Goldies - can I get a real quote on size?

[rubysoho]

you aren't reading my posts. I said those origional ones obviously wouldn't work and if I were to get any fancy goldfish it would be the ryukin or blackmoores who max out at 8-10 inches.

I hope you don't find my responses rude, but I am annoyed with the fact that you aren't actually paying attention to what is being said in this thread or others you've been in recently.

What does everyone think about putting in some anachris as grazing food in with the rest of the hardier plants that *hopefully* they would leave alone. I've read it ia better for goldies to have little bits of food throughout the day because they are better suited for grazing. What other foods would they enjoy "grazing" on while I'm away at classes and work during the day? Would they like blanched veggies or over-ripe melon?

 

[zacdl]

I mustve missed that detail somewhere... I have quite a few posts that I watch and I read as fast as I can (too many posts!)

Fancy goldfish can get pretty large too as someone on here said...

I have a couple that are at 6" already, and know several people that have some that were at 12" long or better last year (before the raccoon got it)


I would just get a few... 4 max.


Putting Anacharis in there wont hurt anything, who knows, your goldfish might not have a taste for it!

Just if it doesnt grow too well dont be surprised.

 

[rubysoho]

Putting Anacharis in there wont hurt anything, who knows, your goldfish might not have a taste for it!

Just if it doesnt grow too well dont be surprised.

*sigh* again, it is specifically for them to graze on as I stated before.

 

[zacdl]

I know that, I just thought I would emphasize it.

 

[FMJnaX]

Fancies do get large (as I noted in my first post). I'm sure it takes quite a long while though since I've had 4 Ryukins for about 3 years now and they've gone from 2" (with the tail) to about 4 or 5" with the tail.

About the anacharis (elodea), that is exactly what my tank started with. It's growning like mad and doing very well. Occasionally my fish will nip at it, but they don't ever eat it. I guess none of my fish have a taste for it. It is typically the common goldie snack though so for grazing, I would say it's a good choice. It grows fast and doesn't look all that bad. You can float it, plant it in a group, plant it individually, whatever.

 

[Devilishturtles]

Ruby, have you checked out the AA gallery for goldfish? I did a quick look, and there are a few pics of goldie tanks(although in my brief look I didn't see any quite as large or planted) and some amazing pictures of fancy goldies.

To tell my own experience, I have a black moor that I saved from certain death. He was with two others (a gold and calico fantail), in horrible tank conditions...a very small bowl actually. I didn't have the room, but...I took them anyways. I lost 2 of them within months, but the black moor I have is still kicking to this day.

Someone (I forget who, sorry) mentioned about giving them a varied diet. Please do that. I have eternally damaged my black moor by puttting him in the wrong conditions. Warm water, with tropical fish, feeding him tropical fish foods. His skin has split in a few places, and he has lost an eye too ( the eye is still there, but it split by the head, so now he is blind out of it). He is too large to put in his own tank, probably about 4 or 5 inches by now, so I try to keep him as healthy as possible in the tropical tank he is in. He gets spot fed now however.

Just sharing my little slice of experience. Check out the amazing pictues in the gallery though. Just beautiful. 8)

 

[rubysoho]

thanks FMJ. Since your's don't typically like the anachris, what do you suggest for other grazing foods?

As for size, I did the research and even if the fancy's were able to get upwards of 12 inches, that would be a few years down the road and by then I won't be in college anymore (one more year!) and can plan on an apartment or rented home that would be okay for a larger tank or some sort of pond setup (I'd love to have an indoor pond).


devilishturtles, thank you for telling about your experience. I have a while before I am getting this tank setup so right now is just "prep time." Goldfish are omnivorous so they'll be getting their share of plant and meat diet.

 

[zacdl]

I would give the goldfish (saying you buy them a few inches big already) 2 years to get to 12".

what do you suggest for other grazing foods?

Camboma (Spelling?) they love. I have never successfully kept it because they eat it too fast.
Hornwort is good too, I have kept hornwort, but they eat it all gone (As of right now I dont have any in there)
Anacharis seems to last longer, I dont know if it is tougher or they dont like it as much, but it does last longer.

 

[FMJnaX]

Hornwort is a good suggestion from me since it doesn't seem to be as stemy as anacharis. Here's what I would really suggest though:

Go to a LFS or a big-box like PetsMart and buy an assorted group of plants. I know that at my local PetsMart's and PetCo's, they sell assorted groups of plants for less than $2.00. You usually get only 2-3 stems per plant, but it should be enough to see what they will eat and what they won't. That way you won't end up spending $6.00 + on a group of "grazing" plants and not know if they'll eat it or not.

 

[rubysoho]

that is a great idea! I would have never thought about that. Kudos to you There is a PetsMart about 30-45 minutes away and I need to go down there anyway because I need to see how they compare to my LFS (which nice, but very limited).