2007-01-25 18:32:36 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Fish
First off, barbs and gold fish are a really bad mix. Gold fish have long delicate fins and barbs like to chase and eat them. A barb is a lot faster than a goldfish and it really is a match made in hell.
Goldfish, being coldwater fish will need to be acclimatised slowly to a warm water tank otherwise the stress may kill them. Start with a cold tank and warm the water slowly over a number of days.
If you're fixed on keeping the barb then you'll need to get enough for a shoal - at least 5, that way they are more likely to mooch about together than attack the goldfish, although I wouldn't bet on it.
Finally, for sexing fish there are a few pointers but each species is diffierent. Many pointers are the size of the Anal Fin (bottom nearest the tail) - this is broad and rounded in a female and narrow and pointed in a male. Also, particularly in tropical fish, males are smaller and more brightly coloured than the females who tend to be larger and quite plain.
2007-01-25 18:46:42 · answer #1 · answered by BOB 3 · 3⤊ 3⤋
I hope you have a big enough tank for the goldfish. 30 gallons or more. You can tell by looking at the vent area in front of the anal fin. Females vent will stick out more, male will be rounded with the body shape, females will look like they have an extra scale sticking out on bottom. This is not 100% guarenteed though. You have to wait to be sure. If the fish gest white bumps on their gills, and only thier gills, it is a male.
2007-01-26 06:42:47 · answer #2 · answered by bzzflygirl 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
For the barb, it is extremely difficult to differentiate between male or female. More so if there is only one. You can usually tell when the female is ready to mate, her belly is usually rounded and the male will be chasing her most of the time to get her to release her eggs.
The same goes for the goldfish. The female will always be more rounded in her tummy which will be soft to the touch. The male when mature, will have pimples around the anal fin. He will be always trying to head-butt the female's tummy to get her to release her eggs and at the same time he releases his sperms in order to fertilize the eggs.
2007-01-26 10:05:47 · answer #3 · answered by Casey 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Community/tropical fish shouldn't be mixed with goldfish. Goldfish are cool water fish(require cooler temps then tropicals), and they put out a lot of ammonia naturally through their respiration and waste. Barbs are schooling fish, and they need to be with at least 3-5 of their own kind. I'd decide if you want goldies or tropicals, and return one or the other in my opinion. As far as sexing the goldies, here's a link with photos:
http://thegab.org/Articles/SexingGoldfish.html
2007-01-26 02:40:14 · answer #4 · answered by tikitiki 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
usually its easier telling females because they have little spots where the eggs come out. in a lot of fish its difficult because juvenile males will look like they have a spot -- so it can be very hard. in some fish it is easy as the males are usually brighter colors and have longer fins. i think in barbs you can compare them -- males are slightly brighter and narrower. but if you only have one it is hard! if you research this you might be able to find some pictures.
2007-01-26 08:58:17 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
never keep goldfish and bard together in same tank.
2007-01-26 04:13:04 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
NOBODY KNOWS REALLY!
2007-01-26 02:37:42 · answer #7 · answered by ? 2 · 0⤊ 5⤋