Gretal

Approx 200litre coldwater tank, with filter, air curtain thingy. No real plants (plastic one's), and a large piece of driftwood that is still staining the water. My goldfish only seem to live a few months and then they die. They tend to sit on the bottom (although one was doing nose stands), before having problems keeping upright, and laying on their sides. Then they usually go belly up within a day or two. I'm pretty sure its not my water, as it is only one fish at a time, and usually a few months after I buy it. Up until then, they look fine. I have one at the moment who is looking abit odd, sitting on the bottom, sometimes gulping at nothing (as if its swallowing food but nothing is there) For years I had goldfish that had the bare minimum of care and they thrived. Now I'm actually trying to look after them, and they're dying The one's I've had lately have all come from the same local place. They are bred in big concrete ponds/tanks outside, sometimes the water so dirty you can't see whats in there. Is there a chance they are just a dodgy batch of goldfish? Or is there something I'm missing? I would've thought if there was anything major going on in the tank, they'd all die together, not one every few weeks or so. (dependant on when I buy them, they seem to last a few months.) Am feeding them flakes, but they do get pee's a few times a week. Any help please? I don't want to continue having a goldfish graveyard

It can't have been that bad for him, he was still bouncing

I think it may be time to buy a bigger net. It was fine for the little guys, but the bigger fish nearly filled it lol. Especially my big boy, mind you he was too fat to try and jump. He just sagged

Well, half blackmoor anyway Flash makes his eyes look funny and his black look grey.

:oops: Well, I didn't really drop him/her. He/she actually leapt out of the net while I was transferring them back into the tank. It was flopping about on the carpet, while I was panicking about how to pick it up lol Is back in the tank and swimming about like nothing happened now

I've given up trying to work out how to sex my goldfish, as it's near impossible for me. I recently bought another 4, 1 of which I was told was definately a male, but he looks like all the rest of mine to me. In the new bunch was a black moor. Last night when I got home from work, it was being harassed rather strongly by the large male (who is sort of a black moor/fantail cross), and a smaller fish. None of the others were interested. I'm not sure if its a female and they were trying to do whatever, or what. It looks the same underneath as the others. My dilemma is do I leave it, assuming its the natural breeding process, or remove it to another tank, if its a male and getting picked on? How do I tell? It's looking abit battered today, with abit of scale damage on its sides. Any help would be appreciated!

Damn! I had an old tv like that, and was half heartedly thinking about doing something similar, but thought it'd be too hard. Left it behind when I moved out of my last flat. S'pose I could always go round and see if my old flatmate has chucked it out or not.......... After all, hubby said I'm not allowed to *buy* anymore fish tanks. He didn't say I couldn't make any

I feel like such a noob! I only have 3 tanks. (partner keeps asking "why do you need more?") I have an octagonal with tropicals in, a small tank that usually houses goldfish, and a big tank (I'm real techincal on measurements hehe) that I haven't added any tropicals to yet, but my 3 goldfish are currently in it cycling it. Which made me kind of think "hmm, they look cool in there, so I might keep it as a cold water tank" Which means I need to get another big tank, to move my tropicals into, so I can get some Angels for my octagonal. I promised I wouldn't buy any more tanks without asking..............

Got offered it for $250, but said no. Was only really after the tank etc, didn't really want the fish

1m x 40 x 40 rectangular tank millenium 2000 filter + spare cartridge visitherm 250w thermostat heater large resin bell bout $30 or so worth of gravel sucky tube for gravel cleaning bag of cichlid pellets bag of cichlid pellet crumbs 3/4 full tub of JBL plecochips (full tub $38) full bottle of JBL aquakal, and another of aquacid 2/3 full pH test kit 25l plastic jerry can for water slightly used bottle of Malachite green 2 convicts (1 male 1 female) 2 ?blue zebras sex unknown 2 medium but still juvenile orange parrot cichlids, one which needs his face painting with malachite green once a day long term. 1 1ft long pleco (sex unknown)

Thanks for all of the ideas! I don't think I could get a bigger piece of wood in there. It was hard enough getting that bit in past the centre brace. Think I will try the lead thing. Even if I only manage to anchor one end, and have the other end floating, should be okay. Cheers

Is there any way to keep it down, such as hanging sinkers from it / tying it down etc? Or would sinkers leech lead into the water?

Well it fits in my rubbish bin, but the top end sticks out. However, if flipping it over works okay, then I'll try that. Thanks!

We don't have a bath, only a shower

A month and a half?!?! I would put it in boiling water, but I have nothing big enough to put it in. I don't want to add boiling water to the tank incase it breaks. We don't have a bath to use either I could try the rubbish bin, but the top piece sticks out of the water about 20ish cm, so wouldn't that make it a waste of time?

It's been in the tank for about 3 weeks now, with a 5kg bag of stones sitting on top of it, but it is still floating when I take the stones off. Before that, it was in a big rubbish bin full of water for a couple of weeks, but because of it's size, it wasn't fully submerged. How long is it going to take before it stops floating? Or should I just give up and throw it out? :evil:

Lol, no the piano doesn't work anymore, and I think he has a 4ft in his piano. Looks very eyecatching! I'll keep harassing him at work and hopefully he will post a piccie

I always wanted to try that. Or in a computer. Have it hooked up somehow so when you pushed the power button, the light came on. :lol: *looks around* Wonder if my partner would miss one of the tv's

A guy I work with has a very cool fish tank built into a piano, and if he's reading this, I think he should put a photo of it up for everyone to see Anyone else got fish tanks built into strange things?

Thanks guys!

Tank has been full of water for about a week now, with a large piece of wood in it (and stones) I'm basically using it to soak the wood, as the rubbish bin I bought to soak it in wasn't quite big enough. The wood was in the bin for about 2 weeks, if not more, and was pretty well soaked during that time. Water was clear etc. When I put it in the tank, it was still floating, so I've sat a 5kg bag of stones to it to keep it submerged. Noticed this morning that there is an oily/fatty looking scum on the top of the water. When you put your finger into it, and drag it along, it looks like congealed fat or something. Any idea whats causing it? We haven't had flyspray or anything similar. Nothing I can think of at all. Surely if it was anything to do with the wood, it would've happened before now? There are no fish in the tank yet btw! It's basically just being used as a large bucket, until I can get my wood to stay submerged It wouldn't be the plastic bag the stones are in? I'm just clueless as to what it could be.

Yeah, I know I should've researched better, but I thought if you worked in a fish shop you'd know what the fish were lol. Actually, now I'm interested to know whether I got a bargain or not 8)

Have been trying to get photos, but they tend to move as soon as I press the button lol Here is a photo of the bristlenose :lol: Hopefully that works!

:evil: So yesterday I went in to my LFS to get a bristlenose. They were in a tank with alot of other fish, and being relatively new and dumb, I had no idea what they looked like. Well, it seems neither did the woman working there! She ummed and ahhed awhile, and finally caught one. I bought it home, not entirely sure it was a bristlenose, cause I couldn't see any real bristles, and it looked similar to my peppered cory, though a different colour. I looked it up on the net today (first chance I've had), and it's a panda cory. This same woman a few weeks ago sold me a couple of platties. I already had 2 (which I'd bought from the very knowledgable man who works there), so knew what I was getting. 1 was definately a platy, but the other I wasn't sure about as it looked different and was a different colour. Now I'm wondering if it might be a female swordtail, as there were also swordtails in the same tank. Is there any easy way to tell? I've read Platties can come in various colours and even body shapes. Have tried to take a few photos but the fish weren't very oblidging!

Yay! My stand is finally made. Just need to paint it now Almost looks too good to paint. Have forgiven my partner for taking over the job cause he has done an excellent job. Just need to get him going on the hood now hehe