New goldfish today!

[blert]

A Black Moor? And a Fantail?
They were just marked as Fantails at the LFS. My son picked them out.

If this is what they are then they can get up to ten inches, right?

They live in my plant grow out tank, a 40b, and are the only fish in there. They are currently only ~2 inches long including tail. At what size do I need to be preparing a larger tank?

 

[jlk]

Hi Blert! Yes, you have a black moor & a fantail. Because the fantail is a only a baby, i can not tell yet if he may possibly be a ryukin. Ryukin & regular fantail babies are difficult to distinguish from each other because the ryukins have not developed their characteristic features yet. Most likely, he is a regular fantail. If they are both in 40g with no other fish, they are fine!! Their potential growth will depend on you-LOTS of healthy water & frequent small meals of a quality goldfish food (hikari is my fav) plus daily veggies will help them reach their maximum potential. Congrats on your new fish!!!

 

[blert]

Thanks!
I change a little more than half the water in this tank weekly as per my plant fertilizer regimen. Currently running a Penguin 250 (without the bio wheel) and a MaxiJet 600 (w/ sponge) powering a CO2 reactor loop. I am looking for a canister this week to replace all that though. Will that do?

Fairly sure he's a regular Fantail as the Ryukin's were in a separate tank at more than twice the price for the same size fish.

Good to hear that the 40b will be big enough for them for a long while but they may not be in there for long. I just found a 120g with stand and canopy for 175$. I might buy it if it comes with filtration.

I guess I'm off to the store in the morning for a veggie clip and a zucchini. Any other veggies you suggest?

 

[Hholly]

Congrats! Very nice fish!

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Congrats on your new goldies! Mine love peas and blanched broccoli.

 

[redsea]

Very cute Goldfish!

 

[blert]

Broccoli is a favorite around my house, oddly my kids love it, so that will work. Peas, not so much, but I always have some in the freezer for my fishes day before fast meal.

They seem to be getting much more comfortable in the tank now. They are swimming all over, not just ranging the bottom like they were earlier today.

 

[jlk]

Broccoli florets are a great veggie to feed as is spinach, zucchini, & peas (staple veggies). I do feed a variety of other cooked veggies (depending on whats for dinner on any given night) but avoid heavy starches (potatoes) or anything spicy (onions, hot peppers). Aspargus heads, carrots, sweet peppers, broccoli rabe, & turnip greens are some other ideas. Just make sure they are cooked & fresh/frozen source (not canned-too much salt).

 

[blert]

Heh. Do these guys ever stop grazing and just goof around like normal fish? LOL
Every time I come out to visit them they are nibbling on something (plants, gravel, filter sponge, etc...).

 

[jlk]

Normal goldie behavior! They really are little piggies!!

 

[jsoong]

Very nice goldies! Being fancy goldfish, they will only grow to ~5-6" (not including tails) on average, and a 40 gal is perfect for them.

Just one warning ... goldies & plants are tricky .... they love to eat all the tender leaves & can demolish a planted tank. <i see a lot of tasty goldfish salad in the pics!>

To minimize the chance of the fish eating your plants - make sure they are well fed. <I skipped feeding for one day & my crew demolished all my hygro.>, and train your fish to eat cooked veggies from a veggie clip (at a set location, far from your plants). <Don't feed raw veggies .... if they get the idea that raw veggies are food, your plants are dinner.>

No matter what you do, goldfish will nibble on plants ... but with lots of fast growing plants & well fed goldies, I consider them free pruning service.

 

[blert]

Very nice goldies! Being fancy goldfish, they will only grow to ~5-6" (not including tails) on average, and a 40 gal is perfect for them.

Just one warning ... goldies & plants are tricky .... they love to eat all the tender leaves & can demolish a planted tank. <i see a lot of tasty goldfish salad in the pics!>

To minimize the chance of the fish eating your plants - make sure they are well fed. <I skipped feeding for one day & my crew demolished all my hygro.>, and train your fish to eat cooked veggies from a veggie clip (at a set location, far from your plants). <Don't feed raw veggies .... if they get the idea that raw veggies are food, your plants are dinner.>

No matter what you do, goldfish will nibble on plants ... but with lots of fast growing plants & well fed goldies, I consider them free pruning service.

Thanks! No problem, they can nibble on the plants. In the tank is some Wisteria that's growing out so I can trade it to my LFS (realized I don't really like Wisteria), some H. Corymbosa "Angustifolia", some L. Repens that did not do well in my DT and Rotala clippings from my last DT clean up. I might be bummed if they chow all the H. Corymbosa though (I love that plant). Oh, and some Marimo from when I sucked a large one up the gravel vac and it ended up falling apart.

Should I put the cooked veggies high or low in the tank?

 

[jlk]

I serve mine on the bottom. Goldfish naturally scavenge the bottom of tanks constantly in search of food. Dont be surprised if they dont take to the veggies immediately- it sometimes takes a little while for them to realize its food.

 

[rreekers]

your gold fish will be so happy in that tank

 

[blert]

your gold fish will be so happy in that tank

I hope so. The tank is in the garage but it does have 150w heater in it. If temps drop too low I have a thermal blanket I can wrap the tank in. In the summer when temps get high I already have a fan system rigged and waiting for install. It's an old PC fan controller with thermal monitoring that will turn on and off the fans at set temps.

 

[rreekers]

I hope so. The tank is in the garage but it does have 150w heater in it. If temps drop too low I have a thermal blanket I can wrap the tank in. In the summer when temps get high I already have a fan system rigged and waiting for install. It's an old PC fan controller with thermal monitoring that will turn on and off the fans at set temps.

my Moor and telescope are most active at 74°f. I hope you have fun with them

 

[blert]

A quick goldfish question for the Goldie folks out there...

I'm changing the substrate in this tank as this Fluval stuff is a sick mess. Most resources I've searched state a pea sized gravel so the little guys won't choke on them. Well, I am considering either the cheap time consuming PFS option or the expensive easy Eco Complete alternative. Is EC not a good option because of the massively varying grain size? Will they choke on it? Is sand a good option or is this just easier for them to swallow? I'll go with gravel if I have to but I'd like something more plant friendly.

 

[jlk]

Large gravel (quarter-size so they cant swallow/choke on it) or pfs. I am not familiar with EC, so I cant advise on it. Pfs is pretty easy with goldies & makes cleaning up after them a breeze (vs all the gunk that falls between the gravel). I actually switched my 1 gravel tank to mix of pfs & gravel then got rid of the gravel altogether because maintainence is so much easier.

 

[KaylNeko]

I wouldn't bother getting Eco Complete unless you're going pretty heavily planted. PFS is good for goldfish and cheap, as is play sand from, like, home depot. PFS is easier to clean, I'm told, though.

 

[blert]

K, thanks.
I'm not worried about the cost of the Eco Complete, it's kind of a non-issue. The tank will be moderately planted at times and other times it will not. Just asking if Eco Complete is safe for goldfish. It does have some smallish bits in it so I think it might not be safe.