How big of a tank do 2-4 goldfish need?
by Aquaboy on Saturday, July 3rd, 2010 | 6 Comments
I have 1 Fin Tail & a Red Head Oranda. I am watching my nieces comets also(2 of them). I might be stuck with them for ever, so I need to know what size tank for all 4 of them. I would like to get another fin tail if I get rid of my nieces fish and right now would love a Pelco.
They are growing fast(for now) and are in a maybe 20 gallon tank. When I got my goldfish I planned on keeping them in a bowl, then I found out that is best left to Betta fish, lol. I need a safe but minimum size for the 2 fancys(or 3). Or the 4 I have, maybe plus a Pelco.
Thank you!
Around 50 gallons for 2-3.
Since Goldfish(especially the comets) get so big and produce lots of waste, I’d say a 75 gallon for all 4 if you want to do it right. And something to consider-fancy goldfish can’t swim as fast as comets, so they may have trouble competing with them for food. It’s not recommended that you keep them together.
for four goldfish would need at least a 35 gallon tank. bigger is always better though. the general rule is that 20 gallons for the first one and an additional five for every extra one. if you have two comets though you will need at least a 60 gallon tank with extremely good filtration
Are you referring to Fantail Goldfish? I’ve never heard of a “Fin Tail”.
At any rate, I’ll assume it’s a fancy variety you’ve got. That means that by the time your 2 are grown, they will need a minimum of 30-gallons, thought I think you’d agree they’d be cramped, and 40-gallons would be better.
2 Comets would need a minimum of 75-gallons just for them. Really they do best in ponds.
All Goldfish should be housed in aquariums with incredibly good filtration. Usually a filter or filters rated for at least 2x the tank’s volume is good.
Comets and Fancy varieties are best not housed together as the faster and more aggressive Comets will harass and often inflict physical harm on the slower moving and docile Fancies.
Good luck!
Edit:
Oh, and bowls are suitable for NO fish, including the oft misunderstood and often abused Betta. Bettas need a minimum of 5-gallons, with filtered and heated water, (they are after all tropical fish,) to have any sort of chance at a long and healthy life.
I think you mean fantail, right? Anyways…
The two fancy goldfish should have a minimum of a 30 gallon tank. Three would need a 40 gallon. The two comets should have their own 55 gallon. It is not a good idea to keep commons and fancies in aquariums together. Sometimes they do okay in large ponds together, but commons are much more active and get lengthier than fancies, which is why they need such a large aquarium (at least compared to the more round bodied fancies).
Plecostomus are not good tank mates for goldfish. First off, they need upwards of a 55 gallon on their own as they are veeery messy fish and get huge. Second, they are best kept in warmer water than goldfish require. And third, they can cause injury to goldfish–goldfish love to poke around the bottom of the tank, searching through the gravel, etc., and it’s not unusual for them to get too curious and poke into the spiny fins of a pleco, who will also be hanging out around the bottom, just asking to be poked and prodded. Plus, plecos find the slime coat of goldfish delicious, and many keepers who have tried to keep these two fish together have found their naughty plecos hitching a ride on their beloved goldfish. That’s why it’s best to just keep goldfish with goldfish.
Also, just as a side note, bettas don’t do well in bowls either. No fish does. I can tell you from first hand experience and a lot of research that a betta in a heated and filtered tank is much more lively and healthy than one in some old bowl.
1. Plecos are tropical fish and should not be housed with goldfish, so it’s best to forget about one for now unless you invest in a large tropical tank.
2. It’s not usually recommended that fancy goldfish and comet types be housed together. If your niece no longer wants her goldfish, perhaps you could find someone in your area who has built themselves a goldfish/koi pond willing to take the two goldfish.
-Two fancy goldfish require 30 gallons minimum with heavy filtration. (figure 20 for the first and 10 for each addtional) They have an adult length of at least 6-8 inches.
-Two comet goldfish require 75 gallons and heavy filtration. (firgure 55 for the first and 20 more for each additional) They have an adult length of at least 12″.
3. No fish should be kept in a bowl. Even a betta should have their needs of an appropriate temperature, healthy water parameters and swimming space met. The betta is a tropical fish and so requires an aquarium heater to maintain the temperature steady between 78F-82F. Just because a betta may breathe air, does not mean that they are immune to poor water quality- all fish require filtration to break down their waste or else they suffer from gill damage and ammonia poisoning.