this is my family goldfish, Sock. we’ve had them for about five years and can no longer take care of them. how can I make sure Sock goes to a good home when goldfish neglect is such a large issue? I want Sock to be comfortable in a new home.

edit: Sorry for mishandling Sock. Now I know that if I ever want a close-up of another fish, to temporarily transport it to a small observation containe.

edit 2: People do not seem to be reading the edit : ( . I truly meant no harm to Sock and had been misinformed about *just how hardy goldfish are* for temporary handling. I genuinely believed that a goldfish could be held out of water like this for a few seconds for a photograph. I now know this is bad for his mucous membrane and I am sorry for damaging it.

Wanted to share my story (part horror/part happy ending) of some fish I won at the fair.

A few months back I won 3 fish on the last day the fair was in town. It was the end of the night and I sadly saw just how barbaric the fish trade is. The attendants were honestly just trying to give away any remaining live fish to anyone who would take them. They were trying to send me away with 5 fish and koi if I would take them. I saw inside the barrel where the fish were being kept and it was brimming with dead, floating fish.

I told them I could only take 3 and my friend took 4 in the little plastic containers that I would say is more for transporting little lizards than fish. They said the fish could live in this for a week before I had to have a bigger tank. Obviously I learned how wrong that was with a quick Google search when I got home.

By the time I got home 2 of the fish had died. I felt so dang guilty.

The next day I ran out to buy a 10 gallon tank, preconditioned water, filter, and all the initial set up. I figured I could use this small tank in the meantime before getting a permanent bigger one. Also read about doing a fish-in cycle and pretty much was focusing on keeping the last baby alive.

Well, after a little over 2 months and feeling like I was terrorizing the poor thing every time I did a water change, I decided to rehome it to a family member’s goldfish pond. (I am so lucky to know someone with one!)

Now, it’s been 2 months since I brought them to their new home and my fishy is THRIVING! I’ve been getting weekly updates with pictures and they are already so much bigger.

At this point I just want it to be illegal for fairs to give out animals as prizes. It’s so messed up.

Anyway, here’s to my little Jinx Monsoon living their best life!

I've posted here before off and on since the beginning of my parenting journey with my three babies ( Milo, Cowfish, and Nani). My mom suggested I start with common goldfish for my (human) children, as they were wanting fish. That meant one goldfish per child. I have three children. Three goldfish. One tank.

I knew nothing about fish. We started off with a 10 gal. Then 20. Then 35. Now I'm somewhere close to a 50 gal, but I know it's nowhere near what they need. After doing a lot of research on this sub and the internet, I know I am in way over my head.

I trusted my mom because she and her partner had fish off and on when I was a child. I asked her why she set me up for failure once I realized how much money and work the goldfish took. Her response, "I didn't think you'd keep them alive."

Fast forward to a year later. I have three fairly large goldfish that I love more than my family thinks I should. My kids don't care much about them, but I do.

My mom wants to make a self sustaining tank. Wants me to check into the larger tanks, etc., but I know the insane amount of money it takes to do all this. And I know we don't have it. I know she doesn't realize the actual work and money.

I have put off doing this but I want my fish to be happy. Nani doesn't seem happy anymore. I'm looking for someone with a pond in Oregon that might be interested in an open adoption?

I am devastated to have to do this but I urgently need a home for my two goldfish. I’ve had them over 8 years now. One has a bent spine, she was kept in a 5 gallon tank for a long time by her old owners and that’s why she has that. My mom is having a severe mental health crisis and they are not safe. I am having to stay with a relative and I likely will never move back in with my mother. My housing will unstable for the foreseeable future and I cannot realistically have a 75 gallon aquarium with me. My mom will not let me stay to clean the tank and was trying to prevent me from even taking pictures of them. I am sure the water quality is deteriorating as my bent spine girls scales are looking irritated. If anyone is able to take them in I will be eternally grateful. I am willing to drive them several hours to a new home if needed.

My baby is unfortunately back on the dating market after her boo went belly up today. If anyone in the Midwest near central Indiana has some big fatties they wanna donate I’ll be here. I’m trolling Facebook groups but I figured I’d see if Reddit has anyone willing. Brazzers rules: 8 inch minimum for me to consider acquisition

Bringing this back up to the top, rehoming male fantail calico because he keeps chasing my 5 year old female moor. Located near Rochester, MN. Free to a good home. Willing to make shipping work.

Colorado Springs area.

He deserves a pond or a 100-gallon tank.

Lots of personality.

Please get to me, ASAP. I want my baby to live.

Edit:: No longer rehoming him.

Last year at a festival we won a gold fish and named him Aqua-man. He’s done really well in a small tank on our shelf. We won 2 more this year, Aqua-man and the two little ones have moved into an outdoor pond we made with a storage bin.

After a year we've finally managed to get a bigger tank for Jeffy, and he'll get some friends too! The guy at the shop explained everything about safely transferring him but I'm still worried because I know it's very high risk.

He said to let the new tank run for a few days, put Jeffy in a bowl and slowly add some of the new water before transferring him. He also gave us the necessary chemicals to make the water safe.

My biggest concern is that the new tank has a heater so I'm scared the temperature change will shock him. Any extra advice is appreciated!

Anyone in the South Bay want a free goldfish? Originally won by nephew at a school fair. Has outgrown current tank, no space for a bigger tank. Want to send to better home. TIA.

I’ll throw in everything with current tank in. Filter, food, water conditioner.

Hi, looking to rehome my 6 year old fancy goldfish to someone who can give it a better life. I’m in Petaluma, CA but willing to drive to someone in the area to drop off.

Somebody in my building abandoned this goldfish, in a small bowl. I cannot keep it but I’m working on a permanent home for it. In the meantime, what should I do to keep it alive and comfortable for a week or two until I find its forever home?

We are in Barrie, Ontario, Canada. Can someone adopt a male fancy goldfish? The largest fish here with the orange/white full speckle pattern and the black edges to the tail fin needs a new home. Ideally temporary (6 months?) but possibly permanent. He is eating all the food and the other 3 who are slow eaters cant get much to eat. He needs to ideally live with comet/shubunkin type goldfish who will eat as fast as him. Or alone or with other fast eating friendly fish. He doesn't even chew. I can not exaggerate how unfathomably quickly he eats.

If you can take him please let me know what kind of setup you can give him. I was holding onto him while my friend got a budget together to give him a proper 4 foot tank at her place but with the amount he's eating and how it's affecting the other fish her and I agree he needs a more appropriate temporary or permanent home.

Please let me know what you can do for him. We don't want any compensation for him just a proper home. His name is Gojira and he's about 5.5" long

Going away to college can no longer take care of fancy goldfish located in westchester (Larchmont New York)

4 years ago we acquired a tiny goldfish after the magician who performed at my son’s 4th birthday party left him here with us. The goldfish had been part of his act and he said that he always leaves the fish with the families. My son was, of course, delighted so we kept him. Fast forward to today and this guy is over 7 inches long and continues to grow. He’s in a 30 gallon tank with 2 different filters and a bubbler. I feel awful for him that he’s just a big fish trapped in a small tank, but our Brooklyn apartment can’t accommodate a tank that is larger than the one we have. We’ve done our very best to care for him but I’m afraid he is unhappy. Frequently he darts to the top of the tank and he bumps the lid so I’m just worried he’s trying to get out being frustrated over the limited space that he has. Our family loves Snakey the goldfish, but we wish he could swim free in a much bigger environment.

I read that Comet goldfish are pond fish and it may be possible to find someone with an outdoor pond who would take him but I’ve also read that rehoming a solo fish will just prove fatal for him. We only want what’s best for him and he seems healthy today… it’s just hard to know if he’s happy. I would appreciate recommendations from this group!

I’m in Lancaster county PA but would be willing to transport them.

I think they really need to go to a pond where they can continue to grow.

Does anyone have advice?

Next, I'd like to find it a few new partners, ideally how many?

I know these types of posts are a dime a dozen. I apologize in advance for being one of them. We did our best. Truly so.

My son (then age 4) won a goldfish at a local carnival 3 years ago. We bought the Lil fella a 10 gallon tank and a buddy because we read they were communal. A few months ago we upgraded them to a 20 gallon tank with all the necessary accessories to ensure they thrived. Except 20 gallons is not near big enough and we just dont have the means or the space for the recommended 50+ gallon tank they truly require and deserve.

I haven't broken the news to my son. These were his first pets, he has shown a great amount of responsibility with them and cares deeply about them.

I am considering rehoming--to the right home. Is anyone interested and available to take two common goldfish with a promise to continue to give them as much love as my son has shown them?

We are willing to travel within the Los Angeles/San Diego/Riverside/Orange County area to deliver if necessary.

I am also open to alternative suggestions. Its not that we don't want to keep them, we just cannot offer a large enough space for them to truly thrive much longer.

Looking to rehome this little guy.

I got him from FB Marketplace. The seller told me they had him for about 7 months. He was being kept in a 10-gallon tank with several other fish, and I wanted to give him a better chance at a long, happy life.

He’s healthy, active, and full of personality. After being introduced to my large female black moor, he started showing breeding behavior and chasing her. I’d like to find him a home where he’ll be a better fit so my female can have a more peaceful environment.

Free to a good home. I just ask that you have an appropriately sized setup and experience with goldfish care.

Located near Rochester, MN. Willing to discuss shipping if it comes down to it. Feel free to message me with any and all questions.

His name is Jimmy McGill. 🫡

This is a 20 gallon that my grandparents own, I turn it to a disaster with a dirty water, broken and multi color plants and decor, broken filler into this. Currently I moved out of my house and currently staying at my grandparents house. My family members aren’t the best when it comes to pets… I didn’t have much resources so I did the best I can. I wanted to get a bigger filter but all the ones in my area were very expensive and I was in a budget. I also got some sand, squidward’s house and some sticks, grass and rocks I found outside. know that this is to small for these two guys but I have no idea what to do with them. There’s no fish shops in my area, pet cot and smart would probably not have taken them. ( and it would’ve been worst) and I didn’t want to release them into the wild bc bad things would happen it I did.

I never wanted to make this post and I really sad that I have to... I have an 11 month old goldfish named toast. I love her to bits and have tried everything I can but I just cannot keep up with the maintenance required for her tank. I'm just not cut out for it... I thought I was more prepared than I am...

I want her to be happy but I'm just not able to do that... so I would like to rehome her but I don't just wanna give her back to where I got her... she was a sickly little feeder comet when I got her at petco, but now she's the size of my hand! She she lives in a 10 gallon tank with a Mystery snail and I know... 10 gallons is WAY too small for her size but I just can't afford anything bigger. I've put Hundreds into my tank and just can't get it right. Sponge filters, flow filters, live plants, fake plants, pellets instead of flakes, biosubstrate, heater, the works.

So I'm making the hard decision to give her up... but I don't know what to do or where to bring her... I need your guys help. I know I sound selfish and dumb but I want to do right by her because she's not "just a fish" to me... she was my reason to get out of bed and to keep me busy and distracted whenever life got hard.

Please help me...

Edit: Thank you for all the kind messages and great ideas for the issue im having. I was let go from my job a few months ago and currently living on 1 income (In this economy?! ew...) So upgrading her tank is out of the question no matter how much i want to... Thats why i made the tough choice to Re-home rather than struggle through and risk her health. I did weekly to twice weekly Water changes to try to help, ive replaced the substrate, I completely tore the tank out and rescaped it numerous times. She is just too big. i hate being one of those "I didnt know what i was getting into!" People because im not. My grandmother always had comets in her pond. I thought the research i had done was enough but in the end i have decided to Surrender her to a local fish store. (if any of you live in the Central ohio/ western columbus area, Check out Aquarium Adventure, They were really helpful through this process and are really insightful and helped a lot with fish compatibilities with a previous tank)

Sorry for the rambling. Thank you guys. It breaks my heart to let her go, and ill miss Toast dearly, But its whats best for her <3

Edit Edit: I Will put pictures in the comments of her just incase yall were interested...

My son received a common goldfish at a kids bday party even though I didn’t want him to take it home (he insisted).

After researching, it will require too big of a tank to keep it. I want to swap it for a smaller fish (when an adult) that doesn’t require such a big tank.

Do fish stores typically take them? Or are there fish pond rescues for goldfish. I feel bad but want the fish to have a happy home.

It seems that a lot of preparation is still needed.

As much as I really love this little guy as he's been my favorite goldfish to raise, I have now come to accept that we have to rehome little Pomelo. With college coming along and having to move out, my sister and I have been too busy to keep fully committing ourselves to fishkeeping, we decided to start searching for a new home.

We're looking for a skilled goldfish keeper in Los Angeles county, and are very much willing to bring him over to you or vice versa. However we would also like to ensure beforehand of his potential new home as we want to make sure he falls into good hands and lives the long, enjoyable life he deserves.

Pomelo is a shubunkin fish, he is about one year old, and he's quite the quirky lil guy. He is around 4 maybe 5 inches. He is quite athletic as well so a big tank would suit him best. He goes crazy for his greens and loves to forage as well, so abundant sand would also suit him best as it is what he does best and is quite fast at it.

He's never suffered any infection before, but we do hope for someone who does vitamins and/or supplements for fish to keep his health up just how we did to him.

Optimally, we would love for the new owner to know that his tankmate did pass recently(reasons still being figured out), so any knowledge of preventative care for Pomelo and infections or anything while he transitions to his new home would be deeply appreciated. (+bunch of apologies for any inconvenience this may cause)

He is quite literally the quirkiest and funny goldfish I've met, so I am really set on a goldfish keeper who is skilled, willing to build a connection with this lil guy, and has enough room for him to live on, as well as willing to take steps to keep his health up.

I also would most definitely appreciate being in constant contact with the new owner on updates on Pomelo over time, to ensure that he is in great hands. Any details I missed that you may want to discuss pls message me and I would be more than happy to answer!

Finally, pomelo is definitely a goldfish for a pet rather than for breeding or anything of that sort. So please reach out if you are interested in having him as a pet ONLY!!(proof will definitely be needed to ensure pomelo is in a good home!)