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Odd, but I won 2 goldfish at the carnival 3 days ago.
I went to Petsmart and bought a proper fish tank (2.5 gallons), bedding gravel, and plants for them.
Since my father is the ultimate money saver, he insisted that we didn't need an air pump or filter. I saw the fish gulping for air on the surface about once for a couple seconds. There was no food or flotsam on the surface.
I was wondering:
-Are the 3 plants good providers of oxygen for the 2 fish?
-Do I need both the filter and air pump? (the tank is only 2.5 gallon capacity)
-What type of pump and/or filter should I get [and their cost]
-What else should I get?
-Any advice?
A small filter would be good since goldfish tend to be extra "poopy" creatures unless you plan on water changes often. An air pump or bubbler is not necessary. Gulping at the surface is normal behavior. Be careful not to feed too much. Surprisingly its a lot harder to maintain the plants than it is the fish so don't be surprised if you have trouble there.
For 2 goldfish in a 2.5 gal tank, you don't need an airpump or filter. Just change the water every 1-3 weeks, depending on how dirty/cloudy the water gets, and you'll be fine.
Rest assured, they were not gulping for air. Fish can't get their oxygen from the air.
Yeah, thanks Rick LOL I wasn't sure if there is a filter made for so small of a tank! You may need water conditioners too, depending on what your tap water is like? Ask at your pet store about that, okay? Be sure not to let it get direct sunlight or you'll have a bowlful of green (algae bloom) water LOL -- looks bad but not fatal!
This may be the start of a whole new hobby for you. I have a 55 gallon tank with mostly varieties of barbs and gouramis in it, which is much easier to run than the smaller tanks are.
Goldfish are pretty sturdy types. Well by golly that answers that! I would only resort to that product if other fish were involved. Each batch of fresh water you put in there will have more than enough oxygen dissolved in the water for them. And yes, the plants release some too. They may be finning and gilling a lot from the excitement of a new home. Next time you are at the pet store, watch some of those fish for a while too.
Are your fish still alive?
yes, goldfish need filtration and air bubbles in their water/tank. Sounds like they are gasping for air. Goldfish get their oxygen through their gills from the water. A goldfish is not a labyrinth fish (a fish that uses a special organ called the labyrinth to breathe air from the surface of the water - like a Beta fish). They could also be sick considering they came from a carnival.
It is possible to keep them alive in a bowl if they are extremely healthy, but to give the surface more oxygen (which goldfish need lots of) the bowl should be a longer shallower type. If you have a tall container, only fill it half way - this will give more surface space for air. Strange, I know, but true.
Cloudy water = pollutants and toxins = sick fish = dead fish, if kept in a container the water should be changed at every sight of cloudiness,if not every day.
I know you may not be in a position to go out and by all the stuff, and they could still die even if you do, you don't know what they went through before they got to you. If anything, they are probably better off with you now because you care and want the best for them, who knows what would have happened to them after the carnival. I heard of a guy winning a goldfish at a carnival then tortured it to death in the parking lot.
So anyway, how are they?
i would say get conditioner as all tap water i know of has cholorin in it, also the amonia or nitrate levels may not be in balance yet as of the tank being new. as well your plants probably wont suruvive but it is hard to say depending on the type of plant. i started with a ten gallon so i dont know if the testers are worth getting for you or not, but my assumption would be not all the bacterial balances have been met yet as it is a new tank setup so your nitrates and amonia will be offbalanced at least to start.
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