Please help! Listless new Calico Moor

Steve1107

Dear Fish Fans,

Anyone have any experience or offer suggestions for a brand new Goldfish?

Last night we got a new Calico Moor at our lfs Petland from a tank of healthy-looking Fancy Goldfish. He was the most active and frisky but all looked OK.

We put him alone last night in an established 2.5 gal quarantine tank. The tank pH was about 7.2-7.4 and the pH in the plastic bag carry-home water was about 6.4-6.6 so we dumped the water in with him.

Today he seems way less active and more listless as time goes on. He mostly sits still on the tank bottom although he will swim a little now and then. Nowhere near like before tho.

His fins are normal, not clamped. He's not gasping, breathing seems ok, scales and color perfect -- no marks.

This morning ammonia barely registered -- lfs water? -- pH 6.8-7.0, nitrates 10-20 ppm, nitrites zero.

So changed about 40% water and added Prime; so adjusted pH to 7.0-7.2. Also added 1/2 tbsp. aquarium salt.

established Aqueon 2.5 gal tank with integral pad filter
tests -- API liquid test kits
temp 72
pH ~7.0
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 10 ppm

Had an API strip that says GH about 30-60 and KH about 80-120.

These poor little guys can crash so fast! Anyone notice anything wrong with the above or know anything to watch out for? Should we give him Melafix or Pimafix? Would like to prevent anything that might be wrong from getting worse for the poor little fellow.

Thanks very much,
Steve 1107

thekoimaiden

Hey Steve,

About how large is your new calico? He could just be feeling a bit confined in the quarantine tank. I've seen large Goldfish in small tanks, and they really don't move much. He also might be a little uneasy about his new surroundings. Anytime something is taken from its normal environment there will be an adjustment period. Hope he perks up soon. Just make sure to keep vigil for any sign of disease!

Steve1107

Hi Koimaiden,

Thank you again for your willingness to help! You must be right, now a few days on the little dude explores and swims around more. He still hangs in one place on the bottom more than you'd think for a healthy young Goldfish -- probably is bewildered.

He's about 2 1/2 inches long at most, not including tailfins.

His future tankmate, the Black Moor, seemed confused also his first three or four days in his new 29-gal. home last week. He seemed a bit timid but never stopped swimming around.

Your other post is right too IMO about Goldfish being neat pets! I had the impression they didn't have as much Fish Fancier cred as tropicals, although that isn't any priority...glad our 12 y/o wanted a Goldfish since we found out what you know, that Fancy Goldfish are super pets that seem affectionate and interactive. Plus, they actually seem to need more meticulous and knowledgeable care than tropicals, as fas as water maintenance goes -- So There, Fish Snobs!

And God willing, with fish-lover participating, they'll be with you many years.

Best wishes going to Petland or wherever. If you happen to be in the NoVa/DC region perhaps they have a selection. Hope you can find a suitable site and we hope you find an ideal new Fancy Goldfish friend. A member of our nuclear family is a graduate student right now in central VA. There aren't any urban hassles there of course; if you spend more hours driving to get an out-of-the-ordinary item like a Redhead, then you get them back every other day in reduced stress and shorter trips to work, shops, gym, etc...

Regards,
Steve1107

thekoimaiden

Happy to help! I'm always glad to see other people enjoy Goldfish and give them a proper home instead of discounting them as things to be kept in bowls. They are just as vibrant and beautiful as any topical in my opinion. And you might be right about needing more care. They need larger tanks than a good many of the tropicals. I also do the largest water changes weekly on my Goldfish tank. Now if they would only act more photogenic.

Unfortunately I live in southern Virginia where there are few pet stores. I have to drive about an hour for a good place to buy fish. Right now I mostly browse the Petsmart fish when I go to get other supplies. I'll be sure to post pictures when I finally get a new guy!