Gold Fish in 30 Gal Tank...

Aug 5, 2011
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Delaware
#1
My girls have won 6 gold fish @ a local fair. They gave us bags and I told the wife we need a tank. We now have five. Well long story short within a week I bought a used 30 tank set up. From what I read and my fish store also stated that the 30 gal tank would be more the sufficient. I read the first thread and now seeing you guys are saying min a 50 gal? Holy sheepers. I told the store I wanted to add two more small fish and an algae eater to the 30 with the gold fish. I have no idea what type they are but the store told me they will grow no more then 3 to 6 inches. I love the fish and so do the girls. I have done everything I can to insure a proper tank. I even added a heater since I had planned to add more fish...:(
 

Feb 27, 2009
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#2
From what I read and my fish store also stated that the 30 gal tank would be more the sufficient. I read the first thread and now seeing you guys are saying min a 50 gal?
Goldfish generally need 20 gallons for 1, and 10 additional gallons for each goldfish you add. If you want to house 5, you would need 60 gallons or more ideally. It will be very challenging to keep 5 healthy in a 30 gallon tank long term.

If you can, post pictures of your fish. If they are fancy goldfish, the above space is what you will need. If they are comets, they require ponds, not fish tanks.

I told the store I wanted to add two more small fish and an algae eater to the 30 with the gold fish.
What small fish do you want to add? What algae eater? You will need an even larger tank if you are adding more than the 5 goldfish. Compatibility of fish is an important consideration. Are the small fish and algae eater fish cold water fish, or tropicals? You don't want to mix the two.

I have done everything I can to insure a proper tank. I even added a heater since I had planned to add more fish...:(
Goldfish are coldwater fish and do not need a heater.
 

Aug 5, 2011
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Delaware
#3
I don't know what type of gold fish they are. They came from a hillbilly fair so I am pretty sure they aren't the type that go into back yard ponds. I don't plan to upgrade to a 60 gal @ the moment either. The store told me I should be find with the 30. I read somewhere else that stated that as well. However, I won't add anymore fish if I am not able to. On the type of algae eater is unknown. It would be a type that would get along with the gold fish. The store told me there are two types and that they would go over that with me once I got the tank straight. I was able to move the gold fish over tonight to the 30 gal tank. I don't know any names or types of fish so to tell you what two small fish I would add is next to impossible. The store would have to let me know what they would recommend. Getting rid of any of them is also out of the question. Even though they came from the same place but put in separate bags they have grown attach to one another and follow each other a bit. I don't have much in the tank right now as far as decor. Just a small item my youngest daughter bought with her money and a totem pole that came with the tank. I turned the heater off tonight because it was set for 78 as the store told me but when I checked the thermometer it read 80. The water temp is running @ 70 to 72 @ room temp. I guess I will leave it like that for now...
 

Thyra

Superstar Fish
Jun 2, 2010
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Yelm, WA
#4
The fish your girls got are probably the ten cent "feeder fish" that fairs commonly buy as prizes. I buy those for in my outdoor ponds. Some live and some die-- but my original little pool is an in ground 30g thing that I no longer keep up - it has all grown up around it and its in a "natural area" of our yard. I very occasionally add some water to it in the summer and it freezes over in the winter. (I never feed them) To my surprise there are still at least three goldfish that appear to be thriving and growing. They have to have been there at least three years and they are at least as big or bigger than the ones in a big stock tank I have built in by our deck. If they are healthy when you get them, they are tough little fish. IMO, do not get any other fish, get a suction to clean the debris from the gravel once a week and do a 30% - 50% water change at the same time. Scrap algae as necessary (there is no fish that will do a good job at this) Don't overfeed - once a day is plenty. Put your heater away for another time and tank. You will probably have to remove decor and plastic plants fairly frequently to clean. Just remember - tropical fish and goldfish are two different things, but should the goldfish not work out, you now at least own a tank with which you can start over. Oh, if you don't have a filter, that would be a good idea for sure and get a large enough one.
 

Jul 18, 2011
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underwater
#5
The only coldwater fish I can think of to put in the tank are rosy barbs and White Cloud Mountain Minnows. Rosy barbs are a bit aggresive, so I wouldn't go there. However, if you choose WCMMs, they need to be in a group of at least 5, meaning you will need a 70 gallon tank instead of a 60 gallon. Hope this helps!
 

Aug 19, 2011
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#6
The fish your girls got are probably the ten cent "feeder fish" that fairs commonly buy as prizes. I buy those for in my outdoor ponds. Some live and some die-- but my original little pool is an in ground 30g thing that I no longer keep up - it has all grown up around it and its in a "natural area" of our yard.