Hi there, I’m new to fish keeping (got a Shubunkin and a Sarahsa comet). I’ve only had my fish two days now but they seem to be sulking at the bottom of the tank and being a bit inactive. I’ve read this could be because of high levels of ammonia and nitrites. So I want to test the water but I don’t know what kit to use. I’ve read that the strips are not very accurate…but I don’t know if a newbi doing drop test would work well?

So can you tell where I can buy some test kits and what ones are the best (keeping in mine in a full time student so I don’t have that much money).

~Twimper

Hi Twimper and welcome to FK,

Most people here use the API fresh water master test kit and the best place to buy is on ebay as its nearly half the price, http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/API-FRESHWATER- ... _Fish&hash=item4aa0fd8b4f.

If you could provide the following info too we may be able to help you further:

1 what size is you Aquarium litres or gallons, if your not sure give us your dimensions length. width and height in cm's or inches.

2 do you use a water dechlotinator like tapsafe?

3 what filter do you have?

4 have you done a fishless cycle (read the linkmin my signature

I know seams like lot of questions but it would help us to help you and you fish

Thank you, I found the same kit in a pet shop. The results where as following:

Ph: 7.5
Ammonia: 1.0 ppm
Nitrite: didn’t match the colour sheet. It just went bright pink
Nitrate: 8.0 ppm

The Ph seems fine and the ammonia not too bad though I would like it to be 0. it’s the nitrite and nitrate I’m worried about!

As for my tank I done some research that I should have done before I bought the fish and found my tank is WAY too small. It’s only 2.65 us gal. I really hope they will be ok until I can contact my uncial and he can take them on (as he has a very nice pond in his garden and is an experienced fish keeper.) until then should I so water changes? (15%?)

And the other info:

An elite mini internal filter
Nutrafin aqua plus water conditioner
Nutrafin cycle biological supplement

I set the tank up about a month back and added the conditioner and biological supplement. Then added more biological supplement when I added the fish (as my tank instruction told me too.) however I didn’t have the pump on in this time…this may have been my downfall. Also when I bought the fish there was a lot of water in the bag they came in so about half of the water is from the pet shop.

~Twimper

Hi Twimper

OK, the fishies are only in less than 11 litres of water so an emergency back up plan is needed

Ammonia and nitite should always read nil. Anything over this will be burning the scales and gills and will be affecting the fishies ability to carry o2. Ammonia in higher pH as this can be lethal. You need to dilute this as soon as you can.

Do you have any big plastic boxes you could move them to tonight?

Staples sell 'Really Useful Storage' boxes for about £15 for 84 litres, some stores stock the 130 litre sizes - get the biggest you can.

Fill with pre-treated water brought up to temp, as much of the gravel as you can and then move the existing filter/airstone over and add the fish. Daily water changes (again pre-treated) will be needed until you can get the fish to your Uncles pond - any chance of doing this tommorrow?

This may come as a shock but common goldfish need 180 litres for the first fish with an extra 55 litres for each extra fish

http://www.fishkeeping.co.uk/articles ... -size-life-expectancy.htm

Oh gosh! My poor fish! >_< I’m such a bad owner!

I don’t have anything like that…would it help to turn the bubble bit of the filter on/off? And I can’t get them to him till a week Thursday…I really should have got them! Though the shop didn’t seem to be giving them very good care before I got them. >_<

Keep bubbles turned on. I'd suggest returning them to the shop first thing tomorrow then if they are still alive

In the interim, undertake a 50% water change (a large amount tbh, but needs must right now) with pre-treated warmed water. You can use water from a boiled kettle or if you have a combi boiler, straight from the tap.

Just out of trying to keep them alive as best I can dose keeping the light (in the room not in the tank) on. I have sleeping problems; I tend to be up all night with the light on…is this making even harder for my poor fish?

Also before when I was trying to start the fish cycle the tank didn’t have the bubble thing on and sometime I forgot to pull my blinds so they didn’t get any natural light for a few days (this was when there wasn’t fish in there! I would never do that to the fish!).

I’ve really made a mess of it this haven’t I >_<

Hi Twimper, dont beat yourself up about it, we have all made mistakes at some point which i why we all visit this site. The only thing you had dont i listen to bad advise, now you have a chance to put it right. The guys on here know what they are talking about so if you take the advise given your fish have a chance of survival. Good luck.
Jen

As for the taking them back, there where in a worse tank than they are in now! The tank was about 4 times bigger than mine with over 10 fish in! That was one of the reasons I though they would be ok in my tank (and the fact that it says on the box suitable to up to two goldfish = LIES!!!)

You've got every right to be angry. The manufacturers should be prosecuted under false advertising or something. I know that one member on here wrote to the PFK magazine about the number of fish photo-shopped into a tank and now they often show tanks without the fish in.

Anyway, do the best you can and we will help you any way we are able.

Fizz