Fancy Goldfish housing question

[reiverix]

It has to make sense. Goldfish get big and require a lot of space. I used to keep several species of coldwater fish and the stocking level was always way lower than tropical. I never mixed other species with goldfish either after I once tried a weather loach but it was far too eratic. In my stocking tank, I would grow a single carp to 5 inches in a 30 gallon tank. After that it was into the pond. Well, when I say pond I mean several acres and about 20ft deep. Oh, and this was in Scotland and a private loch. I'm quite aware of the consequences of releasing non-native species in the States. That's just dangerous and plain stupid.

A tank doesn't have to be huge to be enjoyable either. Now I only have a single 20g and I stock a small tropical community. I'd also love to get a larger tank but I don't have room so I keep what is suitable for what I have. I'm still a novice when it comes to tropicals and plants but this forum has given me the ammo to create something I'm proud of, even at 20g. My best advice is to listen to advice.

 

[avoxo]

avoxo - there are plenty of fish that will do very well in 30 gallon tanks, or even 5 and 10 gallon tanks. The fish choice is personal, agreed, but sometimes reality and the requirements of the fish to be kept should be seriously considered, or the individual is not a hobbyist.
Saying that a beginner can start by keeping a fish badly and improperly is not a hobby, it is abuse.

This is my first post in this thread and if you look back at all my other post concerning goldfish they all pretty much say the same thing.

Hi kveeti, fancy goldfish should have a minimum 10 gallons per fish when they are small. When they become large, 3 inches and up they need triple to quadruple that amount. Does a calico cat look a common goldfish or a fancy? Commons or comets require a little less water but not much. Fancy goldfish are very needy and require a lot of TLC. I wish you luck.

The right thing to do is to research the species that you want to keep and profoundly yes they should not be abused. Some people need reality check but they also still need to crawl before they run. I do not think everyone started off with a 150 gallon tank or a pond. We all need to start somewhere as long as they know what they are getting themselves into they can move forward not backwards.

 

[aquariumfishguy]

Some people need reality check but they also still need to crawl before they run. I do not think everyone started off with a 150 gallon tank or a pond. We all need to start somewhere as long as they know what they are getting themselves into they can move forward not backwards.

This ideal works best with children, but when it comes to grown adults who have the Internet at their hands (literally), you really have no excuse. Do you know what I mean? I really think that is what most are saying here. We have all this research on these fish, and so many GOOD sites (including AquariaCentral) to benefit from… so when you put it that way, do you really need to “crawl before walking”?

 

[fantail]

you can keep a goldfish in 10 gallons if you are going to put the effort in with the water conditions and their health. The fact that you give a **** and cater for their every need means they are better off than most other fish. If you had the room for 30 gallons per fish that'd be great, but realistically not many do. These are domesticated creatures, they have been bred to be pets, ideally we should release them into the wild no? but they have no wild to go back to and they are better off with you in whatever you can provide, than in a fish shop to end up in a bowl.
Just do your best to give them as many things they need as you can, stimulus, water changes, its just in the effort as far as i can see it. Having 30 gallons but never changing the water doesnt make that person a better fish owner. The fact that you have 90% of their care spot on means you are a good fish owner and you are on the learning curve to become a better one.
Ideally every cat needs a farm to live on with plenty of mice to chase, or even their own personal jungle, but mine have to cope with town living, and i dont feel cruel.
your fish will be perfectly happy with what they have so dont feel guilty. So you dedicate a lot of time to their well being then they are the lucky fish to have you as an owner.

 

[aquariumfishguy]

I guess we all have different views on what is considered a responsible pet owner, don't we? Saying that the fish will have lived a happy life, even if it was only 5 of the possible 20+ years is a matter of opinion I guess.

 

[TKOS]

I would love to keep cool fish liek bass and trout. I find them awsome. But my largest tank is 20 gallons. Now the fish in there have been alive for 3 years (tetars mostly and are doing quite well). I do weekly water changes, watch my stocking levels, have tons of plants thriving. So therefore I think that I have figured out what I need to do to keep the fish I choose healthy. And while I could probably catch some small trout fry in the lake across the road from me and I could do everything in my power to give them a good life in a 20 gallon there is no way that I would. They would stunt and die early in their life.

If you can't give a goldfish or any other fish the proper size tank it needs then don't get it. As was mentioned there are plenty of fish varieties that will fit in almost any reasonable sized tank. If you like cheap colourful fish then guppies and platies are wonderful, generally hardy and do well in smaller tanks.

Fish don't have a choice where we put them. We do have the choice and therefore have to make the best choice we can.

 

[RTR]

I do not recall any of those advocating adequate housing for goldfish saying anything about never changing the water - do you really feel that those of us making such suggestion as 30 gallons fish would suggest never changing any water? If you do, then I for one am insulted. If you do not, it is a pathetic argument.

How about an Oscar or two in a ten? That is right up the same blind alley.

 

[cgrabe]

I do not recall any of those advocating adequate housing for goldfish saying anything about never changing the water - do you really feel that those of us making such suggestion as 30 gallons fish would suggest never changing any water? If you do, then I for one am insulted. If you do not, it is a pathetic argument.

How about an Oscar or two in a ten? That is right up the same blind alley.

He never made that arguement. His point was that good equipment does not make a good fish keeper which is very true. There are many factors besides tank size that factor into the well-being of a fish. Whether a tank of a specific size is a must or just a big bonus is arguable regardless of your personal experiences. Until the fish develop the art of language, we have to use our own best judgement, taking into account our own experiences as well as others' experiences, to provide an at least comfortable existance for them.

 

[Cearbhaill]

Whether a tank of a specific size is a must or just a big bonus is arguable regardless of your personal experiences. Until the fish develop the art of language, we have to use our own best judgement, taking into account our own experiences as well as others' experiences, to provide an at least comfortable existance for them.

As Goldfish have been kept for well over 1000 years, we do know for sure that the larger water volumes are necessary for an optimum environment.
They are not a new species that we are just learning about- they are the longest kept fish in existence, and their needs are pretty well established.

 

[aquariumfishguy]

This ideal works best with children, but when it comes to grown adults who have the Internet at their hands (literally), you really have no excuse. Do you know what I mean? I really think that is what most are saying here. We have all this research on these fish, and so many GOOD sites (including AquariaCentral) to benefit from… so when you put it that way, do you really need to “crawl before walking”?

I just wanted to say, I got a concerned comment from someone who thought I was calling them a childish irresponsible fish keeper... it was not my intent to make anyone feel less of a person. I hope not everyone took it as that way. The above post looked rather sarcastic when I reread it and I am sorry for that... again, it wasn't my intent.

Back on topic........... on my end!