My new Goldfish pics

[meaghan9930]

Hi everybody!!

I just wanted to show you a pic of my new Goldfish. I guess it is a Red Cap Oranda? Right? I thought he was precious so I couldnt resist.

Tell me what you think

BYE

[reptileguy2727]

where is the pic?

[meaghan9930]

Oh SORRY!!

[reptileguy2727]

looks like a redcap oranda. what else is it with? how big is the tank? what filter are you using? are those flakes floating around on top? for roundbodied goldfish it is better to only feed sinking pellets because if fed floating foods they can develop swim bladder disease.

[meaghan9930]

Its in a 75 gallon tank with 3 other goldfish. 1 Fancy, and 2 Feeder (I think 1 of them is a Comet). Yes it is floating food. I had no idea about the round body fish and the floating food. I will do get some sinking pellets. What is a good brand?

Thanks

[reptileguy2727]

Hikari. they make a nice sinking pellet for lionheads (it will be good for orandas as well). it comes in a black pouch (all of hikari's foods come in the puches). i got the smaller pouch and it was about $7, so its not the cheapest, but hikari makes really good foods. tetra makes a sinking goldfish pellet as well, tetra exotica, you can use that as well for more variety. usually rounbodied goldfish are out-eaten by the faster and more agile slender bodied goldfish like comets, so keep an eye on that and make sure the oranda gets enough food. my 55 with 2 lionhead goldfish is bare bottom because i only use sinking foods, this way they cant swallow gravel while trying to eat. food could also fall between the rocks of larger gravel that is too big for them to eat, so i just didnt put in any gravel. what exact type of filter do you use?

[meaghan9930]

I think it is called an Aqua clear?
My fish are very taken care of its just I dont remember names of products very well.

I have fake plants in there now, but I am looking to remodel the place in a couple of months with new gravel, real plants, and new decor. Any suggestions on plants? I had a 20 gallon planted tank at one time and it got taken over by Algae so I eventually had to take everything out. I had to rinse the gravel, filter and I even trimmed the plants and all. A couple of months after that it started again. So I got rid of the tank, I gave it to my dad (a fish expert) and of course its beautiful now. So I am kind of hesitant with real plants. Any suggestions on gravel and so fourth?

[reptileguy2727]

honestly with sinking pellets i wouldnt/dont use any type of gravel for the same reasons as before. i have a stalk of lucky bamboo in my 55 with the 2 lionheads. it has only been in for a few days. my cousin read online that lucky bamboo is fine for fish tanks, even completely submerged. he tried it and so far it is doing fine, so i tried it too. i already had some lucky bamboo and it seems to be really hardy, doing better in low lighting. other live plants i have tried dont do well for me (or i guess you could say i dont do well for them, since i have never done anything for them like plant food, special lighting, or that kind of stuff to help them out). without any gravel in the tank i put the bamboo in a small vase so the goldfish wont eat the roots, there is gravel in the vase to hold the bamboo in. any numbers on the filter, like 110, or anything that my hint to the exact model it is? here is a pic of my 55 with the 2 lionheads. i know the tank is boring looking, but when these guys and other goldfish i may add are big, their beauty will be enough. no lights yet, im getting them friday. i use 2 whisper 60 filters, i pretty much only use whispers for all my tanks, they have proven to be more than good enough time after time after time, even with water turtles.
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c207/reptileguy2727/IMGP0629.jpg

[meaghan9930]

Very nice

I might try using some sand or fine gravel. im not sure about the live plants yet. I dont think I am up for it. Maybe in a couple of months I will be.

I like the Bamboo thing it looks great. What do you got in the tank below?

I think my filter is a 150 or 200? Does that sound right? Who knows?

[Hannys_Papa]

Try a search in the plant thread - or make a post there. I know Roan Art has been researching plants that are suitable for goldfish tanks (basically plants they dont like to eat) and i am sure she'll share her knowledge with you.

I have a planted tank and its not easy - you have to read a lot and figure out a balance between all the nutrients so algae doesnt have a chance. But also for that there are many valuable threads in the plant forum.

I've got the theory down now... so the "only" problem left is applying it to the tank. lol

Good luck - and nice new fish btw.

[reptileguy2727]

im not familiar with the aquaclears, i prefer the whispers so i havent tried much else. the bottom left tank is a breeding pair of convict cichlids. the male is black and the female is pink so i should end up with some black babies, some pink babies, and some calico babies. the bottom right tank will be a baby tank, either for the convicts or the breeding tank of platies.

[Roan Art]

I haven't planted the goldfish tank as yet, so I don't have a heck of a lot to contribute ;) However I do have herb fish in a heavy planted tank.

The problem with goldfish is that they not only eat plants, but they dig as well.

You can try anubias, crinum (onion) and green melon (not red, herb fish will eat red). What you need to do is make sure you have fairly large rocks around the roots of the plants so that the goldies cannot dig them up. You can try the anubias on wood or rock, but make sure you tie it really tight or they could rip them off.

Try to plant mature plants, not young ones. The young ones taste better and they'll be more apt to munch on those. As it is they may remove the new leaves and/or nibble on the outside edges of the old ones. Depends on the individual fish.

Plant some water sprite and anacharis for them to nibble on and they may leave the rest of the plants alone.

Hope that helps

Oh, in regards to the comet with the fancies -- it's not just the food competition between the two that is the problem, comets have been known to attack fancy goldfish and rip their fins off. You may not have a problem with the size tank you have, however comets will get too big even for a 75g. Keep an eye on them for aggression or you could lose the fancies.

Roan

[Flowerhorn916]

Wow your gold fish must be really smart! His brain is huge j/k

Tanks w/ no gravel are super ugly

[reptileguy2727]

i agree that bare bottom tanks arent as attractive as a well done natural tank, but my reasons for bare bottom are all about their health. and if the fish look good enough, they should be beautiful enough. it is kind of weird anyways to see such an unnatural fish in a natural habitat. and since my bamboo is in the ceramic holder, they cant get to the roots or pull it out (but i understand that you werent really talking to me).