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Hi Im new here and im a beginner

4K views 36 replies 11 participants last post by  keepsmiling 
#1 ·
hi i have jst bought my first tank and im not sure how big it is and i bought 8 fish 1 angelfish and 3 small goldfish (they r supposed to grow ) and 4 fishes idk their name they r always small with silver color and with a line of a color either blue , yellow , green , pink , dark blue or red .

but those silver fish keep on fin nipping my angel fish and she's always swimming at the top of the tank at corner when the tank's light are on what am i supposed to do get another angelfish for it to have company or what idk tbh .


and i wanted to know how long does it take take a goldfish to grow ?
 
#2 ·
Welcome to TFK!

Can you try and find out how big your tank is? That's really important. Also, try finding out what kind of fish those silver fish are. Without that info, I can't really give you advice on them.

Unfortunately I have bad news. Angelfish cant really be kept as singles. Angelfish are shoaling fish, and that means they need to be kept in a group. Also, they need to be kept in quite large tanks in order to be kept in a group. 55 gallons or bigger for a group of 5-6. bigger tanks will allow you to keep more angels.

Another problem in your tank is the goldfish/angelfish combination. Angelfish are tropical, and therefore need water between like 72 and 78 degrees. Most goldfish need cooler water. Fancy goldfish need a little bit warmer water than comet and common goldfish. But I'm guessing your goldfish were from the feeder tank, and that would make them common or comet goldfish.

Goldfish also need quite large tanks. Common and comet goldfish need a lot of room- around 45-55 gallons per fish, and are usually regarded as pond fish for that reason. Even the smallest fancy goldfish, though, need 20 gallons per fish, with 10 gallons more for each additional individual. Some fancies require even more space than that due to size.

Goldfish can grow very fast when in a proper tank, and with proper food.

Hopefully we can straighten out your situation, and again, welcome to the forum!
 
#4 ·
This hit on most of my thoughts - to find the size of your tank, if you can provide the dimensions and shape of your tank we can help you calculate the volume of it.

One concern I have that I have not seen mentioned yet is that you say you "just bought" your new tank - did you purchase, set up and add fish immediately or did you go through the cycling process to establish a healthy bacteria population? This is especially concerning to me as you have some very "dirty" (heavy bio-load) fish in your goldfish.
Ultimately, the population you have now is incompatible even without knowing what the other fish are (though determining that is important - posting pictures here might help).
This is a really exciting hobby and it's all too easy to jump in headfirst and get a little sideways at first. I would suggest taking a couple of steps back.
Have you tested your water to determine the base water conditions you have available for fish? (PH, hardness, etc) That will factor into what types of fish are best suited for you to choose from. Then you can start working through that list of fish to find those that fit the tank size you have to offer, are compatible with each other (same temperature range, complimentary activity level, etc) and are most interesting to you. If you did not cycle the tank before adding fish this is a great time to return/rehome the fish you have, start the cycling process and spend the weeks of cycling doing the above work so that when you are ready to start adding fish you will have all the "homework" done.
 
#5 ·
there are quite a few unknowns that need to be figured here and many issues that I can see from the info you have provided already. first thing is I would try to get the angel into a different tank or try to take back. you can read more on them in the fish profiles section at the top of the page to see why I suggest moving it out.

there are also some pinned topics in the freshwater aquarium section that would aid you with gaining a better understanding of how stocking and the cycle works. I might even suggest putting up a post there might get more attention for your questions/issues.

here are the direct links to the pinned topics

http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/...inners-guide-freshwater-aquarium-cycle-38617/
http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/freshwater-aquarium/basic-guide-freshwater-fish-stocking-38626/

P.S Welcome to the forum!!
 
#6 ·
well i asked the guy that sold me the tank he said that its 40 liters and i gave back the silver fish and i got 1 more angelfish and 2 cleanfish ( fish that cleans the tank ) and 2 good looking fish i wanna knw how to find out their names , im kindda lost and im trying to build a good community in my tank


i can upload a picture of my tank if u need it to help me
 
#10 ·
These fish all grow. The angelfish will either kill each other as they grow, or they'll become a pair (and that's only if they're male/female, and if they get along). If they're a pair, they'll need about 30 gallons (about 114 liters), and if they aren't, well, they'll need a 55 gallon tank (about 208 liters) and more angelfish to keep the aggression spread around.

Like I said with the goldfish, they're going to get very large, ALTHOUGH: they will stay stunted in a tank like that. the bad news about that is that their organs keep growing, and this severely injures the fish and eventually kills them. I'd return or rehome the little guys into a pond.
 
#13 ·
if you take a look at the fish profiles, there's a link at the top of the page, you can usually figure out pretty well what fish goes with what.

Ten gallons is kind of small for most fish. Unfortunately, pet stores give a lot of wrong information, and it causes our fish to suffer a lot.

Personally, in a ten gallon (depending on water hardness and such) i'd put a betta, and some bottom feeders like otos or dwarf cories. You could also do guppies or platies, I believe. There are other options too, I just don't know them all.
 
#15 ·
Honestly (and i agree frustratingly) there's no set number for fish in a tank.after you pick fish suited to the tank size, then you can fins out how many will fit :)

I'm not trying to be mean or discourage you i promise. i just kniw you probably want the healthiest tank you can have. :)
 
#19 ·
Hi ihitu, welcome to this group. You're in the right place to get some help. I would urge you not to buy any more fish until you straighten out your current situation.

1. Read up on "cycling a tank." This is the process of building up healthy bacteria in your tank that will help break down fish pee. If you go on the home page of this site, then click Freshwater Fish and Aquariums, there is a "sticky" entitled A Beginner's Guide to the Freshwater Aquarium Cycle. I know none of us likes to spend a lot of time reading before we start something, but you will probably save some of your fish from dying if you learn as much as you can.

2. Check here with some of the experts before you add any more fish - they probably know more than the person who's selling you fish.

3. Really read up on the fish profiles of the ones you have. Angelfish are not typically considered beginner fish, so you will need to do some research to figure out how to best handle them.

I love fishkeeping and I started when I was a kid. You did a smart thing coming here so keep asking questions and good luck!
 
#20 ·
A ten gallon tank isn't very big for schooling fish. They like to do a lot of horizontal movement so moving back and forth across a 10 gal tank doesn't give them much room. The person who suggested a betta and some bottom-feeders for your 10 gal had a good idea.

I think the reason people hesitate to tell you an exact number of how many fish you can have is because it depends on the fish. A tank that could accommodate 10 guppies,for example, cannot hold 10 angelfish.

Can you tell us now what fish you have in which tank?
 
#25 ·
A guppy and a betta are not compatible. If you go to Fish Profiles and go into Livebearers, you can read more about guppies. They are good fish for beginners.

Catfish are an example of bottom feeders. You would want to get a bottom feeder that doesn't grow very much since it's a small tank. Go to Fish Profiles and take a look under Catfish. Check out any of the ones "Cory" in their common name. They stay pretty small. Do NOT get a pleco for your 10 gal (I'm sorry I am unfamiliar with the metric measurements.)
 
#23 ·
gold fish

Hello there I have ten gold fish in a sixty litre tank and was just wondering if the filter I have actually works because they all seem to go to the top and was wondering if they needed another filter as they have not long been fed and also how do I use the weekly cleaner do I use it with the fish in ?? And also how do I use the chlorine bottle and the white spot bottle do I use them whilst the fish is in the tank would be greatfull if someone would help me please
 
#24 · (Edited)
Hello there I have ten gold fish in a sixty litre tank and was just wondering if the filter I have actually works because they all seem to go to the top and was wondering if they needed another filter as they have not long been fed and also how do I use the weekly cleaner do I use it with the fish in ?? And also how do I use the chlorine bottle and the white spot bottle do I use them whilst the fish is in the tank would be greatfull if someone would help me please
well i think having 10 goldfish in a 60 liter tanks isnt really good , i have 3 goldfish in a 220 liter tank and i think that i have to give back 1 or 2 and for the anti clorine bottle u have a number scoops for every tank size it will be written on the bottle and put them while the fish isnt in the tank. and turn on the filter for 3 hrs after that ur safe to add ur fish to the tank
 
#33 ·
Hi There,
I hate to be the bearer of bad tidings but sadly Koi are an even bigger problem than the goldfish. Koi grow HUGE and this is why they are considered a large pond fish, the sales person should not have sold them to you:( to keep them in a tank your tank would also have to be huge. My grandfather kept koi in a massive 8 ft tank and even this is not a good idea. This is why it is so important to read about each fish before you buy it, I know its hard not to be impulsive when you're in the shop but if you get it right at the begining you will be rewarded. You could return the Koi to the pet store and swap them for some hardy plants that the Angel fish would like (Java Fern, Wisteria, Amazon Sword, Pygmy Chain Sword).
 
#36 ·
I'm new to this as well :)

Well to start I did what a typical beginner did put water in the tank and then fish. Lol I knew you had to cycle saltwater tank which was my original plan but financial reason that's not going to work. So freshwater all the way. Anyway took the fish back after I did research( my pet store ppl are not the brightest). Kept one a rainbow shark. It's a 40g tank with gravel a temporarily fake plant and fake rock. HOB filter. It started out fine got a little cloudy and then turned a tinge green? I think it was all the light on it. I think it's been about 6 days. No light and 2 25% water changes so far. I know I'm not doing this right from the beginning and don't know where to pick up? :(
 
#37 ·
Hello and welcome. Please take the koi back to the store, and do not buy anything else from that store. Koi can get upward of several feet long.I have a friend with a 3500 gal pond, and she won't put koi in it, it's too small! You can keep three to four fancy goldfish in a 55, but commons and comets need a much larger tank, preferably a pond. Please as suggested, read up on the nitrogen cycle of a tank. You will need to do water changes and get test kits to test the water, so you know how far along the cycle is, and when to change the water so the fish do not suffer.
If you want a community tank, perhaps look at some smaller fish, like neon tetras or other small tetras. Some bottom feeders such as corydoras perhaps, but any of these schooling fish need to be kept in large groups also to feel comfortable and school properly. I would suggest you slow down and have patience until you do some research. Nothing good ever happens fast with keeping an aquarium. Good luck!
 
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