i have 2 goldfish in a 5 gallon tank they arnt to big there comet goldfish is the tank to small for them cuz i dont want them to die early so please help!
2007-05-23 14:29:08 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Fish
Erg...
That's an incredibly small tank for them.
Comets grow to like 14 inches so...
Get something like an 30 gallon with excellent filtration.
So far all the answers before me are complete rubbish.
It's is true that they grow according to how big their tank is, but only to a certain extent.
Their bodies will stop growing, but their organs won't.
So their organs will outgrow their bodies, and kill the fish.
In a 5 gallon, your fish will die a slow, painful death.
ßübblëš
2007-05-23 14:36:23 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
I own goldfish and I am dedicated hobbyist so I will make it very simple. Long bodied goldfish need 20 gallons per fish (because they need more oxygen) to ensure optimal growth and on average will hit 8 to maybe 10......24 inches is even a stretch for comets that are kept in large ponds thats not likely unless you have purchased them from a proven bloodline,,,and unless you paid a certain amount for them and had them imported (most of the goldfish that would be rated excellent are not bred in the USA) I would not count on them becoming that large. Whoever said 24 inches is the norm for a koi not comets. Also you should know growth is affected by being raised indoors vs outdoors for goldfish. AT minimal you can get away with 10 gallons per fish with good water changes and ammonia (should test 0-.25), nitrite (should test 0), nitrate testing.....once your tank is cycled keep nitrates below 40ppm. Nitrates can only be removed with water changes unless you buy some very expensive equipment. Also when you buy your new tank cuz 5 gallons aint gonna cut it...it should circulate the tanks volume at least 10 to 15x minimum..( I circulate my goldfish tanks up to 30x)..in other words buy a filter rated for a 40 gal if you have a 20 gallon, basically over filter your tank...your comets will be able to handle it, fancy goldfish will not. I happen to own a few pieces that cost a fancy penny...and I can tell you once you get into it ,its fun and does not have to expensive unless you want it to be..lol. Good luck.
2007-05-25 10:07:48 · answer #2 · answered by stickitywit 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Comets will grow up to 8 - 10"..so yes..a 5 gallon is way too small. Goldfish are messy eaters and put out a huge amount of ammonia (like plecos and cichlids) and should be in 10 gallons of water each for sufficient room to grow and to withstand how much ammonia they put into the water.
For 2 goldfish, they should be in a minimum 20 gallon tank with a filter meant for a 30 gallon. Kept in good conditions and fed a good sinking pellet, lots of water changes, your 2 goldies can live 20 yrs :)
I just saw some of the other answers and there's some untruths going on...don't perpetuate them:
#1 1" fish per gallon
Obviously that isn't right. 10 fish that are 1" a piece can fit in a 10 gallon tank. They are dainty eaters and do not put out a lot of waste. One 10" oscar can NOT fit in a 10 gallon tank. An oscar requires 55 gallons EACH.
#2 Fish grow to the size of their living space
Kind of true. They can't outgrow the tank. They stunt instead. You can put a human child in a cage and it won't outgrow it. Let the kid out 10 yrs from now, his growth is stunted, he is sickly and will die very young. This is because the internal organs keep growing and deform. It is a slow, torturous death.
#3 Figuring out aquarium space by using the current size of your fish. Saying to add more fish bcause they're small RIGHT NOW is insane. Using that logic, we can put 3 adults into a baby crib because 3 of them could be jammed in there as babies...
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.........
2007-05-23 14:36:23 · answer #3 · answered by Barb R 5 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Ditto to barb... the tank may be just fine for now if the comets are really small like the size of feeder fish, but they will need a much larger tank very soon.
MM
2007-05-23 14:47:00 · answer #4 · answered by magicman116 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
actually, comets can get up to 24" so no, that's not a great choice for them. honestly comets belong in a pond. even the smaller types of goldfish need 15gallons each when full grown. if you're looking for fish to keep in a 5gallon I suggest taking back the comets and getting tropicals. however if you're looking for a good tank goldfish I suggest taking them back and getting fancy goldfish which only get up to 10"
2007-05-23 15:06:19 · answer #5 · answered by Kylie Anne 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
use 1 gallon of water per inch of fish, your aquarium is probably big enough for more goldfish, if u wanna add more
2007-05-23 14:33:05 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 6⤋
no i have the same for 1 year and they are happy, fih grow based on the size of tank they are in so just feed them well clean tank well and all will be good
2007-05-23 14:32:29 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 5⤋
you need to put plants in the tank because it gives oxygen for the fish.
2007-05-23 14:33:15 · answer #8 · answered by xGoldScorpionx 5 · 0⤊ 4⤋
the tank should be fine for now. you do have a filtration system on it though, dont you? they shouldnt die that quickly..
2007-05-23 14:33:29 · answer #9 · answered by Nikkib 4 · 0⤊ 5⤋
i think that should be ok but i got a 7 gallon one
2007-05-23 14:31:54 · answer #10 · answered by soul_surfer989 2 · 0⤊ 5⤋