naive question...

As those of you who read my last post know, I was lucky enough to be in
possession of a Black Moor fish for a month - before I killed the poor
little guy, but that's another story - and am currently scouting around
aquariums looking for some replacements, to arrive once my tank has cycled.

However, I was a little freaked out as the moors they had in the shop were a
good six inches in length (mine was an inch), and to be honest kinda freaked
me out a bit - I'm looking for a small fish, not a monster... what's more,
the goldfish they had were 7 or 8 inches long, much bigger than I expected
they'd ever grow.

Anyway, basic fish questions:

1) I assume the big fish were a few years older than mine was, and will grow
to that size if you keep them alive and healthy in a tank? Who'd want to buy
a fish that size unless they were tossing it in a garden pond?

2) Is that old story true about fish only growing as big as the tank you put
them in? I really don't want to end up with my 21 litre hexagonal tank full
of sea bass-sized critters....

Methinks I need to do a marine biology course...

best

R

El Roberto wrote:

the goldfish they had were 7 or 8 inches long, much bigger than I expected
they'd ever grow.

2) Is that old story true about fish only growing as big as the tank you put
them in? I really don't want to end up with my 21 litre hexagonal tank full
of sea bass-sized critters....


Yes goldfish grow pretty big, and rapidly too. It's not aquarium size
per se that may stunt their growth but the poor water quality that you
get with growing/ large fish in small tank. They also eat plenty of
food -- produce fish poop etc that pollutes. Upshot is, that goldfish
need plenty of space even when you buy a little (young) one. Minimum 10
gallons per fish seems to be recommended. The water volume dilutes
pollutants, provides space to swim etc.

Your tank is 5 gallons, so 3 to 4 white clouds, guppies or neon tetras
may be suitable. The neons would need a heater...
d.

"El Roberto" wrote in message
...
As those of you who read my last post know, I was lucky enough to be in
possession of a Black Moor fish for a month - before I killed the poor
little guy, but that's another story - and am currently scouting around
aquariums looking for some replacements, to arrive once my tank has
cycled.

However, I was a little freaked out as the moors they had in the shop were
a good six inches in length (mine was an inch), and to be honest kinda
freaked me out a bit - I'm looking for a small fish, not a monster...
what's more, the goldfish they had were 7 or 8 inches long, much bigger
than I expected they'd ever grow.

Anyway, basic fish questions:

1) I assume the big fish were a few years older than mine was, and will
grow to that size if you keep them alive and healthy in a tank? Who'd want
to buy a fish that size unless they were tossing it in a garden pond?


I would.
I keep and sell many full size goldys with a soft spot for big moors and
oranda's
they are expensive and bluntly customers like yourself are not the target
consumer.
Anyway I rekon they are great
just need good solid filters for their waste



2) Is that old story true about fish only growing as big as the tank you
put them in? I really don't want to end up with my 21 litre hexagonal tank
full of sea bass-sized critters....

NO!!!!!
you can stunt a fish with lower than needed temp and nutritionally poor food
and **** water
but it won't live long
that is why we say 40L of water per goldfish!!!!




Methinks I need to do a marine biology course...

best

R

A 5-6 inch GF is the normal size for a well grown 1 year old. They were probably
grown in a pond, not a tank. Larger fish are actually more likely to make it in a
tank as they have usually passed certain developmental milestones (genes switching on
and off) without hitting any lethal genetics.
Large GF go into large tanks, like 55 gallon ones. with lots of filtration and
frequent water changes.

smaller fish belong in smaller tanks. Ingrid

"El Roberto" wrote:
However, I was a little freaked out as the moors they had in the shop were a
good six inches in length (mine was an inch), and to be honest kinda freaked
me out a bit - I'm looking for a small fish, not a monster... what's more,
the goldfish they had were 7 or 8 inches long, much bigger than I expected
they'd ever grow.

Anyway, basic fish questions:

1) I assume the big fish were a few years older than mine was, and will grow
to that size if you keep them alive and healthy in a tank? Who'd want to buy
a fish that size unless they were tossing it in a garden pond?

2) Is that old story true about fish only growing as big as the tank you put
them in? I really don't want to end up with my 21 litre hexagonal tank full
of sea bass-sized critters....

Methinks I need to do a marine biology course...

best

R




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