I'll preface this with saying I know that generally this is a bit of a stocking no no. However my girlfriend has quickly fallen in love with a breed of fish through our many trips to the fish stores around town and really wants it. It is a pearlscale goldfish she likes that they are tubby and cute and different however she wants to stock them with her small comets for a little while. I told her that the pearlscale isn't really a competitive swimmer or anything else and is possibly one of gods little jokes being played out. She has been around me and has seen me train my black moor to be hand fed so he could eat with the other fancy I have. She is hoping that she could do the same with a pearlscale. I read someone elses post about having the two and it being hard on the pearl but doable. What are opinions. I'm not looking for "no it won't work" little value answer give me a reason why or why absolutley not. I know swim bladder disease is an issue and she is willing to take the risk. Thanks for all of the help?
Odd Stocking Question
- Thread starter polarbear
- Start date
It can be done. I have a large tank with goldfish galore(mostly fancy). I have blind ones, partially blind ones, ones without fins, normal ones and a comet or two. I have a feeding system with 3 main features.
Step 1> Mix your own food. I mix sinking pellets, with floating pellets, with shrimp pellets and some flakes for the heck of it. That way, everyone will have something to go for- the agressive ones go for the floating stuff and the slow ones go for sinking.
Step 2> Get a feeding ring. (keeps the food from going everywhere and trains the goldies to go to the same place every time)
Step 3> Announce Dinner. Tap Tap Tap means it is food time, so even the blind ones know. This lets the slow ones know to work their way over for dinner. It also keeps them from begging too much- if they dont hear the taps, they dont get fed.
Hunger is very motivating and my fish learned very quickly what to do. I usually dont suggest comets with fancys, but as long as there is plenty of food and space to swim, it can be done. Pearlscales are the only breed I havent had yet because their tendency to bloat more than Ryukins, Orandas and Moores. But if I was to see one that I couldnt live without- I would get it in a heartbeat! Go For it!
Step 1> Mix your own food. I mix sinking pellets, with floating pellets, with shrimp pellets and some flakes for the heck of it. That way, everyone will have something to go for- the agressive ones go for the floating stuff and the slow ones go for sinking.
Step 2> Get a feeding ring. (keeps the food from going everywhere and trains the goldies to go to the same place every time)
Step 3> Announce Dinner. Tap Tap Tap means it is food time, so even the blind ones know. This lets the slow ones know to work their way over for dinner. It also keeps them from begging too much- if they dont hear the taps, they dont get fed.
Hunger is very motivating and my fish learned very quickly what to do. I usually dont suggest comets with fancys, but as long as there is plenty of food and space to swim, it can be done. Pearlscales are the only breed I havent had yet because their tendency to bloat more than Ryukins, Orandas and Moores. But if I was to see one that I couldnt live without- I would get it in a heartbeat! Go For it!
O, and one more feeding advice. I fast my goldfish one whole day a week, keeps their sensitive internals clean. Also- Hight quality food- Omega one sinking goldfish pellets are great. HBH has come out with little sinking discs- the package looks funny but the food is moderate quality. I also feed lots of algae wafers- my new favorite, and cheaply priced are the "Algae Grazers" I think by HBH. HBH Super Softs spirulina is also good, especially for small goldies-it is easy to digest and high in plant matter.
and of course Hikari goldfish pellets, but they are kind of expensive.
and of course Hikari goldfish pellets, but they are kind of expensive.
goldfish also LOVE orange slices...plus the vitamin C is a very natural way to boost their color/immunity.... Most goldfish will lose their color from a vitamin C deficiency ex. a black moor will fade to orangeish-brown
mine seems to work out fine. i have a tiny pearlscale and a ryukin in with a common and comet with no issues.
the comet and common are both atleast 6" bigger than the two fancies, and i see the little guys able to get to the pellets all the time.
i personally dont get the whole "out competing for food" thing. ive had fancies in with commons or comets for years, and they are always fat and healthy. as soon as i come near the tank, their all waiting for food, and scarfing it down as soon as it hits the water, all getting a share.
the comet and common are both atleast 6" bigger than the two fancies, and i see the little guys able to get to the pellets all the time.
i personally dont get the whole "out competing for food" thing. ive had fancies in with commons or comets for years, and they are always fat and healthy. as soon as i come near the tank, their all waiting for food, and scarfing it down as soon as it hits the water, all getting a share.
Goldfish all scour the bottom constantly for food and need so much less than what most of us feed them (me included) so I don't think not getting enough food will be a problem. Goldfish do need at least 75% of their diet to be plant material, algae, spirilina, etc. Very important. Get a big batch of floating plants for them, they love to eat them and that will give each kind of Goldfish something to nibble on. My 3 Fantails happen to be all males and my 1 Fancy Goldfish is a female. So she has to live in another tank with Dojos because the huge males would harrass her to death.
I removed my comet from my fantails and slower moving fish, however i think it should work out ok 
Just wanted to thank everyone. She loves you guys for this info. We went to see the sharks get fed today at LFS and she found a pearl she just loves and then another one. She has added Gomez and Tubby to the tank with the comets and we'll see how it goes. She said if it wasn't for the support from you guys she would never have done it and feels even if it didn't work this site was much more informative then anywhere else. We'll keep you updated on the little guys.
Yeah she was great. They were all Calico type so Gomez was mostly orange with a black colour mark "moustache" like the Addams Family. I liked it then she looked at the guy from the LFS and said "I want one named tubby so make sure he is real fat or real skinny looking!" She couldn't find the original tubby in the tank he was lost in the mass of pearlscales that was hoping to be liberated. She definitley is better then I am. I named my Moor Omor and my first Fish Hsif. She knows somewhere down the road I want a ray named Gints and they all have to be anagrams in my world. Not creative enough.