Small goldfish?

[newbie_alicia]

Is there any goldfish that will stay small? Like grow to 3-4 inches? If so are they common and what is its name?

 

[bribones]

cant think of one off the top of my head ,all goldies are related to the carp family and reach decent sizes

you could try one of the more ornimental types ie bubble eyed /red cap etc

one of the tank mob will be able to help you better ,im strictly a pond man

 

[sylvia]

All goldfish varieties are the same species so all get to a descent size. You obviously are aware that most exceed 12" regularly. However, some of the extreme fancy types - such as the bubbleeye (orandas/red caps actualy get very big) do usualy remain quite a bit smaller. However, by smaller I mean to about 6" - not 3-4" - and these also happen to be the more fragile fish (lack of size comes from inbreeding and excessive selective breeding which often also means a weaker immune system - with the bubbleye, the weakness comes even more obviously from the ease with which those sacs can be punctured). To be absolutely honest with you, if you want a small fish, don't go for a goldfish.

If you want something coldwater that stays small, try rosy red/fathead/feeder minnows which are a very hardy 4" schooling fish often sold as food for predatory species (didn't check where you are from but they are easier to come across in the US as in the UK live vertabrate feeders are illegal). A 20 gallon would be enough for a group (6 or so) of them and I think they are often over-looked which is a shame because they are just as worthy of attention as many tropicals or goldfish are. Rudo are another good one - also a schooling fish that gets to 4" - be very careful to get scardiniaus/rutilus erythrophthalmus as these can easily be confused with other coldwaters which get considerably larger. Many bitterlings are also good choices, averaging around 3.5" depending on exact species and usualy liking the company of a shoal of their own kind. However, these aren't reminiscent of goldfish in any way. Oh and the red shiner/red horse minnow is another minnow you could try. They get to just over 3" and would be best kept as a good-sized school.

There are also plenty of fish considered tropical that are either only borderline tropicals or can deal with lower temps. White cloud mountain minnows get to about 1.5" and are a very hardy schooling species that's only borderline tropical. They don't like very low temps but your average room temperature should be fine (if it's comfortable for you it's fine for them too). These could be kept in something as smalla s a 10 gallon. As an added bonus, they are one of the easiest egg-layers to breed. Another 'tropical' which can withstand low temps is the mosquito fish - heterandria formosa. These are very, very small, three quarters of an inch, livebearers which, besides breeding like rabbits, are exceptionaly hardy and can withstand winter temps for short periods of time (they actualy survive in ponds just fine in many parts of the world as long as it doesn't freeze over and the winter's not too harsh). They are however often eaten by larger fish. Their relative, gambusia affinnis, the western mosquito fish, is also a hardy little fish but gets to abotu double the size and is quite aggressive/nippy so should not be over-crowded. I'd say these actualy live in cold temps quite happily - even mroe so than h. formosa. Lastly, the paradise fish (macropodus oparcularis) and the american-flag fish are both capable of living in lower temps and are both also very hardy. The killifish (american-flag) does best in pairs with at least 10 gallons per pair. They breed like cichlids, act like gouramies and sort of remind you of platies. Paradisefish (macropodus opercularis) are small 3" anabantoids but can be very aggressive. Keep them only with fish that can hold their own and only one male per tank and at least 2 females for every male if you choose to mix the sexes.

I don't know whether any of the alternatives I've mentioned appeal to you but I would think you are better off with one of them than with a goldfish. There's plenty of other choices if you look around as well.

 

[newbie_alicia]

Thanks for the info I'll have to look into all the suggestions you mentioned

 

[emma12321]

White cloud mountain minnows stay small and don't need tropical temps. If you are in the uk though and want them for a pond they will die if the water freezes.

Emma

 

[The-Wolf]

This should help you
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=96537