The NFC B-Day Chat Thread

[ShrekDawg]

If you have a lot of dry salt you have not been changing the water (partial!) often enough and you get the residue as the water evaporates and/or hard water. If the latter, you really need to find out the hardness of the water at the fish store and yours. You can kill a new fish pretty quick putting it into water that is a lot harder than what it is used to. You can get a water softener pillow that goes in an external filter to soften the water. You might need to soften the water in a 5 gallon bucket before doing the water change rather than adding the water to the tank then softening it.

Different fish can tolerate (or need) different levels of hardness.


Today??? Our has been running 24x7 for nearly 2 months

Thanks! I hadn't even considered that possibility. I knew abkut ammonia and pH and stuff but never considered the hardness of the water.

I've had the goldfish since like January or February and they are thriving but I'll remember for any future fish

I loved the Chocolate gouramis! So tiny and cute! The bigger ones can be bullies!
Just got another seed catalogue!

I'll look them up

There'd still be lots of bacteria on every surface of the tank to re populate the filter so don't worry about it - goldfish are tough.

My husband wants big Tiger Oscars that will eat anything they can fit in their mouth. So my choice of fishes couldn't co-exist with them!

Thanks, that's good to know!

And aww that stinks

Those Oscars get boring, you can't add much except feeder fish to the tank.

Sounds boring

I rinse my filter on a regular basis to make them last longer. I also rinse my biofilter as needed. As long as the whole tank isn't cleaned out at one time the bacteria will quickly recover.

My arm will itch after a water change too. I make sure to wash it right after having it in the tank. If it's making you itch than your fish are probably feeling it too, so water changes will help with all problems. It's the same as good ventilation for chickens. It's really important for a healthy place for your fish.

Thanks, thats a relief! And hmmm, good point. I did wash it, several times, but its still slightly weird. Better tho.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Here's some new pictures of the fish. It's kind of hard to see how big they are from the pictures but they're pretty big these days. I kind of want to hold a ruler up to the side of the tank sometime haha

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Here's some new pictures of the fish. It's kind of hard to see how big they are from the pictures but they're pretty big these days. I kind of want to hold a ruler up to the side of the tank sometime haha

View attachment 1215754 View attachment 1215755 View attachment 1215756 View attachment 1215757 View attachment 1215758 View attachment 1215759 View attachment 1215760 View attachment 1215761 View attachment 1215762 View attachment 1215763 View attachment 1215764 View attachment 1215765 View attachment 1215766 View attachment 1215767 View attachment 1215768 View attachment 1215769

Wow, they are getting big, your gonna need a bigger tank soon. Mine are gigantic, have you thought about where they are gonna go?

 

[ShrekDawg]

Wow, they are getting big, your gonna need a bigger tank soon. Mine are gigantic, have you thought about where they are gonna go?

Yeah, they've really grown a lot, even just since the last update! And I'm glad you said that about the tank because I was gonna ask you when they need to be switched to a larger one.

And well, I've thought about the next tank but not as much about the long term future. I was thinking though of either getting a giant tank or building a pond outside. Both of which cost a lot and take a lot of time so I can't do right now.

They are still able to move around easily and swim, forage for food, etc. In this one

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Yeah, they've really grown a lot, even just since the last update! And I'm glad you said that about the tank because I was gonna ask you when they need to be switched to a larger one.

And well, I've thought about the next tank but not as much about the long term future. I was thinking though of either getting a giant tank or building a pond outside. Both of which cost a lot and take a lot of time so I can't do right now.

They are still able to move around easily and swim, forage for food, etc. In this one

They will be okay in there for a while yet. They would need a 55 gallon, or a pond. Maybe come spring you can find someone with a pond looking for fish if you didn't want to keep them long term.

My older goldfish I've had for, well gonna be 15 years this coming spring, so they can be a long term commitment. My fancy goldfish will live only 6-10 year, but my single tailed will be around for ????? I read 10-30 years and even beyond.

 

[CapricornFarm]

When i was growing up i had a goldfish get really big in a 10 gallon tank, so i built a pond in the back yard. I bought a bunch of other fish and put them in there so he would have company. I then put him in there. He died a few days later. I guess the change was too drastic for him. All of the other fish did fine.

 

[ShrekDawg]

They will be okay in there for a while yet. They would need a 55 gallon, or a pond. Maybe come spring you can find someone with a pond looking for fish if you didn't want to keep them long term.

My older goldfish I've had for, well gonna be 15 years this coming spring, so they can be a long term commitment. My fancy goldfish will live only 6-10 year, but my single tailed will be around for ????? I read 10-30 years and even beyond.

Oh okay good! And that's a lot smaller than I was thinking haha I was thinking 100 or even like 300. 55 or even 75 is much more manageable. I was thinking for their next tank I would get a 40 gallon breeder but maybe it would make more sense to just go bigger now so I don't have to keep buying a million tanks?

And hmmm, that's a good idea but I like the idea of having them long term and watching them grow so don't reallt want to sell them plus I might be more interested in them during different periods in that time if that makes sense

That is definitely a long term commitment though!

I think eventually I'll have a pond.

But you're right, if I can't build one here then it wouldn't be fair and I would give them away. Could always get more later I suppose.

 

[DigMyChicks]

If you have a lot of dry salt you have not been changing the water (partial!) often enough and you get the residue as the water evaporates and/or hard water. If the latter, you really need to find out the hardness of the water at the fish store and yours. You can kill a new fish pretty quick putting it into water that is a lot harder than what it is used to. You can get a water softener pillow that goes in an external filter to soften the water. You might need to soften the water in a 5 gallon bucket before doing the water change rather than adding the water to the tank then softening it.

Different fish can tolerate (or need) different levels of hardness.


Today??? Our has been running 24x7 for nearly 2 months

We use the fireplace a lot. Usually the wood stove is for days he is home all day long to keep an eye on it.

 

[ShrekDawg]

When i was growing up i had a goldfish get really big in a 10 gallon tank, so i built a pond in the back yard. I bought a bunch of other fish and put them in there so he would have company. I then put him in there. He died a few days later. I guess the change was too drastic for him. All of the other fish did fine.

Awww that's sad

Ponds scare me cause it seems like SO MUCH work

Maybe not though?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Oh okay good! And that's a lot smaller than I was thinking haha I was thinking 100 or even like 300. 55 or even 75 is much more manageable. I was thinking for their next tank I would get a 40 gallon breeder but maybe it would make more sense to just go bigger now so I don't have to keep buying a million tanks?

And hmmm, that's a good idea but I like the idea of having them long term and watching them grow so don't reallt want to sell them plus I might be more interested in them during different periods in that time if that makes sense

That is definitely a long term commitment though!

I think eventually I'll have a pond.

But you're right, if I can't build one here then it wouldn't be fair and I would give them away. Could always get more later I suppose.

I think a 55 gallon kit is cheaper than a 40 set up. You can keep 4-6 big goldfish comfortably in a 55.