I recently posted a"how big will these fish get"question...this is the continuation of that...just read this..

Question

ok, so now I know that comets and shubunkins will grow to 16 inches. and they will die of ammonia poisoning before they grow that big. at what size should I bring it back to the store to prevent death? thanks

Answer 1

First off comets won't get 16" perhaps 12.
They will not die of ammonia poisoning before they grow that big with proper care.

How large is your tank? Goldfish need lots of Dissolved Oxygen. This comes from filters, waterfalls, powerheads waves.

Depending on the size of your tank, 1" of fish per sq. foot of surface water. However smaller gold fish can live fine in smaller tanks. Just remember as they grow, they need a larger tank.

Sorry just saw your question and did not see your other.

Feel free to email if you have any questions

Answer 2

No mention of how big they are now or the tank size. Tank size and condition will be the determining factor .... for a large moving fish, 2 -3 gallons per inch of length is a safe rule of thumb. Less than that will be detrimental to it's "mental health". Good tank management and filtration until then will prevent harmful accumulation of toxic materials. Good Luck.

Answer 3

16" is generally a big time over estimate for a tank speciemen, but you should return them or trade them in as soon as possible if you want to house other fishes. They would only die of ammonia poisoning if you don't properly maintain the tank. Some people talk as if goldfish will automatically die of ammonia poisoning, they do if you don't maintain them properly, but are just fine in a clean, well filtered tank.

MM

Answer 4

while they're still small.
fish stores are more likely to refuse larger fish