Keeping Goldfish?

[nofishinginmytank]

I currently have a 35L fish tank. It has been set up for about 2/3 years now but I have always kept tropical fish. After having a problem with my pH recently, our tap water suddenly changed from a pH of about 7.2 to a pH of 5.9. I now only own three female platies, 1 male swordtail and one male dwarf gourami. 
I am just dipping my toe into the coldwater world. I'm wondering, if any, what goldfish varities I could keep in my tank. I was thinking about maybe a pair of ranchu goldfish but I'm not sure whether my tank would be big enough. I really love the ranchu and organda varities. 
I'm just wondering if there are any goldfish varities that are suitable for my tank or whether it would be worth starting to save up to buy a bigger tank for some goldfish?
I'm only wondering for the future as I still have my tropical fish who are quite happy at the moment but I was just thinking if I would be able to keep any goldfish in my tank at any point.
The leaflet that came with the tank suggested keeping 5 fantail goldfish or six black moors in there but surely that is absolutely ridiculous and would be horribly overstocked?
Thank you in advance.

 

[fluttermoth]

The leaflet that came with the tank suggested keeping 5 fantail goldfish or six black moors in there but surely that is absolutely ridiculous and would be horribly overstocked?

OMG, that's absolutely disgusting. That would be horrendously overstocked. The generally agreed stocking levels for fancy goldfish are a minimum of 100l, with an extra 50l for each additional fish. There are no 'small' or 'dwarf' goldfish breeds, whatever the shops might tell you.

I hope you won't think me too presumptuous, but I did write a beginner's guide to goldfish for this site. It's here http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/417799-goldfish-for-beginners/ if you want to have a read

 

[nofishinginmytank]

Ok thank you very much for advice, I'll go and have a read of your beginners guide to goldfish now. Thank you

 

[fluttermoth]

You're welcome. I got my first goldfish in 1973 (!!!) and although I only have pond ones atm, I often think about getting a couple of fancies. They're great characters, I love them

 

[nofishinginmytank]

Do you think my tank is big enough for a pair of ranchu's or oganda's? 

 

[fluttermoth]

At 35l? no, sorry. You could start them off in a 50 or 60l, if you bought them as very small babies, but they'd need upgrading within a matter of months. Goldfish are also very prone to stunting if in tanks that are too small, so I always recommend they go into a tank large enough for them as adults at the very start. The trouble with stunting is that, by the time you realise the fish aren't growing, it's already too late.

 

[nofishinginmytank]

What would you say would be the ideal size for a pair of ranchu's or organda's?

 

[fluttermoth]

150l would be perfect for a pair of fancies; you could even have three with a tank that size

You could just about get away with a standard three foot/100l for a pair, but you would have to do large weekly water changes (at least 50%, and preferably more like 75 or 80%).

 

[nofishinginmytank]

Ok, thank you so much for all your help and advice! I'll start saving