortunately they are such messy fish that you will have to do at least half of the water more than once a week...and they really won't be happy.