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Goldfish will grow to fit the tank, and they grow fast if they are well cared for.
I had 2 fancy goldfish in a 55 gallon tank, They were 1 inch when purchased and the size of oranges by the end of the first year.
Just 2 fish and they required massive filtration and water changes. Goldfish are filthy fish and water pH should be tested daily and adjusted immediately when needed.
Goldfish, by the way are rather smart and can be taught simple tricks.
The cheap feeder fish are basically the same as pond koi, and those will quickly grow over a foot in length. The feeder fish aren't as fancy or colored as nicely, but they are all the same type of carp.
Technically goldfish are Carassius auratus(or whatever) and koi are Cyprinus carpio. They can be told apart by presence of barbels on the koi, and the fact that koi get much-much larger.
I have read of goldfish/koi hybrids but you'd have to look into it if you are curious.
Technically goldfish are Carassius auratus(or whatever) and koi are Cyprinus carpio. They can be told apart by presence of barbels on the koi, and the fact that koi get much-much larger.
I have read of goldfish/koi hybrids but you'd have to look into it if you are curious.
I second that. Koi get almost as big as submarines. However, Goldfish are no slouches either when it comes to putting on weight:
The cheap feeder fish are basically the same as pond koi, and those will quickly grow over a foot in length. The feeder fish aren't as fancy or colored as nicely, but they are all the same type of carp.
Goldfish will easily outgrow a tank, their spines will curve and their intestines continue to grow, if the tank is too small. I just want to clarify that point as many people incorrectly assume a goldfish will just stop growing if they are in a small tank, but it means an early death to them as that simply isn't true.
And while "cheap feeder fish" do grow to a foot or more, they are not koi, usually they are common or comet goldfish. Koi are entirely different, with little barbels on their lips which are often referred to as whiskers. They can grow three feet in length.
Um...has the OP mentioned what type of filter system is on the current tank? I'd say this is a key bit of information?
Seeing as the original pair have lasted 15 months, Karen OP knows about quarantining new fish and her family is bringing home new fish, might as well go for the 55 gallon as it is the best value for that size range.
That having been said, I agree with what Timing2012 about a 10 gal being fine and moving up to larger sizes if the fish last.
(undergravel filter with a powerhead and reasonable feeding rate)
And if we are exploding myths - this thing about goldfish being "dirty" - are they pulling in poop via a wormhole in the space/time continuum and excreting that into the tank? Are they sneaking out at night, snagging beers from the fridge and having peeing contests in the tank? Do they just throw their underwear on the floor? Watching tetra porn? They can only poop what you feed them right?
Theoretically if you had stellar filtration and were able to maintain pristine water quality you could grow a fish to the size of the tank-look at some aquaculture systems.
I would say goldfish are dirtier than the average fish. They eat more, than, say, an angel of the same size and they also like to grub around in the gravel further mucking things up.
I teach 3, 4, and 5, year old children. I love having a goldfish.for the children to watch. The parts of the fish are so visible on a goldfish......the nostrils, the operculum, the various fins (dorsal, pelvic, pectoral, anal, caudal). The lateral line is easy to spot. I always thought that I did a good job of caring for them. One beautiful fan tail lived for more than 7 years.
This year I am at a new school and am setting up a tank...........and I'm learning more about these creatures. By now the pet shops don't want to sell me a goldfish for my 10 gallon tank. I don't want to argue the point. I guess that I've actually had some sad fish over the years. BUT....I would like to know if there is another sort of fish that would be a "visible" in the same way for the children but still fit into a 10 gallon tank?
OR, is it polite to the fish to keep it for a year, with a plan in place to release it in someone's pond?
how about a Betta, you could add a divider to a 10 gallon tank and get 2 betta and the kids could see the flaring behavior when they see eachother or get a male betta for 1 side of the tank and a female for the other and the kids can learn see sexual dimorphism at play (and the ale will still show off to the female but ant get to her because of the divider)...they are large enough to see clearly, bright and colorful enough to capture any childs attention, hardy, easy keepers with fun personalities too. they also come in numerous finnage types...
I just bought a little feeder fish, I felt very sorry for him he's tiny and has the smallest tailfin I've ever seen his body looks basically normal. Was wondering if it could be from inbreeding bc he is or was a feeder fish, or perhaps just a small handicap which again I am ok with that's why I got him ... and 200 dollars later after purchasing everything he needs to be happy! Lol....
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They can only poop what you feed them right?
