Can someone please explain to my incompetent mother...

[trennamw]

Not that you're incapable ... I realize that may have sounded harsh above. It's a place many of us have been in, often with advice from fish "experts". And with goldfish we are all conditioned to believe one in a bowl is great so a tank must be luxurious. It just sounds like, now that it's well known goldfish need a lot of space, you happen to have no suitable tanks for even one goldfish.

And if you still don't have means for testing water, you're really not prepared to offer any a healthy home.

You clearly have a passion here, do keep at it, even if it involves tough decisions and restarting with a different idea than you intended.

Sent from my iPhone with three hands tied behind my back.

 

[Davala]

Thanks all.

I intended to use "incompetent" for its definition- not to call out inappropriate names, with no intention of showing the thread, and possibly looking for a bit of sympathy.
As for the history of the fish; I originally had just two goldfish in a twenty gallon tank, whereas the others were bought for me by an assumption that there was a lot of space in the tank. What can I say to somebody that has bought me fish?!

The local aquatic/shops are more keen on selling fish rather than taking them in, so giving them away is not really an easy option.

The tank that my sister was using has been thrown away due to a crack when they were moving things around, I believe.

Much appreciated.

 

[Delapool]

I must say I admire that you are asking and persisting for a better solution. It's a toughie.

Would taking photos to chart their size growth over time help? You could show how they are getting larger and then how they will double or triple in size from there?

One of the guys at work asked about my angel fish and I complained they hadn't grown much. Next water change I realised one used to fit inside the gravel vac pipe (persistently) and is now 3 times larger. I'd just never realised.

 

[trennamw]

It is good you are persisting and have changed the tone a little.

Do you have a water testing kit yet?

Did you get your fish at a chain or a LFS?

What area do you live in?


Sent from my iPhone with three hands tied behind my back.

 

[Deminox]

I have a way to explain it easily. "Hey ma, now we need 15 times the food. Need to buy 15 times the filters. And oh yeah, smell 15 times the amonia and flush 15 times the dead fish. It's a lot of extra work. 15 times to be precise.

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