Re: Help from Goldfish Enthusiasts


"Elaine T" <eetmail-fish@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:cTowe.1079$0V3.196@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> bettasngoldfish wrote:
> > The best option is going to inform them in being a responsible pet
> > owner.
> >
> > Very good point : ) A hand out given with the fish and container
> > explaining the proper care and hopefully some of the fish have a
> > chance. I am just concerned that when people see a fish in a small
> > container they think it can remain in it for the rest of its life and
> > that it's okay. As for people saying it's just a fish, well sad to say
> > but people also do that with dogs, cats, horses, the list goes
> > on.....education of the public is one of the most important tools for
> > helping animals/fish. I guess the best place is to start with the
> > children : ) My parents would never let me have fish as a child so I
> > missed out on all this fish bowl stuff ; )
> >
> The fish bowl was fun - my parents were horrified when I came home with
> three goldfish in bags from the fair. They recovered quickly and dug a
> fairly large old drum fishbowl out from the depths of a cabinet. Dad
> had used it to hatch killifish eggs before I took over all his free
> time. :-) Dad learned to keep fish in the days of 10 gallon, metal
> framed, slate bottomed tanks, and most tropicals were kept in tight
> quarters too. Goldfish bowls were not at all unreasonable to him.
>
> Two of my fair goldfish died in the first week. No surprises there. On
> the weekend, Dad got me some anacharis for the bowl and put it in
> indirect sun and I'm quite sure the plant is what kept the water
> conditions decent for the fish. Every single weekend according to Dad's
> instructions, I netted the fish out into a glass of his water, scrubbed
> all the algae out of the bowl, and refilled it with fresh, dechlorinated
> water. So I did a 100% water change weekly.
>
> The fish (I've forgotten his name) grew some, but then stopped growing
> as goldfish sometimes do in small housing. As I said earlier, I'm
> pretty sure he lived about three years. One morning I found him dead,
> and that was the end of my fishkeeping until many years later.
>
> Nowadays, with cheap siliconed tanks, I agree that it's very reasonable
> to expect people to move a growing goldfish to a 10-20 gallon tank if
> they possibly can. We just have to figure out how to tell them in a
> kind way so that they listen.
>
> Oh - and you mentioned giving out bettas instead of goldies earlier. I
> agree that they are better suited for still, unfiltered tanks, but what
> about heat? Again, you're looking at the fish needing more for long
> term health than a critter keeper. I think for a few months, a critter
> keeper with some oxygenating plants suits the needs of a small goldfish
> a bit better than a betta.
>
> --
> Elaine T __
> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
> rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

I am totally with Elaine here. I used to bring home bags and bags of
goldfish from the local fair (something that is now illegal over here).
Originally we kept them in bowls but somehow, I can't remember how (but I
know now), but a proper tank appeared - by this I mean a 10gall, which would
probably be frowned on now but it was one big deal better than those little
glass bowls. I found out a few weeks ago....20-30% water changes used to
happen during the day when I was at school....my mother had gone out and
researched the best care for our goldfish. Unfortunately, I kept "winning
fish" and we ended up introducing infections....but it was a lesson well
learnt.

As I grew up this early fascination coming from the original goldfish
continued. About 17 years ago I decided to try again. I'd got given a 10gall
tank and put some goldfish in (this was prior to the days of filtration
being really understood)...all went well for a year or so until I went on
holiday for two weeks and decided to try an automatic feeder (early days for
them as well) - came back to a lot of dead goldfish :-( Waited a good 8
years before my next attempt - this time a 15gall with a "proper
pump"....bought as a "christmas present" for the kids - we went through a
move and a leaking tank (if I knew what I know now it would never have gone
to the dump) but eventually lost the fish after 4 years. During this time I
decided to try a pond - but again lack of education made this go wrong - the
pond was wrongly sited with no filtration - fish lasted 2 years.

Despondent I decided to give up fish keeping, until Matthew nagged and
nagged for 2 years for a tropical tank....we gave way last summer
(unfortunately this is the one we just lost the fish from). But we now have
5 tanks up and running and healthy and plans to rebuild the lost one....

The fish that I "won" at the fair gave me the taste and a passion I've kept
revisiting....time has given me the determination and patience to learn. If
people are better educated at the start, with what is now common knowledge
but unheard of then "it was just put it in the bowl with a bit of pond
weed", then some of these fish will do well....even those that do not will
maybe instill the passion that I gained, Matt gained, and from the sound of
it Elaine gained....

And yes, in the UK this is now illegal to give fish away like this for the
reasons that you cite....giving care advice is the best thing that you can
do...

Gill


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: goldfish question
    ... > Goldfish get large, up to 12" under excellent conditions so a 3g tank is ... Can you replace this with a 10g tank? ... >> I put a 3-day disolvable feeder in the tank Friday before I left work, ... >> suggesting that making your fish fast now and then is healthy for them ...
    (rec.aquaria.freshwater.misc)
  • Re: gold fish: was Re: bettas in plastic cups
    ... >>> 1 gallon tanks are fine. ... They are goldfish, not human beings. ... > fish" at the store. ... > container of goldfish food from the supermarket. ...
    (rec.aquaria.freshwater.misc)
  • Re: Help from Goldfish Enthusiasts
    ... goldfish who will say it's okay to keep them in a bowl. ... the fish who lose out with this deal. ... to give away fish with a critter keeper why not use bettas? ...
    (rec.aquaria.freshwater.misc)
  • Re: Tank Cycling
    ... Firstly do these fish all get along together? ... many goldfish cannot be reliably mixed. ... > Ryunkin and fantail in to help cycle the tank. ... > So when the first week was up I did a water test. ...
    (rec.aquaria.freshwater.misc)
  • Re: trouble with shumbkins??
    ... Shebunkins ARE goldfish, but they are fast and grow to over 12 inches. ... If you want to start over, get a TINY fantail and be prepared to provide 10g per fish -- the sooner the better. ... Did you float your bag to make certain temperature in bag and in tank were the same. ... Adding fish before your filter can digest waste products from fish and uneaten foods. ...
    (rec.aquaria.freshwater.goldfish)