Help

[Timberview]

My Goldfish Have been darting around the tank like wild fish uprooting plants and knocking over little signs as they go ........Why are they doing that?

 

[lilfishie]

what are you water stats? ammonia? nitrite? nitrate? pH?

 

[Timberview]

I can't do them right this moment but ill do them when i get back.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Goldfish will eat plants, also part of their natural behavior is to sift through the substrate in tanks looking for food too. How many gallons is the tank and how many and what types and sizes of goldfish do you have in it?

 

[Timberview]

I have 3 common goldies in a 30 gallon tank. The ph is 7.4 and the Ammonia is between 0 and .25. They are about 4- 5 inces long including the tail. I know they do that i have had them for about a year and a half and in 3 different tanks but they just seem so skiddish and jettie....

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

(You will eventually need to upgrade the tank soon, they need at least a 4ft long 75gallon minimum tank, preferably larger, as common goldfish can grow to over 12inches long, the goldfish will outgrow the tank soon.).

If you have ammonia showing in your test results that could be a bad thing depending on how accurate your water quality testing kits are. When was the last time you did a water change, cleaned the substrate in the tank and cleaned the filter?

 

[Timberview]

No I do not intend to give them a bigger tank anytime soon. I just moved them to a 30 gallon 3 days ago! Everything is clean.

 

[gilaesther]

No I do not intend to give them a bigger tank anytime soon. I just moved them to a 30 gallon 3 days ago! Everything is clean.

If you won't get a bigger tank, perhaps you should rehome two of them so the remaining one has plenty of room to grow.

 

[treelo]

1 goldfish in that big a tank?

no wonder so many die in little tiny plastic bowls

 

[WILDER]

You could find a pond for them, a home they deserve.

 

[Timberview]

I dont want to get rid of them.....The thumb rule is 10 gallons per goldie so i should be good to go

 

[jess6905]

i was told that by several of the lfs around me(afew even told me 5 gallons per fish) but its actually supposed to be 20 gallons for the first gold plus an additional 10 gallons for each gold after that. i agree that 30 gallons is a bit much for just 2 fish, but imo they will be fine in there for a while(with lots of filtration and water changes), but you will eventually need to find them a bigger tank. the bare minimum tank size you will need is between 40-50 gallons but the bigger the better

 

[Danno]

I know of many people who keep goldfish in that size of tank. Yes, the "perfect life" would be a pond, but if one aquarist keeps a goodfish in a 30 gallon I don't think that the earth will stop turning.

 

[Meds081603]

I have 5 goldfish from 5" to 11" in a small 60 gallon pond. They are 7 years old and do just fine. They are still growing and I never have any issues except green algae. I think the recommendation of one goldfish for a 30 gallon tank is crazy. If your good with maintenance and water changes they will all be just fine.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

I dont want to get rid of them.....The thumb rule is 10 gallons per goldie so i should be good to go

No, the rule is 20gallons for the first goldfish and 10 for every one after that- this rule is only for fancy goldfish though, and does not include non-fancy types of goldfish like common and comet goldfish. The minimum size any fancy goldfish will grow to is 5inches, most will grow between 6 and 8inches long depending on the variety though.
Non-fancy goldfish will easily grow up to 12inches long though, sometimes even more (no kidding i have seen common goldfish up to 2ft long) one of my common goldfish is already 9inches long and still growing at a steady pace, non-fancy goldfish are also a lot more active than the fancy varieties too.

Think about it this way- common plecos can easily grow up to 12inches, the minimum amount of gallons i and many would recommend an average specimen of a common pleco is a 75gal long tank, the same goes for a common goldfish which can grow to the same length or more. Considering that these fish are so active, i would recommend even more gallons that than if the owner of the fish could allow them.