Expert: Jack - 6/24/2008

Question
I have three beautiful comet goldfish in a 15 gallon tank. Two I have had for ages and I recently bought another friend for my girls (I call her Pumpkin because of the orange spots over her white body. They got along fine when I introduced her to the tank a couple of weeks ago and now she is in a corner hovering by herself. She swims normally, but I have no once seen her eat at feeding time. The other two go into a frenzy and start eating but she kind of hovers around slowly swimming and retreats to a corner. I feed them peas and sinking fish crisps and recently treated the tank and everything.She was really feisty when I first rescued her form the crowded tank at Petsmart. What is wrong with my poor Pumpkin?


Answer
Hey Faith

Your tank is too small for starters!

Goldfish should have at least 10 gallon to themselves #so you will need a 30 gallon.

Fish are very dirty fish so thats why they need a big tank to accommodate them.

Is Pumpkin smaller?

She may not be in the 'pecking order' yet.

I had two goldfish and i bought another two and they all fed at different times and never swam next to each other but after 3 weeks, they do now!

If your worried, separate them, then you can feed pumpkin on her own.

Good luck!!      Jack