What I Dont Understand..?

[arobinson1984]

Many children have goldfish in a bowl as they are growing up, mostly as parents see them as 'easy' pets to look after, again wrong.

You say a 3" goldfish, the only goldfish that are 3" are either babies or ones that have been kept in a bowl and stunted which is a cruel practice, probably the equivalent of keeping a jack russell in a shoebox!

Funny 3 inches!!!

And thats a fancy goldfish, common goldfish and comets grow much larger!

Andy

 

[Ed Green]

I have always taken the advice of experienced fish keepers on places like this as gold and can see the reasons why you all say goldies need huge tanks (if they have to be kept in tanks at all) but have a real hard time proving these things to my missis.

She has a (very) overstocked Biorb 60L with 2 goldfish in and a few danio (there was a shoal of rosy barbs in there too but I finally convinced her to put those in one of my tanks). they have been in there for about 2-3 years now and all look happy and content. they have had no infections of any sort, feed well, the danio are colourful etc.

At what point in their life will I be able to show her the ill affects of keeping goldies in a smallish tank? She is stubborn and isn’t budging as she can’t see the logic!

 

[Honeythorn]

The fancy goldfish pictured above is the one I mentioned in my last post ( measures 17 inches approx ) . His name is Bruce!

Looking at that tells you exactly why 1-2 goldfish need such a large tank ( more than 55 gals is actually preferable )

 

[Knox213]

The fancy goldfish pictured above is the one I mentioned in my last post ( measures 17 inches approx ) . His name is Bruce!

Looking at that tells you exactly why 1-2 goldfish need such a large tank ( more than 55 gals is actually preferable )

i was on about red cap oranda's / fantails

not those types aha

i know they grow big.. seen a few in my LFS

 

[arobinson1984]

Bruce is an oranda!

Andy

 

[Knox213]

Bruce is an oranda!

Andy

Never seen a Red cap that big

 

[Curiosity101]

Exactly the reason we try to get people to upgrade their tanks. Because that fish isn't some sort of oversized mutant. It's just a fish that has been properly cared for and so has been able to grow

 

[Knox213]

Exactly the reason we try to get people to upgrade their tanks. Because that fish isn't some sort of oversized mutant. It's just a fish that has been properly cared for and so has been able to grow

That bloody thing s nearly as big as an oscar now thats just freaky!!

 

[kelly528]

I have always taken the advice of experienced fish keepers on places like this as gold and can see the reasons why you all say goldies need huge tanks (if they have to be kept in tanks at all) but have a real hard time proving these things to my missis.

She has a (very) overstocked Biorb 60L with 2 goldfish in and a few danio (there was a shoal of rosy barbs in there too but I finally convinced her to put those in one of my tanks). they have been in there for about 2-3 years now and all look happy and content. they have had no infections of any sort, feed well, the danio are colourful etc.

At what point in their life will I be able to show her the ill affects of keeping goldies in a smallish tank? She is stubborn and isn’t budging as she can’t see the logic!

Aww that's terrible! Sometimes its hard to make people see lol. Personally I would show her the picture of Bruce! And it may also help to remind her that in order to keep a goldfish alive (provided he fits ) in a BiOrb you would need to change the water once a day. So much easier to get a decent tank!

And don't forget, it's been proven that fish can feel pain... they're not 'just fish' anymore! Perhaps a nice well-scaped Goldie tank set up in the living room on Christmas Morning will be an offer she can't refuse . Tons of cheap tanks on craigslist as people get to the busy holiday rush!

Funny 3 inches!!!

Man--- I know what BlackWidow's thinking....

Dang that guy has tiny hands!!!

 

[Amberleaf]

How long does it take fancies to grow that big?! Well, my friend's two fancies certainly won't be growing. :roll: *mutters at their 10-gallon tank* Haha, my friend is like.... umm.... who was it.... OH YEAH!!!! ^^; Yeah, Ed Green; my friend is even worse; she keeps Bettas in tiny bowls, & up until she got her 10-gallon, she kept a goldfish in there, too.... She got another goldfish for the 10-gallon tank.... Not very great! Even though I *TRIED* to convince her that Bettas need bigger space, and goldfish, probably, too; but she's just all like, "Oh; Bettas are coldwater fish, and they like small spaces." I was like "OMG" and didn't argue much with her.... Finally, she saw sense.... but she's waiting until her current (like, 3, or something) Bettas die; poor little fish. I would adopt them if I could, but I have no room. Unfortunately.... T_T;

 

[arobinson1984]

Given the currect environment most fish will grow alot faster than if they are kept in conditions that are not adequate.

Goldfish grow fairly quickly and can reach full size within a couple of years

Andy

 

[Curiosity101]

Given the currect environment most fish will grow alot faster than if they are kept in conditions that are not adequate.

Goldfish grow fairly quickly and can reach full size within a couple of years

Andy

^^ Though not in an outdoor pond in the UK.
In an outdoor pond you're looking at quite a number of years, possibly 10+ to get fully grown, and even then I'm pretty sure goldfish grow forever... it's just that growth slows down dramatically.

 

[Honeythorn]

Golds do a lot of growing in the first 2-3 years, then the growth slows down but still continues over the next 10 or so.

It does take a few years for them to get to full size, But remember that a 20+ year lifespan is perfectly normal for a properly cared for goldfish.

That's another fact people often don't bother to look up or get told by stores. It's not only a big fish who needs a hell of a lot of room. filtration and dilligent care, it's a long lived species as carp generally are, and is a pretty big commitment .

I adore golds but I haven't the space for one at the moment. I'd like nothing more than a really well set up 6 foot goldfish tank. I like the idea of having one of these great fish for such a long time. And showing how it should be done.

 

[Amberleaf]

Oh mai. That sounds.... not like the easy fish you can just get at fun fairs. ; Well.... *is shocked* Sorry.

 

[Honeythorn]

The practice of giving goldfish as prizes at fairs is now fortunately banned here in the UK as far as I know.

It's that practice that has partly helped contribute to so many myths about goldfish care I think.

Someone wins a fish, gets it home and buys an unfiltered bowl/small tank for it because they don't bother to find out what it needs, the fish lives in the bowl/tank and if very lucky, gets all it's water changed every week or so and replaced with plain cold tapwater no dechlor, nothing. This would give rise to the belief that goldfish are simple to care for and don't require as much work as other fish.

The goldfish is of course stunted by it's small home, so that would give rise to the belief that they only stay small. And that this small size is normal and acceptable.

The goldfish only lives a few short years , way short of it's actual general lifespan and that gives rise to the belief that they aren't too much of a commitment and that such a lifespan is normal.

All completely wrong of course.Many of the above myths also apply to bettas along with the ridiculous myththat they live permanently in tiny puddles and can be kept in tiny unfiltered homes ect. Ridiculous.

Goldfish and bettas are two of the most mistreated pets on the planet it seems to me.