# Fish keep dying?



## Kaientai (Mar 3, 2009)

For some reason my goldfish don't last very long... at all.

The first time I got them they only lasted 2 weeks (2 goldfish, 1 male 1 female)

The second time I had another 2, both males.

Story---

After I got home with the 2 fish the smaller one (named Kingyo) was having trouble "breathing" which I noticed as soon as I got out the pet shop. He kept coming to the surface laying on top of the water (so I had to gently put him back in again) I got bored of putting him back in the water so I went downstairs to get the filter, when I went back up Kingyo had died, before flushing him down the toilet I took Rainbow (that was the giant one) out, incase he got infected, and put him in a spare fishtank. I then flushed him down the toilet (not Rainbow I mean Kingyo) I asked my dad if he could get me another goldfish, he agreed and came back with 5 (¬.¬)
I put Rainbow in the fishtank they had come in. I turned the filter on and they all swam around happily. During the night my brother kept screaming that the filter was too loud (He's disabled - hates loud noises) So, when I was asleep, my mum had turned the filter off. In the morning (this is a long story ¬.¬) All the goldfish (apart from Rainbow) Where bobbing along the top (not dead yet, though.) I turned the filter back On and replaced Rainbow in the other tank (the one he was in before the other fish arrived) I got up and most of the fish where dead or dying. Yet another trip to the toilet.
Happily Rainbow lasted for another week or so before dying from a cut on his nose when he was trying to eat off the bottom...shame I was really getting attached to him... :bored:


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

Hi and sorry to hear about your fish 

It could help with identifing the problem if you could give us a bit more info:

How big is the tank, and what kind of filter did you have in there?
Did you have a water test kit and do you know what the readings for ammonia, pH, nitrite and nitrate were? 
How long had the tank been set up and was it cycled before you put any fish in it?

If we can find out what was wrong, then if you get any more fish in the future hopefully you'll be able to avoid what happened last time


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## matsp (Feb 20, 2009)

Also turning the filter off is a bad idea. If your brother can not stand the noise of the filter:
1. Do not keep fish. 
2. Get a filter that is quiet(er). 
[If you tell us what sort of filter you have, we can probably suggest a good repalcement that makes very little or no noise].

--
Mats


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## Guest (Mar 5, 2009)

Fishyfins said:


> we really need to know the following details
> 
> size of aquarium:
> number of fish in total in the tank:
> ...


You took the words right out of my mouth!


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## AndyM (Sep 20, 2008)

As others have said, the filter should not be turned off. Frequently turning it off will kill the "good" bacteria that requires oxygen to live and do their thing.

Not only does the filter remove solid waste in the water, but the bacteria that lives in the filter media converts the very toxic ammonia to less toxic nitrite and then nitrate.

If there is a lack of oxygen in the filter, anaerobic bacteria can develop, which gives off a sulphur dioxide and is poisonous to the fish. If this has happened, you may be able to smell it - it smells like rotten eggs.

The filter also keeps the water moving and helps aerate it.

Before you do anything else, let us know your set up (as asked previously), and we can advise you on what to do/get.


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