So as a present my boyfriend got me a 10 gallon tank and filter and whatnot, now I have some questions...?

Question

I have one goldfish and a coupon to get another one free! So in my tank will be two goldfish. Now I heard goldfish like and can eat aquarium plants, so what kinds of plants should be put in the tank and how much do they cost?
I have also heard of putting algae eaters in with the goldfish. If I had two goldfish in a 10 gallon tank, how many algae eaters should be put in there also?
With the plants for the goldfish to eat and the goldfish waste for the algae eaters to waste the tank will be pretty much self sustaining, right?
Is there anything else I should know or should put in this tank?

Answer 1

Two goldfish alone would do well, just make sure you don't leave the lights on too long or algae will grow. If you want live plants, your gravel will have to be at least three inches deep, silk fake plants look good in a tank. Gold fish do not eat plants however, you will have to buy fish food for them. Algae eater eat algae, not fish poop

Answer 2

What a very thoughtful gift! A pet can be a very challenging thing. If you are not a pet type person then the best one to start with is a goldfish. But by your question I see you want to do the right thing to care for the fish. But be aware that "small" goldfish may not survive the transition from tank to tank to tank to store to home.

I bought a 10 gallon tank and 10 goldfish knowing that some will not survive. I have 9 goldfish in it now and they are thriving very well and are 4 times their size from 4 months ago. I do not have an algae eater yet but plan on getting just ONE. There must be algae present to support an algae eater.

The tank is clean from the filter and the water is clear. I use bottled water ONLY to add when the tank water level gets low from evaporation. I usually add a gallon of drinking water each month. Never use TAP water due to the chIorine, change the filter every 2 months. A well maintained 10 gallon tank will support several goldfish for quite some time.

I use goldfish food flacks for feeding. I originally bought 2 live plants ($1.79 each) for the tank and have since added 4 more plants from those packets of plant bulbs. They will take a couple of months to begin to grow and not all of the bulbs may grow. When those plants take root I will add an algae eater.

But YES! You can safely add more goldfish to a 10 gallon tank. But no more than 8 to 10. Reason being you may lose one for various reasons, fish health or too small a fish.

When you go to buy additional fish try to get the largest goldfish in the tank. They have a better survival rate.

After a year you may find that the fish will need more room? If all your 8 to 10 fish have survived then move to a 20 gallon tank but don't add any more fish.

Goldfish grow to their environment, so the bigger the tank? The bigger the fish.

Your ONE lone goldfish will need some companionship. All creatures need "like" creatures to thrive.

I have about 75 pets ranging from goats, ducks, chickens, rabbits, dogs, cats, ferrets, snakes, goldfish, turtles and birds. And I NEVER get a pet without getting him/her a friend. Although I do have a tarantula and a scorpion that do not have mates.

But I am searching for mates for them.

So I wish you luck in your gift!

Answer 3

You can ask an employee if you go to a pet store.
First by the rocks and plants, wash them, and put them in the fish tank. Next fill the tank with water and put stuff that gets rid of the chlorine in the water (you can buy a bottle at a pet store or walmart.) Turn on the filter and keep it running for a day. Make sure that the water where the goldfish is and the tank water are about the same temperature. Put the goldfish in the tank. Since the tank just got set up you might want to wait a while before you buy an algae eater. It won't be self-sustaining exactly. Every four weeks you should clean the inside of the glass with a scrubbing thing, clean out the rocks with a gravel vacuum and drain 25% of the water with it, fill the tank back up to the top with water that had already sat out for 24 hours and has the chlorine remover in it, change the filter pad, and be sure the filter's parts are clean. The general rule for how many fish to put is 1.5" of fish (their adult size) per gallon of water. Good luck with your fish tank and fish.

Answer 4

Alot of good advice in the last few. A few things to sort it out:

1)Get an "algae eater" not a pelco. When primal says algae eater she means a pleco. Which confusingly eats algae too. A plecostomus will get way to big, and may decide to suck on your gold fish.

2)A snail is fine if it's a apple/mystery/trapdoor snail. These snails need a mate. Avoid ramshorn snails as they will go from 1 to way to many in a few months. Sadly the "free snails" you often get with plants are generally the take over your tank kind.

3)The disagreements over tank are the result whether or not the answerer is calculating based on the maximum size of the fish, or current. Also they was be assuming one breed or the other. A goldfish depending on breed can reach 5-10 inches in length. So while you could care for 3 goldfish now in a 10 gallon tank. A few years down the road you'll need a 30-50 gallon tank. (This why I like bettas.)

Answer 5

I love that you are asking about your goldies. I breed comets, this is what a feeder commonly is. They have a long flowing tail. They can reach a huge size. It is reccomended that comets get 15-20 per fish. If you have a fancy fat looking goldie, its 10 gallons per fish. This is because goldfish create ALOT of waste. Yes, they are dirty fish. But they can become quite the pet. Mine eat from my hand, and follow me when I go to the tank.
Do not put any plants or algea eaters in the tank. Plants can be harder to care for than the fish. And algea eaters grow big, need a higher temperature, and can harm goldfish.
Also, it would be best to get a filter that should be in a 20-30 gallon tank. And you need to change about 25% of the water once or twice a week. Imagine living in a toilet, not fun. They live longer and stay healthier when you take good care of them.
I say keep the decorations to a minimum. Vaccuum the gravel once or twice a week(you can find gravel vaccuums at any pet supply store), this keeps the tank cleaner. And a few plastic plants, and maybe a piece of driftwood(saoked so it wont float). A 10 gallon is a small tank, hard to decorate if you want room for the fish.
Also, even if you did have plants, you still need to feed them goldfish food, and then you need to feed the plants. And you need to have a light for the plants.
Once your all set up, other than feeding once or twice a day(very little food each time), and changing water once or twice a week, they are quite easy to take care of.
If you have anymore question, go to www.kokosgoldfish.com

Answer 6

No. not exactly. Goldfish will have a LOT of waste. Not advisable for a tank that small. And, some so-called algae eaters don't even eat algae (and they get quite large, put out lots of waste, too). Besides, depending on the lighting of your tank, it may take quite awhile for there to be any algae established.

Realize that a goldfish in a 10 g. is only a temporary combination.

Answer 7

You do have to feed them, you know! Plants alone will not sustain a fish in a 10 gallon tank.

Any good aquarium store will have a wide selection of plants you can add to your aquarium - I always liked Jungle Valisneria, which is long and twisty like grass, and very hardy. There is also a plant known as Java Moss, which clings to rocks or ornaments in the tank and is a nice, dark green. The algae eater is a good idea, but if you don't have the water heated (which isn't really good for goldfish - they like the cold!) you may be better off with a selection of snails.

I suggest you ask your bf where he got the tank, and go back there to set it up properly. By the way, what a super gift! You will get hours of pleasure watching your little guys in there.

Answer 8

Please don't put goldfish in there... That is far too small for a single goldfish, let alone two (if you really want two goldfish, look for a 40-gallon tank). Also, algae eaters usually grow to be 6-12+ inches, and your tank is simply too small for them, as well. Not only that, but some algae eaters are known to eat the slimecoating off of goldfish, thus killing them. Algae eaters do not eat poop, either. They still need to be fed regular fish food (add spirulina or algae wafers to their diets, and they'll be happy campers).

Goldfish are coldwater fish. Because of that, you cannot add an algae eater to that tank, anyway, as they are tropical fish (requiring temps at around 78 degrees). Goldfish are also poopin' machines, so unless you have a really good filter on that tank, count on lots of water changes (more than the traditional 20-40% a week) to keep ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels in check.

You want plastic plants. Real plants tend to introduce snails and disease if bought from an untrustworthy source. With plastic plants, you never have to worry about decomposition, making sure your water is at the absolutely correct pH, and special lighting.

Pick up a heater suitable for a ten-gallon tank. Expect to spend around $15-30 for a good-quality heater (I'm partial to the Visi-Therm line made by Stealth). If you set it to around 78 degrees, you can create a perfect tropical environment for fish.

Instead of goldfish, consider neon tetras (you can keep around seven of them in that tank with no other fish - if you add other fish, the number will go down), corydoras catfish (one or two - keep the bottom clean), ghost shrimp, a single male betta, whatever you prefer. Remember to think about the 1-inch rule of thumb - think about how big the fish you want to get will be when they're adults, and try to keep your fish at 1-inch for every 1 gallon of water. Example: Guppies usually get to be about 1.5 inches+ each, so I would get six (preferably all males, since you're not equipped for babies).

Good luck with your new tank.

Answer 9

Goldfish are dirty fish (they poop alot) but If you have a good filter and clean the gravel at least every other week, the tank will stay clean enough. Make sure to add water conditioner to tank, espicialy if you add something other than goldfish.

Goldfish like cold water, they can live in warmer water but wont like it much. As for algea eaters, go with a single Pleco, thats a catfish. They do a good job cleaning the sides of the tank and are very hearty, they would like a heater but Ive seen them live without it. You might also want to add a golden snail to help clean up.

10 gallon tank IS big enough for a goldfish or two, Im not sure where that other person got her info from. But the general rule is 1 gallon per 1 inch of fish. EX 3- 2inch fish at least six gallons. I would advise on feeding you fish and not having them live off the plants, unless you want them to umm starve.

I never got my goldfish to eat live plants, but plants are good for oxygen, decreasing algea growth, and it relaxes the fish. Amazon sword plants are good. Unpotted are around $2-3, potted plants are around $4-6. Potted are much better because the last longer and arnt unrooted as easily.

Answer 10

Dear god, please don't listen to the person telling you that you can have 8-10 goldfish in a ten gallon tank. That's insane and quite wrong.

10 gallons is barely enough for one goldfish. If you add one or two now, they'll be ok for a little while, but you'll have to upgrade later.

Make sure to do weekly 10% water changes using a siphon gravel vacuum (to remove water and clean up poop/debris at the same time), and use a dechlorinator on the new water that you add to the tank.

Never use bottled water... it's TOO pure and doesn't have the minerals necessary for the fish to thrive. Use regular old tap water and dechlorinator to remove the chlorine.

Buying live plants will be a waste of time and money.... goldfish will tear them up.