OK, sorry guys about the last topic, that was a bit vague about tank sizes, I have found out the exact measurments now.

I have a choice of six differant tanks to buy, bare in mind I am only 13, and their for do not have a job, or a big budget.
These measurements are all in English inches


Tank 1 : 18 x 12 x 12 cost: £19.99 ($40.92)

Tank 2 : 18 x 15 x 12 cost: £22.00 ($45.00)

Tank 3 : 24 x 12 x 12 cost: £29.50 ($60.41)

Tank 4 : 24 x 15 x 12 cost: £32.99 ($67.57)

Tank 5 : 30 x 12 x 12 cost: £41.99 ($86.01)

Tank 6 : 36 x 12 x 12 cost: £47.99 ($98.27)



At the moment I have around £35 to spend, but I was thinking ofbuying Tank 4, or saving and getting Tank 5. Just wondering which tank you guys think would be best for the money? And roughly how many fish I could keep in each tank?

I will also need More gravel, some more plants, becase i only currently have 1 red firn type plant and more fish

P.S I already have a filter, an airater, some gravel and 1 fish

not sure how big those are, but each fancy goldfish will need at least 10-20 gallons

OOOOk does anyone else hav any better ideas (no offence) ??

tank 4 is 71 litres, uhm, bit less than 20 gallons I think, so 1 fish could go in there

tank 5 is the same, around 15 gallons, 15.6 to be exact, how much is that amount in dollars, then maybe I could tell u which is best for the price, I would defianently get the longest one

hi fishman - mainly when people talk about gallons on here, they're talking about US gallons 10 US gallons is about 8 UK gallons.

tank 1 = 9.3 UK gallons = 11.2 US gallons
tank 2 = 11.7 UK gallons = 14 US gallons
tank 3 = 12.5 UK gallons = 15 US gallons
tank 4 = 15.6 UK gallons = 18.7 US gallons
tank 5 = 15.6 UK gallons = 18.7 US gallons (not a typo - it's the same volume!)
tank 6 = 18.7 UK gallons = 22.4 US gallons

i got this off a volume conversion site, so i hope it's accurate(!).

people here would recommend 10 US gallons minimum per goldfish, so if you got tank 4 or 5 then you could only really keep one fancy goldfish in it - sorry...tank 6 would allow you 2 goldies.

i'd suggest you have a look in Ad-mag as well - i just got a 45 US gallon tank for £25 - quite a bargain! goldfish are VERY messy, so the bigger the tank, the better and healthier for the fish (and the less stress for you!). also, the more filtration the better - here they suggest 10x the tank volume per hour (you can find this information on the box the filter came in).

hope some of this helps a bit

also, if you want to have more fish than just one or two, you might want to consider getting something other than goldfish that needs less space. there are some very pretty tropical fish that need less water to be happy!

So how bigger tank would i need for 5 fish? And check this out, its about how many fish in a tank -> -> http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-choose...water-fish-tank and so according to that, if i got tank number 5 i could keep 6 fish

hi - for 5 goldfish you'd need a 50 gallon tank (which is like a 4 foot tank - about 48 inches by 15 inches high and wide really) follow this link to see how big goldfish can grow to see why they need lots of space:

http://www.kokosgoldfish.invisionzone.com/...showtopic=54745

the formula in the video you linked to is unfortunately not really enough to keep goldfish happy, mainly because they are very messy fish and it's not fair to keep them in nasty smelly water that can make them very poorly...

also, remember the formula in the video means the total ADULT length of fish, and goldfish can grow up to 12-15 inches (30-45cm) if they're properly looked after

well i was thinking of gettint tank 5 and getting 4 goldfish....

i can understand why you'd want to do that - goldfish are great pets the thing is, if you get that many fish in that size tank, they are likely to get ill and die a lot quicker than if you could get them a bigger home. better to get one fish and enjoy it being happy and healthy, rather than squashing lots of fish in a tank that's too small and them all getting poorly. i started out with 5 goldfish in a 18x12x12 tank, and within 2 weeks there wasn't room for them all to breathe, let alone swim. i know money and space are big issues, but it'll be much better for the fish and you if you can either just get one, or hold out for a bigger tank

The thing is, we have told you how many fish you need to get and what size tank to hold them in. If you don't want to listen and get 4 gf and squeeze them all in a tank too small for them, then you will do what you want. However, I can guarantee you that if you do that, then you will be visiting the disease and 911 forum a lot more often as your fish will get sick and they will die. For all the tanks listed above, the biggest one is tank 6. You could maybe put two GF in that tank, but that is all. The other tanks listed should only have one fish. I have a 29 gal tank and I only have two fish in it and that is all I am putting in it.

The people in the forum know what they are talking about. I am still new to owning fish and I take all the help here I can get. However, there is a DIFFERENCE between asking for advice and following the advice you get. The decision is yours. You can either be a good, responsible, gf owner, or one who doesn't really care about his pets and their quality of life. It is up to you...

It just sound stupid that in a tank the size of tank 5 you can only keep 1 GF, i know it is probaly true for maximum fish comfort though. And i just don't know what to do, because differant places say differant things, iv read that a 1 -3" goldfish needs 4.5 litres of water, on that vid it meant that i could have 38cm of fish, and here people say that a fish needs 20 gallons of water, i just don't now who to believe and what to do

I'm sorry if I was harsh with you. However, most people that will tell you that you can keep 4 gf in a tank the size of tank 4, are ONLY OUT TO SELL GF. They don't care what happens to your fish after you buy them. They only care about money. I know you want more fish. I would LOVE to get a Pearlscale RIGHT NOW. However, I will not comprimise my other two fishies health and add another just because I want one. I was actually thinking about getting a third fish for my tank. My tank looked positively HUGE after I took it out of the box. I thought, hmmm, another fish would be fine in here.
However, after I got two filters on it, three plants, and a few river rocks, it didn't look NEAR as big as it did. I am glad that my two fish have plenty of room to enjoy themselves and grow big and not be stunted. Also, my water quality would suffer more if I added another fish.
The bottom line is that you REALLY need to read up and learn as much as you can before you take this step. We will ALL be here to help you out any time you need us.

OK, well i already hav my fantail, so if i could only get 1 more fish i think i would either get a red cap oranda or a red mettalic ranchu, but im not sure about the money if i could only get 2 fish, i think i will need to do more thinking than i thought, so do u think 2 fish in tank 5 would be ok?

put the money into filtering or UV systems

iv got a 350 litre per hour filter, and an airater and air stone....

In the book I have it says this :

"It is vital not to exceed the stocking capacity for the aquarium size. The recommended stocking eve for a goldfish aquarium is 60square centremetres of water surface area for each 1cm of fish length excluding the tail. So an aquarium measring 60x30x30 has a surface area of 1800square centremetres and this divided by 60cm2 means that it can hold a total of about 30cm of fish (A 24 x 12 x 12in tank can hold 1in of fish.) For exampe either 12 fish of 2.5cm (1in), and move some to other tanks as they grow, or two goldfish of 15cm (6in). However, remember that this is only a guide. Water testing can tell you if your tank is overstocked"

I have calclated that Tank 5 has a surface area of 2280sqare centremetres, divided by 60 = 38cm of fish

38 cm divided by 3 = 12.66cm so 3 fish could stay in their until they reach 12cm long, then ill move them, is that right?

No, I don't. I believe you could put two fish in tank 6...for a while. You're not thinking about long term here. When you get the fish, they are usually small, unless you buy from someone who has bigger fish. The fish are going to grow bigger. The MINIMUM for a fish is 10 gal per fish. As they grow, they will need more room than that.
Why don't you do this, why not save for a 29-30 gal tank, a filter that does at least 300 gph, and THEN buy a second fish. Trust me, your fish will love you for it.
What size tank and filter do you have now for your fantail?
If you could go ahead and save for a bigger tank and filter, you won't need to get a bigger one later on when the fish outgrow it, therefore, saving you money in the long run.
I have two fish in my 29 gal, which gives them almost 15 gals a piece. I bought my 29 gal tank ina kit that included light, filter, etc. I bought a second filter to make sure I had at least 300gph. I only spent 111.00 for the kit and extra filter. I then bought my stand for 65.00. I had to save to do it, but now I am happy that my fish are healthy and in a good place with plenty of filtration and nice clean water.

fancy goldfish need 10 gallons each, more is better, double that for single tails, they get HUGE, if u give them any less, especially when u know its wrong then u r being cruel to the fish and they will be severly stunted and wil live a short life, sorry not trying to ound mean

"I" would get the #4 since "I" like shorter but deeper. I also like "cheaper"

You will hear many theories of how many fish you can have in a tank. I have heard them for like 40 years now... I have no great suggestions though. Maybe add fish one at a time and wait awhile to see how things go. So much depends on the fish, environment, water quality, etc. It is far better to have too few rather than too many. The smaller two inch ones are far better to get in quantity rather than just one "big" goldfish. Of course (watch me get yelled at now), if you pay $5 at the pet shop for them it is not as critical as if you have one $1000 fish... You can probably get three ~2 inch fish in there fine but two will be a bit easier. It is better to have two really cool fish rather than 20 not so cool fish so don't worry about trying to get as many as you can. I have 35 gallons with one fish in it and that is too few but I am playing with the tank and stuff right now.

So to make a long story short, there is no good exact answer. IMHO one 2 inch fish per 5 gallons is about right for LFS type fish. There is also a lot of fun in getting plants, snails, and other cool things! I had a baby cray fish once that lived many years. He stayed small and was really cool! Of course, he took care of any sick fish too

Don't worry too much. Most of the folks that have one fish per 500 gallons "now" started out the hobby with a 1/4 gallon fish bowl

Terry

Don't worry too much. Most of the folks that have one fish per 500 gallons "now" started out the hobby with a 1/4 gallon fish bowl


Yes, Terry, they did. However, they got educated and learned the RIGHT WAY to take care of fish. I am simply trying to help this young boy so he doesn't make the same mistakes that I, and many others, made. If you are going to give him advice on fish care, then please give him the correct advice and information, not just your opinion.

this will help. I use it all the time

TheFishMan, you said that Tank 5 can hold 38 cm of goldfish. That's just wrong. As goldfish grows, their waste production goes up exponentially. A 10 cm goldfish will not produce twice the waste of a 5 cm goldfish, but more like 4 times the waste.

Have you seen daryl's big calico ryukin called Sterling? Sterling is roughly 11-12 inches long including tail, and daryl has to keep him by himself in a 50 gal (200 litre) tank because his size and the sheer amount of waste he produces.

Where do goldfish come from? Asia, right? Asian goldfish keepers (proper ones) recommend 30 gallons (100 litres) per adult ranchu and about 100 gallons (400 litres) per adult ryukin.

Do think very carefully of what you can afford and plan carefully.

I wasnt going to get 38cm of fish, And i don't think they will get 10cm long, bt if they do I can alwys move them to bigger places I wasgoing to get about 6 inches of fish (about 3 small fish) and if they get to big move them to a bigger tank, but the waste will be in TOP condition, because if i see waste, or the water isnt clear i do a 100% water change in the bowl that i have currenty, but i am desperate to move my fantail to a bigger place. I was thinking of 2 of these 3 fish: red cap oranda, red and black globe eye and red mettalic ranchu

I wasnt going to get 38cm of fish, And i don't think they will get 10cm long, bt if they do I can alwys move them to bigger places I wasgoing to get about 6 inches of fish (about 3 small fish) and if they get to big move them to a bigger tank, but the waste will be in TOP condition, because if i see waste, or the water isnt clear i do a 100% water change in the bowl that i have currenty, but i am desperate to move my fantail to a bigger place. I was thinking of getting a red cap oranda and red mettalic ranchu

Quick question, have you learnt about cycling your tank as of yet? Just thought i'd drop that one in for when you do get a tank. Cycling will be really hard with 3 fish in one of those.
It can be hard and unrealistic sometimes to stick to the 20 gallons per fish rule when you first start out with no money etc. Personally i'd get your tank and stick your fantail in to start and see how you go.
You could in theory have 2 small fish in there but the time for upgrading would sneak up very quickly.

Do you shop at Pets at home? sounded like one of their quotes that jargon you spouted

I also want to say that just because water LOOKS clear does not mean it is CLEAN. You need to get a water test kit and worry about getting your fish out of that bowl BEFORE you start worrying about getting MORE fish that you can't care for. You are not properly taking care of the one fish you have, much less getting more.

How am i no looking after him, 100% water changes every weekend, and wash the gravel everyweekend and poo and old food out every weekend? I want an tank but im just saving up, i need about £10. And i wasnt going to get more fish straight away anyway, Believe me if i could I would buy the biggest tank i could find, If i could afford it i could get the pet shop to order a 4 foot long one, that 15 inches deep and 15 inches wide, but it too much, If i saved for that it would mean keeping my fantail in the bowl for ages

getting 3 fish is basically killing them, u can only keep one in there, how would u like to live in ur bathroom ur whole lifew with 2 other people? As I said goldfish can get up to 8 inches not counting their tail, if u put 3 small ones in there they will never grow that big but their organs inside continue to grow which is very painful for them. The 1 inch of fish per gallon of water rule is only for tropicals, even with lots of waterchanges u will kill them slowly.

Thats strange, becase in books I have got about keeping fish, and on websites of fish keeping it says to use that formula I posted before

they dont care about the fish, they want money. If u truly want to give these fish the best life possible then dont get more than one. If ur just gonna ignore our advice and listen to some book then go ahead and make some fish's lives very miserable, although I really dont think u should they're living creatures too! I could show u plenty of websites that say 30-60 gallons per fish, it depends where u look, but anything under 10 gallons per fish is seriously cruel

Sweety, you are doing once a week bowl changes. That is not enough. You need to do 100% water changes everyday, at least once a day, although I would recommend twice or three times a day. Your fish is swimming around in ammonia and eventually, it will kill your fish. You have it in a BOWL, with no filtration and gravel that harbor lots of bacteria, dangerous bacteria!
As Shamu said, you came here for advice, we are giving it, but you don't like what we are saying to you. You are going to do what you want. However, don't ASK for advice if you are not going to take it. I am not going to post back on this thread again as it is pointless. You don't want to hear what we say and obviously, you haven't read ANY of the tips in the forum. If you had, then you would at least have some inkling as to HOW to care for fish and you don't and it is also obvious that you don't want to learn how to have healthy fish. Good luck to you and I am sure we will see your posts on the 911 forum for your sick fish when you come to ask for advice again. Maybe you will listen then? I sure hope so...

Nickie is right, ur killing ur fish! Please take our advice and make the right decision, ur fish will love u for it trust me!

OK EVERYONE, I KNOW I HAVE BEEN A PAIN FOR EVERYONE, ASKING FOR ADVICE AND THEN ARGUEING WITH IT, SO PLEASE READ MY LATEST POST ON THE HELP TOPIC ON THE DISEASE, DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT BOARD. I THINK IT WILL GIVE A BIT OF RELIEFE TO THE PEOPLE I HAVE BEEN TALKIN TO

no need to yell