20L vs 29 Gallon Tank Decision -- Goldfish

[thepinched]

Hi all,

Currently i have a 3 G Marineland Eclipse. I have had this for nearly one year now. My one goldfish has steadily outgrown it. It really needs a bigger home and maybe one friend too. So i have decided that it's either a 20L or 29 G tank. I like the 20 L as it's low and long, but if there is a better reason to go 29 G then i'm all ears. the height is the only difference. also if in the future i am to decide to try a different fish in the tank, is there a benefit in having one size over the other (20l or 29)? but for now it's goldfish.

i really can't get anything bigger for my place.

[aspects]

i would suggest finding a new home for your goldfish, and use the new tank money to stock the tank you already have. or get the new tank, and new fish.
your goldfish will qickly outgrow both the 20 and 29g. (some goldfish grow to nearly 2 feet in length)

[bushwhacker]

get the 29 the extra water is more important than the foot print gold are filthy critters

[brianyu]

get a betta and new tanks, give the goldfish to someone else .
welcome btw :22:

[iZinedane]

i would suggest finding a new home for your goldfish, and use the new tank money to stock the tank you already have. or get the new tank, and new fish.
your goldfish will qickly outgrow both the 20 and 29g. (some goldfish grow to nearly 2 feet in length)

i have to answer to this
IMO it really depends. if its comets then it needs bigger tanks or a pond
but if its fancies a min of 20g and another 10g for additionals will do

[Deleted User]

A 29g should do okay for two fancy goldfish.

I agree, too, about getting a betta for the 3g thumbs2: You would probably love him!!!

[aspects]

i have to answer to this
IMO it really depends. if its comets then it needs bigger tanks or a pond
but if its fancies a min of 20g and another 10g for additionals will do

riiiiiight.

clearly, this is fine for a 20g

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

also, i said some goldfish (i.e. comets) grown to nearly 24". i never said every single species does.

[Lab_Rat]

I would go with the 29g. It's a good size and there is a lot you can do with it. The 20 long is nice also (if you wanted to do a high light, high tech planted then that would be a better size) but for what you want, the 29g is a better bet.

[iZinedane]

riiiiiight.

clearly, this is fine for a 20g

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

also, i said some goldfish (i.e. comets) grown to nearly 24". i never said every single species does.

ha! thats the biggest one ive seen yet but IMO 20g is the minimum requirement for fancy goldfish and i think 55g is the minimum for comets (correct me if im wrong)

[thepinched]

well to be honest i don't think giving the goldfish away is an option. but he is not fancy, he was a regular (common) goldfish that survived in a bowl for a few months and i felt compelled to get him a bigger home. so i got the 3 gallon.

i guess it's more aesthetics that i liked the 20L. but function over form for sure!

btw, cool forum!!

[Red]

I would go bigger then a 29, but I guess the 29 will work.

[rich311k]

A 37 would have just about the same foot print as a 29. It would would give you a bit more volume.

[aspects]

ha! thats the biggest one ive seen yet but IMO 20g is the minimum requirement for fancy goldfish and i think 55g is the minimum for comets (correct me if im wrong)

Consider this your correction.

Comets grow to be nearly 24". A 55g is (I believe) 18" wide. That's not even enough room for it to turn around. Comets are really more of a pond species.

As far as "fancy goldfish", it really depends on the species. Most people try to group them all together, but they are not even close to the same. Some grow to nearly a foot long and Almost as big around.

while a single specimen of certain species of goldfish will be fine in a 29g (maybe a 20) this is absolutely not true for every species.
As we don't know what species the OP has, recommending a 20/29g tank is potentially irresponsible. If it turns out the fish he has is in fact a comet, you are now responsible for suggesting he keep a fish that will not even physically fit in that tank at its adult size. That is just poor information for someone seeking answers. The only thing we do know is that due to restrictions, the OP is unable to upgrade the tank to anything larger than 20/29g, so again, suggesting anything that will potentially outgrow that is not fair to the OP or his fish.
And that's without even touching on the issue of bio-load

LFS sell many different species as "goldfish", and without knowing what the OP has, you really can't make a suggestion regarding tank size. Hell, some LFS sell Koi as "goldfish" and I'm sure at least some of you know how big koi get.

I stand firm behind my original statement. while a picture (or species name) would help determine the tank size you need, I would suggest rehoming the goldie and getting something else.

[Pele]

did you buy the goldfish as a feeder? If so, he's acomet and you should either give him back or buils a pond.
If he's a fantail, go for the 29. Allways go for the bigger tank (unliss its one of those collum tanks thats 3 feet high and 1 across

[thepinched]

here is a photo of the fish...taken a few months back. so he's bigger now. i don't know the kind except it looks regular.

[rich311k]

That is a comet. You really need quite a large tank for him.

[aspects]

Lol. Did I call it or did I call it.

[Pele]

yea, he either needs a huge tank (like, 200 galoons) or a pond.

[Little Embers]

Lol. Did I call it or did I call it.
Your superior attitude and smugness are showing!

[thepinched]

This forum is a riot...love it!!

ok. truth be told i just can't give him up. ok separation issues maybe...but nonetheless...how long until he'd outgrow a 29G tank? he's now about 2.5-3 inches long. more like 3 i'd say.

totally bummed!:scry:

[aspects]

Your understanding and foresight to give the proper information in a situation like this are showing!

Thank you. :)
I've been around the hobby long enough to understand that suggesting a tank size for a fish that won't fit in it, is a really bad idea, and will only lead to major problems down the line for both the hobbyist and the poor fish. But if you ask the right questions, its pretty easy to get to a happy ending for everybody.

Thanks for noticing.

[gabbyguppy]

Don't be bummed. Get a 29 gallon and enjoy your pretty goldfish. Don't let all the 'experts' discourage you. By the time your fish outgrows the 29, you might be in a better position to house a bigger tank.


Karen

[aspects]

Under the proper conditions, meaning sufficient filtration, a healthy varied diet, and frequent water changes (to remove the GH hormones secreted into the water column by the fish causing stunted growth), this fish can outgrow the 29 in just a couple of months.

[Lab_Rat]

The fish is already a year old and only 3" or so, it's already stunted. 29g as a temporary situation is much better for the goldfish than the current 3g it is in. A 29g would buy the OP some time to try and find a pond for the goldie (or maybe get to a place where they can get a huge tank) and would be a great size tank should they then decide to do a community tank afterwards. Obviously if the OP can get a larger tank than a 29g right now that would be better but they already said they can't.

[ILuvMyGoldBarb]

Consider this your correction.

Comets grow to be nearly 24". A 55g is (I believe) 18" wide. That's not even enough room for it to turn around. Comets are really more of a pond species.

As far as "fancy goldfish", it really depends on the species. Most people try to group them all together, but they are not even close to the same. Some grow to nearly a foot long and Almost as big around.

while a single specimen of certain species of goldfish will be fine in a 29g (maybe a 20) this is absolutely not true for every species.
As we don't know what species the OP has, recommending a 20/29g tank is potentially irresponsible. If it turns out the fish he has is in fact a comet, you are now responsible for suggesting he keep a fish that will not even physically fit in that tank at its adult size. That is just poor information for someone seeking answers. The only thing we do know is that due to restrictions, the OP is unable to upgrade the tank to anything larger than 20/29g, so again, suggesting anything that will potentially outgrow that is not fair to the OP or his fish.
And that's without even touching on the issue of bio-load

LFS sell many different species as "goldfish", and without knowing what the OP has, you really can't make a suggestion regarding tank size. Hell, some LFS sell Koi as "goldfish" and I'm sure at least some of you know how big koi get.

I stand firm behind my original statement. while a picture (or species name) would help determine the tank size you need, I would suggest rehoming the goldie and getting something else.

aspects, if you have been around the hobby as long as you claim, then you should be quite aware that there are many strains but only one species.

thepinched, you can get the 29gal for your fish but be aware that it is going to outgrow it as well. People do this kind of thing often, they buy the fish and then constantly upgrade to get an appropriate tank. Unfortunately, for your comet, you are going to need a very large tank to adequately house it. I use the word adequate because comet goldfish really do belong in a pond. Be prepared to end up with something in the realm of a 180 to 240gal tank.

[aspects]

aspects, if you have been around the hobby as long as you claim, then you should be quite aware that there are many strains but only one species.
.

call it strain, variant, type, variety, genetic mutation, call it whatever you want. either way it does not change any of the facts presented in regards to different "strains" having different adult sizes and requiring different housing situations. furthermore, i never claimed to be an expert on goldfish, nor do i even keep them. hell, i couldnt tell you the names of 4 different types of goldfish off hand. what i can tell you is that no responsible hobbyist who knows the adult sizes of some of these fish should suggest a 29g as an adequate home.

your weak attempt to discredit my post based on nomenclature is really not doing anything for you but make you look petty, and sure isnt helping the OP at all. so i suggest you leave it off, or send a private message if you feel you have something important to tell me.

terminology aside, my point remains and i stand by it 100%. im simply trying to provide the proper information where others are happy with "a 20g is fine for a goldfish". so if you would like to get further into an ichthyological debate on goldfish, feel free to PM me. otherwise, lets remember the golden rule shal we. :lol:

OP: sorry for the threadjack.
i completely understand your position, and it is honorable of you to provide whatever is in your means for this poor fish. furthermore, i sympathize with you not wanting to give up a fish youve had for nearly a year. ive been there myself. however, i just wanted to be sure you understand the needs of these fish, so hopefully you take this as a learning experience rather than a lecture. its never to late to learn. even people who have been in the hobby 30 years are learning new things daily.

i wish you the best of luck with your fish, and hope you continue to provide it with the best care you are able to. :22:

[Wild Turkey]

Yes its comet :( That fish will be fine in a 29 for a month or two, but with comets its less about the size of the fish imo and more about their strength and rate of swim which is much greater than fancy goldfish. Hes going to need a bigger tank or a re-home. If you move it to another tank make sure to take the filter media with the fish so you dont put the gf through cycling the new tank.

Right now I keep my comet in a 40b, hes around 7 inches. The fish outgrowing the sides of the tank is highly unlikely imo, but even so it really has less room than you would think as its such a strong swimming fish. If I had gotten the fish when it was a fry Im sure I would be looking into a larger tank or pond by this time.

For the record I think that 29g is fine for a fancy goldfish depending on the persons maintenance schedule and other factors(there are always a few)

I have kept goldfish but not enough to know the different types by heart. For in depth goldfish information I usually consult the user "FishGuy"



Why does everyone feel the need to insult someone else to get their point across here? Just state your opinion and give everyone else a chance to do the same.

[Little Embers]

Originally Posted by Little Embers:
Your understanding and foresight to give the proper information in a situation like this are showing!
In regard to the above quote.....Never said that to you aspect, so don't go altering my words to suit yourself!

My apologises also to thepinched.

[thepinched]

I realize the balance of proper care and selfishness. Truth be told, my limitations are my apartment. I simply don't have the room to put in that big of a furniture to hold a bigger tank. i can buy whatever i would need to but it's space limitations. if i move (which i'm planning to in 4-6 months) then that may change.

realistically i might have to go w/ the biggest now and hope for the best and reevaluate in the near future. i don't want to torture the thing. and in SoCal ponds are not so common to be honest (with goldfish in them). so that could be an issue...or maybe i just don't know of one.

i do see both sides of the concern though. i guess i'd lean to the 29G just for the extra space and future flexibility.

currently, i am religious in my care of the fish. i change the water (15-20%) 2x a week. i change the marineland filter on a weekly basis. so i think i've done what i can to keep the water maintainable. LFS tested the water and gave me perfect marks.

if all fails and it gets to big, i'll do the right thing.

but for now, i'll do what i can. but seriously i appreciate the advice it's all learning for me. i am open to any further thoughts.

[thepinched]

Actually for the sake of thoroughness, i have been examining the thought of the space (immediate need) vs long term space. i think my next place will be bigger so i might be able to suck it up now and just get a bigger tank.

i am looking to buy a stand from Big Als. I believe the Sting Ray model. They have lots of sizes.

If anyone has links to maybe some bigger options (30L, 30 or 40 breeder, 40L). Maybe the breeder tanks offer an interesting lenght and width. I'd like to see what i could do.

[AABatteries]

The fish is already a year old and only 3" or so, it's already stunted. 29g as a temporary situation is much better for the goldfish than the current 3g it is in. A 29g would buy the OP some time to try and find a pond for the goldie (or maybe get to a place where they can get a huge tank) and would be a great size tank should they then decide to do a community tank afterwards. Obviously if the OP can get a larger tank than a 29g right now that would be better but they already said they can't.


That's what I was going to say. If its been in there for a year already, its going to be stunted pretty well. I doubt the fish will live to the full expectancy and size.

[MrJim]

I didn't read all the posts but I was in a similar situation, bought a 20L and 6 months later bought a 29~~same stand, same footprint, more space, what's not to like. And the price difference at my LFS was virtually nil.

[annageckos]

When you say you "change the marineland filter on a weekly basis" are you throwing away the filter media or cleaning it? You don't want to replace the media as that has most of your benefical bacteria. What you want to do is, when the media need it, take some tank water or dechlorinated tap water around the same temp and sqeeze the media out in that. Don't throw it away. When your media looks like it is going to need to be replaced get new media and put it in the filter next to the old stuff. After a couple of weeks you can discard the old media.

[ILuvMyGoldBarb]

anna, the Eclipse system is a biowheel setup. Removing the filter pad will have virtually no impact at all on the bacteria.

[annageckos]

OK, didn't know that. I don't use those filters. I just see a lot of people throwing out thier filter media and then wondering what happened. Maybe it will help out someone else.

[thepinched]

i won't go w/ the marineland setup again. i don't like how inefficient the filter pads are. i am going to go with an AquaClear filter/media. seems (upon reading reviews) that it should work.

i guess at this point i can get a 29G/hood for $50 at the LFS or a 20L at $75. not that bad. the stand would fit either.

i just can't seem to even find online how much a larger (read longer and maybe wider but not too tall) tank would cost. i might have to ask in a store about the 30L or 30/40 breeder tanks.

[Lab_Rat]

Check out your local craigslist as there are often good deals to be found on used tanks and stands (along with people who think their 10g with clown puke gravel is worth $100).

[Wild Turkey]

i won't go w/ the marineland setup again. i don't like how inefficient the filter pads are. i am going to go with an AquaClear filter/media. seems (upon reading reviews) that it should work.

i guess at this point i can get a 29G/hood for $50 at the LFS or a 20L at $75. not that bad. the stand would fit either.

i just can't seem to even find online how much a larger (read longer and maybe wider but not too tall) tank would cost. i might have to ask in a store about the 30L or 30/40 breeder tanks.

For glass tank prices you will need to call around to shops in your area, since most people wont ship glass they also wont list prices online.

40B is a great choice for this guy imo. He probably wont outgrow it since it is already stunted, the sides are a generous 18" (you wont see this in other tanks until you double the gallons or more) if it does outgrow the tank eventually you may need to find a friend with a pond, but there are so many options you can do with that footprint, the tank will never go to waste.

[thepinched]

Well, my perspective is slightly changed. I am trying to plan a little more for the fact that I will have more space sometime next year. the footprints of most of the tanks i'm looking at are very similar (29, 30/40B).

the big challenge for me is that i have been calling around in the OC (SoCal) and can't find many fish supply stores that are not looking to bleed you $$.

[Lab_Rat]

Well, my perspective is slightly changed. I am trying to plan a little more for the fact that I will have more space sometime next year. the footprints of most of the tanks i'm looking at are very similar (29, 30/40B).

the big challenge for me is that i have been calling around in the OC (SoCal) and can't find many fish supply stores that are not looking to bleed you $$.

Have you checked craigslist, kijiji, or your local fish club classifieds? Often times you can get great deals on those sites. Agree with Turk that a 40g breeder size would be the best bet for your goldie of the above choices.

[terrapin24h]

Lol. Did I call it or did I call it.

Yes you did and you weren't the *least* bit pompous about it either

--chris