To get goldfish, or not to get goldfish... [Archive]

Emi!y

08-24-2009, 12:03 PM

I have this 10 gallon fish tank. I use to have some fish in it but they recently died from moving.
I was wanting something hardy and that wouldn't die easily. I have always LOVED goldfish. My mom says not to get them because they make the tank nasty, but I think you can get that with any fish.

I need your opinion on whether or not I should go ahead and get some goldfish, and how many. I was wanting some small fantails and shubunkins.
And if you have any other suggestions on what type of fish I should get other than goldfish that'd be great!
-Emily

Macawpower58

08-24-2009, 01:20 PM

I kept goldfish for years. Yes I did a few more tank cleans than with tropicals, but I enjoyed them enough to not mind. Goldfish eat a lot, and poo a lot. They love to push the gravel about while rooting for snacks, causing old debris to float about. Good filtration helps quite a bit.

Some can grow quite large, it depends on tank size. Be sure to not overpopulate your tank. With a 10 gallon, I'd not put more than 2, maybe 3 in.

alcoth

08-24-2009, 02:03 PM

2 is a good number for that size. Maybe some type of bottom feeder too to help with cleaning. I'd say go for it :D

squashynose

08-24-2009, 02:06 PM

It's a shame your fish died, especially when you'd considered getting rid of them a few months back but thought better of it. Well at least you had 3 more months with them than you would have.

katiem

08-24-2009, 02:33 PM

How about enjoying the pets you have right now?

Wiztherewoz

08-24-2009, 02:50 PM

I need your opinion on whether or not I should go ahead and get some goldfish,

I vote not.

You've already got momma and kitten that you rescued, momma and kittens that you already had, kitten that you adopted, as well as your horses and your dogs. That's enough exhaustion for anybody, without having a tank to clean out too.

(Just because you have a tank, doesn't mean you have to fill it. ;))

That's just my own opinion. If you really, really want the fish and don't mind having the extra responsibility and the extra time they will take up, that's obviously up to you. But, you did ask for opinions, and for what it's worth, that is mine.

kaitlin

08-24-2009, 08:02 PM

i actually got rid of my hermit crabs and i have an empty 20 gallon tank, just sitting here begging for something to be in it.. but school's started again, and ill be there 3 days a week from 9am-230, plus all the homework, plus my job at the pet store, its not fair for me right now to fill it.. i just dont have the time to care for anything else, my little pigs, my dog, and my bettas (and mollie) are enough for me for now.

EDIT:i should mention that the hermit crabs went to a person i go to school with who has a 29 gallon crab mansion.. he could care for them much better than i, and plus their kinda stinky :-/

tiffers

08-24-2009, 11:14 PM

I have two goldfish in a 55 gallon, and they are way too big for it. Goldfish will continue to grow, and are not ideal for a 10 gallon tank. Get a betta; he's perfect for 10 gallons. :)

Irish_Lass

08-25-2009, 08:41 AM

Heather is right, you have enough animals to be getting on with. Just enjoy those. You need to fit school/work around looking after those as it is. Fish seem easy to look after but the actual care, partial water changes, 100% water changes.....its all time consuming stuff.

Emi!y

08-25-2009, 09:31 AM

I don't feel like I have too many pets. If I did, I wouldn't get anymore.

I do LOVE my animals I have now, don't get that wrong. They get plenty of love and attention. Oh, and the horses are a family thing.

Just to let you know, I can't have kids, ever, so the pets I get are like my children and they get treated better than any human I know.

And that momma kitten isn't mine. I got stuck with the thing after someone just left them in my house. Those are leaving.

My question on if I should get goldfish or not wasn't implying on if I had too many pets and such. It would be really great if you all had focused on that.

Macawpower58

08-25-2009, 09:59 AM

I say go for it! There's nothing so soothing than to watch fish swim in a tank. I'd also say that the cleaning of a 10 gallon will not take up that much of your time. Now my big tank took me hours to do a water change, and that was a pain.

Emi!y

08-25-2009, 10:02 AM

tiffers

08-25-2009, 10:37 AM

My question on if I should get goldfish or not wasn't implying on if I had too many pets and such. It would be really great if you all had focused on that.

I did, and I vote 'no'. Reread my post. If you put goldfish in that tank, in about 6 months or less...you will need to buy a bigger tank, and then a bigger tank, and then a bigger tank. As I said, I have TWO goldfish in a 55 gallon, and they are too big for it. Goldfish will continue to grow, contrary to popular belief. You need 2 gallons of water per inch of goldfish. A 10 gallon tank is not big enough, regardless of how small your fish are when you get them. Besides, they are very...very nasty. Especially as they get bigger. You will have to clean the rocks and tank and wash out the filters at least every two weeks to keep them alive. Yes, they are hardy...but that doesn't mean you can take care of them any less than other fish.

katiem

08-25-2009, 10:04 PM

My question on if I should get goldfish or not wasn't implying on if I had too many pets and such. It would be really great if you all had focused on that.

Don't ask if you don't want opinions. For me to answer "yes" or "no" I have to consider everything, and the amount of pets you have and your ability to care for them is part of it. So no, I don't think you should get any goldfish.

Bettachris

08-25-2009, 10:58 PM

Hey guys, its been awhile.

The problem with goldfish is that most people dont take into consideration the poteintal size that even fancy goldfish can get to. Easily they can get around 8-12 inches and need around 75 gallons and an excellent filtration system. While it is possible to stunt them in a smaller aquarium, it isnt a good fish keeping practice to do this.

Another problem is the waste factor, goldfish are big waste producers and excellent filtration systems for a 10 gallon are hard to find. Regular water changes would be a must and a very good power filter is also a must.

I would suggest not getting a goldfish for a 10 gallon as they just arent suitable long term for a 10 gallon aquarium.

Emi!y

08-26-2009, 10:57 AM

Don't ask if you don't want opinions. For me to answer "yes" or "no" I have to consider everything, and the amount of pets you have and your ability to care for them is part of it. So no, I don't think you should get any goldfish.

Well, your slightly wrong. My ability to care for my pets haven't come overwhelming. I'm able to care for plenty of more pets, but I don't choose to get anymore.

Fish aren't love seeking, or attention seeking. All they need is care. It's our option and choice whether we love them or not. I don't think fish care if we do. Cleaning a tank on a non-busy relaxing weekend isn't a big deal to me. I'd actually look forward to it. And feeding them isn't a big to-do either.

But I've got some awsome advice, the kind I was looking for. But thanks for voicing your opinion.

APBT<3er

08-26-2009, 11:48 AM

IMHO, you should NOT get a goldfish.
I second the betta motion. Or why not get a school of 8 Golden tetras? You can even concentrate on planting your tank. There are so many beautiful things you can do to a 10 gallon aquarium, but goldfish are so dirty, and they are not as easy to care for as people would have you believe. My mother has gold fish in her pond that are nearing a foot long, luckily the pond is plenty big enough to sustain the goldfish and her 50 some odd koi that are pushing the 2.5 foot mark. Its more of a mini-lake honestly... Anyway, my point being is that if you have enough space (example: 100 gallon tank or a huge pond) then go for the goldfish, otherwise don't bother because it will outgrow its tank and will suffer.

katiem

08-26-2009, 09:09 PM

But I've got some awsome advice, the kind I was looking for. But thanks for voicing your opinion.

The kind that agreed with you, right?

Emi!y

08-27-2009, 02:23 PM

The kind that agreed with you, right?
Your attitude is a little un-called for.
And no, I had some people suggest some other species and such that would be better than goldfish. And if you look at the post above yours, she suggested planting my tank, which was a great idea.

theresa92841

08-27-2009, 03:42 PM

Your attitude is a little un-called for.
And no, I had some people suggest some other species and such that would be better than goldfish. And if you look at the post above yours, she suggested planting my tank, which was a great idea.

All you needed to do was read her original advice and either decide to take it or ignore it. You ask for advice and folks will give it. Whether it pertains to your direct question or not.

Just ignore the things that don't pertain to your question. That is my advice on a topic you didn't ask. Feel free to ignore it. :D

Hypancistrus

08-27-2009, 04:04 PM

General rule of thumb by most experienced aquarists is 20 gallons for a single goldfish with an additional 10 gallons per each additional gold. So a 20 gallon could hold one goldfish, a 30 gallon two, and a 55 gallon could hold four.

katiem

08-27-2009, 04:37 PM

larna

08-31-2009, 05:09 AM

Hey, I own a pet goldfish which is a veiltail. Although currently, she is only about 3 inches in size, I already did my planning much earlier to get her the best aquarium I can find. Her home is a 30 gallon fish tank.

My advice is show them love and care and she will appreciate what you have done for her :)

mistercrab

08-31-2009, 11:25 AM

although gold fish are good starter fish ,but as many has told you in past post , they are a dirty fish i'm not for the things ,but to each there own. but may i suggest getting angel fish instead you can easily have two in a ten gallon tank being that they don't require that much up keep .good luck on what ever you decide to do.