Need Goldfish Help

[adadkins1]

Y'all may be perplexed by me needing help with a Goldfish since I'm a tropical guy. Welllllll......a guy I mow for said his granddaughter had a fish that she didn't want any more and told me "It's one of them that people keep in a vase sometimes". So, my automatic thought was a Betta and he said "Yeah that's what it is". After I got done with his yard I went inside to look at this Betta, I didn't know what to think when I saw that it was a Goldie!

Since I thought it was a Betta I was prepared cause I had an empty 5g that would make the perfect home for one. However since this is a Goldfish I don't know my rear from a hole in the ground about general care. I currently have him in a 5, BUT THIS IS TEMPORARY. I know it probably needs a much larger tank, but I don't even know the species. If you can help, just give me a general idea of how to care for them (I do know they are coldwater so no heater) and what kind of Goldie along with tank size needed.

Thanks!

P.S. Is there any kind of plant that would survive a Goldfish. I know they will eat tender plants, but will Anubias sp. or Java Fern survive with 'em?

 

[George9]

Y'all may be perplexed by me needing help with a Goldfish since I'm a tropical guy. Welllllll......a guy I mow for said his granddaughter had a fish that she didn't want any more and told me "It's one of them that people keep in a vase sometimes". So, my automatic thought was a Betta and he said "Yeah that's what it is". After I got done with his yard I went inside to look at this Betta, I didn't know what to think when I saw that it was a Goldie!

Since I thought it was a Betta I was prepared cause I had an empty 5g that would make the perfect home for one. However since this is a Goldfish I don't know my rear from a hole in the ground about general care. I currently have him in a 5, BUT THIS IS TEMPORARY. I know it probably needs a much larger tank, but I don't even know the species. If you can help, just give me a general idea of how to care for them (I do know they are coldwater so no heater) and what kind of Goldie along with tank size needed.

Thanks!

P.S. Is there any kind of plant that would survive a Goldfish. I know they will eat tender plants, but will Anubias sp. or Java Fern survive with 'em?

Minimum tank size would be 20g with a really good filter 10 extra gallons for each other goldie. Goldfish are constatly pooping. Care is really easy, just do weekly water changes. Care really isnt much diffetent with goldies than tropicals.

I dont know about plnts though. I call Mumma.of.two the goldfish queen. She knows lots about them. Hopefully she will chime in

 

[adadkins1]

I need a species ID if you can, because there are some that can grow to crazy lenghts and need something like a 55g.

 

[George9]

I need a species ID if you can, because there are some that can grow to crazy lenghts and need something like a 55g.

Hmm, I'm no goldie expert. But it looks like a fantail goldfish to me. Not 100% on that though

20g is usually still the min. tank size

 

[FishFanatic88]

Hmm, I'm no goldie expert. But it looks like a fantail goldfish to me. Not 100% on that though

20g is usually still the min. tank size

+1 for fantail. i had one like that except it had dark blue eyes in a 29 gal but now its in my pond.

 

[linds3y]

Yeah its a fantail

 

[jlk]

20g with atleast 200gph filtration is the minimum for one fancy and may need to be upgraded further in the future. Poor guy! He actually looks like he is an underdeveloped ryukin (he is very thin)- he doesnt have the classic features of a basic fantail and more egg-shaped body with a straight line from his nose to his dorsal fin. We will see how he develops with good care! Heres a link to goldfish basics, info & care I posted elsewhere- it covers just about everything you need to know! Please ask if you have any questions!

http://www.myaquariumclub.com/goldfish-101-11174823.html

 

[Monster Goldfish]

Hi Adadkins1

You'll need a 20 gallons long tank for one Fantail goldfish but you have to know it is a social fish so it's better to get another Fantail goldfish and get a 30 or 40 gallons long tank . The bigger and longer the tank the better , because it needs a large area to swim. You'll also need to double filteration , so for 20 gallons get a filter rated for 40 gallons tank or get two 20 gallons filters if you want.

Fantail goldfish will grow to 3-5 inches but it might reach 8 inches easily.
You'll be surprise that this fish has no stomach and food runs throght it's body from front to back so don't overfeed because the fish will always seems hungry , will always search for food everywhere in the aquarium and it will eat anything at all . So give it different kinds of fish food sticks and flakes and cooked / boild vegetables like lettuce , cucumber , carrot and also some fruits like apples , banans , and grapes. You'll need to do 20% water change at least every week .

This is a picture of my tank housing 4 of Goldfish Fantail ... unfortunately Very OVERSTOCKED !

 

[adadkins1]

Yeah, the poor guy wasn't in but a 1-2 gallon tank. I'm going to do some rearranging and get him in my 10g, but unfortunately that is all I can do for now. Since I'm getting ready to go to college my Mom flew off the wall when I said I needed a bigger tank for it. I got the usual "Well it is in a bigger tank than it was in!" remark. Parents just don't understand some things. Maybe I can do some convincing to get it in a good home, I definitely don't want to sell it cause most of the people in my area are highly uneducated and just stick whatever fish in a tiny tank.

Thanks for the help thus far everyone. Will these guys eat plants, I've read mixed reviews so I don't know if I could try some Cabomba or Anacharis. Another thing, do I need to get bigger gravel cause the Goldie guide says it needs to be quarter size or larger lest they choke on it!

 

[blert]

Sand would be fine also.

So long as it is properly fed your plants should be fine. I have two Fancies in a planted 40b and they leave the plants alone for the most part. They will pick at them occasionally and sometimes accidentally uproot a few stems but nothing serious.

 

[adadkins1]

Is there anything else I can do to make the fish happier since he isn't really getting the 20-30g he deserves?

 

[blert]

Fresh veggies, occasional fruits. Lots of clean water (PWC everyday until its in a bigger tank).

 

[adadkins1]

Okay, I don't know what to do really. I have a 20g I divided for 2 of my Bettas. I could take it down, but then what to do with the Bettas. Ugh this would be a lot easier if she just let me get a 20g long, but if I did that y'all probably wouldn't hear from me anymore.

 

[Monster Goldfish]

sand is not really recommend because it will cloud the water no matter what you do . I suggest pea-size unpainted pebbles because my goldies alwas suck them in and then throw them out in their ever-going journey looking for food that's why using painted pebbles or gravel with sharp edges will defenitly harm the fish. I recommed you buying pebbles and never use big gravel because fish waste will gather in the narrow spaces between each stone and will toxin the water with Ammonia !

 

[adadkins1]

Okay, it currently is just small gravel you can get from Wal-Mart for pretty cheap. I don't think it is painted, just plain brown. Mine has already been foraging sucking and and spitting out the gravels.

 

[blert]

Fresh veggies, occasional fruits. Lots of clean water (PWC everyday until its in a bigger tank).

Forgot to add... High quality sinking pellets. You don't want it gulping air while eating floating foods.

sand is not really recommend because it will cloud the water no matter what you do . I suggest pea-size unpainted pebbles because my goldies alwas suck them in and then throw them out in their ever-going journey looking for food that's why using painted pebbles or gravel with sharp edges will defenitly harm the fish. I recommed you buying pebbles and never use big gravel because fish waste will gather in the narrow spaces between each stone and will toxin the water with Ammonia !

Cloudy water from sand? You're not doing it right. Many folks use sand, myself included, and have no issues with cloudy water. You could even stick your hand into my tanks and give the sand a good stir and it still won't cloud anything up.

 

[jlk]

Blert is offering excellent advice!

Small gravel or pebbles are big choking hazard. I now have pfs in all of my tanks and love it! It's simple to clean and does not cloud even when I use a grav vac. Also, do not be afraid of plants! My tanks are planted without an issue- if you feed your fish & offer him lots of veggies, he won't bother them.

 

[blert]

jlk, I just read that species profile you linked earlier in this thread. Nice job, very informative. You may want to add Danio Rerio as possible tank mates. They have similar water requirements and are fast and alert enough to not get eaten (mostly ). Also, I read somewhere else (forget where) that Goldfish excrete ammonia from their gills and this is why (along with massive pooping) they are such large waste producers... Is that true?

@ everyone else - if you have not read it yet, you should.

 

[Monster Goldfish]

Forgot to add... High quality sinking pellets. You don't want it gulping air while eating floating foods.

I know a trick to make flaoting food sink which is very easy and extremely effective on all types of floating food . It's done by taking air out using
a syringe just check it out on youtube.

Cloudy water from sand? You're not doing it right. Many folks use sand, myself included, and have no issues with cloudy water. You could even stick your hand into my tanks and give the sand a good stir and it still won't cloud anything up.

you're right , but there are different types of sand with different grains size. Usually sand with small grains cloud the water while sand with bigger grains will stay at the bottom . My experience was with playground sand I never was able to
clean ... tried boiling and washing it several times but no result .. just keeps
the water cloudy .. it became nearly white foggy water !

 

[Monster Goldfish]

Blert is offering excellent advice!

Small gravel or pebbles are big choking hazard. I now have pfs in all of my tanks and love it! It's simple to clean and does not cloud even when I use a grav vac. Also, do not be afraid of plants! My tanks are planted without an issue- if you feed your fish & offer him lots of veggies, he won't bother them.

what is pfs ?