# is my goldfish really a pirana in disguise??



## josaphene (May 6, 2010)

i am wondering if anyone can help me as iv tried researching this and cnt find anything on this? i have 3 goldfish two that we have had for a while ones 6 years and the other is 3 and a half years they get along fine a few weeks ago we were given a new goldfish our other two are red/gold normal household goldfish our new one is white with red/gold fins shes smaller than the other two and has a rounder tummy iv looked up different types of goldfish and thought she was just a common goldfish like the other two anyway our oldest fish sid has some white patches on him only a couple and i thought maybe the new fish was female and he was wanting to mate as he has been chasing both goldfish around and around not all the time but iv caught him, tonight we went to clean the fish out and i saw our new fish just nibbling on sid and the patches had become bigger and he had more i showed my partner and he said right out she comes and he has removed her from the tank and put her in a smaller one on her own shes not happy at all. is that normal? as sid and nancy have never done this? im just wanting to make sure shes not eating him do they do that or is she cleaning him? any help would be much appreciated. we didnt want to split up the three amigo's but i cnt let her nibble on him as he doesnt like it and the last few days he ahsnt been his fiesty self? thanks


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## Guest (May 8, 2010)

To begin, you need to get a positive ID on the sexes. Once sexually mature, male goldfish will develop a series of small, white bumps known as Tubercles on their gill covers. These bumps become particularly evident during Spring and Summer, which indicidentally is also the breeding season. Spawning behaviour is charactarized by the male chasing the female.

By the sound of things, you have two common goldfish and one fancy goldfish. In terms of the breed of the smaller goldfish, the description suggests either Calico or Ryukin; or maybe a mixture of both, depending on the parentage.

Generally speaking, it isn't really a good idea to mix fancy and common goldfish in the same tank. The reason behind this is quite simple, fancy goldfish are very slow swimmers and are at risk of being out-competed for food and harassed by their more boisterous counterparts. However, in this case, it appears to be the other way around.

Do these white patches look like cotton-wool at all? I ask this because this is the main symptom of a fungal infection, which in most cases is caused by a water mould known as _Saprolegnia_. I'd keep a close-ish eye on the fish for a few days and also get a the test results for pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.


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## josaphene (May 6, 2010)

thank you for your reply, well the white patches dnt look like cooton wool they look more like his orsnge scales hacve come off and that iswhereshe was nibbling. i have removed her and put her i her own tank next to the other towos tnk and all they are doing is staying near one another at the end of their own tanks looking at each other ? she definatly nibbled his skin away i caught her. she is actually with much research a commet goldfish, when we fed them she was always the first one to shoot up and het her food. tomorrow im going to buy another tank big enough for her and another fish she is siutable with? i just feel awful seperating them but its got to be done. il see what happens when she is with another fish of her breed. we have tested the water and everything is fine? maybe they just dnt get on? but sid the biggest is definatly a male as he chases the other two fish around and around.


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