[Synchro]

1: Other Fish
2: Disease, Bacteria and Parasites
3: Stress
4: Overcrowding
5: Overfeeding
6: Improper Mechanical Filtration
7: Improper Chemical Filtration
8: Improper Temperature
9: Are you really reading this list?
10: How You Treat The Fish To Begin With

[Steven]

Because they are kept in a tank against their will by self-assuming humans?

[Marky1973]

they get battered?

[Razor]

The chickens ate them...

[itsamac]

because they are trying to find nemo?

[dBrowne]

They got shot in a barrel.

I still have to come across one which doesn't.

[bobsplace]

Seriously.we've lost 7 goldfish in three weeks!!clean the tank regular etc plus only 4 fish at any one time in a decent sized filtrated tank.

Any ideas

[Alan_W]

If you loved them, you would set them free back into the wild

[CDR]

11. Next door neighbours cat scoops it up out of the pond.

[partyweb]

Originally Posted by bobsplace

Seriously.we've lost 7 goldfish in three weeks!!clean the tank regular etc plus only 4 fish at any one time in a decent sized filtrated tank.

Any ideas

I think these may be your main problems:

Originally Posted by Synchrouk

3: Stress
4: Overcrowding
6: Improper Mechanical Filtration
7: Improper Chemical Filtration
8: Improper Temperature

3 & 4: These two go hand in hand. What size & shape is the tank? If you''ve got one of these pretty Biorbs or a round standard bowl then you a severely restricted to the amount of fish as the oxygen in the tank is determined by the top surface area of the water and those round types have a far smaller area than normal. Adding an air pump or powerhead can help increase the oxygen and therefore the no of fish.

6 & 7: These two also go hand in hand. As water straight from the tap is lethal to fish (full of chlorine). Either treat it or leave it for a week. Your next problem is it can take up to 6 weeks to 'break-in' tank water. At first the tank is full of ammonia which is lethal to fish. This eases off but is replaced by nitrite which is lethal to fish. This gradually eases off but is funally replaced by nitrate which is only slightly lethal to fish. So it's a delicate balance to try and achieve with the water and not something to keep throwing away regularily. Also bacteriour in the tank is responsible for breaking down these harmful chemicles and these get lost with regular cleaning. Best method is to clean the tank with it's own water and then do a partial (say 10-20%) water change weekly.

8: Finally rapid temperature change is a great way to stress and therefor kill your fish. Have you got the tank near a window or in sunlight? As even just an increase in 1 deg from early morning sunshine can upset them.

Hope that helps.

[kingfats]

Originally Posted by Alan_W

If you loved them, you would set them free back into the wild

Someone's been watching too much Free willy!

[johnny70]

Originally Posted by Alan_W

If you loved them, you would set them free back into the wild

I'm sure all the tank breed fish will be really happy about going to the wild

In some cases you know that certain species are near extinction and they have been brought back from the brink by breeder's willing to spend time and money to make sure we don't lose another species from the planet

for example the zebra pleco L046 has been over fished and also the brazilian government have decided to build a huge dam somewhere near there natural habitat, virtually wiping them out, and at £100 a fish it takes a lot to get them breeding.

[shodan]

What the hell have fish got to be stressed about????? I could teach them about stress!!! But then I'd have to teach them about it again 7 minutes later....

[Pat_C]

Originally Posted by johnny70

In some cases you know that certain species are near extinction and they have been brought back from the brink by breeder's willing to spend time and money to make sure we don't lose another species from the planet

I refer the honourable gentleman to these wise words on extinction.

[johnny70]

Originally Posted by Pat_C

I refer the honourable gentleman to these wise words on extinction.

Not sure I would use the therm 'wise words' with anything written by JC.

I for one do care, some other do, plenty don't, most people seem happy to spend £10000's on av/car/insert whatever. me i'll spend mine trying(and failing) to save what little bit of the plants inhabitents I can.

JOHNNY

[MikeTV]

Originally Posted by bobsplace

we've lost 7 goldfish in three weeks!!clean the tank regular etc plus only 4 fish at any one time in a decent sized filtrated tank.

You can easily make a tank uninhabitable and useless by cleaning it. It's the chemicals that stay in minor surface scratches. Aquarium people can better advise.