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Id go with a 33 gallon.

Lighten up? I am merely telling the truth. While it is by no means ALL her fault that the fish is in a ten gallon tank (it is apparently an accepted practice), she should at least become familiarized with the schematics of goldfish anatomy and growth, both of which contradict her belief that a 10 gallon is fine for her pet.

"No, my goldfish is happy and growing and healthy."

Oh, really? So are you telling me that your fish will live to be fifty years old and grow so large that it's body will not even be able to fit in the tank? It may be growing, but not at a natural rate--in fact, the fish will likely stop growing at 6", if even that. By healthy, I assume you mean it's not belly up and still eating. That, so much, is true. However, if by healthy you mean leading a long, fruitful life, with a body in full form, then you are quite mistaken.

man you guys are tuff they just wanted advice not butchered you want to get mad go to wal-mart and look at what they do to there gold fish i went last weekend and saw at least 75 in a 55 went back the next day all dead im sure it was ammonia lightin up a little you can show some one there errors with out beating them up

Kelly,
I know you would like to think that you tank is large
enough for a Goldfish. Everyone would. But you came here
for advice, and we are giving it to you.
A Single Goldfish of any type requires as a base minimum a 55(fifty-five) Gallon tank.
A 10g tank will only cause the fish to stunt, and while its body on the outside fails to grow, its organs
will continue growing, and eventually the fish will explode on the inside causing a very painful, very horrible death for your little friend.
For a 10g tank, go for a pair of Gold Barbs. I know 10g isnt really suited for them either, But they can live much more happily in a 10g and are a nice shiny golden color as well. Arguably more intelligent and much more interesting than a poopy dimwitted Goldfish.
Again, I will post a picture of Bruce the Oranda so
Kelly, you can see how big a goldfish should grow in about 1 years time if given the space.
Please, give your goldie the life it deserves, return him to a pond or to the fish store before he/she ends up in the big pond in the sky.

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No, my goldfish is happy and growing and healthy.

Last edited by Kelly at 17-Aug-2005 17:53

Let me put it to you more clearly:

a. a 10G is a small tank; especially for a fish that grows as large as a ten gallon tank.

b. your fish were not fine. Growth factors in cells will inhibit growth as cell density reaches a maximum. However, premature inhibition results in deformities in organ structure, as certain areas of the fish continue to grow to suit functionality. The same is true for the skeletal system. Bones, by all technical and mechanical definitions, can be considered as "organs", and they stunt is a similar fashion.

Basically, the fish will NOT grow to it's full size, because it is being cramped into a tiny ten gallon tank.

c. this results in bodily abnormalities in the fish, and will greatly shorten it's lifespan (many even go as far as saying that stunting greatly pains the fish, which I don't doubt).

Let's summarize this up: your fish lived in a ten gallon tank. They did survive, but keeping them in such a small tank for extended periods of time twists parts of their growing bodies out of shape, causing premature death.

Thats why you never put a goldfish in small tanks. 10 Gallon isen't small. I have kept small common goldfish (1-2 inches) in 10 gallon tanks and it works perfectly. I wish I could prove it, but I don't have a video camera and therefore can't show you a video of my goldfish.

I'd never want to see a full grown goldfish STUFFED into a 10 gallon tank. 10 gallons is tiny when speaking of a 2' (where ' means foot in case you were thinking inches) fish that is very ACTIVE. It's the same as expecting to keep a 5 year old kid on a sugar and caffeine high in a fileing cabinet.

The smallest tank a common goldfish could be kept in is a 75 and even then not for very many of their 20+ years. They need the depth and width not to mention the lenght in case you missed the active part. A two year goldfish should be around 7". They grow their entire lives and just because the owner thinks the fish is okay with it doesnt' mean the fish is happy, healthy and growing.

Goldfish are carp. Carp are pond fish. Goldfish shouldn't be kept in tanks, especially if you're going out and buying one just to have a cheap fish.

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When you feel so tired but you can't sleep
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"NO ONE should put these fish in small tanks like was said they are the same size as oscars......and a bit more messy as well."
Thats why they make filters and thats why we do water changes.

"These are POND FISH!!!! and need to be treated as they are."
KOI are pond fish, but you can keep other goldfish in tanks.

"Would you stick an overactive and messy child in a dog kennel????

No??

Then don't do it with fish......."

Thats why you never put a goldfish in small tanks. 10 Gallon isen't small. I have kept small common goldfish (1-2 inches) in 10 gallon tanks and it works perfectly. I wish I could prove it, but I don't have a video camera and therefore can't show you a video of my goldfish.

It kills me to see some of you still saying that 10 gallons is good katie and noodles are right.


NO ONE should put these fish in small tanks like was said they are the same size as oscars......and a bit more messy as well.


I would go with hmm I'd say a 90 to 100 gallon even for a couple fancys.

These are POND FISH!!!! and need to be treated as they are.


Would you stick an overactive and messy child in a dog kennel????

No??

Then don't do it with fish.......



Angel Eel

(this was not meant to be snotty to the person who started this post I am glad you asked!!!!!!!)




Angel EEl

Au contraire; it does NOT work. One might argue that the poor fish may be able to "subsist" in said ten gallon tank, but it is hardly a satisfactory environment in which to nurture an animal capable of growing as large as the tank itself. Needless to say, the unlucky cyprinid that happens to be under your ownership will suffer extensive bodily damage, as it’s morphology contorts to allow the fish to fit in such abhorrently confined surroundings. A goldfish in a bowl may life a relatively long life (5, maybe 6 years—perhaps even up to 10) in association with other common aquarium fish, but consider that a “healthy” lifespan for a wild cass. is around 30 years, and many exceed even that. That should be evidence enough that your ten gallon penitentiary is nowhere suitable for ANY goldfish.

Last edited by Cup_of_Lifenoodles at 18-Aug-2005 00:01

I say 10 gallon tank. I have kept a common goldfish in a 10 gallon tank, it works.

Wild goldies usually reach around 16", tops. They are quite active, and, as few people realize, quite social. This all adds up to one hell of a large tank.

"you could do fantails and fancys in under 55 gallons, no less than 30"

Only temporarily, i have seen pics and actual specimens of fantails and fancies that are about the size of a small-medium sized grapefruit. They grow to be about 8"-10" long, are very very round and robust, create a lot of waste, and are active. They are, IMHO, a coldwater version of an oscar and deserve the same amount of room.

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If you sing to me in French.

Sections of goldfish? i didnt know they came in sections...maybe, perhaps theord you were lookig for was classification? Anyway, so what you people are saying is that i couldnt take say, 4 fantails and put them in a 55? I agree with comets and Koi as being strictly for 90gallons+ but i mean... you could do fantails and fancys in under 55 gallons, no less than 30....

72 gallon bowfront:Tanganyikan Lake set up
75 gallon: A. Baenschi trio,Cyanotilapia Afra Cobwe(4), copadichromis trewavase, protomelas sp. tangerine tiger(breeding pair)

Amen to that Katie!

It is so right. Goldies get to be the same size and body mass as oscars, but no one condemns oscars to 10 gallons per fish! Of course, uneducated fishkeepers might, but you won't find any websites touting that kind of stuff.

---

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"the general rule is 1 goldfish for 5 gallons"

Im tired of the "general rule" for goldies. Everytime i hear it it is different and never close to enough gallonage. A fancy gold fish needs a 55 to start with and will probably need close to 90 gal when it starts to reach its max size. Fancies are big, robust, active and messy. They need all the room you can afford them. Comets and commen feeder goldfish get even bigger and are best suited to a pond.


I dont get what it is about goldies. They get as big as oscars and are just as messy and yet everyone wants to stick them in 20 gal or something.

I'll do graffiti,
If you sing to me in French.

Common goldies get REALLY big- at least a foot. They are really chunky too. That isn't a little, tetra-like 12 inches. They are also very active. Really, I think they belong in ponds only. Fancy goldies can be kept in tanks, but commons are practically koi!

---

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.

For sure they need a big tank & not a small bowl.


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the general rule is 1 goldfish for 5 gallons, but a common goldfish and comets will grow very large. iff possible those sections of goldfish belong outside. sections 3&4 are fancy goldfish which dont grow as big, but still get large, but can be housed inside in around a 55 gallon tank. sections 3 are red caps, and twin tailed goldfishes, and section 4 is bubble eyes and really fanices. and a good idea is not to mixe sections.

What the smallest tank a common goldfish could live in?