Oranda goldfish questions.....?

Question

I really like the oranda goldfish, and, I found out that they have one at my Petco! They are SO cute, but, before getting one, I have a few questions:

1. Are they easy to care for?

2. What kind of tank will one require?

3. Do you recommend any books or links?

Thanks for all of your help! Thanks again, and, 10 POINTS are given in the end! THANKS!

Answer 1

I love goldfish, too- but don't know much about the Orandas
I'm answering only because I saw the Kerry Blue avatar!!! Oh my gosh- I was raised with the most amazing one as my childhood dog and had another when my kids were growing up. I can't seem to find any around the Nashville, TN area.
(I've got 2 tanks of comets, fantails and butterfly koi- I can't imagine that the Oranda is any more difficult. I would get more than 1 just cuz I feel like fish get lonely, too. I would start with at least a 10 gallon tank- but I'm warning you. goldfish are addictive and you may want to go ahead and get a 20! You need a filter pump and possibly an extra air pump- I have the bubble strips in mine. They don't need heat. Decorate with pepples, fake plants -although they enjoy eating live anacharis- and whatever suits your fancy. Feed a ggod goldfish pellet or flake (I like pellets) and sit back and enjoy!) Hope this helps a bit.

Answer 2

Here are the answers to your questions:

1. Are they easy to care for? Orandas require some special diet considerations. To develop exceptional head growth, they will need extra carbohydrates and fatty foods in their diets, but not on a regular basis. Hikari makes a sinking pellet which is a good food for Orandas. Orandas do best in tanks with water temps between 65 - 70 degrees, so you won't need a heater in the tank. Orandas are hardy gold fish, but they will do get swim bladder disorders if overfed, so be careful not t overfeed.

2) What kind of thank will an Oranda require? An Oranda is a goldfish, so it will require a 20 gallon tank with a fitted lid. The tank will need to have a good filter, and I do not recommend an ungravel filter for a goldfish! Goldfish produce more waste than most fish, and you will need to perform partial water changes on a weekly basis. You'll also need to get test for ammonia, nitrites, nitrAtes and pH. The liquid tests are more accurate than the stips, so I recommend getting liquid tests. If you plan on putting additional fish with your goldfish, plan on getting a much larger tank. Goldfish really need a minimum of 10 gallons of water per fish. So, two goldfish would ideally need a 55 gallon tank as you'll be putting gravel, decorations and other items in the tank. These items take up space, so a 20 gallon tank won't hold 20 gallons of water, and a 55 gallon tank won't hold 55 gallons of water. The most important consideration for you tank is the filter. Make sure you can access it easily and that you can use self sizing filter media in it. Goldfish, as I said before are very messy, and you'll need excellent filtration. Being able to access your filter conveniently and a filter that accommodates a variety of media will come in handy down.

3) Do you recommend any books or links?
http://www.goldfishinfo.com/
http://www.kokosgoldfish.com/

Good luck!

Answer 3

They are delicate fish, so please be careful what you ask the pet store staff. From my experience (and others have said the same) almost all petco and petsmart staff have no idea what they are talking about and simply want to please customers and make the buisness popular. Orandas are usually reccomended as beginner fish, though they are extremely hard to care for. The need a big tank- 55 gallons for 2 or 3. Please note this as they do get big, mine is around 6 inches now. Goldfish enjoy company, and feel much safer. Safe and comfortable goldfish are healthy and happy fish. Some lonely fish will even jump out of their tanks to avoid death from a broken heart, to get to the 'Other fish' that is their reflection, ending in a sad and rather cruel death. Stress can cause disease and death. Grooming can also be complicated. Sometimes the wen, the jello like growth, will cover the fishes eyes and need a minor surgery so he can see correctly. Though they are adorable and fun to keep once you have more experience with goldfish doing you a favor.

Answer 4

They do like company so I would say get about two or three of them and put them in a 30 gallon tank. Goldfish get to be decent sized fish. I am not sure how big oranadas get but there wouldn't be any harm in them having some extra room to swim around. Here is a page that talks about goldfish care
http://www.petlibrary.com/goldfish/fishcare.htm
Here is another page with some information about take care of goldfish
http://www.goldfishconnection.com/
I hope you enjoy your orandas as much as I enjoy my comets and shubunkins.

Answer 5

1. No, they are delicate fish, and need large water changes weekly. They require pristine water conditions.
2. At least a 10 gallon for one fish, a 20 gallon for one would be better. Also need a higher capasity filter, airator and heater to control temperature.
3. Fancy Goldfish A Complete Guide to Care and Collecting By Dr. Eric Johnson and Rick Hess
www.goldfishconnection.com