Keeping Fish

[LeafBlade12345]

I'm so horrified.... I picked up three beautiful betas for my pond today and released them with my Goldies and koi. Within seconds, one of my females was attacked by my goldfish and a chunk of her tail ripped out. My smaller female was unharmed, but my gorgeous male is nowhere to be seen. Of course I took them out and they will now take up residence inside, but I'm just horrified...they were being ripped apart by my goldfish and my koi were trying to snarf them up like their food... What went wrong?!?

 

[LeafBlade12345]

Okay, so I found the male, hiding in the filter pocket. I'm so relieved. So my question now, can a male and two females live in an empty 18 gal. Without fighting? They're about the same size, though different "breeds." I'm so shocked, but definitely relieved. I never thought that the koi would go into attack mode...geesh

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Goldfish and koi will eat anything that will fit in their mouths, as well as most any other species of fish will too, you were technically feeding them.

 

[Shellybean02]

I'm not sure if she was stressed from Brooke dying, but Lynn was laying down at the bottom of the tank a bit to the side. I used water flow from a syringe to see if she was alive, and she went nuts... spinning and zipping around and almost coming out of the water. I took her out to put her in a small cup. Reason: I wanted her to have easy access to air, and I couldn't taint my water with even more dead fish in the case that she does pass. This is a disaster... I hope my boys and Penny will be okay, and I doubt Lynn will be alive much longer with the way she's looking. Penny is barely moving, just standing at the top of the water next to the boys' box. What should I do? My dad might be getting me one or two more females, but I'm afraid they may die as well. What to do? The boys are fine.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Have you checked ammonia levels to see if your tank is cycled, erratic dashing is from the water conditions not being right, you shouldn't be feeding too much, especially as the tank gets established, you shouldn't rush things. The one you took out, give her fresh water that's the same temperature and see if she feels better, ammonia burns.

 

[Shellybean02]

How can ammonia rise so quickly? I'm pretty sure I tested the water yesterday, but I can do it again today. I'll update. I only feed a few freeze dried bloodworms to each boy, I put a bit more for the girls but they don't seem to notice it(they might eat when I'm not home, I wouldn't know). If it's the ammonia, how come the boys look absolutely fine - as opposed to Lynn, who looks like she only has a drop of life left in her?

 

[politicalcenter]

I'm not sure if she was stressed from Brooke dying, but Lynn was laying down at the bottom of the tank a bit to the side. I used water flow from a syringe to see if she was alive, and she went nuts... spinning and zipping around and almost coming out of the water. I took her out to put her in a small cup. Reason: I wanted her to have easy access to air, and I couldn't taint my water with even more dead fish in the case that she does pass. This is a disaster... I hope my boys and Penny will be okay, and I doubt Lynn will be alive much longer with the way she's looking. Penny is barely moving, just standing at the top of the water next to the boys' box. What should I do? My dad might be getting me one or two more females, but I'm afraid they may die as well. What to do? The boys are fine.

Remember patience? Why not just let your tank sit a while and do nothing. The tank needs to cycle and you need to give the fish a rest. If one dies take it out and do nothing else to the water. I have read that even a goldfish will suffer stress 30 days after being moved. The more you mess with them the more stress they will suffer. You will worry them to death.

Go to any store nearby and get some Tetra Min or other tropical fish flakes. Just a pinch on the top of the water will do. Just don't feed them more than they will eat in a few minutes . It is better to underfeed than overfeed.

All my fish eat from a fifty pound bag of catfish feed I buy at a local CO-OP. My ponds are cold right now and I have stopped feeding them altogether. I just went to the bait store and bought some minnows for them to feed on this winter.

A good rule to follow is this...A fish will eat any other fish that it can fit in its mouth.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I didn't say it was ammonia, I said to check it, it's one option. Fish express ammonia in there waste and respiration, and any uneaten food is quickly converted to ammonia. Fish dashing is because her skin hurts or is itchy, there's things about water quality you need to learn, swings in ph levels can be uncomfortable too. Water is full of stuff you can't see or taste, let your tank settle and age a bit. You could also do a 10% water change to remove some bad stuff and freshen the water.

 

[Shellybean02]

I tested and everything came out moderate or safe. Nothing has changed. This is my first time, so yes I'm nervous... Please try to bear with me.
What would be the best way to go about with introducing the new female(s) to the tank when they arrive?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

What's your ph? And are ammonia and nitrites levels zero?