You have inherited a filthy goldfish tank with 3 living goldfish How should it be cleaned out?

Answer 1

Bear in mind goldfish are very dirty fish. The common varieties grow to over 2 feet long and the fancies grow to 9 inches. If you keep them in a tank too small they will be stunted, their outside stops growing but their internal organs keep growing and eventually they reach an untimely death. the tank you have should be at least 30-40 gallons. when older fancies will need a very big tank, commons will need a pond! here is a chart of what you sould be doing daily, weekly, monthly and yearly: DAILY:

remove and uneaten food with a fish net

check the health of all your fish

check the temperature of your aquarium water using an aquarium thermomiter. you can buy glass ones with suction caps that go inside your tanks or stick-on ones that are like stickers you put on the outside of the tank glass.

check all electrical items are working properly eg. filters, air& water pumps, lights etc.

EVERY 7-14 DAYS:

change 20-25% of the tank water

trim back plants and remove any dead or dying leaves or stems

if you have a siphon, siphon solid matter from the tank bottom. you can purchase siphons from your LFS (local fish store)

clean the front glass to remove algae

wipe over cover glasses and condensation trays so that light can pass through them

MONTHLY (or more often if needed)

clean filters

check airstones and renew if partially blocked

vacuume the gravel ( if you have an aquarium vacuum)

EVERY 6-12 MONTHS

service air pumps and power filter motors

replace lighting tubes

replace airstones and airline

clean any plastic plants of algae with a stiff brush under a running tap.

=] Or just every week take the goldfish out of the boul into another boul with some of their original water and then clean out the boul (DONT USE FAIRY LIQUID) and plants, get a seive and fill it with its gravel and rinse alot under a very warm tap place filtered water trying to match it with its original temp andd then slowly introduce your fish to the new water!!! :)