# goldfish



## vickie1985

Hi all. I know goldfish are easy pets to look after but a bit of starting advice wouldnt go a miss. I went to pets at home yesterday and saw a starter tank for 20quid with a filter, gravel, water conditioner etc, but what about water temp? Is a goldfish a room temp pet? Are they best in pairs?

How long should i leave the water with conditioner in before introducing a fish?
You wouldnt think i used to have a marine tank.....not got a clue on goldfish though lol


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## Snippet

I imagine the £20 tank wasn't very big? Goldfish can get big, they can live for a long time and they are quite dirty fish. I can't remember the smallest tank you need for gold fish, but it is quite big. 

Goldfish are ok at room temperature. They are cold water fish after all so you probably won't need a heater.


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## vickie1985

It was bigger than ive seen other goldfish in. It wasnt the bowl type it was a propper tank, was only wanting 2 fish so i dont want anything extreme. I will see if i can find it online


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## Snippet

This suggests 75 gallons for a pair of comets. In fact, there is some good info on there.


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## vickie1985

Thank you, i will have a read. Funny thing is at pets at home reading some reviews the cheaper tanks seem better quality but all stating that filters are too powerfull.....i expected not powerfull enough.


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## magpie

Goldfish are not that easy a fish to look after, due to the massive tanks they need. At least 150-200 litres for a pair of fancies, with an external filter rated for at least double the volume of the tank. They are sociable so do better in either pairs or groups, though its best not to mix fancies with single-tailed common or comet goldies. 

Just like any other fish tank it needs to be properly cycled with a source of ammonia for several weeks before introducing the fish. They do fine at room temperature, though I have a heater in my tank to prevent big temperature fluctuations, as the room they are in gets very cold at night.


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## Plebob

A super post by Magpie and saved me typing the same! Just wanted to add that single tail goldfish should really only be housed in ponds as they grow too large for the indoor aquarium.

PS - eta, goldies being easy to look after is a common misconception - they are anything but ( if you want them to live to their true size and age that is)


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## Fishyfins

Just adding my own support behind Magpies post. pretty much sums it up. goldfish do not make easy pets, due to their pottential size, longevity, and waste production. dont be tempted by the pittifully small tanks often touted for goldfish by retailers like Pets at Home, they are only after your money, and will lead to the suffering and death of the fish.

if you want a couple of goldfish, then you will need a pretty big tank! 50L each per fancy (such as moor and oranda), and 100L each per standard goldfish (such as fantails and comets)


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## vickie1985

Thanks guys. Might be blooming eaiser to go tropical or just wait patiently till after our wedding and honeymoon and go marine again. We have been looking at nano tanks, our last was a 5ft.....totally in love with it but too expensive to run. Live rock, some corals and a couple of fish will have to do these days.


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## Amy-manycats

You have been given great advice already. You are right it is easier to go tropical, you can have a smaller tank and as long as you pick the species carefully it will be much easier to maintain than goldies, failing that how about a small temperate tank with either danios or White Cloulds in? They would both want cooler water and good flow from the filter. All fish will want the tank cycling first.


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## gav5

One thing about goldfish is that they will eat a lot and generate a lot of poop. That was why people would recommend at least a 50 gallon tank even for 2 goldfish. Furthermore they get very big. If you are living in UK, then room temperature condition is okay since they are coldwater fish. And about the water conditioner, just leave the water aerated for an hour before adding the fish. Works well for me thus far.


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## Amy-manycats

Leaving the water airating is only any use if you are in an area trated with Chlorine ( as its a gas it is agitated out of the water as its unstable) other areas are treated with Chloramine, this is much more stable and cannot be airated out. Its worth just using a water treatment if you are unsure, its also hard to have the quantity needed for a gold fish water change airated and sitting around, you would need quite a few buckets...


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## Raymond Robson

My fish keeps grown this tumour like.thing it normaly drops of and jus feel like a ball of putty ..but this time its grown back and hasnt fell off and is geting bigger an covering fish is mouth..any idea what it could be or any treatments? I have had it 7year and it is in a large spacious tank so it is nothing to do w tank size .


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## NaomiM

Raymond Robson said:


> My fish keeps grown this tumour like.thing it normaly drops of and jus feel like a ball of putty ..but this time its grown back and hasnt fell off and is geting bigger an covering fish is mouth..any idea what it could be or any treatments? I have had it 7year and it is in a large spacious tank so it is nothing to do w tank size .


Hi and welcome.
FYI, it's best to start your own thread rather than posting on an old one, as people are more likely to notice it 
I know goldfish can be prone to tumours, and that does look nasty. Not a goldfish keeper myself so I'm tagging @magpie and @kittih . Any further info you have, such as the tank dimensions, decor, tankmates, your water change regime, any water test results etc could be helpful  I'd imagine the best thing you can do for it is to keep the water pristine, i.e. reading 0 for ammonia/nitrite and as low as possible for nitrate.


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## Jon Roff

Goldfish do just fine by themselves. I keep mine in a 30L tank, they are not that easy take care of (it is not hard, but not as easy as people think). Do lots of research and ask the people at the pet shop for advice as well!


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## magpie

Jon Roff said:


> Goldfish do just fine by themselves. I keep mine in a 30L tank, they are not that easy take care of (it is not hard, but not as easy as people think). Do lots of research and ask the people at the pet shop for advice as well!


They are ok by themselves but they are social fish so more than one is preferable, in an appropriate sized tank of course. 30L is way too small for goldfish though.


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