Pick Of My Tropical (but Cold Tank)

[beany_bot]

Here is my new tank, I though i would experiment with a "cold" tank. I keep it in a part of the house that isn't heated (much) Stays about 10 degrees in winter to 20 degrees in summer. Hard work finding suitable cold species but satisfying none the less because its different.

I dont want to just keep goldfish I want a diverse community tank (like my tropicals) but coldwater species. LFS dont really have any so have to hunt and do research which is fun.

Opinions and suggestions. all welcome.

Got 2 Weather loach today but i think they are camera shy. lol.

Tank -

Tank close left-

Tank close right-

 

[england]

um isnt cory's tropical? you want sub tropical species, if you can keep temp around 18c theres a good bet, my snakeheads are subtropical, as is chinese algae eaters
very nicely decorated tank

 

[Honeythorn]

How many gallons is this tank?

 

[beany_bot]

How many gallons is this tank?

Hmm not sure, its very deep thou, nearly as deep as it is wide and its about 2.5ft wide

 

[Honeythorn]

That tank cannot support those two goldfish when adult in that case. I can see one is a shubunkin and those easily reach 14 inches when kept in the correct environment, which that tank is not. Goldfish are a large species and need at least 55 gallons a pair. They also need length in a tank as they are active strong swimmers. Your tank is also not long enough.

I've just had to explain this to someone else in the coldwater section. I VERY much doubt those goldfish will reach their correct adult sizes in that tank and if they did then they will have very little swimming space. They also have a lifespan of around 30 years or so. Are you willing to keep them for that long?

Your best bet ( for them ) is to re-home them asap ( in a POND where they belong ) and then re-stock with the smaller coldwater species you're interested in. It's more humane for the goldfish and will give you more scope for other species.

Don't get me wrong, it's a great tank and very nicely decorated, but it's entirely the wrong environment for those two goldfish.

 

[beany_bot]

That tank cannot support those two goldfish when adult in that case. I can see one is a shubunkin and those easily reach 14 inches when kept in the correct environment, which that tank is not. Goldfish are a large species and need at least 55 gallons a pair. They also need length in a tank as they are active strong swimmers. Your tank is also not long enough.

I've just had to explain this to someone else in the coldwater section. I VERY much doubt those goldfish will reach their correct adult sizes in that tank and if they did then they will have very little swimming space. They also have a lifespan of around 30 years or so. Are you willing to keep them for that long?

Your best bet ( for them ) is to re-home them asap ( in a POND where they belong ) and then re-stock with the smaller coldwater species you're interested in. It's more humane for the goldfish and will give you more scope for other species.

Don't get me wrong, it's a great tank and very nicely decorated, but it's entirely the wrong environment for those two goldfish.

Golly, I did research on them and I told the guy at the LFS my dimensions and he said two would be ok. are you sure these reach 14inches!?!? they are sold as "tank fish" not big outdoor koi. (From a very reputable dealer i might add. Oh well, ill rehome them then. Have friends with ponds.

Of course I am willing to keep them for as long as they live. Im not the kind of person who just throws fish away when i move or anything like that. I have been an avid fish keeper for 20+ years.

 

[beany_bot]

That tank cannot support those two goldfish when adult in that case. I can see one is a shubunkin and those easily reach 14 inches when kept in the correct environment, which that tank is not. Goldfish are a large species and need at least 55 gallons a pair. They also need length in a tank as they are active strong swimmers. Your tank is also not long enough.

I've just had to explain this to someone else in the coldwater section. I VERY much doubt those goldfish will reach their correct adult sizes in that tank and if they did then they will have very little swimming space. They also have a lifespan of around 30 years or so. Are you willing to keep them for that long?

Your best bet ( for them ) is to re-home them asap ( in a POND where they belong ) and then re-stock with the smaller coldwater species you're interested in. It's more humane for the goldfish and will give you more scope for other species.

Don't get me wrong, it's a great tank and very nicely decorated, but it's entirely the wrong environment for those two goldfish.

Just got this information from fishkeeping.co.uk

Shubunkin
Scientific Name(s): Carassius auratus
Category: Coldwater
Maximum Size: 15cms
Minimum Tank Volume: 100 litres
Minimum Tank Size: 3ft
Water Temperature Range: 18-24°C
Water pH Range: 6.5-8.5
Water Hardness Range: 0-0 dGH

Well I easily fit all those criteria and I am confident I can care for this fish as good as anyone else out there. I dont know if you are "against" fishkeeping or just a bit "over the top" in that way that people on forums can be. You say "Kept in a POND" equally you could say "kept in the WILD" but its not as if i have rammed him in a little bowl is it? Properly planted, adequately sized tank with over filtration and regular water changes and water testing.

 

[Honeythorn]

14 inches is not uncommon in Subunkins. Just your average goldfish gets to around 12 inches. Really goldfish are a pond fish. They're not koi of course, but still need a large area to cruise around. A 55 gallon long could support those two you have there fairly well, with an external filter and the usual large weekly water changes they would grow well and be very hadsome fish, but if you don't have the space for such a tank then it's much kinder to re-home them or return them.

If kept in a tank that's too small goldfish ( any fish in fact ) will usually become stunted which crushes the internal organs. The swimbaldder is a common casualty of this crushing and SBD is common in stunted fish.

On the few occasions where the fish does not become stunted ( regular water changes stops this and removes the hormone from the water that they release to slow the growth ) the fish will be too large for the tank and have very little space in which to swim.

Either way it is a bad environment to end up in.

Shops sell golds as "tank fish" because a great deal of people ( I don't mean you ) buy them for the kids , stick them in a small tank or bowl, and don't think too much of it when they die from either poor water quality or stunting . Many see it as " one of those things " and either give up or go and get another fish to replace the dead one without thinking about why the fish died to begin with. Goldfish are cheap to buy and sell in great numbers due to familiarity and supposedly "easy" care. A lot of shops either don't know or don't care about what they require as long as they sell enough of them to re-claim a profit. They are businesses after all and they have to make money one way or another. Sadly most goldfish end up in dire living conditions because of that.


Your friends' ponds will be a far better habitat for them, give them to whoever has the biggest space and they should grow correctly and live very well.

 

[Honeythorn]

Sorry but I've seen subunkins and ordinary golds at the sizes I have mentioned with my own eyes. I'm not wrong about that and I'm not lying.

I never said you weren't taking care of them , I said the tank will be too small for adult fish. It's a fine tank for other smaller coldwater species, but as a type of carp goldfish are really pond fish and really need either large tanks ( I mean 5 feet long or bigger ) or ponds . The worlds largest goldfish currently on record is around 17 inches ( and called Bruce apparantly ) guess where he lives? Yes, a pond.

I'm not being OTT . It's a big species and needs a big space to grow and swim in. Basic logic.


If you want to continue keeping them in there then do so. They're your fish after all. Just don't be surprised when they run out of swimming space.

 

[Truck]

Sorry but I've seen subunkins and ordinary golds at the sizes I have mentioned with my own eyes. I'm not wrong about that and I'm not lying.

I never said you weren't taking care of them , I said the tank will be too small for adult fish. It's a fine tank for other smaller coldwater species, but as a type of carp goldfish are really pond fish and really need either large tanks ( I mean 5 feet long or bigger ) or ponds . The worlds largest goldfish currently on record is around 17 inches ( and called Bruce apparantly ) guess where he lives? Yes, a pond.

ill second that, IMHO normal goldfish ( and shubs ) should be kept in ponds and not tanks.

 

[beany_bot]

14 inches is not uncommon in Subunkins. Just your average goldfish gets to around 12 inches. Really goldfish are a pond fish. They're not koi of course, but still need a large area to cruise around. A 55 gallon long could support those two you have there fairly well, with an external filter and the usual large weekly water changes they would grow well and be very hadsome fish, but if you don't have the space for such a tank then it's much kinder to re-home them or return them.

If kept in a tank that's too small goldfish ( any fish in fact ) will usually become stunted which crushes the internal organs. The swimbaldder is a common casualty of this crushing and SBD is common in stunted fish.

On the few occasions where the fish does not become stunted ( regular water changes stops this and removes the hormone from the water that they release to slow the growth ) the fish will be too large for the tank and have very little space in which to swim.

Either way it is a bad environment to end up in.

Shops sell golds as "tank fish" because a great deal of people ( I don't mean you ) buy them for the kids , stick them in a small tank or bowl, and don't think too much of it when they die from either poor water quality or stunting . Many see it as " one of those things " and either give up or go and get another fish to replace the dead one without thinking about why the fish died to begin with. Goldfish are cheap to buy and sell in great numbers due to familiarity and supposedly "easy" care. A lot of shops either don't know or don't care about what they require as long as they sell enough of them to re-claim a profit. They are businesses after all and they have to make money one way or another. Sadly most goldfish end up in dire living conditions because of that.


Your friends' ponds will be a far better habitat for them, give them to whoever has the biggest space and they should grow correctly and live very well.

I guess i need to move them both then (they are very pally) will they be ok going into a pond with big koi? Ill have to aclimatise them to the water and temp slowy thou.

 

[Truck]

add them in the late spring/early summer

 

[rocknurworld2006]

y do u have corys in there

u shudnt have them in that tank

also u wont get a mixed community tank coldwater

as theyre isnt much avalaible in this country
as they are banned

 

[Honeythorn]

They should get on just fine with Koi. Early spring/summer as previously mentioned is a good time to add them. Just bag them up as shops do and float the bag in the pond for half an hour or so as you would when adding them to a tank, adding some of the pondwater occasionally . Then release them.

They might hang about in one spot for a few days or even weeks as they get used to the pond and the Koi, but eventually they'll start swimming about and enjoying themselves.

 

[stang1]

You could keep the following in a subtropical tank but ideally you don't want the temperature to drop below about 18C.

White Cloud Mountain Minnow 18-22C
Zebra Danio 18-24C
Leopard Danio 18-24C
Peppered Corydoras 18-23C
Variatus Platy 15-25C
Dwarf Barbs (Puntius Gelius) 18-22C
Ticto Barbs 14-22C
Rosy Barbs 18-22C