f_i_e_a

Hi! I currently have two calico fantail golfish in a 10 gallon tank. I know, too small right. Yes, I am aware of that. :] Unfortunately I just don't have the money or the space to buy a 30 gallon tank for my little buddies. At the moment they are 1.5" and 1" (including the tail) so they are still quite small. I keep my water crystal clear, I treat it with something I got from my lfs that gets rid of the chlorine, ammonia, and chlorammines. My tank is already cycled, the nitrates and nitrites are kept very low, and I vaccum the gravel once if not twice a week - removing between 25-35% of the water while doing so. I also just installed an air pump with a 10" bubble bar just in case the water had a low oxygen content. I've had them for a bit longer than a month and they seem to be doing just fine. I only feed them once a day and give them peas from time to time. I bought the tank before I knew about the whole 20gal for first fish and 10gal for each add, so I just went by the inch rule. I figure I have a bit of time before my fish need more room, but I was wondering if anyone knows how long it takes for fancy goldfish to grow? I will definitely start saving for a new tank but I want to know if I should take on a summer job(still in high school) to get a new tank or do I have some time before my fish grow?

Carillon

Hi there,

I can't tell you when you'll need to buy a new tank or what schedule you should work to pay for it, but I can tell you that figuring out goldfish growth rates is a difficult thing. This is because goldfish apparently secrete a growth inhibitor, so their growth rate is affected by the size of their environment and the quality of their water as well as their genes. I've also read that early care has a profound effect on the lifelong growth of the goldfish, so what conditions your goldfish lived in when they were babies might play a role.

Estimates that I've seen for growth rates of common goldfish have ranged from around 1" to 4" in the first year, but fancy varieties may grow more slowly. I believe that the fancy varieties usually take at least a year or two (or three?) to achieve their full size.

Perhaps you can watch your goldfish for a few months and try to estimate how fast they are growing. While not a perfect solution by any means, this may give you an idea of when you'll need a new tank for them. Obviously, the goldfish would probably prefer the sooner the better, but you need to look out for your own finances too.

If I can make a suggestion ... the least expensive place I've seen to buy a tank lately is second hand, in the newspaper or an online marketplace like craigslist, from people who bought it and then didn't learn how to use it properly. They set it up, don't cycle, their fish die, and they decide they don't like aquariums. If you're willing to use a little elbow grease to clean up such a tank, you may be able to afford one sooner than you think!

Radcliffe

Well done in being such a good provider for your new fish! I only wish I was so well versed when I had my first fish tank :-)
I think you do have some time before you will need a bigger tank- a few months most likely.

--R

Butterfly

All good advice ! Keep a watch on the water parameters to judge if you are doing enough water changes. You shouldn't have any ammonia or Nitrites and unless it is heavily planted Nitrates 20 or less.
Keep up the good work and get a larger tank as soon as possible.
Carol

lilsoccakid

i was in the same situation as you, being in high school makes the financial part of fishkeeping tricky. i was at petsmart, and if all you need is a bigger tank they actully sell plain tanks with nothing but the tank for very cheap, i would definetly take a look at them if u have a petsmart near u!

Trpimp147

i think you should be fine with that tank for a while, i had 4 cichlids in a ten gal tank also and thats to be over stocked a few months didnt hurt them in my eyes, but i did up grade tank and they grew like wild fires from a 10g to a 75g is a big step. i also spent like $600 to set it up and still not done i want to get a new light and the one i bought is brand new its just not meeting my wants and needs in lighting the tank. i think you should be good for at least 2 months b/c if im right the fish grow faster when they have more movement from side to side and since they are in a smaller tank it will slow the growth. and for the vets in the site sorry is i put somthing wrong in here just trying to help.