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Don't go by the book all of the time. Be a bit open minded.

We aren't going by the book on this one. We are going by common sense.

You CANNOT keep goldies permanently in a 10 gallon. I think the minimum tank size is a 55, personally. They are a large fish with a big bio-load.

As for common goldies, they don't even belong in an aquarium. They get HUGE and are very active. I wouldn't keep one in anything less that a 150 gallon.

I'm really sorry, Fish Guy, but you are WRONG.

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They shade the glow of it with their mossy-misty costumes,
They wear masks of silk, porcelain, brass, and silver,
So as not to mislead with their own, ordinary faces.

Dang...no small goldfish. Ah well. Thanks. I guess I have to wait till I get a pond...but then I would end up with a koi. haha

Well see people if you get 5 1-2 inch goldfish in a 10 gallon your still not breaking the rule of for every inch of fish have one gallon. And that is what I have. Well had they are in a pond now. But your saying its cruel or whatever but when you look at it nothing beats the pond/stream they could have lived in. So really we are all being cruel. Don't be so fish crazy. Its a hobby not a life.

It is a life... I wish people would treat scaled animals with the same respect as a fuzzy one.

Well see people if you get 5 1-2 inch goldfish in a 10 gallon your still not breaking the rule of for every inch of fish have one gallon.

That was already explained to you that the inch per rule does not apply to goldfish.

We treat them the same. But I'm saying that nothing can beat the pond in woods.

First off, it's not like fancy goldfish are found in the wild. The homes we give them are actually a lot nicer than what it would be like for them in a wild pond or stream somewhere, since they'd be a very very easy catch for practically anything.
This "they're just fish" attitude does get frustrating. When a person keeps a dog, cat, horse, or bird in horrific conditions, they can face jail time in many states and a lot of countries. Why are fish different from those other animals? Basically, they're cheaper, and therefore seem expendable, is the only reason I can come up with. That and we're all socialized to not care about fish death - there isn't exactly a Black Beauty or Old Yeller for fish, that I know of anyway (no, "Free Willy" does not count! Whale, not fish!)
Basically, though, how about this: why the heck would you want to keep a fish that's only going to stunt, be sickly, and die, when in the same tank there are thousands of other fish choices that could live out their full lives, happy and healthy? Why condemn a few fish to pain and suffering when you could keep a bunch of smaller fish perfectly happy? (This isn't directed at pcktlnt, BTW) Okay, rant over!

EDIT: Now it's spelled correctly, pcktlnt. People have an easier time if they know what the name stands for, so c'mon, spill! Pick Till Night(fall)? Pack Talon Torn?

[span class="edited"][Edited by LittleMousling 2004-04-15 05:45][/span]

-Molly
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I wouldn't put a goldfish bigger than 3 inches into a 10 gallon tank. You do have to realize that goldfish like to swim! And poop!

I know you probably think it's crazy that we humans judge things to be "humane" (moral) and "inhumane" (immoral) when it comes to the keeping of fish, but to a certain extent, we just have to use common sense. The inch rule would not apply to a 20 inch fish. Nor would it apply to any fish bigger than two inches for that matter.

There are people who are "fishkeepers," but true aquarists strive to give their fish the best possible conditions that they can, and that includes a sufficiently large tank. For many people, aquariums are a way of life. People on fishprofiles are generally very passionate about the hobby.

You probably think I'm a crazy stinkin' fanatic of PETA when I say this, but we are dealing with real live animals. It is our responsibility to provide the right conditions for them.

Specifically on goldfish, where would I draw the line? These conditions are no optimal, but I would not be disgusted by a person who kept a goldfish in a 20 or 30 gallon tank, as long as it was just one goldfish in there alone.