Goldfish

[nutcracker]

Am thinking of getting the kids a goldfish each but have some questions.

1. How much do they tend to be (i'll be getting 3) ??

2. Can i get 3 that look completely different or do they tend to look quite similar ??

3. Can I put all 3 in the same tank ??

4. Shall i get a bog standard tank or a plug in one ??

5. Are they hard to clean out ? and how often do they need doing ?

I've just started keeping goldfish.
I got this but Pets at Home do a lot of starter kits.
Mine came with pump, filter and bubble ornament
IMHO better to have filter etc as it'll keep the water in better nick
Here's a selection from Pets at Home
Goldfish come in different colours. I have an orange one and a red and white.
Our pet shop will charge a couple of quid per fish
I bought a gravel cleaner(syphon type) and change about 1/3 of the water each week
There is a site here that explains more

Hope it helps

be warned - they die.

get a basic book that will give you some tips. ONe of our fish died of whitespot and only after I got a book did I realise it was easy to treat.

Bog standard goldfish are happier in a pond than an unfiltered bowl. They are quite cheap - £2 each. They grow big. They poop a lot and need a lot of maintenance.

Buy a small filtered tank and some White Cloud Mountain Minnows instead. Small, pretty, hardy fish.

Don't forget to cycle the tank before you put the fish in.

here

I have 2 gold and 1 black fish. Perfectly happy in my kitchen. Aged 9and a half!
I have air bubbles going in, but no filter. A plant, and I swear by a product called stress coat, which you put a dribble in of. It coats the body with a slime that protects them. Works for me. I clean them out when sides go green (water stays clear though). They are only ill when we go on hol and neighbour feeds them - think they pine for us! They always get white spot then, so use tonic salt to clear them up - and more stress coat!

Bear in mind that most people put goldfish in too small a tank. They're messy and quickly pollute their own water so you have to keep on top of tank maintenance if you want them to be healthy and have a chance of surviving. They also grow a lot bigger than you see in the shop! So those little toddy tanks you get in P@H are not only completely inadequate but also rather cruel.

Each goldfish needs about 10 US gallons in order for it not to poison itself from its filth and to have room to grow. That's about 30L ish. So for 3 goldfish ideally you'll be needing a 90L tank.

So if you want a smaller tank, I'd highly recommend getting a heater and going tropical instead - much larger choice of fish, most of which are slim-bodied and therefore produce less waste and the warmer water seems to result in less fish illnesses in general.

Oh yes, and agree with Gingerbear - common goldfish are best outside. If you do want goldfish indoors get fancy goldfish as they don't grow to such a large size (although still end up looking like big fat tennis balls by adult size!)