Goldfish Babies
- Thread starter Kashta
- Start date
Thanks! I can't wait for them to get here.
I've been reading through discussions among breeders about raising fry. Found some interesting comments that might explain what went wrong with mine.
Knowing how much to feed and how long to go between feedings was always a puzzling question for me. I hadn't found anything definitive about that, other than to feed them every 4-6 hours. Mine didn't get theirs quite that often. It was mostly 3-4 times per day, so roughly 6-8 hours then. They could have still consumed too much at any one time. I did let them eat as much as they wanted and siphoned away the leftover food later.
My single remaining fry is one of the smaller ones. I've seen already that it eats less than most of the others did. Maybe that's why it's still alive. But this may also indicate something wrong internally with this one that will cause problems later for the fish. This fry is still too young (or under developed) to see internal organs yet that I had noticed in the larger fry.
Here's a nice idea about fry keeping methods.
To put that into perspective, a large spawn probably means a 1,000 - 3,000 fry. I had a couple of hundred or so. Increasing the water volume beyond 10 gallons is probably unnecessary for a small batch like that. It's still a great idea to deal with a larger collection of eggs or if I end up with multiple spawns at the same time.
I've been reading through discussions among breeders about raising fry. Found some interesting comments that might explain what went wrong with mine.
Knowing how much to feed and how long to go between feedings was always a puzzling question for me. I hadn't found anything definitive about that, other than to feed them every 4-6 hours. Mine didn't get theirs quite that often. It was mostly 3-4 times per day, so roughly 6-8 hours then. They could have still consumed too much at any one time. I did let them eat as much as they wanted and siphoned away the leftover food later.
My single remaining fry is one of the smaller ones. I've seen already that it eats less than most of the others did. Maybe that's why it's still alive. But this may also indicate something wrong internally with this one that will cause problems later for the fish. This fry is still too young (or under developed) to see internal organs yet that I had noticed in the larger fry.
Here's a nice idea about fry keeping methods.
To put that into perspective, a large spawn probably means a 1,000 - 3,000 fry. I had a couple of hundred or so. Increasing the water volume beyond 10 gallons is probably unnecessary for a small batch like that. It's still a great idea to deal with a larger collection of eggs or if I end up with multiple spawns at the same time.
Those are very pretty goldfish! I never see any great looking goldies for sale. I have three ryukins right now-one orange & white-one calico and one white & orange.
irishspy
There is a stargate in my aquarium.
Usually I favor the Japanese types over the Chinese variations, but that ranchu is so cute! :hearts:
I'm soo sorry that your brood didn't make it - and for a novice you did so well until they started feeding. I read through the thread, and second the suggestion to have some sponge filters to seed your fry tank with next time.
You might also consider putting the breeders in their own tank, and removing them once they spawn. When the fry have to swim for their feed, they are less likely to gorge themselves and they grow stronger and faster.
I am suspicious of the breeder net as the water circulation is compromised by that very fine mesh. I've noticed an oil sheen caused by the fishmeal commonly used in the food.
Thanks so much for taking the time to share your experiences. Doing so can only affirm what you learn along the way, and makes it possible for others to learn as well.
You might also consider putting the breeders in their own tank, and removing them once they spawn. When the fry have to swim for their feed, they are less likely to gorge themselves and they grow stronger and faster.
I am suspicious of the breeder net as the water circulation is compromised by that very fine mesh. I've noticed an oil sheen caused by the fishmeal commonly used in the food.
Thanks so much for taking the time to share your experiences. Doing so can only affirm what you learn along the way, and makes it possible for others to learn as well.
Thanks, guys. I have to say how much I appreciate all the support and suggestions. The comments and positive thoughts you've all shared means so very much.
Well, I know I'm never going to use that breeder net again, K8tlee, unless maybe as a seive. I saw the film at the surface you mentioned. At one point, I bought a second one and transferred the little critters to that. Didn't do much good.
I wasn't going to actually TRY to get them to breed again on purpose... just be ready next time in case they do. But we'll see. I guess I could set up a breeding tank, while I'm planning where the others are going. Otherwise, I might not be there at the right time when new eggs show up to know which male was involved.
Well, I know I'm never going to use that breeder net again, K8tlee, unless maybe as a seive. I saw the film at the surface you mentioned. At one point, I bought a second one and transferred the little critters to that. Didn't do much good.
I wasn't going to actually TRY to get them to breed again on purpose... just be ready next time in case they do. But we'll see. I guess I could set up a breeding tank, while I'm planning where the others are going. Otherwise, I might not be there at the right time when new eggs show up to know which male was involved.
i just sat here and read this whole thread, every post and looked at every picture to make out what it was, and i have to say that your a AMAZING goldfish mommy! i would love to hear the story or read it on sprocket , who seems to have a name for himself??
i think you did a wonderful job and can only do better the next time this happens.
are you still getting all those tanks?
you will have an amazing setup!
keep up all the great work you do with your fish, BTW your goldfish are ALL very beautiful, do you know how big the new ones you are getting are going to be?
KeEp It Up!!!
bea
i think you did a wonderful job and can only do better the next time this happens.
are you still getting all those tanks?
you will have an amazing setup!
keep up all the great work you do with your fish, BTW your goldfish are ALL very beautiful, do you know how big the new ones you are getting are going to be?
KeEp It Up!!!
bea
Thank you, thank you! Yes - all the tanks I listed before, I have them already. I'm still rearranging everything to get them set up, meanwhile trying to decide who goes where.
I made two other purchases since posting that list of tanks. I got one bare tank in a 55 gallon size for $30 that's stashed in the garage unit in case anything unexpected happens. I also bought a 10 gallon hex tank for $20. It sells for around $65 from what I've seen. I didn't really want the hex tank, but it came with a free Magnum 350 filter which runs around $100 - so I grabbed it real fast. That was a great deal I couldn't pass up because I wanted that free filter. I plan to use the Magnun as a portable filter system to do heavy sand/gravel cleaning whenever I need without draining all the water in the process. (Use a gravel siphon attachment on the intake for cleaning, that runs through the filter to pull out accumulated debris, then the return water goes back into the tank.) I have tanks in several rooms, so I'll just keep that available on some kind of cleaning/tank maintenence cart. It has a micron filter I can also use for water polishing whenever needed. Water polishing removes ultra fine particles suspended in the water that won't settle in the gravel and those pass right through normal filters. I can also fill that up with carbon and let it run for a few days to remove residual medication from a fish tank after treatment is over. If I decide not to keep the hex tank, I can always sell it again on Craigslist and get my $20 back - but keep the Magnum filter. lol.
Here are the current lengths for the new fish still coming.
Morka (ranchu) 6 inches
Remington (ryukin) 4.25 inches
Adult size for a ranchu is something like 6-8 inches. Lifespan is about 15 years. The ryukin will get to be 8 inches or so and averages 25 years.
You also asked about Sprocket, so I'll do another post with his history, links for more reading and more photos, and tell you about his arrival here.
This expanding goldfish family started with Flaringshutter. She had Upstart, Napoleon, and Alexei. She started a thread here when Upstart and Napoleon bred on 10-12-2007. Those fry were wiped out a week later, but she continued that on 12-26-2007 when Alexei and Napoleon bred. That's where Sprocket came from (and Sparkplug his brother who will also be coming here). Iris is a photo journalist by profession, so her threads make fabulous resources with great photos and exceptional expertise to share with us about goldfish, in particular.
Goldfish laid eggs - with photos, etc.
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=129268
Iris posted more about her goldfish on 03-27-2008 here.
Goldfish parents - finally!
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=148284
Then on 12-13-2008, she posted a thread offering Sprocket to a new home (to make room for other fish she was planning to get). That's how I found out Sprocket was available. I remembered him from her previous posts and messaged her right away.
Comet Goldfish (Son of Napoleon)
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=175833
Iris and I waited about 2 months before Sprocket and Alexei were overnighted to me. They arrived here on Feb 5 - Iris and I were both real nervous about the shipment. Overnight delivery, both of us checking the tracking status.. enroute.. on truck for delivery..
When the package was finally delivered that morning, I sent Iris this message:
(I should probably add that I always get excited when I get new fish... but it never made me cry before. This was just so important.)
I had a 40 gallon tank waiting for them. Now, we're talking two BIG pond-sized goldfish - so estimate 20 gallons each, right? But once I saw them.. good Lord, no way. It was just too small. I just couldn't take them out of a box and shove them into that little tank. So I floated the bags in the big tank instead and messaged Iris again. Sat there watching them for 40 minutes trying to decide what to do. No quarantine? I know better than that. But in this case, it's not fish from an unknown source in unknown condition. I took at least a 100 pictures of them. All the while, my other fish were just fascinated with them. Alexei was calm and sedate, she takes everything in stride. Sprocket was having non of this and thrashed around inside that bag. Iris had gone offline already so it took her a while to get back to me, but she agreed it was okay.
I left them alone without disturbing anyone so they could get settled. Cassandra and Sprocket had been inseperable for days. She dutifully followed him everywhere. Then he chased her around a few times. I knew this was courtship and thought it was adorable. Still, it didn't occur to me they might actually spawn. On the 9th, I did a water change/gravel vac - planning to finally start aquascaping the tank so I could post more presentable photos at the forum. The colder water temp from that water change must have been the trigger they needed for spawning. The next morning when I woke up, there were goldfish eggs everywhere. Cassandra and Sprocket were still at it.
Iris posted more of her goldfish photos here in this thread on 02-09-2009.
Goldies again...
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=182297
Meanwhile, I was collecting fish eggs and taking more photos. I started this thread a few days later to let everyone else know what was happening.
Here are some photos of Sprocket and Alexei's arrival here. I showed these to Iris privately so she could see they were alive and well. But I wasn't going to ever post these publicly because it shows you all that I didn't quarantine the fish first, which is a big no-no. And the tank looks a mess. I'd never had comets before so I didn't know yet how much free swimming room they would need. Iris kept hers in a relatively bare/open tank with no live plants to clutter things up. My other fish like having a live plants around, but they weren't as large or fast swimming.
So there you are.. a full history of a bunch of feeder goldfish, running amok.
Goldfish laid eggs - with photos, etc.
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=129268
Iris posted more about her goldfish on 03-27-2008 here.
Goldfish parents - finally!
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=148284
Then on 12-13-2008, she posted a thread offering Sprocket to a new home (to make room for other fish she was planning to get). That's how I found out Sprocket was available. I remembered him from her previous posts and messaged her right away.
Comet Goldfish (Son of Napoleon)
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=175833
Iris and I waited about 2 months before Sprocket and Alexei were overnighted to me. They arrived here on Feb 5 - Iris and I were both real nervous about the shipment. Overnight delivery, both of us checking the tracking status.. enroute.. on truck for delivery..
When the package was finally delivered that morning, I sent Iris this message:
(I should probably add that I always get excited when I get new fish... but it never made me cry before. This was just so important.)
I had a 40 gallon tank waiting for them. Now, we're talking two BIG pond-sized goldfish - so estimate 20 gallons each, right? But once I saw them.. good Lord, no way. It was just too small. I just couldn't take them out of a box and shove them into that little tank. So I floated the bags in the big tank instead and messaged Iris again. Sat there watching them for 40 minutes trying to decide what to do. No quarantine? I know better than that. But in this case, it's not fish from an unknown source in unknown condition. I took at least a 100 pictures of them. All the while, my other fish were just fascinated with them. Alexei was calm and sedate, she takes everything in stride. Sprocket was having non of this and thrashed around inside that bag. Iris had gone offline already so it took her a while to get back to me, but she agreed it was okay.
I left them alone without disturbing anyone so they could get settled. Cassandra and Sprocket had been inseperable for days. She dutifully followed him everywhere. Then he chased her around a few times. I knew this was courtship and thought it was adorable. Still, it didn't occur to me they might actually spawn. On the 9th, I did a water change/gravel vac - planning to finally start aquascaping the tank so I could post more presentable photos at the forum. The colder water temp from that water change must have been the trigger they needed for spawning. The next morning when I woke up, there were goldfish eggs everywhere. Cassandra and Sprocket were still at it.
Iris posted more of her goldfish photos here in this thread on 02-09-2009.
Goldies again...
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=182297
Meanwhile, I was collecting fish eggs and taking more photos. I started this thread a few days later to let everyone else know what was happening.
Here are some photos of Sprocket and Alexei's arrival here. I showed these to Iris privately so she could see they were alive and well. But I wasn't going to ever post these publicly because it shows you all that I didn't quarantine the fish first, which is a big no-no. And the tank looks a mess. I'd never had comets before so I didn't know yet how much free swimming room they would need. Iris kept hers in a relatively bare/open tank with no live plants to clutter things up. My other fish like having a live plants around, but they weren't as large or fast swimming.
So there you are.. a full history of a bunch of feeder goldfish, running amok.
