Goldfish Question

[NEO_72]

Just a quick question - anyone think I could keep a couple of goldfish in a 10 gallon tank? I've never owned them, so have I zip experience. I'd like to get a couple of the chubby ones(all the names are at home). Although they'd have to stay small though or else it would be creul.

Anyway, if anyone has some experience, please let me know.

Thanks!! :)

[NEO_72]

Hmm, a bit of research, and I think probably not....

But if I did twice weekly changes?.....

[punkypuffer]

in general, goldfish get about a foot long when fully mature. I'd say like a 29 or thirty would be better if you want them to get big like they naturally would. But one gf in a 20 would be cool.

Also remember, goldfish are cold water, so make sure to not have a heater or get one and set it really low. A lot of people don't know that.

[aharris]

I've heard that one fancy goldfish needs at least 30g all to itself, but my memory is foggy. What's certain is that they are messy fish in terms of waste.

[punkypuffer]

they make a lot of ammonia, so weekly large water changes would be best... yeah, i think a 30 would be good

[rsabatini]

there ammonia machines,sure you could keep them in a 10gl,but once they get some size on them they'd just get stressed out and die because of the lack of space,as far as waste they are nasty but EXTREMELY hardy,if the 10gl gets to small the'll thrive in your toilet bowl,or even a large puddle outside your house,LOL on a serious note very hardy fish 1/4 water change a week they should be alright,I don't even think they need it that often.take care and good luck.

[jennigypsy]

IME....

I kept..(or let me rephrase it..'tried' to keep a 4" lionhead in a 33 long....no way...I did 50% water changes weekly and had planaria..the goldfish was constantly getting the red striations on his tail and hood (signs of stress due to water quality)..he was the only fish in there..i was running a HUGE filter in the tank plus an aerator.....i wouldn't attempt it again..they are WAY more work than I anticipated...
<just my 2 cents>

[punkypuffer]

wow that's crazy! the only TRULY sucessfull goldfish aquariums i've seen are like big 65 breeders with 2 or 3 or even bigger like a 120 with 6 or so.

[NEO_72]

Well, thanks everybody! That vetos that....I'm just going to have this 10 gallon tank run empty....?? It kills me not to have something in there.....I'm going to post for opinions after I see if this has been asked already.....

Thanks again. Maybe I'll get some sea monkeys! ;)

[bevoman]

Sea monkeys, snails, guppies for feeders, just a few thoughts.

[NEO_72]

Like mollies or something? Geez, doesn't that seem creul, to breed for food. Let me know what you guys think, as I was toying with that. Seems like playing god though(don't point out any obvious hypocrisies please;)!!

[aharris]

Yeah, fancy goldfish are like oscars in that only they don't get as big. The mutated sorts are especially sensitive. Maybe if you got some old bait goldfish and cleaned them out of parasites you could do it.

[NEO_72]

Thanks aharris, I never knew they needed so much care/space. I pity the one my friend's sister kept in a bowl when we were kids. No filter/gravel/plants/freinds....Man, that kind of ignorance....

I'm gonna breed me some guppies!

[SGypsyMermaid]

Originally posted by rsabatini
there ammonia machines,sure you could keep them in a 10gl,but once they get some size on them they'd just get stressed out and die because of the lack of space,as far as waste they are nasty but EXTREMELY hardy,if the 10gl gets to small the'll thrive in your toilet bowl,or even a large puddle outside your house,LOL on a serious note very hardy fish 1/4 water change a week they should be alright,I don't even think they need it that often.take care and good luck.

just because a fish is hardy, does not mean that you should stint on their care. changing 1/4 of their water per week is insufficient, imo. as the previous posters indicated, large weekly water changes are indicated.

[cichgirl]

I prefer to use live bearers as feeders. You have more knowledge of any problems with the tank & fish. It is much safer and cheaper than buying feeders. Swordtails, platties, mollies & guppies are all easy... Have a breeder net on hand to sit in the tank as all livebearers will eat their babies... Good luck!

[pmipunisher]

im sorry to all the gold fish lovers but some of em are ugly except koi i like those gold fish theyre pretty haha instead of running your tank empty put in like 3 angel fish those are always good to look at