I hope this is in the right forum. If not, please move it. -_-;

So, last saturday I bought a fish bowl and got 2 goldfish to put in it. Turns out they are shubunkins, not fantails like I originally thought. One of them died Monday and it was missing a fin when I took it out.. I think it may have been injured when I used a net to keep it out of the way to pour gravel in. (Yes, bad idea, I realize that now!)

So anyway, I still have this one shubunkin and I really want it to live! I have a 10 gallon tank my mom is giving me. I'll need to clean it well and check for leaks, but I think it's going to work. I'm also going to buy a filter for the tank. But I don't know what to do as far as making sure the water is okay to put my fish into it. This bowl idea is getting bad fast the water is very hard to keep clean and like I said, I REALLY want this one to live! So ANY advice is VERY helpful and appreciated.

... Don't use chemiclas to clean the tank, just water. Normally if You just use tap water to fill the tank You should leave it to sit for several days with the filter running and all the stuff in it (minus the fish) so it conditions it. But either my fish have all been extraordinarily hardy or just lucky. If you are in a desperate hurry the gallons of filtered water or.. like. River water X3

Fish are remarkably sturdy.

But yes, google up or library to check. Don't take my word for it. My fish are all monsters

Goldfish are surprisingly high maintenance from what I've heard. That's why I prefer betas. xD

Anyways there are a lot of different types of filters out there, you should research what type is best to use for your tank. Also if you have algae problems, a pleco or two could be a nice addition. ;)

I would also recommend getting a heater for your tank, and as Squidiot said, only wash your tank with plain water.

As far as removing the chemicals from tap water, if you can't wait a couple days for it to filter out, you could probably find some water conditioners at your local pet store. With a water conditioner, you just add a couple drops (follow the directions on the bottle) to your water, let it sit for a few minutes and add your fish. I bought a small bottle at Walmart and it works great.

Also I'd like to add that you need to make sure that the new water is the same temperature as before you changed it. Most fish can't handle sudden temperature changes well.

Good luck with your fish! :D

If this one dies, give up and get a beta.

Ever hear of Siamese Fighting Fish? Those are Betas.

There's a very fun, very pretty way of keeping Betas that my old teacher did...you get a peace lily, a large vase, and some gravel or whatever you want in the bottom of the vase.

First, put the gravel, pebbles, marbles, glass tokens, whatever you like in the bottom of the vase, then fill it with the cleanest, most neutral water you can find. If you've got a reverse osmosis filter near where you live, so much the better; use that and fill the vase to about five inches from the top.

Take the Peace Lily out of its container, and clean all the dirt you can get off off its roots with a slow stream of water. Once the roots are completely clean (they should be white) you put it in a special holder (iirc it was some sort of lid with a half-hole in it.)

Put in the fish, and put the Peace Lily over top of it.

Feed the beta normally. They don't like moving much (the size of the fins), but now and then they'll go roaming about the vase and hide in the Peace Lily's roots.

My junior high teacher used to make 'em. I had one, but the fish died, and the lily followed. I think we still have the vase somewhere, though.

Salt. Wash it with salt and a paper towel and a little bit of water. And make sure all the salt is out of it when you fill it.

But you should really be going to your local pet store and asking. They could get you the exact specs for the filter you need to fit your tank. So...go there.

GL :>

Thanks... I have googled how to set up a tank but they start talking about PH balances and all this other stuff. I know you dont have to do that in order to set up a tank. As for the betas, I dont like them. I really love the shubunkin.. but the only thing I'm worried about is their size. I've already got this one, but I can only keep a 10 gallon tank in my apartment. My landlord doesn't allow any bigger. Don't goldfish stop growing to the size of their space? I did go to a pet store yesterday, but they didn't have a lot of time for someone who just had questions, not looking to buy. xD

I do have water conditioner already, and I do plan on using it.

I think this belongs in the fish tank forum. =/

There's a fish tank forum?

Uh why don't you just call up the pet store and ask them?

Link to fish tank forum pls

Fish tank forum? I can't find that anywhere. xD And I did go to a pet store today, but I wound up buying the starter kit from wal-mart. Currently I am testing the tank for leaks.. it's full of water in my tub. I'll empty it in awhile and tomorrow I gotta get an extension cord to plug in the filter and hood.. and an air pump thing as well. Anyway, I think I know how to get it set up, I just hope all goes well and my fish doesn't die in the process.

Tank PH can actually be incredibly important. My friend recently cleaned her tank and the PH balance was sent so out of whack that her fish were poisoned (ammonia I think) and half of them died before we managed to get them their medication. Her tank is huge though; 55 gallons. Still, water chemical balance is not something to laugh at. However, you don't need to buy a kit. If your local Petsmart or Petco is any good, they'll offer water testing for free or a small charge. Ours are very good here, but I've heard that some in different states/cities aren't that good.

I'm better at figuring out what diseases fish might have and what meds to get them, so I can't really say much about setup, except to add to the list of people who are saying "go ask the petshops". That's what my friend and I did whenever we were in doubt. :)

This can actually be very harmful to the betta. Although they have gills, bettas also have a special organ that allows them to breath oxygen directly from the air by surfacing. The mess of roots and stems at the top of the vase often prevents the betta from reaching the surface and breathing air in this way. Male bettas also like to build "bubble nests", which is a mass of.. fish spit, for lack of a better term, that they normally use to protect the eggs laid by the female they've mated with. They don't have to mate to build the nests though; I had male bettas for years, and I swear they do it for entertainment. The nests float at the water's surface, which they can't do if a plant is taking up all of the space. Long story short: bettas and peace lilies really should not be kept together unless there is plenty of room for the fish to reach the water's surface.

Good idea. I knew they could test your water and all, but didn't think it'd be necessary if I put the water conditioner in it. I'll take it petco. But what happens if the PH balance or whatnot is high.. and I've already got water in the tank?

That's what it said on a sign at the pet store yesterday.

Yeah. You know a Betta is happy when they make bubble nests. If they're sick or unhealthy, they won't do it. And they rely on their lungs more than their gills, so they definitely need to reach the surface or they'll die. I would recommend the site "Betta Talk" for anyone who wants a Betta. They go into everything you need to do to keep a Betta healthy and happy. :)

As for PH, if the PH is high, there's a possibility it will settle down in a few days. if you can't wait or it's really high, 25-50% water changes and chemicals to lower the PH can help. Usually petshops will sell chemicals to lower PH and make it higher too. They're usually labeled just as "PH Up" and "PH Down".

PH changes when you have too much waste (feces and uneaten food), having too many fish for the space available, etc. It's good to keep an eye on it, especially if your fish don't seem to be doing well. Testing the water around once a month might be a good idea if you can manage it, though for the most part it will probably be okay.

:)

pH is extremely important. The master start-up kit is rediculously expensive, but it's worth it. I always check my levels because I have a very fragile catfish.

As for basic start up, let the filter run for at least two days. Add some water conditioner and, if you want to, a product called 'Cycle' (tere's probably other forms of this, but I find Cycle to be the best). It reduces stress levels when adding fish and maintaining balance weekly. Once the water is conditioned, wash the gravel in warm water (in the event there are any chemicals on it or powder from packaging) and spread it out along the bottom. Add plants (if you've never used live plants, go with plastic) and a hideaway and you're pretty much set to take care of your first fish.

The key is to maintain a healthy tank. Clean it, do water changes, and make sure you clean the gravel. Feces and food builds up in there and can make the fish very, very sick.

If your fish is stressed, they can get a few conditions such as itch or pop-eye. Personally, I add a stress reducer and wait a day to see if there's change (for me, it usually goes away), but f not, you can medicate. They have some broad-spectrum medicines that you use for 5-10 days. After that, the tank should be cleaned, and a water change should be done.

Good luck! Fish are wonderful to have once you've figured out how to care for them. If you're interested in other breeds of fish, livebearers are great to start with (mollies are my favourite, to be honest) until you know enough to explore more tropical fish. My only suggestion is to be careful where you buy your fish. Going to an aquarium where ALL THEY SELL is fish and fish supplies is your best bet at getting a fish that's not already sick. I find most normal, big-name pet stores always have ill fish. Petsmart is notorious for this. At least where I live, anyway.

So, I hope you enjoy your new swimming friend. You've got a good size of tank to have a few fish in, and I hope you'll find some breeds you like. :)