Filter Problems
6/16/2015 ~ I’m suddenly confused by my goldfish. Why? Because their filter broke, so I rushed to order a new one from Amazon. Two days for the new one to arrive, but in that short time my female goldfish with swim bladder problems appeared to get better.
At the worst of times she has a hugely hard time swimming horizontally, the way fish are supposed to swim. Also, while she’s engaging in her favorite activity of digging in the gravel she appears to fall asleep as if her brain is deprived of oxygen.
My attempts at a cure include lots of plants, water changes and Stress Coat (which I now know isn’t a good idea because if you use it a lot the aloe in it makes a white, bumpy coating on things like the filter intake tube). So, I switched to SeaChem Prime and SeaChem Stability and change the filter cartridges every week. Every week they are chock full of stuff.
So you’d think that without the filter my goldfish would have quickly gotten worse. But… no.
Maybe the fact I had a 55/75 gallon filter on my 40 gallon tank created a problem, in conjunction with the plant mats that begin to deteriorate. I love how baby tears mats look, and the goldfish love to dive into them for lunch. So too, Dwarf Pennywort mats. But there’s a point at which coir mat holding the roots begins to decompose, turning a sort of grey color. Which is probably why the matter in the filters is gray.
Plus, the large filter pump may be so strong that it pulls up gases or whatever that would best be left in the substrate.
I have not put in the new 55/75 filter due to my growing concerns. Yesterday I decided to order a 30 gallon filter. It will arrive tomorrow. I’m keen to see what effect it has.
Or, of course, it’s possible my goldfish got better because algae cleans the water. Without a filter there’s a lot more algae.
2/28/2015 ~ The smaller filter works beautifully. I’ve begun feeding the plants with SeaChem products, primarily Potassium and Flourish Excel which are making the plants grow fast and luxuriantly. But, my female goldfish has continued to get swim bladder problems: Read more.
Since I’ve increase the water hardness, the female goldfish seems to be getting much better.
For some reason, I don’t quite understand what that reason is, the floor of the aquarium has been getting much dirtier. Maybe I used to add more API Stress Zyme than I presently add of SeaChem Stability. Anyway, I’m going to get a new vacuum. The one I have is pretty ineffective, which is what the negative reviews said, and I disregarded when I bought it.
I’m going to spring for the expensive, but well reviewed, EHEIM Quick Vac Pro. I’m hopeful.
My sympathetic Goldfish
December 13, 2010 – I was so depressed today after dwelling on the fact that the lawyer who foreclosed my condo without sending me proper documents is now pleading with the bankruptcy court to dismiss my case against him (for violating the automatic stay) with prejudice.
I don’t understand how courts can allow a lawyer like that to keep practicing, and hurting people, and the economy. I just got so SO depressed.
When I happened to look at my goldfish they were nose to glass watching me, as if they could feel my depression and were concerned about me. Most days they just swim about, investigate the bottom of their aquarium, and uproot plants in their eager eating of them.
I’m so glad I purchased the more costly glass aquarium, so that they can see me.
As an aside, the water is really clear and I haven’t changed the Marinland filter since I put it in. I think the Eco-Complete is making a huge difference.
Note ~ 1/12/2015 ~ I should have changed the filter and water even though they didn’t appear to need it. That’s because 5 years later my female goldfish is having health problems which apparently come from ammonia in the water over a long period. The male doesn’t exhibit the problems. That may be because he behaved so much differently than the female. He swam along the top of the water a lot, which I now understand to have been his way of getting oxygen which wasn’t available in the water due to a build up of ammonia.
2/7/2011 – Last night I was in huge pain due to eating left over beans and rice that apparently had “gone off”. I was up for hours and every time I looked at my goldfish, there they were with their little fish noses to the aquarium glass facing my bed. They must have been able to feel how bad I felt, and they appeared to be concerned about me. It’s not the first time I’ve noticed this behavior in them. I love them, so much!!!!!
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