Hi, I have a 30 gallon aquarium and a 50 gallon. I want to breed my mature goldfish. Is the the 30 gallon tank big enough to breed them? Please direct me to info on this or can you tell me if it is and what kind of temperture change do i have to do to get them breeding. Should i put a bunch of plastic plants in it for the eggs to adhere to or iv heard of a wool mope like clump you make out of yarn for them to lay eggs. How long does it take for them start and finish laying eggs. Any info on this would be helpfull. I was going to leave just 3 or 4 in the tank to breed since i dont know which are males and females. THANKS

A 30 gallon tank is large enough for a pair of smaller (under say 8") breeding goldfish. A 50 gallon should be large enough for a pair of most goldfish but perhaps not the ones over a foot long.

It's a combination of changing temperatures and light that cause goldfish to spawn in a pond. In an aquarium, you will most likely get spawning as the day length increases (from windows) in the later months of winter and early spring. You can try to induce it by warming their water and increases the light cycle on an automatic timer. If the tank is inside, you can only increase the temperature so much. Goldfish in a pond spawn in the 60's degrees F. They don't like it too warm, over 80 degrees F. So, 75 degrees F is about right, probably not much warmer than room temperature which means you probably can't do much in that regard.

Artificial spawning mops can be made from undyed yarn (wrap it around, tie, cut, that sort of thing). They won't "turn on" the goldfish though as much as soft live plants. Java moss is a favorite of most fish on which to lay eggs.

Goldfish normally spawn at dawn. An egg-laden female may be slammed/pushed/smushed by a male or males a dozen times before getting out most of the eggs. She may have enough left to repeat that for another morning or two.

How big are your fish? What is your tank temperature? Do any of the fish have tubercles? Mature males have obvious tubercles (white spots on the gill covers). I have three male fantails in my 65 gallon aquarium, and they almost always have obvious tubercles.

For more information, see
http://www.fishpondinfo.com/gfish3.htm
http://www.fishpondinfo.com/breed.htm

Hello, I just transferred my calico fantails from a 10 gallon to a 50 gallon tank just before Christmas. One of my calicos was definitely a chaser and they have been extremely active with some really crazy behavior over the past week. Tonight I discovered bunches of eggs through the bottom rocks in the aquarium. Will I need to remove my 2 adult calico's and the plecostamus? Or will some of the fry survive anyway?(that is, if they actually hatch out?)

I am so excited to see this happen. At first I thought one of the fish had ich, but now I know those whitish spots on the gills and forefins are tubercles.

Goldfish love nothing more than to eat goldfish eggs and fry even if they are the parents. A few eggs or fry might escape notice but it's doubtful. I suggest removing any eggs or fry that you find to another tank (or indoor pond) if you want to raise them up. Can you put the eggs in the old 10 gallon tank or are you using it for other fish? Plecos won't bother free-swimming fry but may eat any stationary eggs or newborn fry. To possibly have more fry survive, you could instead remove the three adult fish to another tank but I prefer to move the eggs and fry instead so as not to stress the other fish. A good way to collect the eggs if they are in the bottom in the gravel is to do a gravel vacuuming of the bottom and collect the debris into a bucket or bathtub and then transfer the eggs to their own tank to hatch. Hatched fry can be caught and transferred using a plastic pipet (I'm a chemist so I have easy access to them but any scientist or science teacher should be able to get you one.). If you can't get one, then use something like a dixie cup. Nets won't work with fry (they go through the holes or get squished).

See http://www.fishpondinfo.com/gfish3.htm and http://www.fishpondinfo.com/breed.htm for more on goldfish and raising fry in general.

Good luck!

Thanks Robyn, I will do this with some of the eggs that are easiest to siphon. I have not noticed the calicos messing with the eggs, but then I have been keeping them well fed. Frequent smaller meals. It will be exciting to watch them grow and mature. I already have friends asking if they can have a couple for themselves. I will be sure to let you know how things go over the next couple of weeks.

I was able to successfully save 9 baby calico's. They are doing well and have grown enough to able to see them. It will be fun to watch them grow-up and They are half spoken for allready.

My adult calico fantails laid eggs again on Thursday - only about 2 weeks apart. How often do they lay eggs? I thought it was only once. I was surprised to see them laying eggs again. It was fun though because I was able to actually see the eggs spurt out and the male fertilize them. Too cool! They did eat some of the eggs but there are still many left. This and any future batches will be on their own. I don't have space or enough tanks to raise that many fishy's! I will feed them the freeze dried brine shrimp and provide hiding spaces throughout the tank and it will be just like in a pond - Survival of the Fittest.

I'm glad you saved some! They will soon be in their irresistibly cute phase!

It takes females about two weeks to get another batch of eggs matured but, in a pond situation, where a little (eggs) comes out here and there, females can sometimes spawn almost continously, certainly weekly. I've found in aquariums, you normally get one spawn in the winter if you have mature fish of both sexes and the currect setup. Some people though have reported multiple aquarium spawnings, mostly in the colder months. It's the coolest it will be inside the house (normally mid to high 60's degrees F) so they like that plus the day length starts to increase.

Even if the parents don't eat all the eggs, they are almost guaranteed to eat any fry they encounter. Let us know if any goldfish survive on their own in the tank with their parents because I've never heard of it happening with goldfish (sometimes with other fish though who are less ravenous).

Robyn, I will let you know. I won't be able to keep a close eye on the tanks myself because I start college on the 4th of Feb. I will have my son feed them in the midday before he goes to work. It will be fun watching the babies mature. They are beginning to get a tinge of a golden orange color and it looks like they may be beginning to grow their bottom fins and the tails are getting a bit broader. They are swimming pretty well for only being able to see their eyes just 2 weeks ago.

I am ok if no fry survive the BIG TANK. I don't know what I would do with that many fishy's anyway. They have a fairly long life span if they stay healthy. I do have the larger rocks on the bottom so the strongest ones just may be able to hide in the cracks between them and survive, at least for a little while. I will keep you updated periodically. My tank is at 71 degrees right now in case any of the fry do survive. It is fun watching them do their thing and yes the male can sure get awfully aggressive sometimes. It seems she doesn't mind it and if he is not paying her any attention she pokes at him to get his attention. That male does have some good moves too. It is amazing how he can curl his body up around her to trap her into a confined space. I have never seen goldfish lay eggs. The poor plecostamus was hanging out on the side of the tank and some of the eggs were stuck to him for awhile. He didn't seem to mind. The goldfish actually tend to avoid the plecostamus if they can.

You have done a wonderful job putting this website together. More informative than others I have visited. Thanks.

Julie