Post by heathen on Feb 4, 2024 17:20:51 GMT -5
Hello. I'm new to the forum and new-ish to the hobby. About 15 years ago my Mom had brought home a little fantail goldfish in a bowl and gave it to me. She and my Dad had been at a Christmas party and that was someone's party gift contribution. I imagine that's for every homeless animal I brought home as a kid, right? I didn't know ANYTHING about goldfish and tried to find whatever I could online, desperate to not kill this fish, named Swimmer. I bought a 20gal. tall, not quite enough for one fantail (I would have been absolutely chastised for 2), depending on who you ask, and an Eheim Classic 2213 canister, which I loved. It ran dead-silent, was simple to set up and run, and cycled in about 43 days using clean ammonia while Swimmer stayed in the bowl. After Swimmer moved in we got Groucho, a calico fantail with a Ryukin's butterfly tail.
Swimmer would beg for food when I went to the fridge and eat from my hand. If I splashed the water he would splash back. My kid, who's now 20, remembers 'playing' with this fish, actually feeling that Swimmer was seeking her attention when she was in the room and 'chasing' each other around the tank. Goldfish are so cool and I miss having them. Unfortunately Swimmer and Groucho were only with us for under 6 years each. Swimmer died first, then Groucho about a year later. Granted, they were Petco fish so I don't know how healthy their breed-line was or how stressful their living conditions were, but I still assume I could have done better. The whole fake plants, nitrogen cycle with water changes to remove nitrates is a steady boat to rock and I never dared to try plants, dithers/schoolers, shrimp, snails... I've done a little research here and there over the years and am feeling like getting back into the hobby and building a planted tank. I already have a 40 gallon breeder that I'll use. Most information I've found has supported that 40 is enough for two fancy's as they don't get as big as their single-tailed cousins.
However, I've become interested in passive systems and want to do a "Walstad"-style tank for two fantail goldfish with some schoolers/dithers like White Clouds or maybe Rice Fish, and some scuds and seed shrimp. Here are my fears: I know goldfish are little piggies, they muck the substrate and are known to destroy plants, so I'm afraid they'll move the cap and expose the soil, so gravel & root tabs for a few stems and focus more on rhizomes like Anubias, mosses, pellia, guppy grass, and floaters? Also, will I need so many plants to offset their bio-load that there'll be no room for the fish? I'm fascinated by the biotope idea, but I don't want to be hauling my Eheim out of the cabinet in shame.
Anyone with a good story about their water-puppies? Am I brave? Am I foolish? I'll enjoy your comments. Thanks for reading!
Swimmer would beg for food when I went to the fridge and eat from my hand. If I splashed the water he would splash back. My kid, who's now 20, remembers 'playing' with this fish, actually feeling that Swimmer was seeking her attention when she was in the room and 'chasing' each other around the tank. Goldfish are so cool and I miss having them. Unfortunately Swimmer and Groucho were only with us for under 6 years each. Swimmer died first, then Groucho about a year later. Granted, they were Petco fish so I don't know how healthy their breed-line was or how stressful their living conditions were, but I still assume I could have done better. The whole fake plants, nitrogen cycle with water changes to remove nitrates is a steady boat to rock and I never dared to try plants, dithers/schoolers, shrimp, snails... I've done a little research here and there over the years and am feeling like getting back into the hobby and building a planted tank. I already have a 40 gallon breeder that I'll use. Most information I've found has supported that 40 is enough for two fancy's as they don't get as big as their single-tailed cousins.
However, I've become interested in passive systems and want to do a "Walstad"-style tank for two fantail goldfish with some schoolers/dithers like White Clouds or maybe Rice Fish, and some scuds and seed shrimp. Here are my fears: I know goldfish are little piggies, they muck the substrate and are known to destroy plants, so I'm afraid they'll move the cap and expose the soil, so gravel & root tabs for a few stems and focus more on rhizomes like Anubias, mosses, pellia, guppy grass, and floaters? Also, will I need so many plants to offset their bio-load that there'll be no room for the fish? I'm fascinated by the biotope idea, but I don't want to be hauling my Eheim out of the cabinet in shame.
Anyone with a good story about their water-puppies? Am I brave? Am I foolish? I'll enjoy your comments. Thanks for reading!
