Beginners fish tank?

Question

i would like to start a biginners aquerium and the fish i want to start off with are 1 or 2 veilfin gold fish an others also i was recomended to get a 10 gallon tank is that enough space?, and is there any other fish that would be well paired with the goldfish. also i would like to know what are the basic equipment needed to start off with. people have told me to get a kit but i think buying things individualy would save me more any sugestions?

Answer 1

Be careful with the term 'beginner's tank'. As a past aquatics manager for Petsmart for 5 years, I always advise at the very minimum a 20 gallon or larger. If you have the money, please go for a 55 gallon. The one thing ALL aqurists say is that they wish they had gone bigger. A large tank is easier to maintain. It sounds strange, but the more water, the more natural bacteria (nitrosomonas and nitrobacter) there are to do most of the work for you.
No, a ten gallon tank is NOT enough for goldfish. Goldfish are related to carp and are notoriously dirty fish. Besides that, goldfish are cold water fish and its hard to maintain a cool temperature in a small amount of water. (Ten gallon tanks usually come with incandescent lights, which burn very hot and heat up the water too much)
You can skip the heater if all you are going to keep is goldfish, but be aware, the only other tank mates you can have is other goldfish.
Many years ago I had a 50 gallon goldfish tank with Ryukins and Orandas in it. When they get bigger, they are beautiful! A friend of mine had a Ryukin who's body alone was the size of a softball! Just keep in mind, goldfish get big fast, and rarely only stay small.

Answer 2

The basics you'll need for a tank is a filter, a water heater, & rocks. Fill up the tank & let it get to the right temp (around 70 degrees - allow 1 day for this). Then put in only goldfish for 1 week to "dirty" the tank. After that, you can add other fish that are not aggressive (they'll say aggressive at the pet store). You should only have 1 fish per every gallon - so if you get a 10 gal tank, you can have 10 fish in it.

Other fish that would be good are neons, tiger fish, & tetra fish. You should also buy a pletcaustomus (sorry, it's spelled wrong - it's a "bottom feeder" fish) to clean the algea etc. from your tank, but wait a week so the gold fish can dirty the tank. Most fish cannot survive in a clean from the faucet tank, that's why the goldfish (which can survive it) need to live in your tank before other fish can.

Answer 3

Well, to start off gold fish are a sturdy fish the only problem is they are also a dirty fish. By this I mean they put out a lot of waste. They are also a cooler water fish. They can stand water that is much cooler than say a tropical fish can. There are various types of gold fish you could put in the tank with what you have chosen. The size of the tank should be determined by a couple of things. 1. hat can you afford 2. how much space you have and 3. How many fish do you want to have when the set up is complete. The bigger the tank the more fish you can have. Also with bigger tanks you less maintenance issues. You will need the basics of which are the tank, gravel, filtering system, food, starter chemicals, air pump. If you decide you want tropical fish then you will also need a water heater. Good luck.

Answer 4

If you are planning to get goldfish with other fish in a 10 gallon tank, you're going to need to do a lot of partial water changes every week. The ideal space for goldfish is 10 gallons per fish because they grow and are messy eaters and poopers. The rule for the rest of fish is a gallon per inch. At walmart you can find a begginigers tank for like 30 bucks. But if you want to buy seperate parts you'll need a filter, gravel, bubbles (for either circulation or decoration), water conditioner to purify the tap water. When you set up, let the filter run for a week so that the water stabalizes itself. If you want you could buy a set to test the water's amonnia and other chemicals that if risen can kill the fish. www.goldfishparadise.com is a good site.

Answer 5

you can do a 10 gallon tank but not with goldfish -- try angelfish, tetras, rasboras, danios, corys, female bettas -- all of them readily available at pet stores. you want to start with 2 fish and add a couple each week thereafter -- don't start with all of them at once. it is better to put in plants and the fish that will rule your tank -- the femal bettas, angelfish, whatever you choose -- and then add the schooling smaller fish. ask lots of questions at the pet store. if they can't help you find another pet store.

you could also do a brackish tank with mollys, platys, and swordtails.

goldfish should have a larger tank and believe it or not are hard to keep because they eat 3 times as much as other fish -- which means 3 times more poop and 3 times more cleaning.

Answer 6

Kits are the best way to begin fish tanks
I would not buy Gold Fish of any sort for a first tank since they are some of the nastiest fish alive. Buying individually things I have found is not cheaper. Yes a 10 gallon tank works to begin with instead of going whole sale crazy if it does not work out for you then you are not out that much money. On the average with tank kit and all you are looking for about $200 for a simple environment. Buy fish at places like PetCo or PetsMart for they seem to have the healthier fish and they do seem to answer your questions better.
http://www.petsmart.com/global/browse_category.jsp?ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023693&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302023693&N=2023693&Ne=2&In=Fish&TS=2%7CALL&bmUID=1168552980865

There are online magazines
http://www.aquariumfish.com/aquariumfish/home.aspx

Answer 7

Kits are cheaper. Do your research. Fish tank maintenance is not rocket science. I would go 20 gallons. You can do it. Fresh water fish can be cool also. There are fire eels that are black with red spots (really nice) and easy. Clown knives are docile and can go with gold fish. The problem with gold fish is that they create a lot of ammonia waste that dirties the water quicker. Have fun and beginners can really expand quickly.

Answer 8

The old rule is one inch of fish (in length) per gallon - so it will take a few goldfish -- or guppies or bottom feeders... You DO need chemicals to neutralize chlorine. You DO need a filtering system. An air pump is optional - especially if you are using live plants. Start there - have fun!

Answer 9

10 gallons is MUCH MUCH MUCH TOO SMALL for 2 veil tail fish. I wouldn't even keep one inside there.

Answer 10

Look for beginners web sites you need a bunch of help.