Feeder Goldfish as Pets

Feeder goldfish, after quarantine, make excellent fish. Seen here eating Chinese veggies. Photo by Don Tai

Not having money and wanting to keep fish had me researching all the possibilities. On one hand, I knew nothing about raising fish, so the possibility of killing a few would be a near certainty. On the other hand fish can be $3-4 each. Since I do not like to waste money that I do not have, I turned to feeder goldfish, sold for $0.18CAD each, here in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Feeder goldfish, as I read on the internet, are full of diseases and will quickly die, so do not bother. On the other hand there were others who said they raised feeders to become large fish that were strong and healthy. I am decidedly in the latter camp. Feeder goldfish are goldfish, just that they have been badly treated. Overall feeder goldfish can be beautiful, graceful and easy to care for.

Feeder fish, goldfish included, are bought by people to feed predatory fish. It sounds cruel but this is how the market is, and there is a high demand for live fish. Is this an ethical dilemma, I will leave this to you, the reader. Still, the market for feeders exists and shows no abatement. Feeders are inexpensive and, if you get the store and the right person helping you, can be colourful and beautiful. Goldfish originated from China.

The Chinese aquarium stores in my area have different rules from the Canadian aquarium stores. In Chinese stores the feeders are cheaper, at 8 for $1.00 or so, but with some strict rules. You cannot fish out your feeders yourself. You cannot select an individual feeder, or this will cost you $1.00/fish. Basically they have a low price but you cannot select your own fish. For me, this is unacceptable, so I have always walked away. They can keep their fish and their bad attitude.

Other mainstream Canadian aquarium stores sometimes allow you to select your own feeders and this is where I go. Specifically I found a really lovely and patient person named Yrtneg that helps out the Little Weed and I. She is a blessing and the reason I return to this one store.

You play an odds game when buying feeder goldfish, no matter that you select them. They are not in regular tanks but ones that are inset into the ground, so you really cannot completely observe the fish. Further, there are so many crammed into the tank that tracking any one is difficult. We try to find healthy fish but this is very difficult. You should expect that for every 10 feeder fish that 4 will die within a few days. Still at $1.80 for 10, finally yielding 6 fish or $0.30 each, this is much more economical than $3-4/each. Feeders are transported and sold crammed together, so their water quality is bad. Being overcrowded exposes them to increased stress and disease. Suffice to say they are not well treated. These conditions, however, make them more economical.

I found out that feeders or not, new fish from a fish store needs to be quarantined. I put them in a quarantine tank for at least 2 weeks. If they are diseased they will not decimate or infect your main tank. This is critical and not limited to feeders. I also found that fish that are non-feeders and are regular price, can and do die just like feeder goldfish. Your water needs to be treated for chlorine and chloramines (specifically for the City of Toronto, for other areas check your local water company). I also add 1 teaspoon of sea salt for each gallon/4 litres of water. I use sea salt because I can buy it at the grocery store at 2 kg for $2CAD, which is less than 1/10 the price at the local fish store.

For your quarantine tank you still need it cycled and you still need to test for your water parameters such as ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. You still need to do water changes. These chores do not change for feeder goldfish. As goldfish are a cold water fish you do not need a heater. I feed them every other day, wait a couple of hours and then vacuum up the poo. Water changes I do about once a week.

Feeder goldfish are fish. Once your 40% dies off, before your very eyes they magically turn into beautiful Common (Hibuna) and Comet goldfish. Feeders are a very mixed breed, genetically diverse and strong. Feeders can be very colourful but as they grow their colours can change surprisingly quickly. We find this fascinating. A couple we bought started out as orange and white, and over time the orange faded and they began to get blotches of yellow. Another couple orange ones were heavily marked with black, but over time the black faded into orange or turned grey. What you buy may not be what you have in a couple of weeks.

Goldfish are not picky eaters. In fact I trained ours to eat Chinese (上海白菜) Bai Cai. I microwave a leaf for 1 minute in the microwave, then put it into the tank on a suction cupped clothes pin. They really like it. Three original fish then taught two newcomers. After 2 days I remove whatever is left.

Our feeder goldfish are friendly and often greet us when we come home. They beg for food and attention when anyone goes near their tank. They can see us and have good eyesight. If this is what you want in the qualities of fish pets then consider the lowly feeder goldfish.

Feeder goldfish are not the diseased and worthless fish that many have said. With proper quarantine and an expected attrition, you can expect some beautiful and graceful fish that are genetically strong and fast swimmers, at an economical price.

Colours:
-any black = shubunkin or calico (3 coloured)
-long tail? Comet, red and white comet = sarasa
-splayed double tail? Wakin
-not a torpedo body but short and round? tomasaba

Links:
Comet/Feeder Goldfish Info
Feeder Goldfish
Common Goldfish
Common Goldfish, Carassius auratus auratus
Hibuna, 2