New Fish and Quarantine

Friday, I brought home two beautiful new goldies:

The Oranda.  Totally considering naming her Penelope!

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.