# Fantail Goldfish



## jain.atishay (Oct 11, 2011)

Hello,

Today when i wake in the morning and removed the cover from the aquarium... I found that my fishes looking lighter/brighter in color.. why is it so? I do not understand... is there anything to worry about?


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## MissPisces (Jun 8, 2011)

Well, it depends on the water conditions, how long you've had the fish, and what types of fish you have. To better help you, we need to know a few things (it's a long list, so bear with me!)

- How big is your tank and how many fish do you have in there? 
- What type of filter do you use? 
- Do you know the nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, and pH levels? If so, what are they? 
- What is the temperature? 
- Has your tank cycled yet?
- When you say lighter, is the color faded? Is it uniform across the body, or in spotty patches?


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## jain.atishay (Oct 11, 2011)

Hello MissPisces,

I got two FANTAIL Goldfishes (1 inch each) two and half months back...
Now they are near 1.5 inches approx...

- How big is your tank and how many fish do you have in there? 
I have 10-12 gallon tank

- What type of filter do you use? 
Its an Internal Power filter which process 1500L/H

- Do you know the nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, and pH levels? If so, what are they?
I dont have that kit with now... But I will be getting it soon... So, I can't measure the levels of them

- What is the temperature?
77 degree Farenhite

- Has your tank cycled yet?
I do this every week (cycled it yesterday only)

- When you say lighter, is the color faded? Is it uniform across the body, or in spotty patches?
Lighter means brighter. The orange color of their body was looking lighter, more of golden... They dont have any sort of spots... But when got them, one of fish was having black spots on her fins... Its not there after 15 days...


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## MissPisces (Jun 8, 2011)

OK, that's a good thing about the black spots disappearing! Brighter color is a good thing, too. It means that they're healthy. One sign of a healthy, happy fish is brighter coloring. Often, when a fish is taken from the store to a person's home tank, their diet changes a bit. Odds are the flakes that you're feeding them are a lot better for them than the store's food, and thus will increase their coloring. As far as feeding goes, you're doing it right! (Side note: Did you know that they also love fresh veggies like cucumber? Just an extra treat that you might want to try feeding them; my platies like it. Just rinse it off really well, cut a slice, clip it with a well-rinsed plastic clip, and drop it in. Be sure to remove it after an hour, though.)

Still, I should tell you that your tank is a bit too small for goldfish. One goldfish needs at least 20 gallons, and after that each additional goldfish needs 10 additional gallons. They'll be fine in there for now, but they're going to get bigger and then they'll outgrow the tank. Goldfish can get at least six inches long. That equates to very little swimming room when you're talking about two of them in a small tank. If you're planning on keeping them for a long while, you might look into setting up a 29 or 30 gallon tank. 

Also, when I said cycled, I meant has your tank gone through the nitrogen cycle yet? You might want to look that up, but it doesn't have much to do with your question right now.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Is this just possibly a thing where the fish are lighter in color when the light is first turned on? If so, this is normal.


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

Great advice given!

If it's just when you turn the lights on, it's normal, fish kinda' fade when the lights are out and then brighten back up once the light's been on for a while.

When you get a test kit, go with the liquid kits, as the strip tests are really inaccurate!

Goldfish are super messy fish, and having 2 in a 10g tank, you will have to do large partial water changes during the week. And, as mentioned, for 2 goldfish you are going to need a 30-40g set up. It's best to upgrade as soon as possible, because by keeping them in a small tank, their skeletons will become stunted and they will stop growing but their internal organs will continue to grow which causes the fish to die an extremely painful death.

Search "Nitrogen Cycle" on the forum - it will explain the cycling process to you... you don't cycle each week like you were saying. It's a one time thing, that builds up the beneficial bacteria that your aquarium needs to keep healthy fish.


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## jain.atishay (Oct 11, 2011)

Hello MissPisces,

Thanks for your such a good reply, it comforts me a lot...
And, thanks for suggesting me about cucumber. I never knew that, they like this as well... 

So my goldies will be happier now... :fish5:


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## MissPisces (Jun 8, 2011)

No problem! Oh, they also like orange slices, so that's another treat you can try with them.


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