Tank Stats:
Gallons: 10
Fish: 2 goldfish, very small.
Airstone: Yes
Filter: until recently, a TopFin filter. (The filter was defective and conked after a month. Tomorrow I'm getting a new one.)

To monitor the tank, I have live pH and live ammonia monitors. The ammonia monitor says it's at yellow and safe. The pH monitor seems to be wigging out, and is at a very light blue -- something not on the chart to measure it against.

The Situation:

The water had been cloudy for days and there were white stringy, filmy things floating in the tank. I tried doing extra 25% water changes during this time, but it didn't help. My fish seemed to be perky and healthy, but the water just looked gross. I tried vaccuuming the gravel and wound up doing another 25% water change as well, since so much water got sucked out during the gravel-vaccuum. However, despite how hard I tried, nothing changed.

I went to PetSmart and was told it was probably an algae bloom. I emptied almost all of the water in the tank, took out my goldfish, and then refilled it to see if that would help. It didn't. So I bought an algae treatment at PetSmart.

I used one of the algae treatment tablets, as the instructions said to, but although it got rid of the cloudiness it didn't get rid of the stringy particles. I used another and it helped get rid of a lot of it, but not all of it. I figured I shouldn't use more than 2 though. After that, I changed about 25% of the water -- just because I figured since the instructions said to use one tablet, using 2 might be too hard on the fish when I put them back in.

I tried looking on the internet to find out what this white stringiness is and if it's harmful to my fish, but different websites gave me different answers. Which is why I'm here.

The stringiness looks like little gobs of white film just floating around in the tank. My fish themselves seem healthy. Also, I do regular weekly water changes and try to vaccuum once a week as well.

So right now: cloudiness is gone, but stringy particles are still there. I just put in a pH tablet since the pH of my tap water is pretty high. Then I'm going to put in an ammonia tablet because it says on the package that the treatment also neutralizes chlorine. Then I have an additional water treatment which I'm going to add. After that, Fezzik and Dodger go back in the tank. Although I'm very nervous to put them back in... however, I don't have a bowl for them. Right now they're in plastic cups, and I don't want to leave them in there too long... so I don't really have a choice as to whether they go back in the tank or not. Fezzik doesn't mind it and will even eat, but being taken out of the tank stresses Dodger out a LOT.

What are these gobs of white film/stringiness?
Although my fish seem healthy now, could/will it hurt them?

I'm not an expert at goldfish. My favorite one almost died once already. I'm trying my hardest but I'm definitely a novice here. Please help me!

Hi there maeko!

I think the first thing is to get yourself a filter and get the fish back in the tank in 100%clean de-chlorinated temperature matched -with your little finger is okay- water.

The stringy stuff sounds a lot like the kinda poop fish do when they are battling a bacterial infection from as you say the bacterial bloom from the water.

I suggest you set up the tank with your airstone and put the fish back in quick.( they will not survive long in cups with no air) They will be fine for a while there while you can get a new filter. Are you sure the other filter is broken? It may need some jiggling or cleaning. I have had filters do that on me too.

Do not worry about pH being high. Stable(always same) is key.
Also the gravel should be rinsed well in some de-chlorinated or old tank water.

Please post back and let us know if you can get the fish back in the tank soon

I tested the water and put them back in a few hours later -- the temperature wasn't quite right. I have a little thermometer on the side and I try to keep it between 68-70 degrees. It was above 75 and I didn't want to shock them. So I waited until it was okay.

They're in the tank with the airstone now. The filter was definitely broken. I tried cleaning it but that didn't help at all. PetSmart was sold out but they gave me store credit, and should be putting their latest shipment on the shelves tomorrow. So by tomorrow the filter problem should be taken care of.

As for the gravel, should I really wash it? I thought I was supposed to only use a gravel vaccuum on it.

Oh, and most of the white stringiness seems to have stopped floating around now. The water is reasonably clear too. There's a little bit of the stringy stuff, but not a lot.

Should I get some kind of anti-bacterial treatment for the water?

That's good to hear .

How do the fish look? Any bottom sitting ? If the fish seem fine you do not need meds in the water. The very best anti bacterial action at this point is good clean water and maybe some Prime Really. This is a filter breakdown problem. Keep an eye on poop and on behavior and you can post back for help with meds if you need them then.

How long has your tank been cycled? Do you know about cycling? Do you have alot of gravel? Yes a vacuum is fine on a weekly basis but over time, debris collects in gravel and it needs a good wash in old tank water or de-chlorinated water of course, to preserve the beneficial bacteria.

Do you use Prime? It might be useful here to help with any cycle crashing.

I just want to say that I've personally witnessed on newly set up tanks,that floaty white stuff,and I think it is some sort of algae bloom beginning myself,as I've only ever seen it in new set-ups.
I could be wrong here of course,but depending on how long your tank has been established,it wouldn't surprise me if you were to run into it again.

If you are having major ph problems though,it could also be the slime coat sloughing off. What is actual PH reading?

I'm actually really worried about them. They're not eating very much (although they are eating some) and they're kind of sitting near the bottom. When I come near the tank, they swim a little, but not very much. Also, they don't swim slowly very often: they tend to dart around when they want to swim somewhere.

Tomorrow morning I'm thinking I should buy that anti-fungus/bacteria tablet package I saw at PetSmart, when I go in to get the new filter. I'm thinking I'll get a bigger filter too: I had one that was for my 10 gallon tank, but it's only $5 to get the slightly bigger one for a 20 gallon tank. (My tank's only 10 gals, but I read goldfish are messy and so extra filtration is good.)

I don't really know anything about cycling, I just know that I should do weekly water changes and vaccuum the gravel about once a week or so. And I don't have a lot of gravel either: I put in just enough to cover the bottom. Should I add more?

I'll wash out the sink, fill it up, put in some de-chlorination stuff, and rinse out the gravel as soon as I can -- probably sometime late tomorrow evening, since I'm going out of town in the afternoon. Before I leave town I'll set up the filter and give them some meds though.

That is, if the meds are a good thing to give them? Should I use those tablets? PetSmart is the only local petstore around, so I pretty much have to stick w/what they sell. Any suggestions?

Also, visibly, the fish seem healthy except for their lack of appetite and swimming. I don't see any signs of disease -- their fins and scales and gills look fine. Although their eyes seem a little bigger than usual, but that's probably just me being paranoid/over-worried. But one of the fish seems to be losing weight...

And, um, what is Prime?



My tank hasn't been established very long. At least, not well. I've had several goldfish die so far, and so now I only have the two. I've made a lot of newb mistakes, but have washed the gravel a couple of times. Oddly, now that I think of it, the white cloudiness seems to set in a day or so after I wash the gravel... Am I doing something wrong? I know I haven't washed the gravel in decholorinated water before... is that the problem?

I don't know what the actual pH reading is, and I'm getting pissed off at that live pH monitor I bought. It only shows VERY light blue now. I tried putting in a pH tablet to see if that would help, but nothing changed. I have no idea if it's too high or too low!

I think tomorrow I'm just going to buy some normal pH strips to get an accurate reading. I'll post it up as soon as I can. Trouble is it's 12:15 AM here, and so the local stores are closed. Except for w.a.l.m.a.r.t. (why did that get put as nnnnn when I typed it without the periods?), but they sell some stuff for dogs which can kill them (vet warned me), so I'm hesitant to trust them with my fish.

Hi again maeko. Have you been to the lfs yet?

Get the biggest filter set up as you say- it is absolutely vital to coping with goldfish waste. If you can -try to pick up some test kits too as you are going to need them to cycle this tank. The essential test kits are;
ammonia (I think you said you have that one), nitrites and pH. You dont need to worry about nitrates until you have cycled which is going to take anything from 4 weeks to a few months.

These first few months until the tank is cycled you have to be prepared to do a lot of water changing. Each time replacing the water you take out of the tank with temperature matched and pH matched new water. You will need to do 50% daily water changes for the best results and you will need to check your ammonia and nitrite levels every day and change even more water if they are high. Your aim is to have ammonia and nitrites at 0 every day.

Once the tank is cycled you will be able to cut back on the water changes and rely more on the good bacteria that have been growing in your filterbox- to do their job of keeping down the ammonia and nitrites.
(You'll still need to do minimum 20% water changes twice weeklyafter cycling).

My apologies if you know all of this already, it's hard to know how much people know when giving advice sometimes

As Mod Devs says the white stuff may well have been a bloom. I'm glad its gone. If it comes back let us know. I was thinking it could also be the residue from new gravel that hadn't had enough of a wash b4 it went in. That stuff can make the water very very cloudy and needs a whole lotta washing before it goes in the tank- basically until the water runs clear. Never use soap just water and the final rinse should be in tank or de-chlorinated water .

You need to rinse the filter sponges regularly- again in some of the old tank water so as not to damage any growing good bacteria)- every week is best. Dont throw them out, just rinse and use again. (Throwing them and using new ones will ruin your 'cycle').

Prime is a de-chlorinator that is a little pricey but assists with cycling because it helps neutralise ammonia and nitrites to harmless levels.


Your fish are suffering now from no filter. You need to get one running ASAP!!!

Oh and dont add any more fish/plants etc until the tank is cycled and these fish are feeling better.

Sorry for the long post- trying to cover all the bases. Please post back with your update

The 20-gallon filter is up and running for my 10-gallon tank.

I bought Prime and a water-test kit. I haven't used the Prime yet. The main problems were shown by the test kit:

pH: 8.4!!
Alkalinity: Above 300ppm!!
(Nirite and Nitrate were at 0ppm)
(Hardness was moderate: 120ppm)


I have "Correct pH" tablets but I don't know if they're raising the pH or lowering it: the box says the tablets "gradually buffer" the aquarium water. What does that mean?? It says it's supposed to maintain pH between 6.8-7.2.

However the box also says the tablets may need the water softened first, if it's very hard and alkaline. The Total Alkalinity is ABOVE 300ppm. (It turned blue. The highest on the chart is dark green. It's off the chart.) The hardness is only 120ppm, which the chart says is "moderate hardness."

How do I lower the alkalinity of the water??? Do I need to soften it?? Will the Correct pH tablets help the situation or make it worse?? Please help! I feel really bad for my fish right now, I had no idea the pH was so high!! And I don't even know what to do about the alkalinity.

First of all maeko can you tell us what is the pH direct from your tap? This does not usually vary much from day to day and the best long term outcome for a stable pH is to keep your tank water close to the pH of your tap water.

High alkalinity is actually less damaging for your fish than high acidity (very low range). Your gH and kH are manageable, they are similar to many peoples so do not worry or panic there If it is any consollation the pH in both my tanks is between 8 and 8.5. It has also been 9 for a short period and the fish were fine.

A high pH is actually more beneficial for the good bacteria you are trying to grow- they thrive in a high pH.

The pH commercial buffer is not going to be a long term solution unless you keep buying them which will be expensive and is not necessary with this pH. You see, your fish have to get accustomed to the water they are going to be living in every day which is the water and its pH that comes from your tap or water source.

Also, do you have any rocks or ornaments in the tank now and what are they made of? Sea shells, coral and some kinds of rock will leach and raise the pH. Many people with low pH add these items to their tanks to up their pH.

Let us know.

How are the fish behaving now? They will dart and flash arpound with sudden changes of pH and temperature and that will also weaken them. The keyword is stable and gradual everything

I'll test the tap water tonight.

Thanks for telling me about the alkalinity and pH. I was really, really worried earlier. Plus it's good to know that I don't have to keep buying those tablets, it's been expensive already.

I have a bridge ornament but I'm not sure what it's made of. There's also some gravel. But that's it for now. I bought a little plastic plant decoration but haven't put it in the tank yet.

The fish seem somewhat relaxed now, but their appetites seem poor. I tried feeding them some of their flake food, and a little while later they spit it out. I didn't get a chance to feed them earlier today, so I don't think they should have been full.

Tempt them with some different food . Have you tried green peas? Stick a few in a cup with an inch of water in the microwave and shell them, split them with your nail into pellet size pieces.

Or try sinking food pellets. The flake food I find gets damp and inedible quick. I stopped using it. Sinking food helps with digestion cos the fish dont swallow gulps of air with it as they do at the surface.

Congrats on the new filter and thats great you got Prime. So dont worry about that pH- theres nothing in your tank that is affecting it so you should be fine from here on with that.

Keep us posted

I checked the pH of the tap water. It's HIGH. My guess is that it's above 9.0, because it's off the chart and a bright pink color. So it'd probably be several points higher than 8.4, judging by the gradual shading on the chart.



I've got Wardley sinking pellet-bite things, as well as the flake food (I don't remember the brand of it though.) But the fish outright spit out the Wardley stuff! I've tried soaking it in water, thinking that was the problem, but they still spit out the sinking pellets as if it were disgusting to them. They nibble on the flake food, but they won't abide the sinking pellets.

I'll try the peas thing. But is there anyway I can get them to eat the store bought food more? Or should they be eating it, but they're still sick?

Oh, and speaking of sick... yeah, they're pooping the white stringy stuff again. >_<

I'm guessing I still need to give the tank a good rub-down (gravel and all) but I haven't had a spare moment to do so. I'm a college student with little free-time, but as soon as I can get a good hour or so I'll do that too. I never thought goldfish would be so tricky to take care of!

I know what thats like, Ive been a student . When you get a minute- priority is another large water change and gravel vac for now. Do you have those kits to get a reading for ammonia and nitrites> They have to be at 0. Never mind the pH for now, it is 8.4 in the tank right? Thats fine. 9 is very high from the tap, try it again tomorrow, it may have been a freak one off reading. I have ahigh range pH kit and a low one- the low one -which you may have- is less accurate in the higher range pH.

Goldfish do take working at. Your fish sound like they are a little sick (spitting food-white poop) and you may want to post in the diagnosis forum as well for more advice. Do the fish have any unusual marks? Bloodspots or frayed fins/ white spots/ anything different? Hopefully they are just under the weather with the filter having been off.

My advice is to get the water perfect with daily water changes.Can you manage that in your lunch break or sometime. For a few days these w/c's should be large- as in 50% water change. Then you could try adding sea/kosher/rock non iodised salt. Do you have any salt at hand that is not tablesalt? It only works in good clean water though with zero nitrites and ammonia but it is a tonic for the fish. You start at 0.1%. which is 1 level teaspoon for each gallon of water. It should be dissolved in a cup of tank water first.

You could post back then....

Depending on symptoms, that can be increased to the medicinal dose of 0.3% (thats 3 teaspoons to each gallon of tank water)..but we need to know if there are any symptoms on the fish first. No symptoms and just this odd poop you may be fine with 0.1% salt.

Remember gravel vac and water change first. After the water is better and salt added you may find their appetite returns. I know it sounds strange to use salt - but salt is very effective with early stage problems.



edit: and dont forget to add the Prime each water change. You can also double the dose safely.