You fellows are likely annoyed with hypothetical threads (like the hypothetical betta sorority that didn't happen because my dad changed his mind about the tank), but I like to plan ahead, so, here goes. My friend has a 20 gallon tank that she is thinking of selling within the next month or two. I told her that I would consider buying it from her. A 20 gallon isn't very big, but I was considering a hypothetical list of species. I would like a species tank, such as a school of cobra guppies, or swordtails, or tiger barbs. Another fish I considered is a smaller variety of goldfish. I think one ryukin or another species would be nice. I'll stay away from comets and read up on other varieties that need more water. My main concern is that goldfish are social and having one might not be a good idea. Has anyone ever kept a goldfish by itself?
Goldfish: How social are they?
- Thread starter littletankbigworld
- Start date
I sometimes think my Indiana Jones (my red/white ryukin) would prefer to be with himself than sharing the 46gal bowfront with six leopard danios, six gold barbs and six white cloud minnows. lol I honestly think as long as you interact with the fish (Indie likes me to come up to the tank and talk to him...it gives him a break from the psycho little fish 
), it'll be fine by itself.
), it'll be fine by itself.
my big goldfish male popeye thinks he is Labrador dog, he dances his front fins on the gravel, left and right (like a dog would do when you try to throw him something to fetch) when i go near the tank, he thinks its feeding time and start doing a circle around the tank and stare..dance, then circle again. my female goldfish orangina is shy, she just darts to the surface makes a splash...to tell she is hungry too. (this pair is in my avatar).
They are very social fish BUT a big huge humgous poop machines, i am totally struggling to keep tank/filter clean in my 46 G planted tank. they grew huge in 3 years (from 3 inches to 11 and 7 inches within 18-20 months) and i hope dearly that they wont grow, now they are growing body girth-wise but not lengthwise (i think).
Unless you have huge 46G or 70G tanks keeping goldfish is bad idea....they tend to get sick constantly in small tanks and die (and stay unsocial due to bad conditions).
They are very social fish BUT a big huge humgous poop machines, i am totally struggling to keep tank/filter clean in my 46 G planted tank. they grew huge in 3 years (from 3 inches to 11 and 7 inches within 18-20 months) and i hope dearly that they wont grow, now they are growing body girth-wise but not lengthwise (i think).
Unless you have huge 46G or 70G tanks keeping goldfish is bad idea....they tend to get sick constantly in small tanks and die (and stay unsocial due to bad conditions).
they keep getting sick like ammonia poisioning, then ick , then swollen bladder/stomach, cotton mouth and others, the bad water (due to lots of poop) becomes healthy breeding ground for all types of parasites/viruses/bad-bacteria to ferment new disease now and then, so its better avoid to keep a goldfish in small tank. If you can afford to keep above 46G for 2goldies and so on, then you can easily go ahead, this is my suggestion/observation obviously, everyone's mileage will vary.
I think I'm going to go with an African Dwarf Frog tank if I do get this tank. I might place my betta and mystery snail in the tank with the frogs. My betta is very good about having a snail in her tank and I read about ADFs, so I see no problem with it. I will probably not add cories since there would be issues feeding the ADFs and the cories.