This tank looks good (here is a picture of the tank, being carefully monitored by my cat, Hilary), but the water quality is fairly poor - the nitrate level is always too high (in my opinion) and the pH falls rapidly between water changes. My dream is to build a pond for the goldfish, but at this stage in my life, and in Vermont where the water would be frozen solid for months every year, a kid's wading pool is all I could come up with, which just isn't good enough. So, I guess they'll have to wait a few years. :-(
For those of you who are thinking about getting goldfish, a word of advice - don't overcrowd your tank! This 20 gallon tank should have one goldfish in it, not four. overcrowding means more water changes, bigger water changes, more needed filtration, and if you skimp on any of those things, more sick fish and sadness. So - don't put more than 1 goldfish per 10-20 gallons of water, and you and your fish will be happy as clams. :-)
I used to subscribe to a great mailing list specifically for goldfish owners (who are often blown off or insulted by seemingly arrogant and rude tropical fish keepers). If you want to subscribe (start receiving messages from the list), send a message to the following address with the word subscribe in the body of the message (any other words are irrelevant) to:
To receive the list in "digested" form (a few big messages a day with everyone else's inside), send a message with subscribe in it to:
Once you are subscribed, send mail that you want to go to all members of the list to the following address (same for raw and digest subscribers):
To get off of the list, use the same e-mail account you subscribed with, and send a message to the same address you used to subscribe, but include the word unsubscribe in the body of the message.
It's very fun reading - the list is full of very friendly, helpful, patient people, with a healthy range of abilities (from beginners to experts). Most people on the list are there to help, as well as to ask questions and learn, so no question seems too stupid or is asked too many times. If you keep goldfish as pets and would like a friendly forum to discuss them seriously with other goldfish lovers, this is a great list.
Notes from the Winter of 1998-1999
We took another picture of the tank (another bad one anyway). The goldfish are beginning to show signs of chronic stress - their fins aren't in great shape, they always have a few scales missing (growing in), and several of them have sores on their noses that don't seem to be healing. I feel bad for them, and plan on building them larger accomodations soon. For now, I've been trying to change their water whenever I think of it - more than once a week.. but it's difficult to find time with the rabbits these days. Still, we have made a commitment to these fish and I don't intend to let them down.
Notes from early April, 1999
Mike and I went out Saturday to buy some more hay for our bunnies, and we went to a farm/feed type store.. we wandered through their inventory and saw a nice black rubbermaid tub meant to be used as a source of water for livestock. It was 150 gallons. It called to us. It was a bit expensive, but we finally decided to just go for it. We have been talking about building a pond for a long time now. First we were going to build it outside, but the growing season is so short in VT that the fish could only be out for 2-3 months of the year.. so then we decided to build one inside with wood and a pond liner.. but when would we have time? We talked about it, but didn't do anything. With spring coming, we knew we wouldn't have any time for the next 6 months or so, with gardening, yard projects, exercising, and other things to do..
They also could have orderd a 300 gallon version, which was 6' in diameter, but it was more than twice the cost. We thought about where we would put it in the basement and decided that the 150 gallon version was enough for now. The person at the store said that most people bought the 6' one as a hot tub. I think it would make a GREAT small children's swimming pool too - or adult pool - it's indestructible and deep enough to have a bit of fun. It was tempting. :-)
We decided on the 150 though, figuring that even if we bought the 300 gallon one later, we'd always have a use for the 150 (or we could sell it). We set it up in the basement, filled it up with water, hung a light over it, put a sponge/powerhead in for a filter, and popped them in. They... were SO CUTE!! They are so used to being cramped that they huddled together, rubbing each other and staying close to the bottom... As of today, they were a bit more outgoing, and spent some time coasting from side to side. OOOHhhhh, I'm so happy. We also put the little calico fantail from upstairs down with them. The fantail had been in an 189 gallon whiskey barrel pond, but it had no filter, and the little guy was all by himself.. we figured he'd be taken care of and better appreciated in with other fish. We'll just keep the whiskey barrel for plants.
This is sort of a religious experience for me. I have been promising these fish that I'd do this for so long. Yes, I know they're 'just fish', but to me, they're a sign of my committment to my pets. I felt SO bad about my little nose sore guy, and yet, I did nothing (I changed a lot of water, but that didn't help enough). We should have done this LONG ago, but at least it's done now.
The tank is really sturdy. We forgot to check for leaks in our excitement.. there is a screw bolt near the bottom for drainage that drips at a rate of about one drop per hour.. so far, it's evaporated faster than it's accumulated.. but we'll probably unscrew it and put a little teflon tape in there next time we empty the tank. For now though, it's fine.
It's relaxing to watch the fish glide through the water.. beautiful orange silouettes on a black background.. when we fed them this morning, they actually seemed to "frolic", splashing the water as they went up for a bite.
Long term, we're hoping to build a wooden panel/bench around it, so that you can sit or lie near it and look down.. we're also hoping to finish part of the basement and put this pond in it. For now though, it's wonderful.
Last Updated July 9, 1999
