Need advice. :)

[goldene]

Well I have never heard them called that before ryan but I have heard of sarasa comets, I keep saying your never to old to learn

 

[mhoward1999]

Thanks so much for all the help everybody. I feel like I have a clue about what I am doing now. If there is something you think I need to know or consider that I am overlooking, please, let me know. My plan is to get four fancy goldfish and three hillstream loaches and keep both the UGF and the HOBF in place. I can't wait to get it up and running!

 

[mrV]

Before you get goldfish, you really should think about do you know everything about them and do you feel, that it's ethical to buy them and support people who make these mutant creatures:

http/www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/...l.php?poll_id=6

Hopefully you understant, that those many shapes are made (not natural) and goldfish is only suffering. Those mutant fishes can't even swim very well. Natural goldfish is more like crucian carp. It can swim well without any problems.

My personal opinion is that those mutant fishes should be forbidden to sell in stores. Unfortunately it's not very realistic view. There is even competitions about who had made fanciest shape this year I feel sick, when even thinking about it!

Well, I had goldfishes too, when I was child. I though they are just natural and "happy" fishes, but nowadays I know that they are something else I think goldfish is badly handled fish in whole world...

So, please, think about do you really want goldfish or not.

 

[ryan]

mrV is right, these creatures are ethicaly wrong and I fear the worst for them, they look likely to reach the extent were they can no longer swim or live probably. My Fancies are very good and can swim almost perfectly, I do disagree with the people who make them but by not buying them we will not stop them from being made. Personally I think they should be given a good home so when I saw my fish I decided to take them in and look after them and give them the best life possible.

 

[mhoward1999]

Hmmm. That's a loaded question, for sure. I am not in for a fight. My personal opinion is that I won't support the bubble-eye or the "raspberry" looking goldfish trade. I agree that these creatures look pathetic and unhealthy. However, I do like black moors very much and think they can be healthy fish. I understand what you are saying, and for me, the black moors and other plain fancy goldfish are a grey area. I see it as being similar to dogs, cocker spaniels are prone to certain health problems, rotweilers to hip dysplasia, the list could go on and on. I am not willing to try to say where the line should be drawn for everyone. If we wanted to take it to the extreme then the only dogs would be wolves, foxes, and coyotes. I know that isn't a completely fair comparison, because there are some brilliant fish that are naturally occuring, but I believe that virtually all the fish we see in LFS are the result of selective breeding.

 

[lynzmk]

must agree about the lionheads and bubble eyes it's a crying shame
however i've kept fancy fantail type goldfish before and although they weren't very hardy they swam and fed well.
In fact i read yesterday that the growths on lionheads are in fact cancerous tumours made me feel sick to read that. whethe its true or not, these fish are bred to look 'different' and from what i can gather it is mostly, if not always, detrimental to the health of the fish.
I posted elsewhere that i kept 3 'common' goldfish in a tank with black substrate and they looked truly stunning against the black, darting around amongst the plants (i had no trouble keeping a certain plant but i have no idea what it was called grrrr... it is a deep green and loads of tiny leaves coming off thicker stems... it's really common in petshops) They were really healthy happy specimens, very robust and IMHO prettier to watch than the mutant fish.

Just MHO
good luck with your coldwater tank... i'm setting mine up soon
L x

 

[mhoward1999]

Thanks, lynzmk! I set it up this weekend. I am no where near finished as far as landscaping goes, but I have my fish and a few plants. I bought 2 fancy veiltail goldfish, a black moor, and a red telescope. I still plan to add a small school of hillstream loaches, but not sure when. I am going to have to order them, not common in this area.

 

[Opcn]

They are not cancerouse and are only tumors by the loosest of definitions growths do not overtax the fish like a tumor would and, more importantly, they are encoded for in the fish's DNA. That doesn't mean I support them, Infact I think that most fancies should be killed off especialy the ones who cant even swim right

Opcn