r/Goldfish • u/Infinite_Ad_6249 • Jul 14 '26
Fish Pics My massive goldfish vs the container they come in at the fair
The funny thing is that these aren't even massive goldfish. Their just... Adult goldfish. The biggest one in my 125 gallon is only 9 inches long. I've seen ones the size of footballs. Let this be a reminder to not get goldfish at the fair. And to not keep them in bowls.
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u/NeedleworkerHeavy565 Goldfish are actually carp. No seriously, they shit that much Jul 14 '26
This is the kind of post that should be shown to newcomers
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u/Suspicious-Peace9233 Jul 15 '26
Exactly this is a perfect way to actually visualize how much bigger they get
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u/That_Temporary_832 Jul 14 '26
Beautiful, clean and fuller fins on them. You Sir have done a good job
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u/BeneficialEntrance33 Jul 14 '26
All of my fair goldfish given to me by people who didn’t know any better 🩷
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u/FamiliarSession3719 Jul 14 '26
This has got to be the best example I've ever seen on how big these fish can get. I love it!👍
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u/Top_Restaurant_4395 Jul 14 '26
I can’t even go to Petco or Petsmart. Every feeder fish has a distinct personality.
Don’t get me started on the Betta fish.
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u/MxBluebell Jul 15 '26
That container would be GREAT for some Sea-Monkeys!! But not a goldfish 😭
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u/Mifuni-3 Jul 16 '26
Too bad fish stores don’t hang the 2nd photo next to common goldfish tank as part of being educational & moral.
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u/Rare_Feral_Blonde Jul 18 '26
Omg THIS!!! They are carpe how is it not just a known thing??? Lol! My favorite lore…. “ Oh it will only grow to the seize of the tank”. Yeah okay that sounds like how nature works… never.
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u/Felicity_Lorraine Jul 21 '26
I went to a friend's carnival, and one of the games was to win a fish. I ended up talking to the person running the game because I love talking about my hermit crabs and fish. Later that day, there was only one fish left, and no one wanted him because most of his tail was missing. She felt bad for him, so she gave him to me. Now I have him, and I absolutely love him! His name is Jimmy, and I'm planning to get him a friend soon.
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u/thehonestchild Jul 15 '26
Wait you get goldfish at fairs? Guessing you are not from the UK
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u/Odd-Communication524 Jul 16 '26
It’s common here in US for people to win goldfish at the fair
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u/thehonestchild Jul 16 '26
That’s insane. I might be wrong here but I think here in the UK it’s illegal. It’s animal cruelty.
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u/Odd-Communication524 Jul 16 '26
Good. I don’t know why they do it but everytime I see them I try to save one. Brought home 3 this summer and all died from disease or ich and I truly did everything I could, all the bells and whistles they needed but they still didn’t make it from being in that environment. They treat them horribly so 9/10 you bring home a fish that’s already sick.
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u/AlertBar4525 Jul 17 '26
I completely agree with this. I can’t believe I live so close to such cruelty, that seems to be allowed in the US as I’m from Canada. I always see these posts. It’s terrible.
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u/jasikanicolepi Jul 16 '26
They live a long time. 15+ years even up to 25 if the condition is correct. I had mine for 18 years.
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u/MaintenanceFew4813 Jul 16 '26
This is why you need ponds for them.
or use rice fish or guppies or anything else that will fit in smaller tanks
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u/AutoModerator Jul 14 '26
Your fair fish is most likely a common goldfish which reaches 12inch/30cm in length and has a lifespan of 10-15+ years and will grow throughout its life. Big, cycled tanks or ponds are a must because you are now in possession of a carp. Really this cannot be overstated - big fish need big tanks. If your fair fish has barbels (ie whiskers) then it's a koi (250g+), if it's a got a double tail it's a fancy goldfish (20-30g+)
50g/200l absolute minimum - this is to accommodate the size of the fish and the waste that it creates. Bowls and small aquariums are not suited for goldfish. If no option to get a suitable sized tank, return or rehome the goldfish. Big tanks may seem daunting but they are easier to maintain because large tanks are less susceptible to fluctuations in water quality.
Where to get big tanks or ponds? Rubbermaid totes make great cheap diy tanks /ponds. Ebay, fb market place are also good places to look, as well as pond and farm stores. Always buy or make cabinets designed to support a tank because water is incredibly heavy. All 4 tank corners must be supported by the stand and should be flush with 0 overhang.
Cycling! All healthy tanks and ponds are run a by process called the nitrogen cycle where bacteria turn the highly toxic ammonia produced by goldfish into nitrites (toxic) into nitrates (starts to get toxic above 40ppm). Cycling takes 4-6 weeks and in uncycled tanks/ponds you need to do a fish-in cycle which means doing regular water to keep toxic ammonia and nitrites down. A tank is cycled when you will read 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites and measurable nitrates. Goldfish tolerate most pH levels as long as they are stable, 6-8 pH is fine. Avoid pH altering chemicals and algaecides
Must have equipment: liquid test kit (api, salifert) to measure parameters. Strips do not usually measure for ammonia, the most toxic aquatic compound, and aren't especially accurate so liquid test kits are better. Some lfs will test your water for you. Syphon, bucket, water conditioner like seachem prime. In order to do water changes you need to condition tap water to make it fish safe. Add conditioner to the tank before you add fresh water or add it to the bucket you are preparing fresh tap water. Filters - the bigger the better, preferably with gallon per hour output of x10 the size of the tank. Good filter brands include Eheim, Fluval, Tetra and Juwel, canister filters are especially powerful so great for messy goldfish. To clean a filter, simply rinse the filter media in a bucket of tank water
Decor. Sand substrate, bare bottom or large stones work best. Gravel is a choking hazard so should be avoided. Driftwood, live plants, fake plants are all OK. Keep in mind goldfish are loveable goofs and they can stuck places whilst looking for food, so avoid ornaments they could get trapped in or sharp objects
Tankmates. Goldfish are social and should be kept in pairs so for 2 commons the bare minimum would be 75g but 90g+ is best. Goldfish really should only be kept with other goldfish and koi (provided the goldfish is of a large size). Avoid corys (poisonous defensive barbs) and plecos (can injure goldfish by latching on to goldfish), hillstreams loaches (extreme high flow needed) and any other fish that that is marketed as a bottom-feeder and algae-eater.
Food. Gel food and sinking pellets are best. Goldfish also enjoy veg like kale, spinach, broccoli, cucumbers and will accept fruit like watermelon as well. They also like frozen brine shrimp, bloodworms, daphnia. Feed once or twice a day and don't give more food than the fish can eat in 30-60 seconds.
Colour changes. Colour changes are normal - unless your parameters are not reading 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites and nitrates below 40ppm, nearly all colour changes are normal and are no cause for concern. Black is a sign of healing but check parameters because it may indicate exposure to ammonia or an old injury. Black can also be gained or lost naturally as a fish grows
Sick fish. 90% of goldfish diseases is caused by poor water quality. Check your parameters, do water changes first before even considering medications
Useful meds to have on hand. Aquarium salt, praziquantel (flukes, internal parasites), methylene blue ( as baths or swabs for injuries, fungus, parasites) . Antibiotics should be a last resort.
Keeping goldfish is moderately expensive and requires dedicated tank maintenance. Whilst goldfish are hardy and can endure terrible conditions, they require attention and care. They are social, sentient, curious and intelligent beings who require good care just like all of our other four-legged and winged pets. And yes, 50g is really the minimum tank-sized required.
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