My newbie friend needs advice

[AC-X2]

My friend just got a 5.5 gallon aquarium and has a Top Fin 10 power filter. He has 2 goldfish (Comet I believe) that he won from somewhere and has had them in a bowl for about a week. I told him that those goldfish can get very big and eventually, if they live long enough, would require a much bigger tank. He said he wanted another small fish or two but I told him that'd probably be too much for his tank. I'm gonna help him with the cycling process and water quality. So a few questions would be what should he do with the goldfish if they do indeed get too large? (I don't think a bigger tank would be an option for him) Also, I think he could maybe get a guppy or something like that, or would that be a bad idea?

Thanks for any help you guys can give!

 

[GodFan]

My friend just got a 5.5 gallon aquarium and has a Top Fin 10 power filter. He has 2 goldfish (Comet I believe) that he won from somewhere and has had them in a bowl for about a week. I told him that those goldfish can get very big and eventually, if they live long enough, would require a much bigger tank. He said he wanted another small fish or two but I told him that'd probably be too much for his tank. I'm gonna help him with the cycling process and water quality. So a few questions would be what should he do with the goldfish if they do indeed get too large? (I don't think a bigger tank would be an option for him) Also, I think he could maybe get a guppy or something like that, or would that be a bad idea?

Thanks for any help you guys can give!

He cant really put anything in with the goldfish. I would tell him to take the goldfish to his local lfs or even put them on craigslist. Even if he has to give them away. Then he can look at filling thd current tank.

 

[Samzter]

My friend just got a 5.5 gallon aquarium and has a Top Fin 10 power filter. He has 2 goldfish (Comet I believe) that he won from somewhere and has had them in a bowl for about a week. I told him that those goldfish can get very big and eventually, if they live long enough, would require a much bigger tank. He said he wanted another small fish or two but I told him that'd probably be too much for his tank. I'm gonna help him with the cycling process and water quality. So a few questions would be what should he do with the goldfish if they do indeed get too large? (I don't think a bigger tank would be an option for him) Also, I think he could maybe get a guppy or something like that, or would that be a bad idea?

Thanks for any help you guys can give!

Rehome the fish. Then he can cycle his tank, then get a guppy. For advice on the goldfish, message JLK. She is very knowledgeable when it comes to goldfish

 

[Fett999]

Firstly comets will definitely outgrow that size tank. Along with goldfish and shubunkin they can easily live for 15-20 years and grow to about 12 inches. I'd probably advise your friend to find someone with a pond he can transfer them into if he isn't able to upgrade the tank. And I wouldn't put guppys in with comets. The comets as they grow will see guppys as a small snack, and guppys should be in a heated tank running at about 23-24 degrees c whereas comets would be in a cold water tank, running sub 20 degrees. Also adding any more fish to the tank will dramatically cut how long he could keep the comets in the tank.

 

[AC-X2]

He cant really put anything in with the goldfish. I would tell him to take the goldfish to his local lfs or even put them on craigslist. Even if he has to give them away. Then he can look at filling thd current tank.

I told him that a lfs might take them, I'll have to see if he wants to. Thanks!

 

[AC-X2]

Rehome the fish. Then he can cycle his tank, then get a guppy. For advice on the goldfish, message JLK. She is very knowledgeable when it comes to goldfish

If he wants to, I'll tell him to see if our lfs will take them. Thanks! He wanted a angel fish so I think he'll be fine with rehoming them, but I'm not sure.

 

[GodFan]

If he wants to, I'll tell him to see if our lfs will take them. Thanks! He wanted a angel fish so I think he'll be fine with rehoming them, but I'm not sure.

He cant have N angelfish in a 5 either....

 

[AC-X2]

Firstly comets will definitely outgrow that size tank. Along with goldfish and shubunkin they can easily live for 15-20 years and grow to about 12 inches. I'd probably advise your friend to find someone with a pond he can transfer them into if he isn't able to upgrade the tank. And I wouldn't put guppys in with comets. The comets as they grow will see guppys as a small snack, and guppys should be in a heated tank running at about 23-24 degrees c whereas comets would be in a cold water tank, running sub 20 degrees. Also adding any more fish to the tank will dramatically cut how long he could keep the comets in the tank.

I told him about the goldfish living for 10+ years and the water temp and everything too. He wanted an angel fish and I'll see if he wants to see if a lfs will take them. Thanks!

 

[Bichir Bro]

Angel fish can't go in a 5.5
Although they're sold at sometimes nickel sizes they soon grow to huge, tall fish that require nicely planted and abnormally tall tanks.

 

[AC-X2]

Angel fish can't go in a 5.5
Although they're sold at sometimes nickel sizes they soon grow to huge, tall fish that require nicely planted and abnormally tall tanks.

Oh, I'll have to tell him. I've never had experience with angel fish and he said they only got the size of your hand. Thanks for telling me that!

 

[Bichir Bro]

No problem!

 

[AC-X2]

So he said he found out he couldn't have angelfish and decided to keep the goldfish until they get too big. Then he said he's gonna get a "yellow fish" don't know what exactly, and some schooling fish like neon tetras. I told him that he should have about 6 neons and that plus whatever yellow fish he was talking about might be too much for his 5.5 gal. Is that correct? I recommended that he get a dwarf gourami and maybe 2 guppies or something small.

 

[GodFan]

So he said he found out he couldn't have angelfish and decided to keep the goldfish until they get too big. Then he said he's gonna get a "yellow fish" don't know what exactly, and some schooling fish like neon tetras. I told him that he should have about 6 neons and that plus whatever yellow fish he was talking about might be too much for his 5.5 gal. Is that correct? I recommended that he get a dwarf gourami and maybe 2 guppies or something small.

The 2 goldfish are too much for that tank. Sounds like he is going to just have to learn from his mistakes.

 

[flitabout]

Neons while they have a small bio load also need a bigger tank as they are a very active little fish. The goldfish are already to big unless he is doing massive 75-100% water changes everyday sometimes twice a day. I did it until I could find an lfs that would take mine. Mine were in a 5g bucket. With a filter meant for a 40g tank and an air pump meant for a 60g tank with multiple airstones.
Maybe a betta or turn it in to a shrimp tank. That is about all you can do with a 5g tank.

 

[Bichir Bro]

Do not let him put that many fish in the tank. Don't even think about the dwarf gourami. I agree with either only a betta or a shrimp tank. The goldfish have huge bioloads even at that small size and need large amounts of food. You need to do a fish intervention. They need ponds or very very large aquariums. Also, and I'm guessing here, but If that yellow fish is a chipoke(?) he is going to have some extreme issues. I said that because they're small and they are common impulse buys by neophyte aquarists.

 

[AC-X2]

So yeah, I've been telling him that he can't have so many fish, but he seems convinced that he can have as many as will fit :/ I'll try to explain it to him but he might indeed just have to learn from his mistakes.

 

[AC-X2]

Do not let him put that many fish in the tank. Don't even think about the dwarf gourami. I agree with either only a betta or a shrimp tank. The goldfish have huge bioloads even at that small size and need large amounts of food. You need to do a fish intervention. They need ponds or very very large aquariums. Also, and I'm guessing here, but If that yellow fish is a chipoke(?) he is going to have some extreme issues. I said that because they're small and they are common impulse buys by neophyte aquarists.

A dwarf gourami seems to me like it would fit :/

 

[Bichir Bro]

No
They have a minimum of ten gallons.

 

[Rivercats]

It's very sad when people asks for advice and when it's not what they want to hear just go and do what they want at the expense of the fish.

I have a 4000g pond, a smaller pond, and kept 8 now very large goldfish that now reside with the grandkids for years. I had 4- 8+ inch goldies in each 55g tank that grew tons the first year. The ammonia levels in the tank will most likely kill them quickly as they release copious amounts of waste and ammonia that will use the buffers in the water in no time causing ph to drop and ammonia levels to continue to rise... and that's just the tip of the iceburg! Also stunting will occur very quickly which will also lead to premature death. I don't think I need to go on. Ask him if he's like to live in a small closet where he also has to defecate and live in it until it kills him... not too nice but he might get the picture (although I won't hold my breath). Very few fish fit in a 10g and even fewer in a 5 gallon. He will obviously do what he wants which is quite sad for the poor fish.

 

[AC-X2]

No
They have a minimum of ten gallons.

Hmm, ok.