Rosy red?

[sumthin fishy]

Our church did a halloween festival this year. To my dismay, they had the pingpong toss, win a "goldfish". Not happy that my wife, knowing me, participated with my daughter. So we got a "goldfish" to bring home. I had a 2.5 G hex I had previously used for local native plants, but had a lapse in mainenance early october and it failed. I cleaned up the 2.5 and put the little $#!t in there and did little other than feed it and change a little water every few days. It is alive, with a filter and food. I was sure it was not a goldfish, and am 99% sure now it is a rosy red minnow. I hate that I have to spend a lot of time and money on this, but I should have done more from the get go. It's a critter in my care, and I will do for it the same as any other critter.

So What do I need here? I could use some spare UGF plates and a 10 gallon I have and would only have to buy an air pump to power the UGF. Do I need a heater if my home is normally not under 70? Would that fish alone in a 10 gallon be OK long term? Would I be able to do anything else, even if it was just another one of the same?


:nutkick:<------- I feel like the yellow guy

 

[ktrom13]

If it truly is a rosy red minnow than no heater is necessary


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[henningc]

No heater and a single fish in a 10gal is fine. These are rough little minnows and can be very aggressive if not kept in schools of 8-10. I was feeding my pike livebearers and tossed in a bunch of rosy reds. They immediately ate all but four of them. The four remaining attacked a 1 1/2" crayfish that was not molting at the time. I was doing water changes when I noticed and decided to move the crayfish when I was done, about 10 min. When I went back they had already killed the poor thing and were tearing it up and eating it. The pike livebearers got the last laugh, but I lost a good crayfish. I've also read they are cave spawners, go figure. One other thing for anyone reading this, a local guy here in Missouri put these fish in a 1,500 gal Koi pond and the population exploded fouling out the pond water because the filter couldn't handle it.

 

[SnakeIce]

Rosy reds are a domesticated bullhead minnow. Hardy down to temps in the 40s or lower and will tolerate mid 80s. Just needs water flow enough to keep the oxygen levels up. I have one that didn't get eaten by my Creek Chub and it is quiet compared to them.

 

[sumthin fishy]

This is the kind of quick replies AC is known for! Thanks guys. I could have done a little more research, but I was thinking about this last night and my eyes were too tired to sift through all the info.

So basically I'm stuck with this guy alone, or can I at least get 2 more? Seems like any kind of invert will be a snack, and not much else would do in an unheated 10 gallon.

 

[henningc]

Get a Cherax Destructor. It won't eat the fish, but it won't take no guff either.