# The Goldfish Project?



## Bailmint (Jun 15, 2013)

Heyo guys! So, my father has a few fish, and when I saw his goldfish, I was horrified. He loves animals and is a very nice person in general, just uneducated. His goldfish is really big, like almost a foot long and he had it in a 10g. Honestly it looks like a 5g compared to the huge fish in it. He also told me he hasn't been able to do water changes because of work and stuff, and he told me his last water change was like months ago. I did a 50%+Prime today to help him out a bit. 

So, I told him we should at least upgrade him to a 30g. He thought a 30g was steep for one fish, so we thought it'd be a good idea to have some tank mates with him, so I'd need some suggestions for good tank mates. Also if anyone knows of a cheap 30g. He told me I'm going to have to be in charge of this 'project.'

I talked to him on the phone about it and he said if I took care of the tank he'd fund the whole thing and I agreed. So, this is where you guys come in. I'm going to need some help with stocking, which and how many of each different fish to stock it with. I don't want to overstock though. 

Also if anyone knows of any large ornaments and plants for a 30g, let me know.


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## Bailmint (Jun 15, 2013)

Nupe? Nothin? o-o


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

What type of goldfish is it, first off?


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## Bailmint (Jun 15, 2013)

He's a comet.


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## sandybottom (Nov 29, 2012)

a 30 gallon would already be overstocked with a comet that large.if you can keep an eye out on craigslist for a good deal.get a much larger tank if you want to add fish.


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## Bailmint (Jun 15, 2013)

I'm looking at some really cheap 50gs on craigslist, that would be enough right?


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## KafkaDream (Dec 30, 2013)

For comets, the longer the tank the better. They are active fish usually and need ample room to swim cx a 50 is a good size, but I personally love seeing them in ponds.


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## Bailmint (Jun 15, 2013)

Yeah, we had him in a pond. But it's really gross and dirty now. I tested the tank for my dad and it wasn't that good IMO.
pH- 7.0
Ammonia-2.0
Nitrite-0
Nitrate-160


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## Bailmint (Jun 15, 2013)

Okay, so we found a cheap 50g on craigslist. My father is in NC and I'm in VA, he's coming over here tomorrow so he's going to pick it up on the way back.


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## Bailmint (Jun 15, 2013)

Also, I read that Comets are fancy goldfish, and I also read that with fancies you should have 20 gallons for the first one and 10 gallons for every other fancy after that. I'm new to goldfish so I'm not sure on everything, so I wanted to know if I could get a Shubunkin or two as tankmates with the Comet in the 50g?


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## sandybottom (Nov 29, 2012)

comets are singletails not fancies.fancies are the smaller,rounder fish like orandas and ryukins.in a 50 i would only add 1 more fish.you need to make sure you have good filtration though.if you get another fish make sure that you quarantine the fish before introducing it to your other goldie.keep your small tank set up for this.keep in qt for atleast 1 month.and remember to do large water changes every week. what kind of filter are you thinking of using?


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## Bailmint (Jun 15, 2013)

Oh okay. Internet isn't always right so I'm not surprised xD. I haven't looked at filters yet but I've kept them in mind, do you recommend any? How much tank would a single Comet need?


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## sandybottom (Nov 29, 2012)

i would either get two of the big aquaclears,a larger sunsun ?(or other brand,sunsuns cost less) canister(or two smaller ones) or a combo of a small canister and an aquaclear. whatever you get,just aim for 10x filtration.so you are looking at 500 gph. when you see some filters that you like you can always run them by us for suggestions.


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## Bailmint (Jun 15, 2013)

Ooh they're expensive. I'm going to try for 500 but I'm trying to keep the cost low. Would 2 of these work? http://www.amazon.com/Penn-Plax-Cascade-Power-Filter/dp/B0002DJ812


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## JDragon (Jan 28, 2014)

No ideas about anything other than the fact that I love my Aquaclears and they're all I use anymore. No having to change media. Just swish in used tank water and put back in. I would assume it may be different with a high bioload fish like goldfish... Just thought I'd put my 2 cents in...


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## Bailmint (Jun 15, 2013)

I would but I don't want to make my dad pay for it all so I'm trying to find some cheap ones. If I can find out how much I have I'm going to try and pay for at least half of the total filter cost. If the Penn Plax ones are no good I'll try to get the aquaclears, I'm trying to do what I can to save this goldfish. I think he has ammonia poisoning, I tested his tank for my dad and it had 2.0 ammonia, 160 nitrates, 0 nitrite, and 7.0 pH. I've been doing water changes to try and get it down in the mean time though.


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## JDragon (Jan 28, 2014)

I have a Aquaclear 70 on my 55 gallon sorority tank and it works like a champ. Maybe you could get one for the time being with the one fish and decide later if you want to add another filter/fish. 
I would suggest no carbon with extra biomax for more BB... You can fill the Biomax as high as the output/to where it is not dry. I would think that'd get you by for awhile with maintenance. Again, I have no experience with keeping goldies. Just general info off of my experience.


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## sandybottom (Nov 29, 2012)

you really want something that you can customize the media in. i do not think the cascade would suffice.i realize that they are expensive.goldfish are not cheap to keep successfully.you could always go the route of using massive sponge filters with a barebottom tank and 90% water changes weekly.or a sponge filter and a small canister

Amazon.com: SunSun HW-302 3-Stage External Canister Filter, 264 GPH: Pet Supplies

two of these would be great.they are cheaper than the aquaclear 110s.

they are not easy to keep,like i said.the singletails can get massive and have the bioload to match.


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## Bailmint (Jun 15, 2013)

I know, I won him at the fair when I was little (quite a while ago xD) so I kinda did kinda didn't sign up for it. I only would've gotten a fish if I've done my homework beforehand. But in the end I'll pay for the health of the animal. I have almost no idea what a canister is and I have no experience with sponge filters so I'm not sure I want to do that.


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## Bailmint (Jun 15, 2013)

News! Okay, my dad checked my bank and I apparently have $214, so it looks like I can get the aquaclears and not be guilty for making him pay xD.


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## sandybottom (Nov 29, 2012)

canisters are easy and so are sponge filters.there are many tutorials on youtube.check them out before you make a decision.


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## Bailmint (Jun 15, 2013)

Just did, but I feel like I'm going to go in the aquaclear direction. We had a slight change in plans, my mom was a little upset at the costs and how soon dad wanted to get it. So I offered to pay the whole thing rather than just the filters, and we're picking the tank up on Monday. Not much of a shift, just putting it out there. So yep.


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## sandybottom (Nov 29, 2012)

should work out fine for you.the nice thing about the aquaclears is that the flow is slightly adjustable,and the media is easy to customize.


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## Bailmint (Jun 15, 2013)

Thank you and thank you for your help! I don't know what kind of false information I would've gotten (like the fancy tail comet thing xD) if it weren't for you.


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## sandybottom (Nov 29, 2012)

no problem at all.glad to help.if you have anymore questions about care,including water quality,feeding etc. feel free to start a new thread or pm me.


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## Bailmint (Jun 15, 2013)

Will do!


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## KafkaDream (Dec 30, 2013)

Same for me. 
and on the subject of canister filters; they ROCK! Especially for messy fish like goldies. Intense, awesome filtration, and really customizable. The downside is that they do run a bit on the expensive side. But I think a good canister filter would cost about the same as two HOBs for the same amount of filtration (depends on the brand) so there's always that option cx
Best of luck!


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## Sabina88 (Aug 24, 2013)

+1 for sandybottom

I also got a aquaclear for my 50 gallon goldfish tank which has a comet and shubunkin living in it. I really like them, ive had mine for about a year and havent had any serouse problums with it


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## Bailmint (Jun 15, 2013)

UPDATE-So, I got 2 power filters, I believe they're aquaclears; they're 200 gph each. I got the tank, but I got a 30g instead. The 50g was too big and the 30g is almost too big so I settled for it. We tried to set it up today but my mom is a huge b*** and likes to blame everything on me so I decided to set it up tomorrow to calm her attitude down a bit. I'm having a LOT of trouble setting the filters up though.


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## Bailmint (Jun 15, 2013)

More Updates-
So, we ordered a tank stand about a week ago and we assembled most of it today. It was late so we couldn't finish it, but we're going to put the last two boards on tomorrow. (We: My dad and I.) This is the stand we assembled: http://www.petco.com/product/119922....aspx?CoreCat=MM_FishSupplies_StandsFurniture

Tomorrow we're switching the tank from the dresser and sticking it on the stand, assemble the filters, then fill and move the Goldfish. Then on Friday we're going to stop at Petco to pick up a tank mate since they just got a new stock yesterday.

So, still a bit of work to do but it won't be nearly as bad as assembling, I hate assembling stuff. It's so hard. >.<


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## Sabina88 (Aug 24, 2013)

Just checking but what size tank is he moving into?

And just to let you know, in the case of tank mates, try to make sure that you find one that's of a similar size to what you have now, other wise the larger one has the potential to bully the smaller one. But a good thing to keep in mind is that even if they are the same size your original one or your new one might not tolerate the other fish and bully it. 

If you did get the 50 gallon preferably you should just keep your 1 comet in their by himself. But if you really want a tank mate I would go with a shubunkin. They tend not get as large as the comets. Comets average in size potential of 12 inches while shubunkins are about 8-10 but that also depends on the individual fish. 
I personaly have a comet and a shubunkin in my 50 gallon and their best friends and have lived together for a little over a year. You just need to keep up with water changes really well, they can get really dirty really easy.

Good luck with your goldfish and keep us updated :-D


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## Bailmint (Jun 15, 2013)

Eh-a 30g. I had to downgrade a couple gallons because of space. It'll be a smaller Shubunkin, my Petco has some smaller full grown ones (possibly stunted?).


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## Bailmint (Jun 15, 2013)

Ooh, also, should I get a nerite snail or will that just mean more water changes?


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## Sabina88 (Aug 24, 2013)

Since its only a 30 gallon I really wouldn't recommend getting anything else. Its really pushing it with just one. I now its really tempting to get one more goldfish but in a 30 gallon with just your one goldfish both you and your goldie will be happier in the long run.
You can still get snails though . For snails I would go with an mystery snail. With neriets they are for the most part tropical and can in some circumstances live with goldfish i would more recommend them in a fancy goldfish habitate. 
Although mystery snails are pretty messy I really like them. I have 1 left who live with my goldfish. Theyre large enough that the goldies wont really bother them (but there is a chance that your goldfish will pester or potentially eat the snail depending on temperament so keep that in mind).

Having a snail wont necisarily mean more water changes. But unfortunetly the mystery snail which is the only snail that can live in tropical and cold water sold at petsmart. And their pretty messy and heavy on the bioload. Their kind of like the goldfish of the snail world ;p Even with one snail you should be good with a weekly water change as your usual. 
But with good filtration and good water changes you should be fine with adding a snail.


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## Bailmint (Jun 15, 2013)

Thank you Sabina, I've heard that from a few people already and called the tank mate thing off today. So after the hell the fish has gone through and building the stand for two days cause I suck at building, it's finished. Just picked up the lighting and spent about $300 in total.
End result:
Will post more pics later but the construction site is being cleaned ATM xD.


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## Sabina88 (Aug 24, 2013)

It looks awesome, he must be one happy fish. How big is he ?

I wish my comet had more of a comet tail like yours, it looks like mines going to be more a common shape lol

Are you still going to get a snail?


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## Bailmint (Jun 15, 2013)

Thank you again! He's about 7 1/2 inches without the tail maybe, I just know he's a bit over 6 inches xD. Kind of guessing, but he's pretty big from what I can see.

xD Damn, if only all comets had long flowier tails (Like bettas!). 

No I decided against the snail, I've had bad experiences with them and fish a lot. (Long story o-o.)


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## Sabina88 (Aug 24, 2013)

Hes big! Mine are only 4ish at this point. 
lol same too I wish they all had long flowy tails


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## Bailmint (Jun 15, 2013)

Aw >.<
I was able to snap another pic


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## Sabina88 (Aug 24, 2013)

Hes so pretty! I love his tail 

Does he have a name?


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## Bailmint (Jun 15, 2013)

Sorry for late reply, I'm probably just going to call him Comet xD.
I have a quick video of him eating too! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pDDYx1-xS8


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## Sabina88 (Aug 24, 2013)

Its ok,

And haha that will suit him


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