[Cloudbringer]

Pangur, if it's actually goldfish you're keeping they ARE fairly simple to keep once you know their requirements. You've got a lot of good advice so far but I'll add what I know from my goldfish owning days!

They like room temperature to cooler water (heater not needed!) and keep them OUT of direct sunlight (which may be part of your plant problem too!). The way I understand it, cold water is more oxygenated. (?) (I think Ladyz was right about the pH levels too)

Feed only as much as they can suck up in a few minutes- read the fish food package. Overfeeding a goldfish means a very murky, ammonia filled bowl/tank.

Look for an airstone and small (tiny really) pump. Attach a length of tubing to the pump and the other end to the airstone (or decorative item, some people have treasure chests that open, etc). Basically what you'll be doing is forcing air into the water. In addition or you can try this instead, be sure you have a large surface area (rather than tiny bowl) which allows air to get to the water.

Ideally, you don't have to filter but IMO an airation method is important. Change about a third of the water once a week or at least every other week. If you do that, you don't need to worry too much about de-chlorinating (unless your chlorine levels are HIGH), but you do need to let the water sit at room temp for a bit so as not to shock the fish too much. [img]smile.gif[/img]

I used to keep several tanks of fancy goldfish and loved the little guys, but it WAS a lot of work (of course I had filters and 20 gallon tanks- several!) and eventually the moves (was in college and then job hunting) were too much for me and my aquariums. Had lots of leaks and finally gave up.

Good luck!

Oh! One more thing, make sure you have some kind of COVER on those tanks (one that leaves room for air though!). Two reasons...I had a cat who went FISHING a few times... and got water everyplace, upset the fish and nearly went swimming. And, goldfish JUMP! Yep, they do! I had one go right out of her tank to the floor once! The petstore owner explained that golfish do that fairly often but sure shocked me when it happened!

Oh...and those flat glass panels are ok, but be sure they are snug and set up so kitty can't walk on them....My fishing kitty? He walked out on a five gallon aquarium once....glass panels collapsed at the rubber hinge, sunk into the tank WITH the kitty...boy am I glad I was home when he did that! [img]graemlins/wow.gif[/img]

One more thing- in my experience, goldfish do best with other goldfish. I know people who put them in with other kinds (tropical etc) of fish, but most of them have enormous (50 gallon) tanks or end up losing the goldfish to illness or predators. In my own personal experience, it's bad news to put a catfish/suckerfish type in with them as they go for the tails of the goldfish...not a pretty thing.. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[ 08-12-2003, 09:56 AM: Message edited by: Cloudbringer ]