goldfish

[beyowulf]

I have two 1 inch long glodfish in a 5.5 gallon tank, and I noticed in the fall that they were acting a little "randy". I put one of my mothers calico fantails in with them (she's about the same size) and they just chased and chased her until she was just lying on the bottom exhausted.
the question is how do i get my fishies to make baby fishies?

[Youkai]

There's a few problems here(please forgive my rant!)...

No goldfish, in my opinion, should EVER be placed in a 5.5 gallon tank unless it is the tiniest of babies. This is going to sound sort of harsh, but would you keep a dog in a kennel it couldn't turn around in for life?? A regular gold fish can exceed 12" with ease, and fancy breeds are not small fish either. I don't see how a 5.5 could stay cold enough for the fish, either.

At 1", these fish are 1/12 their adult size. You don't want fish that small making 'baby fishies'.

Goldfish aren't hard to breed, but you need a larger tank with adult fish. Preferably a pond, actually...

If you cannot get a larger tank, I would give the fish to someone, and try a smaller species. I've got pygmy cory cats in my 5.5 gallon. To be fair, I think it's too small for them...and they are MUCH smaller fish!

So anyway, I'd worry about the set up for now, and breeding the fish much later.

If those fish are old, they may be stunted. I'm not sure if they'd be breedable in that case anyway.

One thing you might want to get youself is one of the many good books on goldfish.

Anyone else, any input?

[Shane Tesser]

I would tend to agree with Youkai on this, the tank is way too small. I would upgrade to at least a thirty five for two goldfish. I currently have this exact set up with a male black moore and a female orange miranda. They breed like crazy...goldfish can breed at about two years of age, some books with tell you four or five, but i have seen them do it earlier.

If you want to breed them, number one, it is quite easy. Water changes alone will trigger them...as well as slight increases and degreases in temperature. The fry are extemely small. I raise mine until they are basically....looking like a small version of the parents in five gallon tanks. Now with a tank even the size of the thirty five, you have to have lots of hiding spots as mom and dad will quickly gobble everyone up. As well, your filter system may do the same. I would recommend that a sponge with an air stone be the only filter you use...just clean it often.

There is one little thing ill add. To create the wierd and wild colour combination that you see in the store takes practise. Most goldfish, no matter how fancy will always breed true to the original drab brownish colour. All of my off spring have, they do not inherite the bubble eyes, or the curvatures of the spines that the parent do. They do however turn an almost black in colour at about six months of age, and all have fan tails. Now, if and when i were to breed these....then i could play colour God, hope this helps....let me know if you need more info, and good luck, Shane.

[PetCrazy]

I agree with Youkai as well (her and I have quite the same opinions when it comes to fish anyway). Goldfish get huge, and a 5.5 gallon would never be able to keep one to full lifespan. If you want your fish to breed, you have to put them under ideal conditions, or it just won't happen.

These are not adults either, and if they are, they are so stunted it's not even funny. Goldfish range in size. But on average they get up to a foot long for most species that are often sold in stores. (For example. your common Comet/Feeder gets up to 14 inches long, and your black moore about 10)

Ponds are ideal for some goldfish, (though some of the 'fancy breeds' are too feeble for this setup. But a big tank for those two fish would let them grow to full size, and eventualy breed. Especially if it's heavily planted. They love plants!!!

I am glad you love your goldfish, but please try to get them a bigger tank. The fact that one of them is being chased around such a small environment incessantly isn't good for its health either. And I don't want to imagine how often you have to clean that small tank out with goldfish in there.

I hope both Youkai and Shane's advice helped you, and I do hope that you can afford to upgrade your tank. I know it sounds silly to put 2, 1 inch fish in a big tank. But trust me, they will grow like weeds, and they will show big appreciation for it by showing your their brightest, and truest colours, as well as getting to full size. *Unless they are permanently stunted*

Good luck with your fish
-PC

[beyowulf]

I will get them a larger tank the second I can afford it!! I had no idea this tank was too small!! I'm relatively certain they aren't stunted (they're only a few months old, to the best of my calculations)
I did, in my defense, take the calico out as soon as I saw she was in trouble, and I didn't intend to leave her there for any extended period of time.
Thanks for the advice everyone, point well taken!!
~Jen

[PetCrazy]

I'm so sorry no one had informed you prior of purchase that goldfish could attain such a large size. Goldfish seem to often be the cause of 'multiple tank syndrome'...which can mean either you are a fish addict and end up with tons of tanks like some of us geeks or...simply you never knew the true potential size of your fish, and continuously have to buy biggers tanks....leaving you with quite the collection. (Oscars cause this quite frequently as well...heck...quite a few fish do)

I'm glad they are still young, and this wasn't discovered years later. And I'm sure the calico thanks you for seperating 'her' from the other.

Good luck with them once again. Fish and rewarding pets to keep...

[Lizzy]

Well Youkai, Shane and Petcrazy, I wish I could say stuff like that to every person who walked into my store and asked for goldfish. I always get arguements like:
"they'll only grow to the size of the tank. What does it matter"
"They're only goldfish, why should I spend so much for a bigger tank?"
"that's alright, if it dies it's not like it was expensive"

I'm glad goldfish can't understand. I feel a need to appologise to the fish I sell sometimes because I am sending them to a slow agonising death. I have had a bit of a talking to for being a bit rude to these people. Oh well, I wasn't going to stand there and tell them that what they wanted was alright, but apparently that's what they wanted to hear and they complained. I got in a bit of trouble for not being a bit more polite when arguing fish husbendry with a novice. Go figure. So now I simply give up on the discussion and scoop them a sick fish. :devil:

I'm not critisizing you beyowulf, obviously you were just misinformed. I'm just venting about a subject that REALLY bothers me. I'm glad you took the advice and plan to get your goldies a new tank. Here's another tip...get more filtration then is generally recomended...almost twice. They're a messy fish.

Lizzy

:w

[Youkai]

You mean you don't?
::looks at Pet Crazy::
We do...lol.

I'm very polite about it, and will even sit down with a book and show them certain things. A lot of times, I can have someone walking out with something with at least mild filtration, some kind of floating plant, and some white clouds or danios instead of a goldfish. I'm not fond of ANYTHING being in something that small, but the fish should at least have a chance.

I'll also usually point out that, yes, you might be able to keep a dog alive in a closet. But should you?
And my supervisor is glad I don't just sell goldfish in bowls without talking to the people about it...she hates it too, so I'm lucky.

[PetCrazy]

I usualy refuse sales if I don't think it's going to the right home. And people don't take that always too kindly...

"Then why the hell do they call it a goldfish bowl then"
"It's called false advertisement sweetie, you can't believe everything you read now can you"

I can refuse and often do, any sale I think innappropriate. And my managers aren't too bad about it. But if I reaaally anger someone, then I'm in trouble. Which has happened...

Now if I can get that stupid cichlid wannabe woman to listen to me. I'll be happy.(LONG story...) But I feel this will be a long war...

I guess you aren't as lucky as Youkai and I about that. Most of my managers are used to me after a few years for being...overly firm??? Is an ok way to put it...

You can always try the sugar sweet technique to teach someone how to take care of fish. It's called "act like you are on commission" education sales. lol
Your boss can't get mad at you for being nice.

[Shane Tesser]

When i have my store up in running a year or two from now...fingers crossed, i am going to hire all of you....and i will let you speak your minds. Maybe we can call it Grumpy Shane's Fish Market....what do ya think....should i patent the name, lol.s.t.

[Youkai]

You know, I've ALWAYS wanted to put a sign on the front door that says 'IQ must be this high to enter.'
That would fit in nicely at Grumpy Shane's....hehehe

[rattekonigin]

How does one go about measuring the volume of a tank in gallons? (if we were talking metric, it'd be a snap but I just don't know imperial measurements)
My reason for asking is that beyowulf's tank is about 1ft square on the face and about 7 or 8 inches deep, now, it looks to me to be a lot bigger than 5 gallons (granted, nowhere near 35)...but for future reference, how do you calculate the volume?
Length x Width x Height, I know....Basically, what I'm asking is: what is a gallon? 1 mL = 1 cm^3 1 gal = ?

[Lizzy]

Hey Shane, I'll do all the advertising for your store...especially if you call it Grumpy Shane's Fish Market!! lol! That's what my professional trade will be as of this May!

Where does everyone else who responded to this thread work? My bosses are getting used to my firmness, but don't really like it. It was mentioned in my last review. Wish I could get away with it a bit more like you guys!

Lizzy

[corr]

http://pw1.netcom.com/~ddougal/AquaVol/aquavols.html

A (US) gallon is approximately 230 cubic inches (or roughly 6"x6"x6").

[Shane Tesser]

To calculate the size of a tank, sorry i tried to remember the exact formula, tried it with a calculator and just cant remember. I hate to give props to other sites, but if you go to www.fishgeeks.com, they have a tank calculator there. Your measurements will have to be in imperial. s.t.