Help-Goldfish!

[AlitaConejita]

I realize this is a tropical fish forum, but I'm pretty sure you guys can help me with goldfish basics. I just arrived at my sister's house and saw that her 10 yr old has two little goldfish in a goldfish bowl - no filtration and murky water. I asked about changing the water and sis said they used bottled (Dasani) water so there shouldn't be ammonia in it.

What basic set up do these fish need? I'm willing to get her the basics as an x- Mas gift but I don't know anything about goldfish.

 

[Ninjouzata]

To house both of those you'll want a 45g, minimum, with good filtration.
I don't know much about filters though, I just got by what size tank they say it's for and use that.
 
Did you explain to her that it's the fish that produce ammonia?
 
Can't quite tell what kinds they are, the 45 will only apply if they're fancies.
If they're comets or shubunkins(?) then it'd need to be 75g+, or better yet, a pond.

 

[AlitaConejita]

Yes - said goldfish especially pro use a lot ... And all the flakes she dumped in there didn't help either

 

[Loopycann]

I'd start with a 20 gal tank for only those two goldfish which appear to be double tailed calicoes.these are fish that produce copious amounts of waste so don't skimp on decent filtration-a good mechanical + chemical filter.One of those filter pumps that hang on the outside for the size tank you get, should be sufficient .Also tell her to go Easy on the flakes.

 

[Blondielovesfish]

Would you be able to do a water change and then post another photo for us to ID?
 
I'm useless at goldfish ID but to me it looks like they're both shibunkins, in which case they need a 75G like Ninj said. 
TBH I'd try to convince her to take them to someone with a pond or back to the shop and then buy her a 10G and get her a betta or some guppies.

 

[Ch4rlie]

To be honest, I don't know much about Goldfish really, just the very basics really!

But this should help you as a starting point in your research about goldfish as well as basic suitable care and tanks sizes.

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/417799-goldfish-for-beginners/

 

[AlitaConejita]

What could she keep happily in a 10 gallon? (I'll post a pic of the fish in the cleaned bowl soon.

 

[fluttermoth]

With a heater, lots of possibilities, without, not so many; it really depends how warm the house is.

 

[AlitaConejita]

It's south Florida - house stays in the mid 70s with a/c running constantly

Here are fish in a clean tank. I can't find a way to take a picture if them without the bowl distorting them.




Oh, and niece say they are calicos

 

[fluttermoth]

The one with the twin tail (looks a bit like butterfly wings, from the top) could live in a 100l tank; the other one probably needs a pond, tbh.
 
In a warm place like Florida, guppies, swordtails or platies would be happy in a ten gallon without additional heating. The temperature would be fine for peppered corydoras, but a 10g would be too small

 
'Calico' is just a colour; those fish are a calico fantail and a shubunkin (all shubunkins are calico coloured).

 

[l_l_l]

Most goldfish produce a lot of waste.
I have learned this the hard way and lost a few of them when I was a complete newbie.
Fancy goldfish will require at least 20Gallon each, and other goldfish require ponds.
 
For a 10 gallon tank, you could get a few small fish. But as suggested, you should keep hardy fish, because it looks like they wont be doing a lot of water changes. Unless you educate them on the matter.
 
I'm afraid you wont be able to house any fish for christmas tho, as you know, a tank should be cycled before introducing fish to it.

 

[AlitaConejita]

Her grandmother has a pond but stopped putting fish in cause the birds would get them. I was thinking of getting a 10 or 20 gallon and either convincing her to return the goldfish and get better suited fish or keep the goldfish till they get bigger and then put them in the pond. They'd stay in the bowl till the tank was cycled (my tank cycled really quick once I added a bottle of dr.tim's one and only)
... I assume once they are big enough, birds won't be able to get them.

 

[fluttermoth]

Would it be possible to net the pond? Birds will take even quite big fish, I'm afraid
 
If you can get a tank, it would be better to put the fish straight in, even if it's not cycled; the greater volume of water will dilute the toxins more than in the bowl.
 
I just want to say best of luck and it's great that you're trying to help, I really hope things work out!

 

[AlitaConejita]

I think that both goldfish have the same type of tail fins - two fins that are the shape of butterfly wings. The mostly gray one "Calico" has fins that open up more than "Patches" though.


Hadn't heard about netting a pond - I'll suggest that.

If I put the fish in the tank right away - would I do a fish-in cycle? The dr.tim's one and only does say you can put fish in right away.

 

[fluttermoth]

Oh, I can see them better in that picture; well done! They are both fantails.
 
I'm sure Dr Tim's would help, a lot of people have had good results with it. Whatever, it would be better to get them into as big a volume of water as possible, as soon as possible; don't forget that vase/bowl they're in now isn't cycled either!