Average Growth Rate Of Comet Goldfish?

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Today i picked up 2 goldfish from a friends place amoungst some other fish, im not sure what type the goldfish are but they look similar to comet goldfish...Im not sure on their age, the guy couldn't remember when he got them although he said they could be anything between 15 and 2yrs old, im guessing they are 5yrs old, although thats really just a guess. To work out wether these are comets or not, im wondering what is the average growth rate for comet goldfish? The goldfish are about 4inchs long at current.

 

[WILDER]

http/www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/...?article_id=418

According to a site this big.
Full size on the Comet is about one foot.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

http/www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/...?article_id=418

According to a site this big.
Full size on the Comet is about one foot.

Do you know how many inches it'll grow a month though roughly ?

 

[WILDER]

Wouldn't think much, depends on the diet, bloodworms and brimestrimp seem to make them grow fast.

 

[black angel]

I would expect a comet to grow fastest in the first two years. At a year old around 3 inches and by 2 years maybe 5 inches *not including the tail* and then its up to genetics how fast and how big it will grow.
Thats why it is so important while very young to give them as much room as possible and the best diet to get them growing.
It sounds like at 5 years and the size of a 2 year old that they have been stunted somewhat. But if you arent sure then they could be at the right size for the age of them.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Ok, cool, thanks for the info !
...Wow, i've finally taken the step to goldfish keeping, so ...
The 2 little are just settling into their new 30gal, i have some bloodworms defrosting for them when they are ready, very cute little interesting fish- the tank has some left over sand in it, which they are fascinated by(they lived in a mucky tropical tank before hand) ) .
I believe one is a comet goldfish and one is a common goldfish, going by what this site says;

http/www.bristol-aquarists.org.uk/goldfish/goldfish.htm

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Do think it would be ok to get one or 2 more small goldfish? Its just the current 2 are very shy and the tank still looks very empty(its a large 30gals, 1 1/2 wide and long and 2ft high), do you think it would be ok?

 

[LucyHurst]

The 30 gallon you have is only just big enough for them so id skip on getting more
The sand isnt good, id take that out fast, as they are siffting through it looking for food they can swallow it and get compacted.. and it irritates their gills. congratulationson the new fish goldfish are cool

 

[Ginge]

I have had one for about a year and its about 3" body about 4 1/2" overall. And about 1 and a half years old. I feed flake and bloodworms.

 

[PlecMama]

Congratulations on the coldies they are a lot friendlier then trops for no apparent reason, though my danios will come get in your hand, my goldies & kois will just about get out of the tank when they see you coming, you can put food in the palm of your hand and submege it a little and they will come lie right in your hand to feed.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

The 30 gallon you have is only just big enough for them so id skip on getting more
The sand isnt good, id take that out fast, as they are siffting through it looking for food they can swallow it and get compacted.. and it irritates their gills. congratulationson the new fish goldfish are cool

I've also heard though they can swallow gravel, and im sort of looking for a low maintanence tank either way- they've stopped paying interest in the sand, i think they were only interested in it at first because all they've ever known up until now is gravel and it was very new and interesting for them.
They've settled in quite well now, they came up to the surface to eat this morning for the first time and are very active- thanks for the advice though, i think i will skip on getting anymore goldfish if you think it will make the tank overstcoked, although i thought it was 10gals for the first goldfish and 10gals for every one after that?

 

[black angel]

Sand will irritate the gills as they like to sift through the base looking for food. As for gravel pea sized is a good size or some people just dont have anything on the bottom except maybe a few river rocks. This takes away anywhere for the bad bacteria to grow as well.
10 gallons is for fancy goldfish that dont really need the swimming room and then thats for when theya re young.
For your sized fish 15 gallons each is ideal and when they get to around 5 or 6 inches then 20 gallons each. This is more for fin growth and exercise than anything else as most large filters with lots of media can cope with the ammonia levels and doing water changes each week will help that way too.

I am thinking of turning my own 50 gallon into a home for common goldies and I will only put two in that.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Do you think it would be ok if i just put some gravel on top of the sand or do i really need to take all of the sand out?

 

[black angel]

I would take it out if they start to sift it again. Puting gravel on it will just mix and wont look nice, and then theres the danger of the sand getting compacted as well.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Thanks for the advice , either way they seem to have lost interest in the sand now, i think it was just a general interest they showed in the sand like "Ooo....silky white sand !" . They appear to be very intelligent fish, full of character already even though i have only had them for a short period of time, their personalitys are already coming out !