Cannibals

[Ash]

My goldfish are eating my other smaller fish. I need help. So far about 4 have been eaten.

 

[fishfreek]

How much larger are the gold fish in compairson to the other fish? Lots of fish will canablize on smaller fish if the size differental is great.

 

[Ash]

How much larger are the gold fish in compairson to the other fish? Lots of fish will canablize on smaller fish if the size differental is great.

2-3 times as large. Is there anything I can do? I really like the goldfish, and I'd hate to give them up, but I would like some more fish.

 

[fishfreek]

Gold fish are usually "slow" swimmers. Smaller fish that swim faster than gold fish will usually survive longer than slower swimmers. Also, if you provide hinding locations for the smaller fish to hide or "run for cover" they have a better change of surviving.

 

[Ash]

Gold fish are usually "slow" swimmers. Smaller fish that swim faster than gold fish will usually survive longer than slower swimmers. Also, if you provide hinding locations for the smaller fish to hide or "run for cover" they have a better change of surviving.

I've got some plants for them to hide in. Any suggestions for fash fish that can make it in a small (5 gallon) tank? Thanks for being so quick & helpful!

 

[fishfreek]

Try some "neon tettras" or some other small tettra.

Then can look really sweet in schools

Images taken from a google image search.

 

[reefrunner69]

My goldfish are eating my other smaller fish. I need help. So far about 4 have been eaten.

What other fish do have in your goldfish tank? How about telling us more about your tank:

• size tank
• other fish present
• temp
• ammonia
• nitrite
• nitrate
• ph
• what king of goldfish

Goldfish are not considered a community fish. They are cold water fish (most other aquarium fish are tropical species), and they produce alot of waste. They are also typicaly herbivores requiring lots of plant matter in there diet.

Sorry I didn't notice the 5g reference. There is no goldfish that is suitable for a 5g tank. That is almost certainly the problem.

 

[Ash]

Try some "neon tettras" or some other small tettra.

I've read/heard that neon tetra's frequently carry a desease (I forget which it was) that was really deadly.

 

[Ash]

other fish present

One bottom feeder (remeber, I'm not really "knowledgebale" about fish. I just sorta asked the clerk what fish were good), two small, silvery fish

temp

Somewhere in the low 70's

ammonia
nitrite
nitrate
ph

what king of goldfish

I just got the 1 cent goldfish they had at the store.

 

[fishfreek]

I had neon's for a few years with no problem.

I started out with about 6 of them and over the course of a few years I slowly lost one here and one there till they where all gone. I do not know the life span of them but they never showed any sign of desease nor did they cause a problem in my tank with the other fish.

I just got the 1 cent goldfish they had at the store.

Sounds like you got "feeder" fish vs the decorative gold fish varieties.

What reefrunner (aka Kevin) is asking is do you test your water for ammonia,nitrite,nitrate and PH? If so what are your readings. If not have you had your water tested at your LFS (local fish store) to see if there is a problem with the water that might be causing the fish to die and then the gold fish are just eating away on the dead ones.

 

[Ash]

Hmm. I tested everything and the results said it was okay. The goldfish are maybe just eating dead fish? Maybe, I dont know.

 

[fishfreek]

How long ago did you test your water?

If you test your wate to long after your problems there is a big chance the tank had a chance to catch up with the bactera and was able to process the bio load more effectivly.

 

[Ash]

Okay, thanks.