a couple of questions about gold fish?

Question

hi how do you tell the difrence between a male and female feeder gold fish and what kind of habitat do they like and what is a minimum tank size for them are they ok in a 5 gallon

Answer 1

In the aquarium
The goldfish is usually classified as a coldwater fish, and it can live in an unheated aquarium. Like most carp, goldfish produce a large amount of waste both in their feces and through their gills, releasing harmful chemicals into the water. This also happens because goldfish, like other cyprinids, lack a stomach and only have an intestinal tract, and thus cannot digest an excess of proteins, unlike most tropical fish.[citation needed] Build-up of this waste to toxic levels can occur in a relatively short period of time, which is often the cause of a fish's sudden death. It may be the amount of water surface area, not the water volume, that decides how many goldfish may live in a container, because this determines how much oxygen diffuses and dissolves from the air into the water; one square foot of water surface area for every inch of goldfish length (370 cm²/cm). If the water is being further aerated by way of water pump, filter or fountain, more goldfish may be kept in the container.[citation needed]


Goldfish aquariumGoldfish may be coldwater fish, but this does not mean they can tolerate rapid changes in temperature. The sudden shift in temperature that comes at night, for example in an office building where a goldfish might be kept in a small office tank, could kill them, especially in winter. Temperatures under about 10 °C (50°F) are dangerous to goldfish. Conversely, temperatures over 25 °C (77 °F) can be extremely damaging for goldfish (this is the main reason why they shouldn't be kept in tropical tanks).[citation needed]

The popular image of a goldfish in a small fishbowl is an enduring one. Unfortunately, the risk of stunting, deoxygenation, ammonia/nitrite poisoning caused by such a small environment means that this is hardly a suitable home for any species of fish, and some countries have banned the sale of bowls of that type under animal rights legislation. [6]

The supposed reputation of goldfish dying quickly is often due to poor care amongst uninformed buyers looking for a cheap pet.[citation needed] The true lifespan of a well-cared-for goldfish in captivity can extend beyond 10 years.

Goldfish, like all fish that are kept as pets, do not like to be petted. In fact, touching a goldfish can be quite dangerous to its health, as it can cause the protective slime coat to be damaged or removed, which opens the fish's skin up to infection from bacteria or parasites in the water.

Fancy goldfish are unlikely to survive for long in the wild as they are handicapped by their bright fin colors; however it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that such a fish, especially the more hardy varieties such as the Shubunkin, can survive long enough to breed with its wild cousins. Common and comet goldfish can survive, and even thrive, in any climate in which a pond for them can be created. Introduction of wild goldfish can cause problems for native species. Within three breeding generations the vast majority of the goldfish spawn will have reverted to their natural olive color. Since they are carp, goldfish are also capable of breeding with certain other species of carp and creating hybrid species.[citation needed]

Research by Dr. Yoshiichi Matsui, a professor of fish culture at Kinki University in Japan, suggests that there are subtle differences which demonstrate that while the crucian carp is the ancestor of the goldfish, they have sufficiently diverged to be considered separate species.[7]

If left in the dark for a period of time, a gold fish will turn almost white. Goldfish have pigment production in response to light, which is almost like our tanning in the sun. Fish have cells called chromatophores that produce pigments which reflects light, and gives coloration. The color of a Goldfish is determined by which pigments are in the cells, how many pigments molecules there are, and whether the pigment is grouped inside the cell or is spaced throughout the cytoplasm. So if a Goldfish is kept in the dark it will appear lighter in the morning, and over a long period of time will lose its color.


[edit] Feeding

Common flake fish foodLike most fish, goldfish are opportunistic feeders. When an excess of food is offered, they will produce more waste and feces, partly due to incomplete digestion of protein. Overfed fish can sometimes be recognized by feces trailing from their cloaca. Goldfish need only be fed as much food as they can consume in one to two minutes, and no more than twice a day. Extreme overfeeding can be fatal, typically by bursting of the intestines. This happens most often with selectively bred goldfish, which have a convoluted intestinal tract as opposed to a straight one in common goldfish. Novice fishkeepers who have newly purchased ryukin, fantail, oranda, lionhead or other fancy goldfish will need to watch their fish carefully for a few days, as it is important to know how much the goldfish will eat in a couple minutes of time.

Special goldfish food has a lower protein and higher carbohydrate content. It is sold in two consistencies - flakes that float at the top of the aquarium, and pellets that sink slowly to the bottom.

Goldfish enthusiasts will supplement this diet with shelled peas (with outer skins removed), blanched green leafy vegetables, and bloodworms. Young goldfish also benefit from the addition of brine shrimp to their diet. As with all animals, individual goldfish will display varied food preferences.


[edit] Behavior
Behavior can vary widely both because goldfish are housed in a variety of environments, and because their behavior can be conditioned by their owners. A common misconception that goldfish only have a three second memory has been proven completely false.[8]

Scientific studies done on the matter have shown that goldfish have strong associative learning abilities, as well as social learning skills. In addition, their strong visual acuity allows them to distinguish between different humans. It is quite possible that owners will notice the fish react favorably to them (swimming to the front of the glass, swimming rapidly around the tank, and going to the surface mouthing for food) while hiding when other people approach the tank. Over time, goldfish should learn to associate their owners and other humans with food, often "begging" for food whenever their owners approach. Auditory responses from a blind goldfish proved that he recognized one particular family member and a friend by voice, or vibration of sound. This behavior was very remarkable because it showed that he recognized the vocal vibration or sound of two people specifically out of seven in the house.

Goldfish also display a range of social behaviors. When new fish are introduced to the tank, aggressive social behaviors may sometimes be seen, such as chasing the new fish, or fin nipping. These usually stop within a few days. Fish that have been living together are often seen displaying schooling behavior, as well as displaying the same types of feeding behaviors. Goldfish may display similar behaviors when responding to their reflections in a mirror.

Goldfish that have constant visual contact with humans also seem to stop associating them as a threat. After being kept in a tank for several weeks, it becomes possible to feed a goldfish by hand without it reacting in a frightened manner. Some goldfish have been trained to swim through mazes, push a ball through a hoop, or even swim in a synchronized routine by their owners.[9]

Goldfish have behaviors, both as groups and as individuals that stem from native carp behavior. They are a generalist species with varied feeding, breeding, and predators avoidance behaviors that contribute to their success in the environment. As fish they can be described as "friendly" towards each other, very rarely will a goldfish harm another goldfish, nor do the males harm the females during breeding. The only real threat that goldfish present to each other is in food competition. Commons, comets, and other faster varieties can easily eat all the food during a feeding before fancy varieties can reach it. This can be a problem that leads to stunted growth or possible starvation of fancier varieties when they are kept in a pond with their single-tailed brethren. As a result, when mixing breeds in an aquarium environment, care should be taken to combine only breeds with similar body type and swim characteristics.


[edit] Native environment
Goldfish natively live in ponds, and other slow or still moving bodies of water in depths up to 20 m (65 ft). Their native climate is subtropical to tropical and they live in freshwater with a pH of 6.0–8.0, a water hardness of 5.0–19.0 dGH, and a temperature range of 40 to 106 °F (4 to 41 °C) although they will not survive long at the higher temperatures. They are considered ill-suited even to live in a heated tropical fish tank, as they are used to the greater amount of oxygen in unheated tanks, and some believe that the heat burns them. However, goldfish have been observed living for centuries in outdoor ponds in which the temperature often spikes above 86 °F (30 °C). When found in nature, the goldfish are actually an olive green color.

In the wild, the diet consists of crustaceans, insects, and various plant matter.

While it is true that goldfish can survive in a fairly wide temperature range, the optimal range for indoor fish is 68 to 75 °F (20 to 23 °C). Pet goldfish, as with many other fish, will usually eat more food than it needs if given, which can lead to fatal intestinal blockage. They are omnivorous and do best with a wide variety of fresh vegetables and fruit to supplement a flake or pellet diet staple.

Sudden changes in water temperature can be fatal to any fish, including the goldfish. When transferring a store-bought goldfish to a pond or a tank, the temperature in the storage container should be equalized by leaving it in the destination container for at least 20 minutes before releasing the goldfish. In addition, some temperature changes might simply be too great for even the hardy goldfish to adjust to. For example, buying a goldfish in a store, where the water might be 70 °F (approximately 21 °C), and hoping to release it into your garden pond at 40 °F (4 °C) will probably result in the death of the goldfish, even if you use the slow immersion method just described. A goldfish will need a lot more time, perhaps days or weeks, to adjust to such a different temperature.

Because goldfish like to eat live plants, their presence in an aquarium can be quite a problem. Only a few of the aquarium plant species can survive in a tank with goldfish, for example Cryptocoryne and Anubias species, but they require special attention so that they are not uprooted. Fake plants are often more durable, but the plant branches can often irritate or harm a fish if it comes in contact with them.


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Answer 2

Since nosoop4u246 explained the fact that goldfish need as much 20 gallons because they grow big and long. Then I will explain how to tell a male goldfish from a female goldfish.

It is very hard, but there is a way to tell. If the water is right and the fish are not to small and are about 1 year old then on there pectoral fins(front fins) there will be white dots(breeding tubercles) this goes the same for the gill covers. If you see the dots that means its a male if you can't then its a female.The dots are somewhat hard to see so when you look you could be wrong. These dots will only show if temperature is at breeding temperature. Another way is that the males will chase the females. The ways I have mentioned and the other ways mentioned by the websites to tell sex of a goldfish can still sometimes be wrong so don't guarantee that one is a male and one is a female.


http://www.bristol-aquarists.org.uk/goldfish/info/sexing-fs.htm

http://petcaretips.net/sexing-goldfish.html

Answer 3

No! Goldfish need cold water (70 degrees) and a good filter because the poop a lot! One Fancy Goldfish (Oranda, Moores, etc.) need about 30 gallons per fish and the common feeder/ Comet Goldfish need about 20 gallons per fish! No bowl will ever be acceptable for Goldfish, they get 8 inches long! Why has nobody ever figured this out, everyone always asks how much water does a Goldfish need, there are probably hundreds of posts on this site that already answer your question!

Nosoop4u

Answer 4

Oh my Word, what advice! there are a few simple ways to tell a male from a female goldfish the easiest being with the vent. If the vet is concave it is a male, if it is convex it is a female.
Females tend to have rounder bodies and rounder pectoral fins and their fins tend to be somewhat smaller.
Males are sleeker, with more pointed pectoral fins, and their fins tend to be larger.

Also there are easier ways depending on the type of goldie you have.

Habitat, planted tanks, cooler water and lots of dissolved oxygen. Also pebbles for them to "feel". that is the best home for a goldfish of any kind.

Minimum tank size to start would depend on the type of goldfish you have. Since fancy's and other round bodied goldfish do not attain great lengths, smaller is fine, while other goldfish can get quite large.

A minimum size to start one gold fish is 5 (Many keep goldfish just fine in large bowls with less water) As long as you have a good source of dissolved oxygen (a good filter and preferably a powerhead) you can keep 5 goldfish in 20 gallons. However, as they grow, a larger tank may bee needed.

Good luck with your goldies

Answer 5

a five gallon is fine. if you have 2-4, they will do fine in a 5. They are the least picky fish ever! put them in with a couple fake plants and some gravel and they will do fine!