so i need suggestions to do this right

[purple_fishy]

So my daughter really wanted some fish and my husband took her and bought her a ten gallon tank and two one inch feeder goldfish. I had posted earlier about mollies and heard that those would need a bigger tank and then my husband went out and bought her goldfish. Right now they are active and eating and playing. I immediately began to research goldfish care and it is very clear that we need a new tank ASAP. So i am on the lookout for a larger tank at a good price. Craigslist seems to have good stuff so I am searching there.
I am really frustrated that the fish store told my husband that the fish would be happy in a ten gallon. I tried to take them back but they wouldn't let me return them.
Now, I have several questions as the information i am finding is kind of confusing.

1.) For two feeder goldfish (i think maybe comets?) is a 55 gallon enough for long term?
2.) I read the best diet is pellets, what brands are the best and who makes a pellet small enough for these tiny little guys not to choke on?
3.) What decorations are ok in goldfish tanks? I am reading conflicting stuff on grave vs rocks vs bare bottom and haven't found much about other types of decorations/plants.

 

[Notophthalmus]

1) A 55 will be OK, but a tank that is wider would be better; a 65 or 75 would be ideal, and you could even add a third goldfish.

2) Your little guys will do fine on flakes; just upgrade to pellets when they get bigger. Be sure to use flakes meant for goldfish or herbivorous fish; ordinary tropical flakes are very high in protein and can cause digestion issues. You can supplement with freeze-dried or frozen foods, chopped vegetables such as cucumbers and greens, and slices of orange.

3) Tank substrate and decor are really up to you; the goldfish will do fine with bare bottom, sand, gravel, or large stones. Goldfish will eat most types of live plants; I have heard they generally do not like Java fern, so you could try that.

 

[THE V]

Thanks for looking things up first. Smack your husband across the back of his head for all of us here (hand or frying pan... your preference).

Please read up on cycling the aquarium. With the fish in the tank it involves a lot of water changes (daily) with a gravel vacuum. It takes from 3-6 weeks for bacteria to colonize the filter and substrate. This bacteria breaks down the poo into less toxic substances. It is highly recommended to pick up a liquid test kit.

The other thing to look out for is disease. Feeder goldfish are notorious for coming with some pathogen friends. If you see anything strange, post a pic and we will try to help.

The main danger with the substrate is goldfish love to pick it up and move it around. If it is too large the fish can get the stone lodged in their mouths. As a general rule anything pea sized and smaller or quarter sized and larger is just fine. Personally I use some pea gravel I picked up at the hardware store ( washed, and washed, and washed, and washed some more).

Think on the positive side though - After you get a 55+ gallon you have still have a little 10 gallon tank to play with.

 

[reptileguy2727]

There is a sticky goldfish article that should be able to help you out a lot.

I would consider a 75 minimum for that type of goldfish, they get big and are active.

I have found sand to be the ideal substrate for goldfish.

The only food I trust any of my fish on is New Life Spectrum. They have pellets small enough for small feeder comets.

There are articles in my blog that could help you out a lot: 'stocking an aquarium', 'sand in the aquarium', and 'my experience with New Life Spectrum'.

 

[reptileguy2727]

Since I don't have time to move all my articles on to a blog on this site right now, I posted the mentioned articles as threads in the General Freshwater Section. Please take a look at them, they should help out a lot.

 

[purple_fishy]

thanks! i will check those links out now. I went and bought water test kits but two of them (pH and nitrite) were incomplete so I have to exchange them today for new ones.

 

[Flaringshutter]

Welcome to AC, purple_fishy! :welcome:
Long-term, a 60 gallon would be fine for two goldfish. As Notophthalmus said, the footprint of the tank should be wider than 18 inches to allow your fish enough room to turn around at their adult sizes.
You'll also need a powerful filter, which is often the most expensive part of keeping goldfish. The good news is that filters today are really worth the money. You will get what you pay for. A quality filter will last you years - often a decade or more if well maintained. I recommend the Rena Filstar line - I have two XP3 filters and couldn't be happier. You'll want a filter that is rated for more than the tank capacity. Goldfish produce a lot of waste and need a strong filter.
Flakes or pellets are fine, but pelleted food is often much better, nutritionally speaking. I like the Omega One goldfish pellets - they are excellent as far as nutrition and now available in different sizes in most LFS and pet stores. New Life Spectrum has good food, and there are wonderful foods available online, such as ProGold from goldfishconnection.com. Stay away from Tetra or similar cheap food - it's like feeding potato chips. Junk food! You'll want to supplement any food you buy, as NopT recommended - cucumber, romaine lettuce, frozen bloodworms, live brine shrimp - all good supplements.
TheV gave you excellent substrate advice. I don't like sand, since goldfish can swallow large amounts with all their sifting and spitting. But I know Reptileguy and other fishkeepers have had good luck with it. I recommend pea gravel or smaller. If you go with sand, buy the coarse play sand you can get from hardware stores. That will minimize any danger of swallowing.
Best of luck!

 

[squabeggs]

I was in a similar situation. I just inherited some goldies with my house...one of which is rather large already...All of the above people really helped me out and know their stuff.

I now have my four common goldfish (1 big and 3 small) in a 55 gal. I'm always keeping my eye out for good deals on tanks...as they will definately need more than 55gal. within about a year. The big one zips from one end to the other like Michael Phelps in a lap pool. I'm currently trying to figure out how I can buy a certain 125gal. tank right now...hmmm how can I fit this into my budget?

Craigslist is where I got my 55 and am looking at the 125. Just make sure to check that the silicone seals are not peeling,dried or flaking off (it can be re-sealed if the deal is good enough). Also on larger tanks make sure that the top center-brace is in good condition and not cracked..if it is you will have to either get a new tank frame or install a glass one (around 20$ for either choice). The DIY section is good for all of that info. I generally figure on about 1$/gallon for used tanks (up to 55-60 gal tanks).

I found a great deal on fluval canister filters on ebay...Tinys Pond World sold me 2 brand new fluval 404s for 70$ each. Canister filters are definately the way to go. I used an Emporer 400 for awhile. It is a great filter, but not enough (Plus I didn't like that huge thing hanging off the back of my tank).

Enjoy those fish!

 

[purple_fishy]

thank you guys so much for your encouragement. right now these guys are tiny but I am already quite attached to them. they are funny personable little guys. i was doing a water change yesterday and was using the gravel vac and they kept coming over to see what I was doing and checking my hands for food. I love them!