# This is SPARTA!



## RoMay (Nov 28, 2012)

Okay maybe not really, but I think the goldfish thinks it is. So basically let me explain the situation bluntly and quickly. Roommates have a son, son didn't care for his goldfish, goldfish died, aunties decided to replace fish on the sly without asking mommy first. Mommy didn't want another fish for her son so she put the poor goldfish in a half gallon and put the tank in storage. Fishy went crazy in said tank and just wasn't dying like they had planned; poor fish. Two weeks pass this fish is stubborn and lives on freaking out and loosing many scales (I learned this is also due to attempt to tank him with a betta). Then he is dumped into MY aquarium and made my problem. 

No, not my problem, my minnows problem. Fourze, Kuuga, and Agito have had no peace of mind in the last two days. F.S. I'll put the fish's name abbreviation since his name is a cuss word combined with a derogatory word, has gone off the deep end. He's plowed over decorations, knocked over rocks, tried to eat the seeds, up rooted plants, and keeps swimming head first into the other fish.

Does any goldfish owners know if this is ever going to end? I do not like goldfish but I am not about to offer a live one up to the porcelain god, nor let the poor guy die slowly in a half gallon. And lord knows no one wants to adopt a goldfish.

I think the way it looks right now I think the minnows might kill him.

-sigh- And my poor betta plans of her joining the ten gallon tank got shot out the window.


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## aemaki09 (Oct 23, 2012)

I'm not sure what you can do. I never had any problems acclimating my goldies to bigger tanks. Maybe you should try the sister site...tropicalfishkeeping.com your username and password should work on there!

Best of luck with the poor little guy!
And be careful with him in there with your minnows, not sure what size he is but he could easily eat them when he grows (depending on the type of minnows as well)


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## sandybottom (Nov 29, 2012)

how big is he and what kind ( single tail,double tail?). how big is your tank? i have goldfish. they are clumsy,messy bulldozers. but i love them. are the minnows pecking at him? what kind of minnows? white clouds and rosy-reds should work if its a small comet or common goldfish. goldfish just run into stuff head on.most of the time they are just saying hi. just one of their charms. and they are terrible diggers. potting plants helps. give some specifics and i'll try to help.


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## RoMay (Nov 28, 2012)

http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/images/graphics/cometredwhite.jpg

That is what he looks like but just orange on his head. Sorry my laptop is down at home waiting for a charger so I don't have any pics. Earliest I could get pics is Tuesday. It is a 10 gallon tank, and the minnows range in size. My roseys are smaller then the goldfish and look like twigs next to it. My fathead is a smidge shorter but more built then the other two minnows (roommate calls him a Piranha). 

The minnows would rather do what they usually do chill under the filter or hide in their tube. The goldfish has been pecked at and well got his fins kicked by the minnows already. One of the first thing he did was swim into the minnows tube while all three minnows where in there (hiding from him). Four fish + one tiny tube = Inevitable fight. If you haven't guessed already the goldfishes main issue with the other fish right now is he won't stop annoying them.

There's plenty of places to hide in the tank. There is also goldfish cave and four sided PVC connector. Their is also several plants and a large Balinese Lantern Ornament. Yet he insists on staying in minnow territory.

My java fern is in a glass in the tank... It's been shredded. Have a grass like plants from goldfishes old tank, he's uprooted them pretty much all. I have Lilly bulbs that he keeps tugging at and dragging around the tank. Basically in a nut shell, he's destroying the tank. If isn't glued down or sediment it gets tore up.

http://www.critterminute.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/torncouch.jpg
This is basically what it's doing to the tank. And I can't keep reaching in there and replanting and fixing everything. I am allergic to some ingredients in the water conditioner.

LOL if goldfish are normally like this, I have a lot of respect for long time goldfish care takers. Two days and I am already going completely nuts.


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## sandybottom (Nov 29, 2012)

your tank isn't big enough for a comet. he needs at least a 30 gallon to be happy. they can get 12+ inches long and will foul your water. and will swollow anything they can get their hands on. goldies are very demanding and are not a good fit for you. try to find someone with a pond. this would be best. i personally love to be aggrevated on a daily basis and this is why i love my orandas.


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## RoMay (Nov 28, 2012)

Tried to find the whole pond thing, and you think living in CA that would be easy. And I know goldfish are known for fouling water; 'nother reason why I don't like goldfish. If we really could find it a home (and home as in not dinner for another fish) it wouldn't be in my tank aggravating me right now. It's actually not my choice for him to be in there, but what em I do do? If I put him back in the half gal I turn into the bad person. 

But at least I know he's doing what goldfish do, and man does this make me want to bang my head on the desk knowing that there will be no end to this goldfish's behavior issues. Maybe I'll split my tank till I can re-home it because I am assuming re-homing it is going to take a LONG time.


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

Poor goldfish  You can try giving him away on Craigslist or bring him to a local fish store to see if they'll take him off of your hands.

Good luck.


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Haha, oh lord yup that's goldfish for you.
I agree on just rehoming him... As bad as it sounds he'd be better off as a feeder now, instead of dragging out everyone's suffering..


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## RoMay (Nov 28, 2012)

Speaking of giving him to pet stores here is a fun fact. Pet stores can have contracts with vets which prevents the surrender of goldfish. My first option but oddly this state does not allow it apparently. I've gotten previous pets from petco that were unwanted dumps for free. As for Craigs list, as I mentioned before I can't find him a home that does not involve him being on the dinner menu.


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## sandybottom (Nov 29, 2012)

or you can learn to love goldies? craigslist for free or cheap tanks? diy pond outside for him made from rubbermaid container? if i had the room and lived in ca, this is what i would try. you may hate them inside but realize that they aren't so bad outside. i don't know your situation. assuming you have the money and room? i feel for you, you're in a bad situation. thank you for being compassionate to your goldie. comets are actually very smart. you tube "smart comet goldfish." seems the can have quite the memory on them.


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## RoMay (Nov 28, 2012)

Sorry I was away for a bit due to a fried power cord. The day after I wrote here last I came home to find four tails sticking out of the plastic tube. Guess if they try hard enough they can all fit in an one inch tube together. 0_o The time when you wish you had a camera but sadly can't get to it. Less nipping, more territorial shoving matches. If you never watched how minnows fight over territory you're missing something funny.


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## sandybottom (Nov 29, 2012)

your goldfish is called a common goldfish. not a comet as i had previously guessed. notice the shape of the tail. they may get along. they are on the compatable species list. but if you havn't had goldies before...they grow fast and have a hugely varied diet. feed lots of fresh veggies if you can. crude protein in their pellet or flake food should be at about 34%. and you may need a larger filter.


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## RoMay (Nov 28, 2012)

For now he seems like a bottom feeder taking what ever the minnows don't eat. Swear that fish needs to get more competitive for food. But it is nice to know goldfish have similar diets to minnows which eat practically anything. He just ate a quite bit of roots from the lilly that's trying to grow so figure he'll be full for a bit. 0_o Well it's nice to know it's not going to be as much as a mess as I feared it'd be. Well mess other then the increased cage pruning and the increasing dead plants.

Dumb question, can you have to strong of a filter for a tank?


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## sandybottom (Nov 29, 2012)

not for goldfish! but seriously,at some point there is overkill. hobs/power filters can put out quite a current. canisters aren't as bad. usually i give 2 to 3x filtration to my goldies,depending on size. best to get something a little too big with variable flow. he's pretty small yet, so you have a little time. he is a cutie. i've had many that resemble him.


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## RoMay (Nov 28, 2012)

Yeah I can picture the minnows and the goldfish with a stronger current. Knowing the minnows they'll swim to one side of the aquarium to the other stop swimming and take a fast trip across aquarium and repeat (they kinda do that now). Now question is, do, and can goldfish do the same thing (ride current).


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## sandybottom (Nov 29, 2012)

it would be too stressful.i do wonder if you can condition them by increasing the current very slowly, over a long time period. well i guess i'm off to study strength conditioning in fish.


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## RoMay (Nov 28, 2012)

well minnows are naturally current swimmers, but I don't know about goldfish. I could yank the tank apart and add an under gravel filter at some time if goldfish gets bigger... .... ... When in this conversation did I start pondering just accepting the guy/gal.


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## sandybottom (Nov 29, 2012)

funny...my first goldfish was against my will. now i always have a tank for goldies.


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## MistersMom (Aug 9, 2011)

lmao, i love the way you said all that, its NOT a funny situation but ..... it made me laugh, sorry about your psycho F!^#@$% S%^&*# fish lmao. Thats awesome.... you should probably just like, fill her bath tub up enough for him and put him in there, with water conditioner of course.


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## RoMay (Nov 28, 2012)

NO MORE FISH! Oh lordy, I got a tiny itty bitty room. To think the ten gallon pretty much takes up the majority of the distance between my bed and closet. XD He has not tore up any decorations today, just mutilated a few plants. My minnows seemed to have decided to move their territory though they still play under the filter. I'm not saying (s)he can stay yet. We'll see,


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## sandybottom (Nov 29, 2012)

mine don't eat.....red tiger lotus,java fern, anubius,amazon sword,onion plant, and apongeton crispus. they nibble at my anacharis,but it grows so fast you don't notice.keeping plants in pots helps to keep them from digging them up. however my two orandas are quite young yet. we'll see if their distructive nature comes out as they mature.


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## RoMay (Nov 28, 2012)

LOL I should send you a picture of the Java Fern now. He hasn't tore anything up today -knock on wood- wonder what he's been up to.


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## sandybottom (Nov 29, 2012)

ive him some veggies. they love peas-no skins, blanched romaine,watermelon,garlic,cooked red peppers-no skin,broccoli,chard,zucchini,cucumbers... honestly the list goes on.i'd feed mine beets if it wouldn't turn them purple. these things need to be bite size obviously. new life science is my pellet food of choice as the ingredients contain 14 fruits and vegetables along with b12,niacin,folic acid and a bunch of other good stuff. your minnows would benefit also. it is a bit spendy at about 10$ for5.3 oz (150g) but very worth it.imo. they gettin along better?


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## RoMay (Nov 28, 2012)

I think they developed a system. The minnows dig in the gravel and the goldfish waits for anything to float up. There's been some territorial disputes since it still doesn't under stand personal space, but I think things might be ironing out. Just keep up on plants to keep the goldfish from getting bored.


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## sandybottom (Nov 29, 2012)

possibly some more plants. even silk plants would help break up the line of sight and give them a little privacy from the"oaf" in your tank.


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## sandybottom (Nov 29, 2012)

anubius should work for sure. it's used in chiclid tanks. and they devour plants. good, i'm glad they are getting along together, well better anyway.


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## RoMay (Nov 28, 2012)

I was looking at before and after pictures of the goldfish... Goldfish do make drastic changes in tanks. Waiting for christmas to set in to get some plants. So glad I put the Japanese moss ball in with the betta or otherwise I'd really have to filet a fish.


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## RoMay (Nov 28, 2012)

Is it gone yet?

Joking aside, I mentioned earlier he has a few scales missing from his misadventures how long do they take to grow back. I'd try to take a picture but he's very skiddish.


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## sandybottom (Nov 29, 2012)

a couple of months for the missing scales. they may be a different size,color, or slightly different shape. sometimes they come in clear.i think this is more common in white or light colored fish. btw. adorable pic. it reminds me of when i'm trying to avoid the creepy neighbor. seems like he is always outside waiting for me.


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## RoMay (Nov 28, 2012)

I would like to post and update on the goldfish. His name has been changed to Decade due to a joke only a certian fandom would get. At least I can now laugh at him when he screws things up. But him and Fourze (minnow) defently had me giggling this morning; see link below.

http://youtu.be/hKjPZQd38Gw

As for Decade he's become more stream lined. You can kinda see on his sides two little curves in his body that is where his scales are missing. HE went to swimming around in a bowl with no current to current and no round walls. Ceritanly a vast change in goldfish looks.


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## sandybottom (Nov 29, 2012)

hey, they're like two peas in a pod. see you've been conditioning the goldfish.


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## RoMay (Nov 28, 2012)

You can say that, at least I can say my goldfish is nice and fit. I wonder what it'd do if it was released back into a bowl environment... As much as it has irked me I couldn't do that to him anymore.

>_< Looks like I am keeping him after all.


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## bryzy (Nov 3, 2012)

They are quite cute!


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## Kithy (Nov 21, 2012)

Sorry he's been a handful but I must say, I admire people like you.

You get this little fish dropped on you and you refuse to flush it even though it's putting you through so much.

I wish more people were like you


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## RoMay (Nov 28, 2012)

I wouldn't call myself admirable, I am just someone trying to swim with a fishy's tail. How would I like to be flushed down the toilet alive? How would I like to live my life only to one day be incovinent (sp?) and fed to some hungry animal? And now that I have 'em why should I treat it like sheet and love\take care of only my fish. Neglecting one while taking care of others makes no sense at all. Now take to mind the fact the minnows I found at a bus stop it wasn't my choice to have them either. I don't like goldfish but what makes one lost unwanted soul different from another?


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## sandybottom (Nov 29, 2012)

you found your minnows at a bus stop? was someone going fishing? lucky fish to find you. the next person probably wouldn't have done this for them..you my friend, have a strong compassion for animals.a very good moral indicator. someone is getting karma points.


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## RoMay (Nov 28, 2012)

Much to my surprise the goldfish started taking food from the top of the tank. But not in a normal goldfish sort of way; no more of a minnow sort of way. Dash up grab food then head back down, and repeat. Maybe he thinks he's a minnow. Still waiting for him to fight like a minnow.

Anyway roommates kid came into my room. Much to my surprise he recognizes his goldfish and spent a bit watching it. The only way I could get him to leave was to tell him that the minnows where forebears of the monster in my room that eats little boys.

... ... There goes my Karma points right there.


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## Kithy (Nov 21, 2012)

RoMay said:


> Much to my surprise the goldfish started taking food from the top of the tank. But not in a normal goldfish sort of way; no more of a minnow sort of way. Dash up grab food then head back down, and repeat. Maybe he thinks he's a minnow. Still waiting for him to fight like a minnow.
> 
> Anyway roommates kid came into my room. Much to my surprise he recognizes his goldfish and spent a bit watching it. The only way I could get him to leave was to tell him that the minnows where forebears of the monster in my room that eats little boys.
> 
> ... ... There goes my Karma points right there.


Okay, that goldfish is way too awesome! And second... lmao. I wish I could tell my 2 year old something like that!


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## RoMay (Nov 28, 2012)

YEAH you don't want to traumatize your own kids. How else are you going to get them to clean your tanks one day for you?


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## Kithy (Nov 21, 2012)

RoMay said:


> YEAH you don't want to traumatize your own kids. How else are you going to get them to clean your tanks one day for you?


I could live without that xD Mine drives his push car into the stand of the 55 gal which I can't say is 100% stable as it is @[email protected]


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## RoMay (Nov 28, 2012)

Kithy said:


> I could live without that xD Mine drives his push car into the stand of the 55 gal which I can't say is 100% stable as it is @[email protected]


Traumatize that kid now, I can just see the headlines now. 'Fish swarm killing toddler.' Seriously though, have you tried using earthquake furniture straps to keep the stand more stable?


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## Kithy (Nov 21, 2012)

RoMay said:


> Traumatize that kid now, I can just see the headlines now. 'Fish swarm killing toddler.' Seriously though, have you tried using earthquake furniture straps to keep the stand more stable?


Not yet. It seems like it's alright. It doesn't wobble easily or anything. I tested it outside with both myself and my husband bouncing around on it and rocking it a bit. 

I'm fairly sure it's stable it's just that it's old although it's been up awhile now. I just don't trust it enough around my kiddo. The terrible twos have been with us for a long, long time. Normally I watch him closely but husbands aren't always the same.


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