gold fish??

Question

i have a 12 gallon eclips and i was thinking mabey putting 3 fancy gold fish in it. is that a good amount?

also i have had gold fish in the past and they only lived for a little while. does anyone have any good tips of caring for fancy goldfish??

Answer 1

I think that 3 is a good amount in a 12 gallon tank, but I wouldn't recommend putting in any more then that!!
Make sure to have a filter in the tank since goldfish tend to produce a lot of waste. Make sure that you are only feeding them enough at each meal so that they can eat in within 5 minutes. Remember that they are pigs and will keep eating all day long no matter what!! I would make sure to buy a water conditioner, and a test kit, to make sure that the ammonia levels are okay in the tank!
Most of all if you don't want them to die, just do some research and stick to the guidelines!!
Good Luck!

Answer 2

Hi Mary, Sorry to say but 12 gallons is barely enough for one Goldfish & as they do better both in large tanks & in groups of 2 or more rather than singly not a good idea. I suggest you invest in at least a 20 gallon tank with lid & filter then get a couple of Goldies. Read the attached link before planning anything & I'm sure you will have more success next time-properly kept they are extremely long lived fishes.

If a larger tank is not for you then there are many other types of fish that will thrive in a small tank but as I only have experience of Goldfish I won't presume to advise you in detail.

Answer 3

Fancy Goldfish are extremely messy. They also get about 8 inches long, any shorter is stunting. In a 12 gallon, you could only keep one fancy Goldfish, and that is still pushing it. Common Goldfish get about 2 FEET, so a 12 gallon tank isn't suitable for any feeder Goldfish. The reason your Goldfish lived such a short life is, they were stunted (not given enough space to reach their adult size, causing premature death from organ failure).

Nosoop4u

Answer 4

i have 1-1/2 years experience with freshwater fish so i can probably best help with your request.

one goldfish alone requires a 30 gallon tank. each additional goldfish needs 10 gallons of space. for example, you have 3 goldfish, so you will need a 50-gallon tank. another reason for the larger tanks is they grow 6" to 1' in a short time and the waste they create will cause ammonia levels to reach dangerous levels in a smaller tank.

if you are looking for fish for your elipse 12, i would suggest the link below

Answer 5

12 gallons is fine for one or two fancy's. Goldfish don't need 30 gallons of water each nor do they even need 10 each it is a weight vs. water thing. 3 fancys can live happily in a 30 gallon tank.

Fancy goldfish make great pets. The reason most people think goldfish are "messy or dirty" is because goldfish have no stomachs, there fore cannot process foods the way other fish do. What goes in comes out. For that reason goldfish need fed 2-3 times per day. They need a high protein and fiber diet with low fats.

You can supplement their diet with things like Lettuce, mustard greens, turnip greens, collard greens, spinach, peas, endive, Watersprite, seaweed, cukes, kale, chard, broccoli, lima beans, green beans, etc. and feed aquatic plants (e.g. duckweed, azolla, salvenia, etc) or hair algae daily.

For their Carotenoids which are a family of pigments the fish can't make themselves and are obtained as part of the diet. These pigments result in red, yellow and orange colors. Fish have cells called chromataphores. Those cells convert lutein and carotenes into astaxanthin which is the red pigment.
sources include, brine shrimp, krill, spirulina, marigold flowers, paprika, sweet red peppers, yams, carrots, pumpkin

Watermellons and oranges are also good as well as proteins like chicken (chicken livers) beef (livers and parts) and pork as well as worms and bugs.


Also, goldfish need lots of dissolved oxygen in their water. Keeping your tank water 1/2" lower will allow lots of dissolved oxygen to enter the tank from the filter.

Weekly not bimonthly water changes of 25% with a gravel vac is your friend.

Be sure your tank is up and cycled prior to adding your fish with includes using a good dechlor/water conditioner.

Take time to watch your fish. Know what they are like. That way you can catch whenever something is wrong quickly.

As always, if you need help feel free to email me.

Answer 6

not really. fancies generally get about 8" to 10" each and produce tons of waste. goldfish require a minimum of 10gallons each to be healthy and happy, although 15gallons each is preferred. one would be best in a 12gallon.

good tips for fancies...
*do 20% water changes once a week or every other week
*feed an orange slice twice a month, tie a string through the slice and allow to float on the top for goldfish to nibble on
*don't overfeed. goldfish are piggies and will eat as much as you give them, you have to be the judge of when to stop

Answer 7

Fancy Goldfish are fairly dirty fish meaning they produce a lot of waste. Be careful not to over feed and a filter is reccomended but not required. I would not put more than three fish in a 12 gallon tank.

Answer 8

That should be fine. Just be careful to not overfeed and keep the filters clean. Also, make sure you do sufficient water changes while the tank is cycling as goldfish create a great deal of ammonia and they will die from ammonia poisoning until bacteria is established.