# My mini goldfish



## AintGotNoCreekRanch (Jan 1, 2014)

I have 2 mini goldfish how big of a tank do I need and do I HAVE to have a filter to keep them alive long? Right now they are in my goat troff and they only have the little filter that adds more water when it gets low.... But idk what to do please help..... Will post pics ltr..... 


❤Chelbi in Southern Texas❤


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## PygmyMom (Mar 3, 2014)

I think a standard fishbowl would suffice and as long as you clean it regularly I am sure you will be fine without the filter. Those fishies can live from five minutes after bringing them home up to a few years. (In the average home) Longest I had one live was 2.5 years. He lived in a fishbowl on my counter without a filter


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## Sundancer (Jan 21, 2012)

Actually...air stones and bubblers are for stirring up the water so the filter catches more of the debris. Surface area of water is what determines how many fish can be put into a tank. Also, most fish will grow to the size that the tank can handle and then stop.

I had gold fish left over from a grandchild visit and not wanting to flush them, we acclimated them to our stock tank and cut them loose. Now..3 years later, They are about 7-8 inches long and are known as the Goldfish family. As a side note...we also have the Quacker, Clucker and Screamer (Guinea hen) family's living here on the farm. Gotta love Grandchildren :lol:


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## AintGotNoCreekRanch (Jan 1, 2014)

Wow


❤Chelbi in Southern Texas❤


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## CritterCarnival (Sep 18, 2013)

Is there a reason you want to remove them from the goat trough?? If it's just because winter is coming, don't worry about them. As long as the water doesn't freeze all the way solid to the bottom of the trough, they will be just fine. They go into a kind of suspended animation and just get really slow and stop eating much.

You will hear many opinions about tank size, and they *can* survive in pretty much anything you want to put them in if you keep it clean. However, for easier fishkeeping with goldfish, a better "rule of thumb" is a half-gallon of water per inch of fish length total. One, 1 inch long fish needs a half-gallon, three 1 inch long fish need 1 1/2 gallons, etc. Goldfish are one of the messier fish to keep and a bit more room helps keep them healthier.

With all fish, bigger is always better.


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## lovinglife (Jun 6, 2013)

Your goldfish will live fine in your goat trough. I have a koi pond, have had for years. As long as it does not freeze solid they will be fine. Don't worry about feeding them, there is plenty of stuff in the water during the summer and they don't eat in the winter.


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## Greybird (May 14, 2014)

I have some goldfish that have been in my lily pond for over 10 years. It freezes over every year, but there are parts that are close to 3 feet deep so it never freezes completely solid. Every spring when it thaws out they wake up frisky and ready to spawn! I don't even know how many are in there any more but the original patriarchs are still recognizable.
The point is - goldfish are just carp, and they are TOUGH little critters!
They will live longer and happier lives if they can be kept outside in some sort of large enclosure, even if it's just a partially buried plastic kiddie pool from Walmart.
(Line it with black plastic to hide the garish color and cartoon characters, put some rocks around the edge, toss in some gravel and/or plants and - poof! - instant ornamental pond!)


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