Okay. Hi. I'm Dorothy and I just registered. My first post..yay! Moving on. So I just want to know if anyone has any kind of advice to me. I just became a newby to the hobby, you could say. I have 2 goldfish and a unknown species of a plecostomus. I have a 10 gallon tank, a few artificial plants, sea shells, a 3-level filter, and one of those things that blow air bubbles into the water to give the residents of the tank enough oxygen. So, my goldfish were bought at a extremely healthy stage. They were from Pets Mart. They are still extremely healthy, receive 2 daily servings of Nutrafin flakes and worms, and have no known injured fins, tail, etc. My pleco really needs some help. I bought him when he was on sale and the only one left. I noticed he had an extremely beautiful top fin and was also very healthy. He was only a buck! So naturally I got him. He is still now still healthy. I'm just not sure of his/her species. It was something like a Hilfin Spotted Plecostomus or something like that. Also, my 2 goldfish never bred. How do I tell their gender? I just want to know. Thank you for all of your advice.
Just A Bit Of Help Needed....
- Thread starter xoswansxo
- Start date
Welcome to the forum Dorothy.
I am afraid that what you will hear first from most people here is that you do not have room for 2 goldfish or a common sailfin pleco. The facts first, a common pleco can grow to 2 feet long and will be as big around as your forearm when full grown. A common goldfish, the kind they call comets, can grow to well over a foot long and need at least a 20 gallon tank for just one fish and an added 10 gallons for each additional one. You do have a little time to decide whether you want to get a much bigger tank or take your fish back to the shop where you got them. To safely keep all 3 fish to adult size would require at least a 55 gallon tank and no more fish. Those 3 would really look lonely knocking around in a 55 until they start to get closer to their adult size but that will happen quickly for the goldfish.
Sexing goldfish is best done by observing them breeding but that will not be happening with the very small goldfish that you might get at Petsmart. The small size they sell is the only reason that the tank is not already in trouble with your stocking level. In the short term I would recommend lots of large water changes while you ponder what you are going to do about the fish that you have and the space that you can afford to give them.
I am afraid that what you will hear first from most people here is that you do not have room for 2 goldfish or a common sailfin pleco. The facts first, a common pleco can grow to 2 feet long and will be as big around as your forearm when full grown. A common goldfish, the kind they call comets, can grow to well over a foot long and need at least a 20 gallon tank for just one fish and an added 10 gallons for each additional one. You do have a little time to decide whether you want to get a much bigger tank or take your fish back to the shop where you got them. To safely keep all 3 fish to adult size would require at least a 55 gallon tank and no more fish. Those 3 would really look lonely knocking around in a 55 until they start to get closer to their adult size but that will happen quickly for the goldfish.
Sexing goldfish is best done by observing them breeding but that will not be happening with the very small goldfish that you might get at Petsmart. The small size they sell is the only reason that the tank is not already in trouble with your stocking level. In the short term I would recommend lots of large water changes while you ponder what you are going to do about the fish that you have and the space that you can afford to give them.
three-fingers
Fish Connoisseur
Welcome to the forums! 
My first advice would be to either get a bigger tank for the goldfish, or rehome them and look at other fish more suitable for a 10 gal. Goldfish get big, potentially over a foot and live a long time (if cared for easi;y 20 years, the oldest is over 40).
The goldfish will really out grow a 10 gal in 6months to a year maximum (at this point, health would be affected and they would be stunted), so look into your options.
The second thing is that the plec is most likely a gibby plec, requiring a heated tropical tank, which also needs to be very large as these guys reach over a foot long very fast as well. Also, the plec needs feeding of algae wafers. If the people at Pets Mart told you otherwise (usually they say they can live off algae and waste food) then they are either lying to make money, or more likely, don't have a clue about keeping fish.
You should try and find yourself a shop that specialised in aquatics, as they will be more knowledgeable about the fish they stock. But never go 100% by what anyone in a store tells you. As with any living animals, you should research a lot on your own first. Unfortunately, there's a lot of incorrect info abut fishkeeping out there, but luckily you have found here.
Goldfish are really best bred in ponds, but to tell the gender, when in breeding condition (usually when temperatures start to get warmer from a cold spell) the males will get white dimples around their gill covers. Indoors, they rarely get the temperature change, and a 10 gallon is really too small for the fish to really grow big and be healthy enough to be in breeding condition anyway so that will be why.
How long have you had this tank set up with the fish in it?
My first advice would be to either get a bigger tank for the goldfish, or rehome them and look at other fish more suitable for a 10 gal. Goldfish get big, potentially over a foot and live a long time (if cared for easi;y 20 years, the oldest is over 40).
The goldfish will really out grow a 10 gal in 6months to a year maximum (at this point, health would be affected and they would be stunted), so look into your options
.The second thing is that the plec is most likely a gibby plec, requiring a heated tropical tank, which also needs to be very large as these guys reach over a foot long very fast as well. Also, the plec needs feeding of algae wafers. If the people at Pets Mart told you otherwise (usually they say they can live off algae and waste food) then they are either lying to make money, or more likely, don't have a clue about keeping fish.
You should try and find yourself a shop that specialised in aquatics, as they will be more knowledgeable about the fish they stock. But never go 100% by what anyone in a store tells you. As with any living animals, you should research a lot on your own first. Unfortunately, there's a lot of incorrect info abut fishkeeping out there, but luckily you have found here
.Goldfish are really best bred in ponds, but to tell the gender, when in breeding condition (usually when temperatures start to get warmer from a cold spell) the males will get white dimples around their gill covers. Indoors, they rarely get the temperature change, and a 10 gallon is really too small for the fish to really grow big and be healthy enough to be in breeding condition anyway so that will be why.
How long have you had this tank set up with the fish in it?
I've had it like this for maybe 8 weeks or so. Oh, I just ordered (in the time that I logged offWelcome to the forums!
My first advice would be to either get a bigger tank for the goldfish, or rehome them and look at other fish more suitable for a 10 gal. Goldfish get big, potentially over a foot and live a long time (if cared for easi;y 20 years, the oldest is over 40).
The goldfish will really out grow a 10 gal in 6months to a year maximum (at this point, health would be affected and they would be stunted), so look into your options
The second thing is that the plec is most likely a gibby plec, requiring a heated tropical tank, which also needs to be very large as these guys reach over a foot long very fast as well. Also, the plec needs feeding of algae wafers. If the people at Pets Mart told you otherwise (usually they say they can live off algae and waste food) then they are either lying to make money, or more likely, don't have a clue about keeping fish.
You should try and find yourself a shop that specialised in aquatics, as they will be more knowledgeable about the fish they stock. But never go 100% by what anyone in a store tells you. As with any living animals, you should research a lot on your own first. Unfortunately, there's a lot of incorrect info abut fishkeeping out there, but luckily you have found here
Goldfish are really best bred in ponds, but to tell the gender, when in breeding condition (usually when temperatures start to get warmer from a cold spell) the males will get white dimples around their gill covers. Indoors, they rarely get the temperature change, and a 10 gallon is really too small for the fish to really grow big and be healthy enough to be in breeding condition anyway so that will be why.
How long have you had this tank set up with the fish in it?
) a 45 gallon fish tank. Is that big enough for just the time being? My goldfish have been with me for 7 years, my pleco has been for 9 weeks
The 45 should be fine as an interim measure. Sooner or later the pleco will be too big for that tank.
Curiosity101
Is now at University! :D
How big are the goldfish?
What tank were they in before the 10gal?
And are they comets or fancys?
What tank were they in before the 10gal?
And are they comets or fancys?
They are fancys. I'm also planning to get a 55 gal tank.
Also...... Does anyone have any advice on taking care of the two fancys and the pleco? My fancys used to be fine until I started dropping algae wafers into the tank. They used to go up to eat. Now they steal the pleco's food even though they know they don't like it. They end up only taking a few bites then leaving. How can I get them back to the top (surface) of the tank?
Goldfish are actually great lovers of plant material. They are known to process huge amounts of plant matter to gain the nutrients that they need. It is a reason that you will see people call goldies messy fish. It takes a lot of greens to get enough protein and the excess becomes fish waste. The best thing I have seen used to feed goldfish is things like duckweed. Most people hate the stuff but it makes a great natural food supply for goldfish. It will definitely get them back to the surface but may not make them completely ignore the algae wafers. Food is food after all.
Similar threads
Most reactions
-
353 -
204 -
164 -
145 -
134 -
119 -
108 -
95
-
93 -
90 -
84 -
82 -
81 -
79 -
A
63