Newbie question.

[Rachel]

Hello!

I've got 2 goldfish, who live in a normal plastic tank with no lighting, no
filters, no stuff like that. Just a see through plastic tank thing, with
stones on the bottom, a little sign, and that's it. I got them when I was a
child, you see, so not exactly an enthusiast ;)

Well, 11 years later, they're still going, even though they have lost most
of their colour (mostly white), and one of them has a bloody eye. But they
eat normally, and they are active - always coming up to the top and doing
that thing they do with the lips (sorry, told you i was a newbie!) :)

So, erm, is this normal? I thought goldfish, if kept in that environment,
only lived for 5 years or something?

Should I rename them super fish? :D well, i will anyway. so fnaarr. :p

Thanks for any thoughts
Rachel

[Geezer From Freezer]

Rachel - rename them superfish cos 11 years without a filter is amazing!!
How big is your tank? How often do you change their water? Do you treat their
water?
Them coming to the surface could be that your water has no oxygen, and that they
are
actually gasping for air!



Rachel wrote:
>
> Hello!
>
> I've got 2 goldfish, who live in a normal plastic tank with no lighting, no
> filters, no stuff like that. Just a see through plastic tank thing, with
> stones on the bottom, a little sign, and that's it. I got them when I was a
> child, you see, so not exactly an enthusiast ;)
>
> Well, 11 years later, they're still going, even though they have lost most
> of their colour (mostly white), and one of them has a bloody eye. But they
> eat normally, and they are active - always coming up to the top and doing
> that thing they do with the lips (sorry, told you i was a newbie!) :)
>
> So, erm, is this normal? I thought goldfish, if kept in that environment,
> only lived for 5 years or something?
>
> Should I rename them super fish? :D well, i will anyway. so fnaarr. :p
>
> Thanks for any thoughts
> Rachel

[Rachel]

"Geezer From Freezer" > wrote in message
...
> Rachel - rename them superfish cos 11 years without a filter is amazing!!
> How big is your tank? How often do you change their water? Do you treat
their
> water?
> Them coming to the surface could be that your water has no oxygen, and
that they
> are
> actually gasping for air!

My tank is about, say... 2 foot in length? I think!
I treat it with "Aqua Safe", and I change the water once every couple of
weeks, sometimes longer.. (well most of the time, longer!)

The food is "Aquarium Gold Fish Flake Food".

They only come to the surface when they see me entering the room for the
first time, or when I'm feeding them.

Would you like any pics of them?

Thanks for your reply!
Rachel


>
>
>
> Rachel wrote:
> >
> > Hello!
> >
> > I've got 2 goldfish, who live in a normal plastic tank with no lighting,
no
> > filters, no stuff like that. Just a see through plastic tank thing, with
> > stones on the bottom, a little sign, and that's it. I got them when I
was a
> > child, you see, so not exactly an enthusiast ;)
> >
> > Well, 11 years later, they're still going, even though they have lost
most
> > of their colour (mostly white), and one of them has a bloody eye. But
they
> > eat normally, and they are active - always coming up to the top and
doing
> > that thing they do with the lips (sorry, told you i was a newbie!) :)
> >
> > So, erm, is this normal? I thought goldfish, if kept in that
environment,
> > only lived for 5 years or something?
> >
> > Should I rename them super fish? :D well, i will anyway. so fnaarr. :p
> >
> > Thanks for any thoughts
> > Rachel

[Mel]

Goldfish can live for much longer than 11 years if kept correctly, although
it does depend on what kind you have. I believe fancies live for approx 20
years +.
Mel.

"Rachel" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Geezer From Freezer" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Rachel - rename them superfish cos 11 years without a filter is
amazing!!
> > How big is your tank? How often do you change their water? Do you treat
> their
> > water?
> > Them coming to the surface could be that your water has no oxygen, and
> that they
> > are
> > actually gasping for air!
>
> My tank is about, say... 2 foot in length? I think!
> I treat it with "Aqua Safe", and I change the water once every couple of
> weeks, sometimes longer.. (well most of the time, longer!)
>
> The food is "Aquarium Gold Fish Flake Food".
>
> They only come to the surface when they see me entering the room for the
> first time, or when I'm feeding them.
>
> Would you like any pics of them?
>
> Thanks for your reply!
> Rachel
>
>
> >
> >
> >
> > Rachel wrote:
> > >
> > > Hello!
> > >
> > > I've got 2 goldfish, who live in a normal plastic tank with no
lighting,
> no
> > > filters, no stuff like that. Just a see through plastic tank thing,
with
> > > stones on the bottom, a little sign, and that's it. I got them when I
> was a
> > > child, you see, so not exactly an enthusiast ;)
> > >
> > > Well, 11 years later, they're still going, even though they have lost
> most
> > > of their colour (mostly white), and one of them has a bloody eye. But
> they
> > > eat normally, and they are active - always coming up to the top and
> doing
> > > that thing they do with the lips (sorry, told you i was a newbie!) :)
> > >
> > > So, erm, is this normal? I thought goldfish, if kept in that
> environment,
> > > only lived for 5 years or something?
> > >
> > > Should I rename them super fish? :D well, i will anyway. so fnaarr. :p
> > >
> > > Thanks for any thoughts
> > > Rachel
>
>

[Rachel]

"Mel" > wrote in message
...
> Goldfish can live for much longer than 11 years if kept correctly,
although
> it does depend on what kind you have. I believe fancies live for approx 20
> years +.
> Mel.

Ooh. I have no idea what they are - goldfish to me! :)

>
> "Rachel" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > "Geezer From Freezer" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > Rachel - rename them superfish cos 11 years without a filter is
> amazing!!
> > > How big is your tank? How often do you change their water? Do you
treat
> > their
> > > water?
> > > Them coming to the surface could be that your water has no oxygen, and
> > that they
> > > are
> > > actually gasping for air!
> >
> > My tank is about, say... 2 foot in length? I think!
> > I treat it with "Aqua Safe", and I change the water once every couple of
> > weeks, sometimes longer.. (well most of the time, longer!)
> >
> > The food is "Aquarium Gold Fish Flake Food".
> >
> > They only come to the surface when they see me entering the room for the
> > first time, or when I'm feeding them.
> >
> > Would you like any pics of them?
> >
> > Thanks for your reply!
> > Rachel
> >
> >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Rachel wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Hello!
> > > >
> > > > I've got 2 goldfish, who live in a normal plastic tank with no
> lighting,
> > no
> > > > filters, no stuff like that. Just a see through plastic tank thing,
> with
> > > > stones on the bottom, a little sign, and that's it. I got them when
I
> > was a
> > > > child, you see, so not exactly an enthusiast ;)
> > > >
> > > > Well, 11 years later, they're still going, even though they have
lost
> > most
> > > > of their colour (mostly white), and one of them has a bloody eye.
But
> > they
> > > > eat normally, and they are active - always coming up to the top and
> > doing
> > > > that thing they do with the lips (sorry, told you i was a newbie!)
:)
> > > >
> > > > So, erm, is this normal? I thought goldfish, if kept in that
> > environment,
> > > > only lived for 5 years or something?
> > > >
> > > > Should I rename them super fish? :D well, i will anyway. so fnaarr.
:p
> > > >
> > > > Thanks for any thoughts
> > > > Rachel
> >
> >
>
>

[Geezer From Freezer]

Rachel,

Measure the dimensions - also describe the shape of the fish.

Other questions, do you have an air pump, do you have a filter?