If you're not supposed to keep gold fish in a 5 gallon tank, then why...?

I

intelliracer

New member
...do I still have two living goldfish after six months? I have two fish living in one five gallon tank with a filter. I change the water once a month and feed regularly. Wouldn't this prove that fish can survive in something smaller than 20 gallons as long as the person takes good care of the tank??
 
That doesn't mean that they are healthy. Goldfish are pretty hardy. They can't grow and their bodies might not be growing but their organs don't stop. Your fish are going to have a very slow and painful death.

Goldfish should live well over 20 years. 6 months proves nothing.
 
Not for there whole life span of 20+ years!

The reason they need big tanks is because goldfish get big! Most get at least 12 inches, some can get a bit bigger! By keeping them in a 5 gallon tank, you have severely stunted their growth.

So, no, it does not prove a thing. It proves that YOU stayed on top of your water changes. It does not mean you know how to properly care for them. If you did, they would be in a proper sized tank of 30-40 gallons, and would probably be bigger than they currently are.

But still, congrats on staying on top of those water changes for only 6 months. But just because you change the water does not mean your fish are healthy... Once again, small tanks stunt their growth, and affect their health.
 
Who says you're not supposed to keep goldfish in a 5 gallon tank? I never heard of that and I used to work in a pet store. I do hope tho that when you say you change the water once a month that you are not changing all the water in the tank. You are only supposed to change 1/4 of the water at a time (monthly). If they are still doing ok just keep up with what you are doing. Good Luck.
 
Back
Top