My goldfish are bullys - please help!

Tillycat · 02-28-2006, 07:58 AM

Ok im kinda newish to the keeping goldfish thing, so ill have to explain things as much as i can(which wont be too detailed)

Ok, i have currently, 4 goldfish. 2 gold/white and 2 all gold. The white/gold ones are somwhat smaller than the allgolds, but are beating the hell out of one of the all golds.. I recently had to seperate one of the gold ones anyway, cuz it was sick , and since i moved it the two smaller ones are now starting on the other gold one.

Ive moved the one that was being beaten, into the other tank where the sick one was, and straight away the sick one started to chase it. I cant keep seperating them as i have no other tanks and cant afford one.
i dont want it to die, but i cant keep watching it stress out because of the fighting.

Please help. This has never happened between anyone of them before. any help would be great.
Tilly

fishboy · 02-28-2006, 09:58 AM

My goldfish are so peaceful, wut size tank r they in? Becasue I can almost be positive in saying your tank is way to small.

Tillycat · 02-28-2006, 10:46 AM

its about 81 litres, and 30 x 15. so its not small at all

ron v · 02-28-2006, 10:59 AM

Yeah, too small. I think the goldfish experts here will recommend much larger tank.

**Fishfirst** · 02-28-2006, 12:07 PM

81 liters = around 20 gallons... you'll need 2X that for four goldfish... however, its weird that they'd be attacking fish like that... usually goldfish attack/eat the wounded... not healthy fish...

RockabillyChick · 02-28-2006, 12:25 PM

tank size?
water perameters?
are the goldfish comets (long, torpedo-shaped bodies) are they fancy (fantail, short round bodies) or ultra-fancy (bubble eye)

comets will pick on fancies and utra-fancies, and the fancies will pick on the ultra fancies. you cannot mix them. also, they will start picking on each other if the tank is too small.

comets need 40 gallons for the first fish, and 20 for every other fish after that. fancies need 30g for the first fish, and 15 for every other fish after that. so for 4 fancies, you'd need a 75g tank once they're all full grown. you could probably get away with a 55 though.

fishboy · 02-28-2006, 12:32 PM

note to Tillycat-GOLDFISH GET UP TO 30cm/1 foot! I'm guessing you have fancy varities but if you have the streamline "feeders/comets" they reach the full size but the fancys get alittle smaller, around 8 inches total. If kept in a small tank there will be build up of GIH(growth inhibator hormones) and they will stay small...on the outside. As he GIH builds up they don't grow for awhile but then there organs and bones continue to grow while there outsides don't grow. Leading to either swimbladder problems, a twisted spine, or a myriad of other problems leading your fish to painful deaths. If you have four fancy goldfish a 45 gallon would be the minnium but if you have comets or feeders you need a pond

manda · 02-28-2006, 04:23 PM

too bad more people dont know about goldfish, or research before they buy.

leveldrummer · 02-28-2006, 04:41 PM

yea i know, my girlfriends grandma has a 10 gallon, with about 8 different golds in it, cant tell her anything either. i tried to tell her, she wont listen, she called us over because one of the fish had an "egg sack" hanging from it, looked like its bowels were comming out. i felt really bad, its tail had severe tail rot and was pretty much gone. and what ever that sack was (petsmart assured her it was an egg sack) some poeple just wont listen no matter what.

sambi7878 · 03-01-2006, 04:18 AM

Its really weird to hear goldfish are bullying others. I guess your main culprit is the tank size. Everyone is correct about their tank size rules. You should have at least 40 gal for 4 fancies. About mixing fancies with the commons, Im really not sure that it will bully the others. Ive mixed a shubunkin and oranda before but no bullying seen. The only problem was that the shubunkin grew fast and are fast swimmers. So, I had to separate them in the end.

IMO it would be best to give the others if you still can and you may keep only 2 at most for your 20 gal tank.

Tillycat · 03-01-2006, 11:55 AM

Thank you so much everyone for your advice. I admit im not an expert, but ive never had goldfish die on me,(ive had them since i was 5years old, im 19 now) and so seeing them fight is kinda scary cuz its new to me.
I think ill follow your advice and remove two of them as i dont want to be responsible for thier deaths. plus itll be nice for them to have more room.
Ill post on how it goes, and thanks again everyone.

**Fishfirst** · 03-01-2006, 03:07 PM

nice decision tilly, way to be responsible and correct your mistakes! Hope you found this site to be helpful and we'll help you out even more!

manda · 03-01-2006, 04:27 PM

thumbs up for tilly

fishboy · 03-01-2006, 04:54 PM

man 14 years under those conditions, it's a marvel. You must do water changes regularly to keep the GIH from getting dangerous. They are stunted though. Goldfish live over 20 years, the oldest goldfish I've ever heard of was 75 but that age is rare

Lydia · 03-02-2006, 07:14 AM

Glad you are going to take 2 out, it will be much better for them.

x-Golden-Lucy-x · 03-04-2006, 06:26 AM

75!? the oldest goldfish was 44.. in the guiness book of records.

02-28-2006, 07:58 AM	#1
Tillycat Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 6	My goldfish are bullys - please help! Ok im kinda newish to the keeping goldfish thing, so ill have to explain things as much as i can(which wont be too detailed) Ok, i have currently, 4 goldfish. 2 gold/white and 2 all gold. The white/gold ones are somwhat smaller than the allgolds, but are beating the hell out of one of the all golds.. I recently had to seperate one of the gold ones anyway, cuz it was sick , and since i moved it the two smaller ones are now starting on the other gold one. Ive moved the one that was being beaten, into the other tank where the sick one was, and straight away the sick one started to chase it. I cant keep seperating them as i have no other tanks and cant afford one. i dont want it to die, but i cant keep watching it stress out because of the fighting. Please help. This has never happened between anyone of them before. any help would be great. Tilly

02-28-2006, 09:58 AM	#2
fishboy Custom User Title Join Date: Feb 2005 Age: 16 Posts: 1,656	My goldfish are so peaceful, wut size tank r they in? Becasue I can almost be positive in saying your tank is way to small. __________________ It is only after we've lost everything that we're free to do anything

02-28-2006, 12:07 PM	#5
Fishfirst Fish Guru Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Soon to be Northern Wisconsin Age: 24 Posts: 3,506	81 liters = around 20 gallons... you'll need 2X that for four goldfish... however, its weird that they'd be attacking fish like that... usually goldfish attack/eat the wounded... not healthy fish... __________________ 210 Gal Reef w/ 55 Gallon Sump/Fuge, 125 Gal Fish Only, 65 Gal Seahorse-29 Gallon Sump, 55 Gal FOWLR, 54 Gal Corner FW Community, 20 Gal Nano FOWLR, 55 Gal Piranha, 29 gallon QT "All the yellow tangs and clownfish in the world can't save you now! hahahah" Peter from Family Guy

02-28-2006, 12:25 PM	#6
RockabillyChick Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Age: 22 Posts: 298	tank size? water perameters? are the goldfish comets (long, torpedo-shaped bodies) are they fancy (fantail, short round bodies) or ultra-fancy (bubble eye) comets will pick on fancies and utra-fancies, and the fancies will pick on the ultra fancies. you cannot mix them. also, they will start picking on each other if the tank is too small. comets need 40 gallons for the first fish, and 20 for every other fish after that. fancies need 30g for the first fish, and 15 for every other fish after that. so for 4 fancies, you'd need a 75g tank once they're all full grown. you could probably get away with a 55 though. __________________ She does nothing to deserve it He only wants to observe it We sit back like they taught us We keep quiet like they taught us He just wants, he wants to prove it She does nothing to remove it We don't want anyone to mind us So we play the roles that they assigned us She does nothing to conceal it He touches her 'cause he wants to feel it We blame her for being there But we are all guilty http://rockabillychick.deviantart.com/

02-28-2006, 12:32 PM	#7
fishboy Custom User Title Join Date: Feb 2005 Age: 16 Posts: 1,656	note to Tillycat-GOLDFISH GET UP TO 30cm/1 foot! I'm guessing you have fancy varities but if you have the streamline "feeders/comets" they reach the full size but the fancys get alittle smaller, around 8 inches total. If kept in a small tank there will be build up of GIH(growth inhibator hormones) and they will stay small...on the outside. As he GIH builds up they don't grow for awhile but then there organs and bones continue to grow while there outsides don't grow. Leading to either swimbladder problems, a twisted spine, or a myriad of other problems leading your fish to painful deaths. If you have four fancy goldfish a 45 gallon would be the minnium but if you have comets or feeders you need a pond __________________ It is only after we've lost everything that we're free to do anything

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02-28-2006, 10:46 AM	#3
Tillycat Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 6	its about 81 litres, and 30 x 15. so its not small at all

02-28-2006, 10:59 AM	#4
ron v Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Alabama Age: 61 Posts: 1,123	Yeah, too small. I think the goldfish experts here will recommend much larger tank.

02-28-2006, 04:23 PM	#8
manda Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: southren KY Age: 21 Posts: 450	too bad more people dont know about goldfish, or research before they buy. __________________ Proud mom of a SHELTIE 10 gallon: 6 black neon tetras, 1 male betta, 6 ghost shrimp 5.5 gallon divided: two male bettas 1/2 gallon: male betta 1 gallon: male betta 5.5 gallon: empty!!! ALSO mommy to two house rabbits! Ryo and Alex

02-28-2006, 04:41 PM	#9
leveldrummer something like a pimp Join Date: May 2005 Location: atlanta Age: 29 Posts: 1,933	yea i know, my girlfriends grandma has a 10 gallon, with about 8 different golds in it, cant tell her anything either. i tried to tell her, she wont listen, she called us over because one of the fish had an "egg sack" hanging from it, looked like its bowels were comming out. i felt really bad, its tail had severe tail rot and was pretty much gone. and what ever that sack was (petsmart assured her it was an egg sack) some poeple just wont listen no matter what.

03-01-2006, 04:18 AM	#10
sambi7878 "I am SAM" Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Philippines Age: 30 Posts: 163	Its really weird to hear goldfish are bullying others. I guess your main culprit is the tank size. Everyone is correct about their tank size rules. You should have at least 40 gal for 4 fancies. About mixing fancies with the commons, Im really not sure that it will bully the others. Ive mixed a shubunkin and oranda before but no bullying seen. The only problem was that the shubunkin grew fast and are fast swimmers. So, I had to separate them in the end. IMO it would be best to give the others if you still can and you may keep only 2 at most for your 20 gal tank. __________________ SAM For every evil under the sun There is a remedy or there is none; If there be one, try and find it; If there be none, never mind it.

03-01-2006, 11:55 AM	#11
Tillycat Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 6	Thank you so much everyone for your advice. I admit im not an expert, but ive never had goldfish die on me,(ive had them since i was 5years old, im 19 now) and so seeing them fight is kinda scary cuz its new to me. I think ill follow your advice and remove two of them as i dont want to be responsible for thier deaths. plus itll be nice for them to have more room. Ill post on how it goes, and thanks again everyone.

03-01-2006, 03:07 PM	#12
Fishfirst Fish Guru Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Soon to be Northern Wisconsin Age: 24 Posts: 3,506	nice decision tilly, way to be responsible and correct your mistakes! Hope you found this site to be helpful and we'll help you out even more! __________________ 210 Gal Reef w/ 55 Gallon Sump/Fuge, 125 Gal Fish Only, 65 Gal Seahorse-29 Gallon Sump, 55 Gal FOWLR, 54 Gal Corner FW Community, 20 Gal Nano FOWLR, 55 Gal Piranha, 29 gallon QT "All the yellow tangs and clownfish in the world can't save you now! hahahah" Peter from Family Guy

03-01-2006, 04:27 PM	#13
manda Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: southren KY Age: 21 Posts: 450	thumbs up for tilly __________________ Proud mom of a SHELTIE 10 gallon: 6 black neon tetras, 1 male betta, 6 ghost shrimp 5.5 gallon divided: two male bettas 1/2 gallon: male betta 1 gallon: male betta 5.5 gallon: empty!!! ALSO mommy to two house rabbits! Ryo and Alex

03-01-2006, 04:54 PM	#14
fishboy Custom User Title Join Date: Feb 2005 Age: 16 Posts: 1,656	man 14 years under those conditions, it's a marvel. You must do water changes regularly to keep the GIH from getting dangerous. They are stunted though. Goldfish live over 20 years, the oldest goldfish I've ever heard of was 75 but that age is rare __________________ It is only after we've lost everything that we're free to do anything

03-02-2006, 07:14 AM	#15
Lydia Ichthus Owner Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: FL Posts: 1,907	Glad you are going to take 2 out, it will be much better for them. __________________ Vote for FishForums!

03-04-2006, 06:26 AM	#16
x-Golden-Lucy-x Call me Lucy :-) Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Portsmouth, UK Age: 20 Posts: 68	75!? the oldest goldfish was 44.. in the guiness book of records.

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