I need to quickly jot this down before I forget. Here's the Oranda's tank before her second WC:
Ammonia - .25
Nitrate - 5.0
Nitrite - 0
:( I think my nitrate test is broken. I shouldn't be getting anything.
I am a strange girl who fancies fancy goldfish. :D
Thursday, September 30, 2010
New Fish and Quarantine
Friday, I brought home two beautiful new goldies:
They're very sweet with lots of personality. The only problem with them is that they have parasites; a very common issue, but an issue that makes me mega nervous.
These guys are being quarantined for at least a month. This is my first QT, like, ever. I'm still nervous about their parasites, but hopefully everything will turn out okay. I really love these fish.
Each fish has a ten gallon all to themselves. One is cycled, but one is not. This is where I'd like to stress the absolute importance of having a cycled tank. Even though its just QT, administering medicine and taking it out every day can get expensive and tiresome. So you don't really NEED to cycle a QT, but it's so much easier if you do.
Here's a side-by-side schedule to tell you what I mean:
Originally I only did one water change per day for the Oranda, but after freaking out about her head-standing and going on to Kokos Goldfish World (I love that site), it was reccommended to do more w/c. Even after one day of doing so, she seems so much better. So twice a day it is.
Even without the second water change, there is a LOT of work involved in a tank that is not cycled compared to a tank that is. And the only reason I'm changing the Ryukin's water every 3 days instead of every week is to add the Prazi (which becomes inactive after three days)
IN ADDITION, I should be testing the water at least once a day to see the progress of the tank. I don't really have time to do so until the weekends, but if I can squeeze in a test, I will do it.
Anyway, I'm really happy to have them. Right now I'm scrambling to find a cheap 50 gallon and cycle it, since Pebbles the Cichlid will probably get the one I have now. :( Hopefully everything will work itself out.
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| The Oranda. Totally considering naming her Penelope! |
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| The Ryukin/Fantail. Still thinking on a name for him. |
They're very sweet with lots of personality. The only problem with them is that they have parasites; a very common issue, but an issue that makes me mega nervous.
These guys are being quarantined for at least a month. This is my first QT, like, ever. I'm still nervous about their parasites, but hopefully everything will turn out okay. I really love these fish.
Each fish has a ten gallon all to themselves. One is cycled, but one is not. This is where I'd like to stress the absolute importance of having a cycled tank. Even though its just QT, administering medicine and taking it out every day can get expensive and tiresome. So you don't really NEED to cycle a QT, but it's so much easier if you do.
Here's a side-by-side schedule to tell you what I mean:
Originally I only did one water change per day for the Oranda, but after freaking out about her head-standing and going on to Kokos Goldfish World (I love that site), it was reccommended to do more w/c. Even after one day of doing so, she seems so much better. So twice a day it is.
Even without the second water change, there is a LOT of work involved in a tank that is not cycled compared to a tank that is. And the only reason I'm changing the Ryukin's water every 3 days instead of every week is to add the Prazi (which becomes inactive after three days)
IN ADDITION, I should be testing the water at least once a day to see the progress of the tank. I don't really have time to do so until the weekends, but if I can squeeze in a test, I will do it.
Anyway, I'm really happy to have them. Right now I'm scrambling to find a cheap 50 gallon and cycle it, since Pebbles the Cichlid will probably get the one I have now. :( Hopefully everything will work itself out.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Tanks, Cichlids, and Goldfish
So quite a lot has happened since last post!
My mom brought home her Rio Grande Cichlid (I THINK that's what it's called) named Pebbles to put in my empty 50 gallon after seeing him going crazy in the tank in her classroom. This guy is about 5-6 inches long, pretty deep bodied. The tank he was in was a 15 gallon at best, being low and wide. There is a plethora of gravel in there, hosting all sorts of bad bacteria, and also limiting his space even more. (I mean, there's a good 3-4 inches of gravel in there.) The crazy activity was him swimming frantically, banging the glass, and trying to jump out. Now that he's in the 50 gallon, however, he's been much calmer and overall, happier, according to my mom.
The kids at her school miss him, (were actually angry that he was gone, haha) and I don't blame them. He's very personable and interactive. What my mom and I are thinking of doing is to take the 50 gal back to the school (where it came from anyway), leaving him in there, and I would buy and cycle a 75 gallon that was on sale at petsmart for my future goldfish. If it's not too over my already strict price range, though. :B 50 gal would be my lowest, though. I still want a big tank.
As far as new goldfish go, I've been told that my mom may be given a goldfish from a very kind man at the school. So we'll see! Either way, it's about time I get another goldfish. I've learned what I've learned from my calico ryukin, and I feel more prepared now. Especially to resist the temptation of not quarantining and not fully cycling.
We'll see what happens, though. Nothing's set in stone yet. The only thing on the agenda for Nano is to get some anacharis! He's been picking at the brown algae on my fake anacharis, and I think it's time for some real plants. Oh! And I decided to buy some Pro-Gold from GoldfishConnection for him. It seems to be getting great reviews, and I need some sort of staple to mix in with his zucchini, peas, broccoli, and bloodworms. ;)
My mom brought home her Rio Grande Cichlid (I THINK that's what it's called) named Pebbles to put in my empty 50 gallon after seeing him going crazy in the tank in her classroom. This guy is about 5-6 inches long, pretty deep bodied. The tank he was in was a 15 gallon at best, being low and wide. There is a plethora of gravel in there, hosting all sorts of bad bacteria, and also limiting his space even more. (I mean, there's a good 3-4 inches of gravel in there.) The crazy activity was him swimming frantically, banging the glass, and trying to jump out. Now that he's in the 50 gallon, however, he's been much calmer and overall, happier, according to my mom.
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| Pebbles the Cichlid |
As far as new goldfish go, I've been told that my mom may be given a goldfish from a very kind man at the school. So we'll see! Either way, it's about time I get another goldfish. I've learned what I've learned from my calico ryukin, and I feel more prepared now. Especially to resist the temptation of not quarantining and not fully cycling.
We'll see what happens, though. Nothing's set in stone yet. The only thing on the agenda for Nano is to get some anacharis! He's been picking at the brown algae on my fake anacharis, and I think it's time for some real plants. Oh! And I decided to buy some Pro-Gold from GoldfishConnection for him. It seems to be getting great reviews, and I need some sort of staple to mix in with his zucchini, peas, broccoli, and bloodworms. ;)
Monday, September 13, 2010
Nano :)
I'd like to just dedicate a post to Nano, who's been such a good boy/girl. :) Unfortunately due to a technical failure of my main memory card, I don't have too many pics available of him when he was little. I do have some more recent though! Enjoy :)
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| Day after I got him, I think... |
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| Just yesterday. :) Not much change, but his belly's getting deeper |
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Goldfishconnection.com Review
I recently ordered some Prazi from Goldfishconnection.com and had a great experience. Even though I never got to use it on my Ryukin (RIP), I hope that this little amateurish review can help those who are thinking about ordering from goldfishconnection.com
The ordering, processing, and shipping was lightning fast. At around 10:00am, I ordered my Prazi before going to class. When I came back, I recieved an email stating that my order had shipped at 10:32am. 32 minutes! I was VERY impressed! This might be a one time thing, I don't know, but it certainly earns a big ol' gold star in my book.
I ordered on a Friday, the 3rd of September, and received the package on 7th. For me, that is VERY nice. Especially since I have the horrible habit of ordering things on or near the weekend.
The only cons are that:
1. When you order, your cart says you have 2 items when really you ordered 1. The shipping is considered the second item. Nothing serious, just a little confusing.
2. No tracking. This is more of a personal thing. Some people like to know where their packages are so that they can time exactly when the package will arrive. Others don't really mind. I personally like the option of knowing where my order is, but I didn't think very much about where the Prazi was while I was planning for San Antonio, getting through the first week of classes, and tending to my Ryukin. I simply wanted it to get here. Which it did, and quickly.
That was my experience. Goldfishconnection.com had the best Prazi price I could find, and I will definitely be shopping there in the future.
The ordering, processing, and shipping was lightning fast. At around 10:00am, I ordered my Prazi before going to class. When I came back, I recieved an email stating that my order had shipped at 10:32am. 32 minutes! I was VERY impressed! This might be a one time thing, I don't know, but it certainly earns a big ol' gold star in my book.
I ordered on a Friday, the 3rd of September, and received the package on 7th. For me, that is VERY nice. Especially since I have the horrible habit of ordering things on or near the weekend.
The only cons are that:
1. When you order, your cart says you have 2 items when really you ordered 1. The shipping is considered the second item. Nothing serious, just a little confusing.
2. No tracking. This is more of a personal thing. Some people like to know where their packages are so that they can time exactly when the package will arrive. Others don't really mind. I personally like the option of knowing where my order is, but I didn't think very much about where the Prazi was while I was planning for San Antonio, getting through the first week of classes, and tending to my Ryukin. I simply wanted it to get here. Which it did, and quickly.
That was my experience. Goldfishconnection.com had the best Prazi price I could find, and I will definitely be shopping there in the future.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Friday, September 3, 2010
Ugh
This morning I had a huge scare and thought my Ryukin was dead. He was sandwiched between two plants, slightly tilted on one side, and breathed VERY shallowly.
Upset, I decided to use the net to either coax him to move or scoop him out. He then darted across the tank, acting all normal again! I was relieved, but still worried and wierded out.
Since yesterday he's been putting his nose under the lip of the plastic containers that have my plants in them, then floating as if in suspension, or like he's standing on his tailfin. Today he wedges himself into the corner of the tank. I hate that there's more things going on.... I've been changing the water religiously every day, treating it... I don't know...
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| He was like this a lot. |
On some good news, however, I've finally bought some prazi from goldfishconnection.com this morning. Maybe this will help. I plan on writing a review in hopes of helping others who are thinking about ordering from this site as well. So far, it's looking really good; It's already been shipped! More specifics to come in a future blog post
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