yukoandk

I feel really bad for my red cap oranda--she's been chased around by three males for weeks now.

One morning about a month ago, I found her floating on top of the water with all her tail-fin chewed up. She spent time in quarantine, gained her strength back and has started to grow her fins slowly but surely. I spent a lot of time trying to diagnose the problem, and I've concluded that she was chased around by males who were trying to spawn and got picked on by others in her compromised state. I had witnessed some of them in a spawning action a few times prior, and there were a koi three times her size and other faster and bigger common goldfish in the tank.

Since then I relocated the koi and the fast swimming kids to a larger container pond, and Jill the oranda is back in the tank doing well. Of five of them now in the tank, three are definitely male with distinct tubercles, and they just seem to love Jill--especially this fantail who won't leave her alone!

Is this because their seasonal clock is messed up from being indoors? Are they still young and can't quite get it done? How long will this have to go on?

gremlin

As long as the conditions are "right" for breeding, they will breed, or at least try to. My sister's goldfish went through 5 separate breeding cycles this last summer. What is the temperature in the tank? Maybe try lowering it to a "winter" temp to stop the breeding behavior. Also, if you have the room for a large enough tank, maybe get a few more females. It is a good idea to have at least 3 extra females in a large group of goldies. That way, the females can get a bit of a rest while the males are chasing other females. Also, put some rock caves or dense plants in for the females to hide in to get away from the males. My females will spend quite a bit of time on my two rock shelves with the males hovering just off the ledges waiting for them.

yukoandk

Hi gremrin!

The temperature is about 68-69F. It's the "room temperature," no heater or chiller in the tank, but it's been slightly warmer now that the heat in the house is on. I will look into getting another female for the tank--not sure if I can find someone who knows the sex of their goldfish. My goldfish have grown to a little over 2" in body size, and there are 5 of them in the 55gal tank. The most I could add comfortably thinking in a long run is one more female, and that still won't be the ideal male/female population?

In a mean time I'll work on creating more hiding places for the females. I'm also considering using a tank divider--I'm worried all this "action" is hindering Jilly's recovery from the last episode. I see her fins trying to regrow, but they just got split again. I don't want to have a divider permanently, but once Jill has a chance to recover fully she may fare better.

Thank you gremrin for your advice.

gremlin

More hiding places would be good. Maybe cut down the amount of light they get? so they think it is winter?

yukoandk

Ah, that's a thought. I'll experiment with the light as well. Thanks again!