Lionhead goldfish
- Thread starter DojoQueen
- Start date
He/she is not keeping them in a 10 gal the whole year tho, just for the winter and from his sig. he has a huge pond to put them in. keeping them in a 10 for life is not good advice, but just for the winter is fine. People do much worse than a 10 gal, like 2.5 gal minibows or just a bowl, so a 10 gal for 3 to 4 months is nothing.
But i read your sig and it said you have six oscars in a 29g????
But i read your sig and it said you have six oscars in a 29g????
Dangerdoll
Global Moderator
IMO, the winter, or 3-5 months is still bad for multiple goldies in a 10 gallon tank. We're not considering the sizes of these fish as they have been in the pond beforehand.... my guess is the fish aren't tiny little things. A 10 gallon is way too small for only seasonal keeping. The bio-loads these guys produce is just too much for the tank even if they were small. Keeping the water cooler to slow down their metabolisms is just ill advice as well, fancy goldies such as lionheads should not be put through such temp fluctuations. They are an ornamental fancy goldfish not accustomed to the schedules of your common comets, kois, shubunkins, whatever. The lowering of the temps to slow the feeding needs is just ludicrous for the fanciers.
And geez.... 6 oscars in a 29 gallon too??? egads!
Last edited:
Now lets not all jump on Pseudofire for what he said.
Not all goldfish keepers (even breeders) understand the importance of properly housing goldfish.
The issue with keeping goldfish in such a small tank is their waste. As you say, "they're goldfish!" You're correct, a lionhead is a fairly inactive type, when compared to a common or comet. However, a healthy fish should still be very active, no matter what type. And a healthy goldfish will produce a ton of waste. If you're overfiltering and performing large water changes often, they will still thrive in a tank that is just a little too small for them.
You're absolutely right, there's no need to buy a 60 gallon tank right away for a baby comet or a baby lionhead. You'd be spoiling the little thing. It would be overkill. A 20 gallon in that case, or even a well-filtered 10 gallon, would be fine. However, goldfish will certainly need larger tanks as they grow. The poster that suggested buying a 30 long for the lionhead is simply thinking of the proper size tank for an adult lionhead. And they're right- for a lionhead, a minimum of 30 gallons is correct for an adult.
Regarding your comment, a 10 gallon tank is much too small for four or five large goldfish, because of the sheer amount of waste they will produce. Your ammonia and nitrate readings will be off the charts. It's important to think about these factors, because although your fish might look healthy, their water parameters might be slowly killing them. Just as the air might look clear inside your garage, but you wouldn't think of using paint thinner in a small enclosed space, or leaving your car running for hours.
As a side note, you should understand that lionheads are a fancy type goldfish, and are no longer considered a coldwater species. Fancies do need a heater, as they are so far removed from their hardy coldwater common-type cousins. They're much more delicate.
Not all goldfish keepers (even breeders) understand the importance of properly housing goldfish.
The issue with keeping goldfish in such a small tank is their waste. As you say, "they're goldfish!" You're correct, a lionhead is a fairly inactive type, when compared to a common or comet. However, a healthy fish should still be very active, no matter what type. And a healthy goldfish will produce a ton of waste. If you're overfiltering and performing large water changes often, they will still thrive in a tank that is just a little too small for them.
You're absolutely right, there's no need to buy a 60 gallon tank right away for a baby comet or a baby lionhead. You'd be spoiling the little thing. It would be overkill. A 20 gallon in that case, or even a well-filtered 10 gallon, would be fine. However, goldfish will certainly need larger tanks as they grow. The poster that suggested buying a 30 long for the lionhead is simply thinking of the proper size tank for an adult lionhead. And they're right- for a lionhead, a minimum of 30 gallons is correct for an adult.
Regarding your comment, a 10 gallon tank is much too small for four or five large goldfish, because of the sheer amount of waste they will produce. Your ammonia and nitrate readings will be off the charts. It's important to think about these factors, because although your fish might look healthy, their water parameters might be slowly killing them. Just as the air might look clear inside your garage, but you wouldn't think of using paint thinner in a small enclosed space, or leaving your car running for hours.
As a side note, you should understand that lionheads are a fancy type goldfish, and are no longer considered a coldwater species. Fancies do need a heater, as they are so far removed from their hardy coldwater common-type cousins. They're much more delicate.
this is not completely true. I have found ryukins and orandas can survive in water as cold as 40 degrees without ill effects and simply go into a state of estivation like their normal shaped cousins. my oranda is currently thriving in 60 degree water. I can't speak for the others, though. i'm sure more inbred varieties, such as lionheads, are not very hardy.
