12 Gallon Fresh water tank?

Question

I have one goldfish, at least now I do. My other one died today. his body had developed two nice sized lumps. One one the right side towards its tail, the other just behind its left front fin. I like to think I'm pretty good at keeping the water really clean. Both are/was over 2 years old. I was getting ready to buy a bigger tank to accomodate their growth. My question is why do you think my fish died? And do you think my current goldie is still going to need the bigger tank now that it has it all to itself?

Answer 1

Yes, you will need a bigger tank. Soon the fish will be producing more ammonia than a small tank can handle. The other fish may have had cancer or ulcers that it died of. Only a necropsy would tell you exactly what went wrong.

Answer 2

You absolutely need a bigger tank, even for just one goldfish. 20 gallons or more. Stunting their growth by keeping them in a too-small tank leads to disease and eventually premature death. As for what was wrong with your other goldie, it could be that or a number of other things. Get a water test kit and keep tabs on your water parameters. A healthy tank will have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 20 or less nitrate. Keeping the nitrate under 10 is ideal. If your water parameters do not match this, that is likely part of the problem. 30-50% weekly water changes with a gravel vac maintain good water quality.

Answer 3

First, yes your current fish will need a larger tank and does now in fact. If you want more than one goldfish you need a 55 gallon or larger. The fact that the fish was as old as it was and kept in a tank with only one other fish and assuming you haven't bought any new fish lately all points to your fish having had tumors of some type. Most likely cancer of one type or the other. Nothing you did caused it and nothing you could have done would have saved the fish. Don't blame your self, it's just part of life and having fish.

MM

Answer 4

Maybe your fish had dropsy.

What kind of Goldfish do you have?

The two lumps on your dead fish, were they just protruding and making the scales puff up?


Did your fish lose a lot of weight and his eye looked puffy before he died? Did his lumps look like ulcers?

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Please ignore the person who says you need a 55 gallon tank for a couple of goldfish. The 12 Gallon is fine. I had 6 Medium size fish in a 20 Gallon tank.

Answer 5

Yes go ahead and get a bigger aquarium.I started the same way,at one time I had 5 tanks.Now I only have a 55 gallon tank and I keep the 10 gallon on stand by in case a fish gets sick I can Quarantine them. I also got a subscription to a fish magazine and it was very helpful I still look at them from time to time.I know Pet Smart carries the magazine if you want to check it out.

Answer 6

Goldfish, not unlike many other animals, usually grow to their environment. Meaning, if a goldfish has room to grow more, it will. Not that it won't grow in smaller areas, but it will not grow as much! I don't know how large your goldfish is right now, but use your judgment. Often times buying a larger tank is actually LESS expensive than the smaller ones! A larger tank won't harm your fish (at least not goldfish), but remember a larger tank is harder to maintain as well.

Answer 7

Who knows why it died. Fish are wierd. Just keep the tank for now in case and plan on a bigger one if the one fish looks like it is growing fast.

Answer 8

for just one goldfish, 12 galllons would be great! pay no attention to the guy who said 55 gallons! (he must crazy hehe)... now if you have a KOI, you will have to get a bigger aquarium. you probably dont have a koi though so youll be fine