# Mini goldfish?



## clock906 (Nov 22, 2007)

Was passing by my local walmart few days ago and saw their fishtank.

One of the tank host a few dozen of goldfish in different colors. They are about 2" long and round like a ball. They were sooo cute I almost grab one home!! but then I suddenly remember the goldfish my dad used to keep when I was a kid...they were huge (6"?) and IMO...kinda dirty and ugly looking (no offence to goldfish keeper )

I guess everything looks cute when they are small, but my question is...are there goldfish variety that stay relatively small? <3"

The one I saw and like was call calico goldfish I believe. They have them in black, gold, and white w/ red head. How big do these goldfish generally get?


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## Katalyst (Jul 29, 2007)

They are pearl scales, which unless they are already stunted can grow in the upwards of 6-10 inches. I have several goldfish that are 11 inches and still growing.


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## duffgrot (Jul 4, 2008)

Fancy goldfish, the rounded body variety, get 6"+. These include calico, rhyukin, and oranda goldfish, just to name a few. Shubunkin and comet goldfish, the elongated body style, can get 12"+. One adult goldfish requires at least 10 to 15 gallons of aquarium space. The rule of thumb is usually 1" of fish per 1 gallon, but with larger fish that 1" measurement should be viewed as 1" square of water displacement. Therefore a 6" goldfish could displace 10"+ of water. All goldfish are all from the carp family, including koi, which can all get 24"+, so when purchasing a goldfish from your lfs, be aware not only of the label on the tank, but also as many stores mislabel fish, do some research on the particular fish before you buy. As someone whose kept goldfish in the past, I highly recommend them. They are beautiful, peaceful and have great personalities. I would probably look at a starting goldfish community tank at 50 gallons with up to 6 juvenilles and either upgrade once they are adults or have a regimented routine of 50% water changes 3 times a week to keep the nitrates down. Good luck, I hope I haven't dissuaded you from adopting a wonderful addition to your family.


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