# Goldfish fry



## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

Wasn't planning on having anymore goldfish, but the other day I saw eggs in the tank and couldn't stop myself from saving a few and seeing if they hatched. Put them in a plastic tub with a few inches of water, and the babies arrived on Wednesday 

Day 1: eggs are hatching!



Day 3: they look like little, tiny aliens



Day 5: moved them from the plastic tub yesterday and into a spare tank, partly so I could add a heater as the water was a bit on the cold side, and partly so I have space to increase water volume as they grow (I've currently got them in only about 6 inches of water).

They are so small! That's the end of the heater in the top right, for scale!


They like to chill out on the java fern leaves 



And here's mum:


And dad:


I've never raised fry before, so if anyone has any tips or tricks to share, please do! I've got my fingers crossed that at least some of them survive, I would really like to see how they develop


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## kittih (Jan 19, 2014)

Fry are exciting aren't they ! What are you planning to feed them ? I used liquifry for my Danio fry then brine shrimp and Daphne's when a little older.


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

kittih said:


> Fry are exciting aren't they ! What are you planning to feed them ? I used liquifry for my Danio fry then brine shrimp and Daphne's when a little older.


It is a bit exciting  They are having liquifry at the moment, and I've ordered some hikari first bites which should be here next week. I've heard that live brine shrimp is the best food for them, but I suppose that means I'd need to hatch them myself in order to have a steady supply. They seem to be doing fine on the liquifry so far though.


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

Lots of free swimming going on this morning, rather than just clinging to the sides & bottom of the tank


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## Shrike (Jun 25, 2015)

Its quite easy to hatch brine shrimp - I used to do it when I had a tropical tank. You'll need an air pump & stone though as they need plenty of oxygen and to be in a warm environment. I suppose you could let some grow up a bit more to feed to mum and dad!
Looks like the fry (those in the piccies at least) are going to be pretty much ordinary goldfish/crucian carp as they don't have double tails. I know its a long way off, but non-fancy goldfish really should live in a pond or a very large tank. I think the goldfish in my pond grew to about an inch the first year.


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## kittih (Jan 19, 2014)

Shrike said:


> Its quite easy to hatch brine shrimp - I used to do it when I had a tropical tank. You'll need an air pump & stone though as they need plenty of oxygen and to be in a warm environment. I suppose you could let some grow up a bit more to feed to mum and dad!
> Looks like the fry (those in the piccies at least) are going to be pretty much ordinary goldfish/crucian carp as they don't have double tails. I know its a long way off, but non-fancy goldfish really should live in a pond or a very large tank. I think the goldfish in my pond grew to about an inch the first year.


Do the double tails develop so quickly ? In other photo diaries i have seen they dont appear to be present so early but i could be mistaken eg here.... http://www.fishkeeping.co.uk/module...&viewmode=flat&order=ASC&type=&mode=0&start=0


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## Shrike (Jun 25, 2015)

I maybe mistaken, but I'm pretty sure they hatch with double tails. Not sure when the other 'features' would develop as I've never actually kept fancies. With 'normal' goldfish the colours start to come through when they are about 2cm long, though they can change quite a lot later. Of course a lot never change and keep the natural crucian carp colour.


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

kittih said:


> Do the double tails develop so quickly ? In other photo diaries i have seen they dont appear to be present so early but i could be mistaken eg here.... http://www.fishkeeping.co.uk/module...&viewmode=flat&order=ASC&type=&mode=0&start=0





Shrike said:


> I maybe mistaken, but I'm pretty sure they hatch with double tails.


From all the pictures & videos I've looked at online, it seems that the double tail starts to develop when the fry are around a week to 10 days old. I really hope they are not all single-tails, that would be quite disappointing


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

Just had a closer look at the babies today, and yep, I think I'm starting to see some double tails 
It's so hard to get pictures of them though!

Day 10


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## Lurcherlad (Jan 5, 2013)

Never had babies with indoor fish, but the goldfish in our pond have had babies 2 years running now!


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

Lurcherlad said:


> Never had babies with indoor fish, but the goldfish in our pond have had babies 2 years running now!


They're so fascinating, I can't stop watching them!


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

Day 16


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## kittih (Jan 19, 2014)

Turning onto proper looking fish now and you can see the double tails. How many have survived so far ?


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

kittih said:


> Turning onto proper looking fish now and you can see the double tails. How many have survived so far ?


Yep, there are one or two that don't seem to have developed much of a tail yet, so they may be single tails or perhaps they just need more time, but most have double tails now.

I think I have 24 at the moment, though they are tricky to count as they are always on the move! I must have had about 30 to begin with as I have lost a few, and one I had to euthanise as it seemed to have a bent spine and was unable to swim (it was just shuffling in circles on the bottom of the tank  ). The ones that are left are doing well so far though! I have set up a brine shrimp hatchery at last today, so hopefully they'll have some live food very shortly


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

They've got little, tiny dorsal fins now


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## kittih (Jan 19, 2014)

Proper fishies


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

Pictures from today, they'll be four weeks old tomorrow


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## 3dogs2cats (Aug 15, 2012)

Oh bless `em, they soon look like proper grown fish don`t they! What will you do when all grown up, will you be able to keep them?


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

3dogs2cats said:


> Oh bless `em, they soon look like proper grown fish don`t they! What will you do when all grown up, will you be able to keep them?


I know, they've changed so quickly! I will definitely be keeping some of them, it depends on how they do really, I am just continuously checking them and making sure they are developing ok. I started off with about 30, I now have 16. I lost a few early on, I assume because they were weak or weren't eating or something, and I've euthanized a few that were not 'right', either deformed or not developing normally. I would rather to pts humanely than allow them to struggle and suffer.

But these ones are doing really well so far, they are greedy little things, always eating


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## 3dogs2cats (Aug 15, 2012)

Oh hopefully the remaining 16 that have got to this stage are strong little blighters. Can we eventually have individual pics so we can help name them


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## Shrike (Jun 25, 2015)

They certainly seem to be coming on well.
Euthanasia is a sad fact of keeping fish - my pond fish have twice needed a cull, even after giving about 50 away to a friend who had a large new pond.
I use clove oil after reading up on the web for the most humane method - still a bit upsetting though.
Hopefully your brood will be stable now and find good homes!


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

Shrike said:


> They certainly seem to be coming on well.
> Euthanasia is a sad fact of keeping fish - my pond fish have twice needed a cull, even after giving about 50 away to a friend who had a large new pond.
> I use clove oil after reading up on the web for the most humane method - still a bit upsetting though.
> Hopefully your brood will be stable now and find good homes!


I know, it was sad and I did feel horrible, but I do think it was for the best. I used clove oil too, apparently it is like an anaesthetic so they just go to sleep.

Fingers crossed that the rest continue to do well! And that I can find good homes for any that I can't keep! 



3dogs2cats said:


> Oh hopefully the remaining 16 that have got to this stage are strong little blighters. Can we eventually have individual pics so we can help name them


Oh gosh, I'll try!! They are tricky to get pictures of as they are fast and I've only got my mobile phone and a clip-on macro lens! Maybe when they are a bit bigger and it's easier to tell them apart, but yes, I will definitely need some help with names


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

Last few days have been terrible for my little ones, we've gone from 16 to 11 

Lost one at random a couple of days ago, no obvious reason for it and no previous signs of illness. Then I had to euthanise one that I'd been keeping an eye on for a while as I never saw it off the bottom of the tank, and it just went rapidly downhill. Down to 14 fish. Water parameters fine though.

Tonight I found another two dead, again really suddenly with no previous signs of struggling. Checked water and found traces of ammonia. Emergency water change. Recounted fish, down to 11. Must have scooped one out in the water change, absolutely gutted, so careless of me


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## NaomiM (Sep 22, 2012)

Sorry to hear this  Are there definitely only 11? I've lost track of the amount of times I've thought I've lost a fish, only for it to turn up hours or even days later!


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

NaomiM said:


> Sorry to hear this  Are there definitely only 11? I've lost track of the amount of times I've thought I've lost a fish, only for it to turn up hours or even days later!


Thanks, yep definitely only 11, I've counted and recounted and there's nowhere for them to hide really. Just feel awful about it 

I also think I really need to get them into a bigger volume of water, even though they are still small they are creating a lot of mess. I have some storage boxes but I think they look too flimsy to hold water.


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## kittih (Jan 19, 2014)

magpie said:


> Thanks, yep definitely only 11, I've counted and recounted and there's nowhere for them to hide really. Just feel awful about it
> 
> I also think I really need to get them into a bigger volume of water, even though they are still small they are creating a lot of mess. I have some storage boxes but I think they look too flimsy to hold water.


 If you have a spare filter you could set it up with some ammonia chips (wrap foam around the intakes and outflow )

http://charterhouse-aquatics.com/sh...o-chips-340g?gclid=CNKxz87MmdICFW4o0wodBPsCPw


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## kittih (Jan 19, 2014)

When I raised my Krib fry I only ended up with 10 out of 100 babies despite their parents and my care. Unfortunately fish produce large nos of fry just to ensure a few survive but it is still frustrating and sad to lose them. :-(


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## NaomiM (Sep 22, 2012)

magpie said:


> Thanks, yep definitely only 11, I've counted and recounted and there's nowhere for them to hide really. Just feel awful about it
> 
> I also think I really need to get them into a bigger volume of water, even though they are still small they are creating a lot of mess. I have some storage boxes but I think they look too flimsy to hold water.


I know how you feel. I lost a cory once when I was transferring all my fish into a new tank so that I could re-fit the old tank. The cory somehow got into the filter housing, must have survived there for a couple of days in an inch or so of dirty water, then got tipped out into the bath when I was cleaning out the old tank! I tried to rescue it but it died the next day and I felt awful! However, these accidents happen sometimes and there's no point beating ourselves up over them.


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

Thanks for the replies 

I've ordered one of the 'really useful' boxes, as I tried mine with some water and it definitely didn't look very safe. So that should be here tomorrow and the 11 will have some more space.


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

All settled into their new home, hopefully this will be it until they are big enough to go in with the adults. It's only 64L, but the tank they were in previously was only 30L and quite square in shape, so it's a lot more volume and swimming room for them


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## kittih (Jan 19, 2014)

magpie said:


> All settled into their new home


It looks lovely. They are getting quite big now.


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

The babies are now over 6 weeks old, and the 11 are doing well! The storage box 'tank' is rubbish for taking pictures as it's not clear, so I popped them in a smaller container just for a photo... for size reference, it's the plastic top off an API master test kit (well washed first of course)


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## kittih (Jan 19, 2014)

Look like proper goldfish now


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## 3dogs2cats (Aug 15, 2012)

Oh wow they look so grown-up now! I did think crikey they have grown huge so quickly then I went back and read they are in an API test kit lid


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

3dogs2cats said:


> Oh wow they look so grown-up now! I did think crikey they have grown huge so quickly then I went back and read they are in an API test kit lid


Haha! Yes, they are still pretty small, though huge compared to how they started out 

I just wish some of them would change colour, as they are still really difficult to tell apart!


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

8 weeks, still no colour to tell them apart!! 10 babies left and I've attempted to take pictures to try and help me monitor them as individuals, as it's really tricky when there is so little difference between them! And they are going to need names at some point 

First up is the biggest one (1) and the smallest one (2). The smallest one is also darker than all the rest (more noticeable from the top), and has a slight, hook-shaped curve to it's tail:



The one with the most wide-spread fan tail (3), and one with a damaged/deformed gill plate on it's right side (4):



The 'triplets' (5,6 & 7)! Slightly smaller than the biggest one but not by much, and there really isn't anything to tell them apart:


8 has slightly outward curling gill plates and is a bit smaller than the triplets:


9 & 10 again have nothing much to tell them apart. They are a bit smaller than the triplets and 10 is a tiny bit darker (but not as dark as 2!):


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

The biggest six have moved into the adult tank 




They seem to be doing fine, they all stuck together at the top of the tank to begin with, but they are now exploring and the adults are pretty much ignoring them 

The remaining four are still in the baby tank, I'm going to give them another week or so to try and help them catch up in size a bit before moving them over too.


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## kittih (Jan 19, 2014)

They look huge in their own tank but tiny next to the adult. 

Are you planning to find homes for some or keep them all ?


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

kittih said:


> They look huge in their own tank but tiny next to the adult.
> 
> Are you planning to find homes for some or keep them all ?


Keep them for the moment, as they are still so little. Eventually I probably will need to rehome some of them, assuming I can find some good homes! I think it would get a bit crowded in my tank with 12 fish, especially if they all end up growing to a decent size.


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## 3dogs2cats (Aug 15, 2012)

They are so lovely! What are we thinking for names? A theme, book/film characters? All names start with same letter? We need to get making suggestions soon


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

3dogs2cats said:


> They are so lovely! What are we thinking for names? A theme, book/film characters? All names start with same letter? We need to get making suggestions soon


A couple of them have names now, I'm just going with what seems to suit them 

The little one is Captain, because being so tiny it needs to be in charge  The one with the really wide spread tail is Kite, the one with the damaged gill plate is Torri (welsh word for 'broken', lol), the one with the curled gills is Merino (type of sheep... sheep have curly wool, he/she has curly gills), and the biggest one is Velchez or Chez for short (named by someone else, apparently the word means 'huge' in another language).

The rest I'm struggling with, because they all still look really similar to each other! Wish me some colour changes for them!


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## kittih (Jan 19, 2014)

Love the names, very original.


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