ThxForNothing

I am starting this thread because I think it's very important to get this information out. Many people out there have been given information that is completely wrong, and cruel in my opinion.

Alot of people feel it is perfectly acceptable to keep Goldfish in a little bowl, or a 10 gallon fish tank. Well folks, I am here to tell you that it is CRUEL to do so. Honestly, it is best to get the largest tank that you possibily can. I would say about 15-20 gallons per fish with heavy filtration and airation. I'm sure many of you are thinking "Uhm, WHY do they need all that space?!" Well let me explain that to you...


Goldfish produce alot of waste, regardless of their size. They have no stomachs, so what goes in comes out pretty quickly. This can lower the quality of the water very quickly. Another thing to keep in mind is that Goldfish grow extreamly large and fast. If the fish do not have the proper space, then their growth will be stunted. What their growth is stunted, the outside of the fish will stop growing, but the insides keep getting bigger and bigger. This can cause extream discomfort, and does infact lead to death. This is why I say that it is important to give Goldfish the approperiate amount of space that they need to thrive in. They can live for about 20 years if taken care of properly!

The ideal Goldfish set up would most likely be a 40gallon for two smaller-type Goldfish. Water changes should be done weekly, about 30%. Some people even change it twice a week.

In closing, I would like to once again stress how large some Goldfish can get- PLEASE be sure that you get the correct type for your tank size. Check this out: "BRUCE THE GOLDFISH" http://www.goldfishconnection.com/ar...=46&parentId=2

ONE MORE THING!! It is a horrible idea to mix Tropical and Freshwater fish.
Please do your research before you decide to get any new fish.

__________________
Tank Stats:
10g: Going to cycle eventually..I want another betta.
10g: Empty.
60g: Empty.

kelkat

I was just about to ask if you could have a tank with no filtration, but I think you answered this for me. Keeping fish is a lot more intricate than I thought, and I think it would be a great lesson for my children. We may even make it a science project for next year.

Also, we had a gold fish farm up the creek from us. When there was a heavy rain some of the fish would overflow into the creek. Some of the gold fish in this creek are the size of bass - is that possible? Or are they some other type of fish? I had heard a gold fish would grow as large as its environment would let it.

MsMcClain

Does this include all kinds of fish or just primarily goldfish? What about beta or chinese fighting fish?

lindsey

Betta fish are freshwater fish. You may put goldfish together with betta fish. But many people have mixed feelings about this. I know some people have had no problems mixing the two. But I have attempted 3 times. And all three times the bettas have beat on the goldfish.

But I do agree with the original post that goldfish must be put in larger tanks than a small fish bowl. I prefer a 12 gallon depending on what else I have in the tank with them.

kelkat

From what I have read, goldfish can grow up to a foot in length. From the pictures I have seen, though, the fish in my creek are not goldfish. They have longer bodies. The goldfish look more round.

Now that I know how valuable goldfish can be, I'm thinking about starting to breed to sell. We have a great source of fresh water and plenty of room. Has anyone else done something like this?

LadyViper

Bruce is absolutely beautiful, the nicest looking goldfish I have ever seen. He is bigger than the puppy I am sitting for right now...lol

Kel, if your fish look similar to goldfish with a longer body; perhaps they are koi or comets. Those are not the only things they could be, but both are very often used for ponds.

Jay

Thanks THX!

I don't know where some of this commonly accepted misinformation comes from, but that "fish will only grow to fit their tank" must be up there in the top 20.

Jay

kelkat

I always thought they were koi, had I known what koi that large go for I would probably have done more to catch them. Does anyone know how long koi live?

The ponds up the creek from me use to be the largest producers of goldfish (and I think koi) in the world. We would get all kinds of treats in out creek after a big rain.

Comets? Are they also gold?

LadyViper

Koi can live for quite awhile, I am not sure of an exact number. But I have seen some that were about 3 ft long at a botanical garden, and they had to be pretty old. I have heard of people having them older than 20-30 years, but again, I can't validate that claim.

LyricB

Another myth busted. It makes me feel pretty miserable for all those poor carnival goldfish...you know, the ones that you can win by tossing a small ball into their bowls?