breeding rosy red minnows and goldfish?

Question

i need info. on breeding rosy red minnows (fathead) and comet goldfish. can you breed goldfish or minnows in a 10 gallon tank.? how do i make a little pond out side with: a shovel, rocks, and some water.

Answer 1

First off to breed goldfish all you need is a 10 gallon tank, but the little goldfish you see at the fish store that are labeled feeders, are not mature fish and will not reproduce. With just a normal tank they will lay eggs and the eggs will hatch, but the adults will eat the babies.
With just a shovel and rocks you cant make an outdoor pond. You need cement, lining, and a big filter

Answer 2

You'll need a much larger tank (or pond) to breed goldfish. Rosy red are possible, however - they should be about 6 months to a year old before they first spawn. The males will get tubercles (like pimples) just like a goldfish, but on the top of their head rather than the gill covers - don't confuse this with ich which it resembles! The males also get a swollen appearance on their head when breeding season comes around once they're mature.

Use a clay flowerpot turned on it's side or a rock ledge/cave for a spot for them to lay eggs. Some of the articles I've used for reference on this are below:

http://www.fishpondinfo.com/rosies.htm - more spawning info
http://www.fishinthe.net/html/section-viewarticle-55.html -more spawning info
http://www.aqualandpetsplus.com/Live%20Food,%20Fathead%20Minnows.htm - good photo of spawning set-up

In addition to what you've listed for building a pond, a plastic liner and filter/pump for aeration. Siting the pond (near a water source for filling, water changes; away from trees; near power source for filters/aeration) and having adequate depth if the temperature is likely to get below freezing are also important. There are tons of websites and books on the subject.

Answer 3

Goldfish are very hard to breed in a small tank. A pind would probably be a better choice or a big indoor tank for warmer goldfish. I would recommend to find another kind of fish to breed such as Cherry Barb because cherry barbs are almost extinct in the wild.

Answer 4

well, it's a a highly debatable topic among goldfish keepers as to what the minimum tank size is for a goldfish, some say 10gallons is the minimum for a fancy, others insist 20. IMHO, 10gallons can be done, but its the bare minimum and larger is better.... so, since you're only considering them and are fine with other options, I'd suggest going with the rosy reds. guppies are a good option as well, they're fairly hardy and are fine in room temp (unless you keep your house colder than normal).