Hi
I have 2 goldfish, a blackmoor and a red fantail bought as very tiny goldfish in a pet store in April of this year. They are in a 60 litre, 16 US gallon but I have just purchased a 55 gallon tank (rena aqualife) to cycle which I'm hoping will be large enough for the two of them for the next decade or until I one day find a house with a pond. So anyway I observed they were showing spawning behaviour but thought little of it as didn't expect just 2 fish of unknown sex and so very young and of two different breeds in a 16 gallon indoor tank to breed - was very stunned a month ago to discover a little fry in the tank -couldn't catch him and he didn't make it but I vowed to watch out the next times. So anyway my question is this-I have seen very little reference to this on the internet and those who have asked the question have not had a correct reply. One of the fish -don't know which as I always miss this part, releases a very very very long (maybe half a metre) thin clear white string after spawning behaviour. This last happened two days ago right after spawning-it looks like a long trail of faeces but is 6 times longer and translucent -it is accompanied at the end by a thicker gelatinous string with what appears to be round eggs inside. I decided to leave it in the plants but a few hours later I returned and they appeared to have eaten it as it was nowhere in the tank. This is nothing like how all the books and websites have described the process so could someone please explain? I have to say this only ever happens immediately after spawning. I did see what looked like 3 separate eggs this morning on algae filaments on a vallisneria leaf which I snipped off and placed in a breeding net within the tank and will watch closely.
I really would like an explanation for the clear string. My goldfish are not sick, very active have a good appetite and water tests coming out good.
I have 2 goldfish, a blackmoor and a red fantail bought as very tiny goldfish in a pet store in April of this year. They are in a 60 litre, 16 US gallon but I have just purchased a 55 gallon tank (rena aqualife) to cycle which I'm hoping will be large enough for the two of them for the next decade or until I one day find a house with a pond. So anyway I observed they were showing spawning behaviour but thought little of it as didn't expect just 2 fish of unknown sex and so very young and of two different breeds in a 16 gallon indoor tank to breed - was very stunned a month ago to discover a little fry in the tank -couldn't catch him and he didn't make it but I vowed to watch out the next times. So anyway my question is this-I have seen very little reference to this on the internet and those who have asked the question have not had a correct reply. One of the fish -don't know which as I always miss this part, releases a very very very long (maybe half a metre) thin clear white string after spawning behaviour. This last happened two days ago right after spawning-it looks like a long trail of faeces but is 6 times longer and translucent -it is accompanied at the end by a thicker gelatinous string with what appears to be round eggs inside. I decided to leave it in the plants but a few hours later I returned and they appeared to have eaten it as it was nowhere in the tank. This is nothing like how all the books and websites have described the process so could someone please explain? I have to say this only ever happens immediately after spawning. I did see what looked like 3 separate eggs this morning on algae filaments on a vallisneria leaf which I snipped off and placed in a breeding net within the tank and will watch closely.
I really would like an explanation for the clear string. My goldfish are not sick, very active have a good appetite and water tests coming out good.
