goldfish breeding questions

[_Sushi_]

I have goldfish of varying sizes from 2 inches up to 7. I'm in the process of building an outdoor pond that will be raring and ready for fish this coming spring. Instead of buying unhealthy goldfish from the local meijer's or wal-mart, I would like to breed my own.

What is the breeding size of goldfish?
How can I tell gender on comets? I think I know how on fantails.
How would I condition them?
Could I temporarily house the parents in the nursery? (a 10 gallon, or a kiddie pool)
The fry need artemia and daphnia, and I think spirulina, is there anything else I would need?

Also how long would they need to grow before they could go out and into the pond?

Thanks in advance, I'm doing my research now, and I plan on breeding between late October and next spring.

~Sushi

[Modest_Man]

Ours beed out in the pond every year. No conditioning needed. Males have tubers that develop around the nostrils. They're usually sexually mature around the 4-5" mark, and at least 2-3 years old. They scatter their eggs in plants, we use water lettuce and water hyacynth. Try and make sure you have more females than males, as females can get harassed to death by males during breeding season.

[_Sushi_]

our goldfish are indoors, since I'm way too attached to these particular ones to put them outside where the critters can get into the pond. Also, my pond is currently empty, and I have yet to replace the ripped liner that everyone's been letting the flagstones tear up.

Thanks for your help!!

[guppy]

They mature at 1 year but are prime at around 3, this is usually about 4" long.
Look at this site for more info, www.brooklands.co.nz/gold/breeding.html

[meepster]

psst broken link

[_Sushi_]

it is a broken link!! :(

Thanks for the info, Guppy!!

Do I want to move them into the nursery to breed? Or should do AI? (I have found a website detailing how to AI goldfish)

Also, quick genetics question....what will I get if I cross a fantail and a comet? Will I get a hardier fantail, or some funny-lookin thing?

[meepster]

you will get a double tailed common goldfish. Sometimes it might be shaped weirdly though. I've seen double tailed goldfish in the feeder tanks at the LFS (probably from people releasing fantails into the breeding ponds)

[_Sushi_]

That'd actually be kinda cute/weird.

I'd always heard that they can interbreed, and I was curious as to what would happen once they did lol

[guppy]

try http://www.brooklands.co.nz/gold/breeding.htm I accidently added an L. Should work now.

[_Sushi_]

Thanks for all your help!! And that website works now!!

[imsweet]

Males have whats called breeding tuburcules on their gill plates and front fins.(tiny white spots- like acne) I used to always look for the gill plates but have noticed more and more the line of spots on the front fins show first. They will also be sleeker looking and females plumper.
Look for the child-bearing hips :ROFL:


I have found this works.
1) Keep male and females seperated, feed up on live foods until the female looks like shes gonna burst
2) place either live plants, spawning mops, plastic (soft) plants, spawning mats into a bare bottomed tank.
3) introduce the fish, 2 males to 1 female, do a cold water change - couple deg lower than the tank water
4) generally when the water starts to warm, the males will chase the female and start bumping into her belly.
5) when the female pauses amongst the plants and the males quickly follow.... thats usually when she has scattered the eggs.
6) remove parents before they turn and eat the eggs. Place an airstone in the tank and wait 4-10days.
7) Add medication for fungus - as you will always have unfertilised eggs that turn white and go fuzzy. They will fungus the good eggs too.
8) remove the bad eggs. (if possible)
9)once the fry hatch and have been free-swimming for 3 days (used their yolk sac) feed insofuria (crushed lettuce with boiled water tipped over and matured 3-4-5 days 1st)
10) introduce boiled egg yolk, crushed up or a liquid fry food after about a week. Then normal crushed flake after about 4 weeks.

I Have aquired shubunkins that have been crossed with fantails. The person that bred them wanted to cross black moores with shubunkins,,, to get calico moores. Interesting looking fish.
Good luck with your breeding venture.:)

[_Sushi_]

I didn't think any of ours HAD tubercules, but I saw them!!! woot!! ^_^ I almost didn't!!

So I have a large orange comet, and a red and white fantail, so if I crossed these two, I would have a chance to get a red and white double-tailed comet?

How do you see the tubercules on a white fish? I have 4 white goldfish, 3 comets, (2 with orange caps on their heads, 1 all white) and 1 fantail (same as first 2 comets)