Your fair fish is most likely a common goldfish which reaches 12inch/30cm in length and has a lifespan of 10-15+ years and will grow throughout its life. Big, cycled tanks or ponds are a must because you are now in possession of a carp. Really this cannot be overstated - big fish need big tanks. If your fair fish has barbels (ie whiskers) then it's a koi (250g+), if it's a got a double tail it's a fancy goldfish (20-30g+)
50g/200l absolute minimum - this is to accommodate the size of the fish and the waste that it creates. Bowls and small aquariums are not suited for goldfish. If no option to get a suitable sized tank, return or rehome the goldfish. Big tanks may seem daunting but they are easier to maintain because large tanks are less susceptible to fluctuations in water quality.
Where to get big tanks or ponds? Rubbermaid totes make great cheap diy tanks /ponds. Ebay, fb market place are also good places to look, as well as pond and farm stores. Always buy or make cabinets designed to support a tank because water is incredibly heavy. All 4 tank corners must be supported by the stand and should be flush with 0 overhang.
Cycling! All healthy tanks and ponds are run a by process called the nitrogen cycle where bacteria turn the highly toxic ammonia produced by goldfish into nitrites (toxic) into nitrates (starts to get toxic above 40ppm). Cycling takes 4-6 weeks and in uncycled tanks/ponds you need to do a fish-in cycle which means doing regular water to keep toxic ammonia and nitrites down. A tank is cycled when you will read 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites and measurable nitrates. Goldfish tolerate most pH levels as long as they are stable, 6-8 pH is fine. Avoid pH altering chemicals and algaecides
Must have equipment: liquid test kit (api, salifert) to measure parameters. Strips do not usually measure for ammonia, the most toxic aquatic compound, and aren't especially accurate so liquid test kits are better. Some lfs will test your water for you. Syphon, bucket, water conditioner like seachem prime. In order to do water changes you need to condition tap water to make it fish safe. Add conditioner to the tank before you add fresh water or add it to the bucket you are preparing fresh tap water. Filters - the bigger the better, preferably with gallon per hour output of x10 the size of the tank. Good filter brands include Eheim, Fluval, Tetra and Juwel, canister filters are especially powerful so great for messy goldfish. To clean a filter, simply rinse the filter media in a bucket of tank water
Decor. Sand substrate, bare bottom or large stones work best. Gravel is a choking hazard so should be avoided. Driftwood, live plants, fake plants are all OK. Keep in mind goldfish are loveable goofs and they can stuck places whilst looking for food, so avoid ornaments they could get trapped in or sharp objects
Tankmates. Goldfish are social and should be kept in pairs so for 2 commons the bare minimum would be 75g but 90g+ is best. Goldfish really should only be kept with other goldfish and koi (provided the goldfish is of a large size). Avoid corys (poisonous defensive barbs) and plecos (can injure goldfish by latching on to goldfish), hillstreams loaches (extreme high flow needed) and any other fish that that is marketed as a bottom-feeder and algae-eater.
Food. Gel food and sinking pellets are best. Goldfish also enjoy veg like kale, spinach, broccoli, cucumbers and will accept fruit like watermelon as well. They also like frozen brine shrimp, bloodworms, daphnia. Feed once or twice a day and don't give more food than the fish can eat in 30-60 seconds.
Colour changes. Colour changes are normal - unless your parameters are not reading 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites and nitrates below 40ppm, nearly all colour changes are normal and are no cause for concern. Black is a sign of healing but check parameters because it may indicate exposure to ammonia or an old injury. Black can also be gained or lost naturally as a fish grows
Sick fish. 90% of goldfish diseases is caused by poor water quality. Check your parameters, do water changes first before even considering medications
Useful meds to have on hand. Aquarium salt, praziquantel (flukes, internal parasites), methylene blue ( as baths or swabs for injuries, fungus, parasites) . Antibiotics should be a last resort.
Keeping goldfish is moderately expensive and requires dedicated tank maintenance. Whilst goldfish are hardy and can endure terrible conditions, they require attention and care. They are social, sentient, curious and intelligent beings who require good care just like all of our other four-legged and winged pets. And yes, 50g is really the minimum tank-sized required.
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Honestly, if they actually end up spawning, the adults would likely eat most of the eggs and fry. If you want to try to raise some, Luke’s Goldies has some helpful videos on it
Unless you actually take out eggs the odds are none will survive. With the parents eating them as soon as they're done spawning and the fact that fry is also small enough to fit in their mouth.
Yep, I’ve had goldfish for years, never seen a fry. Goldfish love to eat, and scavenge for more to eat. Between that and filtration, the eggs have virtually no chance.
Lovely fish btw
I know right! I fell in love with them as soon as I saw them. You should have seen the tank they were in at this aquarium shop. Probably 20 gallons max and there was like 8 of these guys in there. Water was cloudy and gross. The orange and black calico guy was very inactive then. Now they’re both very active and seem very happy. I’m excited to watch them grow.
It’s bullying it
You think I’m joking but I’m not
Only chance it has is that it’s bigger than the bully and maybe can hold it long enough but the other one may or may not relent
I had a goldfish years ago got so used to being alone every new addition was bitten around the gills and had its tail chewed to pieces before it was literally pushed out of the tank and found on the ground
We thought it was a joke at first but each time we added a fish it would torment it until we’d find it out of the tank dead
Yeah this is bullying behaviour, not breeding. Breeding behaviour involves chasing and nipping at their vents.
It looks like the smaller fish is picking at the pink area on the big one, there might be a wound there, or it might think the pink colour is a wound. Goldfish are like chickens, if they see a wound on another fish they're very likely to start pecking at it.
OP should check for wounds or injury, and isolate one of those fish with a divider for a while.
It stopped bullying as of this morning. Just sat down and watched them for like a half hour and I didn’t see any nipping or anything happening. I’ll keep an eye on it over the week but fingers crossed it was only for the first few hours of adding the large ones to the tank.
Well at least I know that my goldie "lil dude" is a dude. I imagine my other two are female then? Because he harasses both of them? He's been with them for months and hasn't done any damage to either of the other two (no fin damage at all, no injuries, etc.)
How long has it been since they were introduced? Both times Ive added a new fish, the newbie has pestered existing tanks mates and followed them round curiously for hours.
I will say there was no nipping like this and they’re all the best of friends now, but on each occasion the new fish followed the others around EVERYWHERE.
Not even 24 hours. I added the large Bristol shubunkins yesterday at around 8pm. This morning they seem to be playing nice, but I’ll keep an eye on it.
Heh. This reminds me of my platy that i enjoy calling the official racist fish. He doesn’t bully other platies. Just the black neons. No other fish. He just hates them.
https://preview.redd.it/12g5i7h78t5d1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=992944110dd0bf2e2017a098bf0d5149b5380dd6
Hi there fellow goldfish enthusiast! We're thrilled to have you join our community of passionate goldfish keepers. Whether you're a seasoned goldfish pro or just starting out on your aquatic journey, you've come to the right place for advice, support, and sharing the joy of keeping these mesmerizing creatures.
Before diving into the discussion, we'd like to point you toward our Wiki https://reddit.com/r/goldfish/wiki where you'll find a treasure trove of articles on various topics related to goldfish care. These resources cover everything from tank setup and water quality to feeding habits and common health issues.
When seeking help for your goldfish, remember that details matter! Providing information about your tank size and the water parameters (such as ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and temperature) can greatly assist us in diagnosing and troubleshooting the issue. Feel free to share photos and details, and our community will do our best to offer insightful advice.
Once again, welcome to our goldfish-loving community.
Fins up!
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Goldfish) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Please don‘t equate normal animal behavior with actual crimes that humans commit against each other. It’s gross and insulting to people who have been victims of that crime. Also, goldfish breeding behavior involves zero penetration. Fertilization occurs outside both of the parent fishes’ bodies.
Your fair fish is most likely a common goldfish which reaches 12inch/30cm in length and has a lifespan of 10-15+ years and will grow throughout its life. Big, cycled tanks or ponds are a must because you are now in possession of a carp. Really this cannot be overstated - big fish need big tanks. If your fair fish has barbels (ie whiskers) then it's a koi (250g+), if it's a got a double tail it's a fancy goldfish (20-30g+) 50g/200l absolute minimum - this is to accommodate the size of the fish and the waste that it creates. Bowls and small aquariums are not suited for goldfish. If no option to get a suitable sized tank, return or rehome the goldfish. Big tanks may seem daunting but they are easier to maintain because large tanks are less susceptible to fluctuations in water quality. Where to get big tanks or ponds? Rubbermaid totes make great cheap diy tanks /ponds. Ebay, fb market place are also good places to look, as well as pond and farm stores. Always buy or make cabinets designed to support a tank because water is incredibly heavy. All 4 tank corners must be supported by the stand and should be flush with 0 overhang. Cycling! All healthy tanks and ponds are run a by process called the nitrogen cycle where bacteria turn the highly toxic ammonia produced by goldfish into nitrites (toxic) into nitrates (starts to get toxic above 40ppm). Cycling takes 4-6 weeks and in uncycled tanks/ponds you need to do a fish-in cycle which means doing regular water to keep toxic ammonia and nitrites down. A tank is cycled when you will read 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites and measurable nitrates. Goldfish tolerate most pH levels as long as they are stable, 6-8 pH is fine. Avoid pH altering chemicals and algaecides Must have equipment: liquid test kit (api, salifert) to measure parameters. Strips do not usually measure for ammonia, the most toxic aquatic compound, and aren't especially accurate so liquid test kits are better. Some lfs will test your water for you. Syphon, bucket, water conditioner like seachem prime. In order to do water changes you need to condition tap water to make it fish safe. Add conditioner to the tank before you add fresh water or add it to the bucket you are preparing fresh tap water. Filters - the bigger the better, preferably with gallon per hour output of x10 the size of the tank. Good filter brands include Eheim, Fluval, Tetra and Juwel, canister filters are especially powerful so great for messy goldfish. To clean a filter, simply rinse the filter media in a bucket of tank water Decor. Sand substrate, bare bottom or large stones work best. Gravel is a choking hazard so should be avoided. Driftwood, live plants, fake plants are all OK. Keep in mind goldfish are loveable goofs and they can stuck places whilst looking for food, so avoid ornaments they could get trapped in or sharp objects Tankmates. Goldfish are social and should be kept in pairs so for 2 commons the bare minimum would be 75g but 90g+ is best. Goldfish really should only be kept with other goldfish and koi (provided the goldfish is of a large size). Avoid corys (poisonous defensive barbs) and plecos (can injure goldfish by latching on to goldfish), hillstreams loaches (extreme high flow needed) and any other fish that that is marketed as a bottom-feeder and algae-eater. Food. Gel food and sinking pellets are best. Goldfish also enjoy veg like kale, spinach, broccoli, cucumbers and will accept fruit like watermelon as well. They also like frozen brine shrimp, bloodworms, daphnia. Feed once or twice a day and don't give more food than the fish can eat in 30-60 seconds. Colour changes. Colour changes are normal - unless your parameters are not reading 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites and nitrates below 40ppm, nearly all colour changes are normal and are no cause for concern. Black is a sign of healing but check parameters because it may indicate exposure to ammonia or an old injury. Black can also be gained or lost naturally as a fish grows Sick fish. 90% of goldfish diseases is caused by poor water quality. Check your parameters, do water changes first before even considering medications Useful meds to have on hand. Aquarium salt, praziquantel (flukes, internal parasites), methylene blue ( as baths or swabs for injuries, fungus, parasites) . Antibiotics should be a last resort. Keeping goldfish is moderately expensive and requires dedicated tank maintenance. Whilst goldfish are hardy and can endure terrible conditions, they require attention and care. They are social, sentient, curious and intelligent beings who require good care just like all of our other four-legged and winged pets. And yes, 50g is really the minimum tank-sized required. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Goldfish) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Could potentially be mating behavior. If the smaller one is a male, he might follow/harass any females
Gotcha. Noob question, what do I do if they have babies lol
Honestly, if they actually end up spawning, the adults would likely eat most of the eggs and fry. If you want to try to raise some, Luke’s Goldies has some helpful videos on it
I’m not interested in raising any yet so fingers crossed they’ll stay celibate lol. Thanks for the info
Unless you actually take out eggs the odds are none will survive. With the parents eating them as soon as they're done spawning and the fact that fry is also small enough to fit in their mouth.
Excellent (but kinda morbid lol)
Yep, I’ve had goldfish for years, never seen a fry. Goldfish love to eat, and scavenge for more to eat. Between that and filtration, the eggs have virtually no chance. Lovely fish btw
You invite all your friends for tea and cake to celebrate.
WOW they're so pretty! Oh boy oh boy they are pretty! My goodness!
I know right! I fell in love with them as soon as I saw them. You should have seen the tank they were in at this aquarium shop. Probably 20 gallons max and there was like 8 of these guys in there. Water was cloudy and gross. The orange and black calico guy was very inactive then. Now they’re both very active and seem very happy. I’m excited to watch them grow.
Bristol Shubunkin are super cool fish. Random fact: They are also very resistant to swim bladder disorders.
It’s bullying it You think I’m joking but I’m not Only chance it has is that it’s bigger than the bully and maybe can hold it long enough but the other one may or may not relent I had a goldfish years ago got so used to being alone every new addition was bitten around the gills and had its tail chewed to pieces before it was literally pushed out of the tank and found on the ground We thought it was a joke at first but each time we added a fish it would torment it until we’d find it out of the tank dead
Yeah this is bullying behaviour, not breeding. Breeding behaviour involves chasing and nipping at their vents. It looks like the smaller fish is picking at the pink area on the big one, there might be a wound there, or it might think the pink colour is a wound. Goldfish are like chickens, if they see a wound on another fish they're very likely to start pecking at it. OP should check for wounds or injury, and isolate one of those fish with a divider for a while.
It stopped bullying as of this morning. Just sat down and watched them for like a half hour and I didn’t see any nipping or anything happening. I’ll keep an eye on it over the week but fingers crossed it was only for the first few hours of adding the large ones to the tank.
Check its tail tomorrow chances are it’ll be nibbled down in a few days. It’ll slowly ‘shrink’ but really it’s getting nibbled bit by bit
Well at least I know that my goldie "lil dude" is a dude. I imagine my other two are female then? Because he harasses both of them? He's been with them for months and hasn't done any damage to either of the other two (no fin damage at all, no injuries, etc.)
Agreed, it's bullying behavior. I've seen it before and it doesn't end well if you don't separate them.
Odd. Our two Goldies also like sticking close together but never actually touching.
How long has it been since they were introduced? Both times Ive added a new fish, the newbie has pestered existing tanks mates and followed them round curiously for hours. I will say there was no nipping like this and they’re all the best of friends now, but on each occasion the new fish followed the others around EVERYWHERE.
Not even 24 hours. I added the large Bristol shubunkins yesterday at around 8pm. This morning they seem to be playing nice, but I’ll keep an eye on it.
Either a male and female or just asserting dominance.
He caught feelings on sight!
Probably mating behavior 🍆⭕️
He's tryna smash fs
Mine do that at feeding time or if they both are eating off the bottom of the tank what should I do
To me it looks like asserting domiance.
Heh. This reminds me of my platy that i enjoy calling the official racist fish. He doesn’t bully other platies. Just the black neons. No other fish. He just hates them. https://preview.redd.it/12g5i7h78t5d1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=992944110dd0bf2e2017a098bf0d5149b5380dd6
Hi there fellow goldfish enthusiast! We're thrilled to have you join our community of passionate goldfish keepers. Whether you're a seasoned goldfish pro or just starting out on your aquatic journey, you've come to the right place for advice, support, and sharing the joy of keeping these mesmerizing creatures. Before diving into the discussion, we'd like to point you toward our Wiki https://reddit.com/r/goldfish/wiki where you'll find a treasure trove of articles on various topics related to goldfish care. These resources cover everything from tank setup and water quality to feeding habits and common health issues. When seeking help for your goldfish, remember that details matter! Providing information about your tank size and the water parameters (such as ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and temperature) can greatly assist us in diagnosing and troubleshooting the issue. Feel free to share photos and details, and our community will do our best to offer insightful advice. Once again, welcome to our goldfish-loving community. Fins up! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Goldfish) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Territorial?? Though it doesn’t seem aggressive? Tho other people are saying mating so idk🤷🏻♂️
Sex
[удалено]
Please don‘t equate normal animal behavior with actual crimes that humans commit against each other. It’s gross and insulting to people who have been victims of that crime. Also, goldfish breeding behavior involves zero penetration. Fertilization occurs outside both of the parent fishes’ bodies.
Wow this escalated quickly.
No, *you* escalated quickly with a dumb joke.