The Great Zoo

Kacey, 26. Los Angeles. Three goldfish, two cats. 55-gallon tank. Totally original content-based blog

[googlygoldfish]

Hi there! I have a goldfish in a 50 gallon right now, but the college I’m going to be attending only allows 30 gallons max. Will the downgrade hurt him? If so, I’m planning on giving him to a friend who can take the 50 gallon with her to her apartment

Hi there! Sorry it took so long for me to get back to you. I don’t think the 30 gallon will hurt him as long as you don’t add more fish, and keep up constant heavy filtration like you would in the 50 gal. However, it’s also been my experience that most people don’t know what a 30 gal looks like compared to a 50 gal….so you may be able to get away with the 50 ;) After a certain size, people unfamiliar with fish tanks tend to not be able to tell the difference between two sizes of “big” tank. 

Are you going to be in a dorm, or in off-campus housing? When I was in college, the size limit was 5 gallons but I kept a 30 gallon for a full year and no one cared. I’m not suggesting that you deliberately break the rules but…..if they allow a 30 gallon, chances are they might not really notice the 50 as long as you don’t put it somewhere obvious lol 

[googlygoldfish]

I'm sorry for your loss. Chai and Mr. B are swimming around in the cosmos watching over you and the rest of your googly goldfish. Sending good vibes to you and the rest of your fishie crew

Thank you so much for these kind words <3 I miss Chai a lot today, and this note was really nice to see in my inbox. 

[googlygoldfish]

I love your fish, especially Opie, they're so beautiful!! Also love the name! - a fellow Kacey

Hi there - I just got this, and am sorry if you sent it a while ago! I’ve been so busy lately I’ve forgotten to check tumblr :) Thank you for the compliment!! Opie is a character. Sometimes when I feed her, she sucks my whole thumb into her mouth, lol. Kaceys unite!

[googlygoldfish]

So, Fishblr friends, I have some happy news and some sad news. The happy news, first, you might have guessed - I welcomed a new friend into the tank! The little white telescope butterflytail is Snow Pea. I picked her up the same day I picked up my new tank stand; she was so active and friendly, and I couldn’t leave without her :) She’s been a great addition to the tank and everyone loves her! 

---

Now, for the sad news. I held off posting here for the past few days since I knew how this was going to end. This morning I said goodbye to my goofy little pom-pom Chai. She developed dropsy out of nowhere about a week and a half ago. Knowing that dropsy is not something fish generally rebound from, I was worried. I treated the tank immediately with my usual meds (these will not affect the bacteria in the filter btw) and kept a close eye on her. She didn’t seem to be getting worse and had only slightly pineconed up until yesterday. I did not remove her from the main tank, as dropsy is not usually contagious unless it’s the result of a bacterial outbreak and I did not suspect that here. Only Chai was being affected, and she was still very active, eating normally, etc. I didn’t think it would be right to isolate her when I knew she had basically no chance of recovery in the event this was renal failure (I highly suspected it was). She would have deteriorated quickly in isolation, and spent her last days alone. I didn’t want that for her. The other fish were not picking on her, and she was not struggling in the main tank. I wanted her to spend her remaining time with her friends in the place she has always known...since I didn’t exactly know how many days she would ultimately have left. My criteria for determining whether it was “time,” were: whether she was responsive, eating, active, moving without too much struggle, and no external sores or lacerations. Last night, she was hungry but couldn’t chew. She had trouble maintaining equilibrium. The other fish were very obviously giving her space and leaving her alone. I knew this morning was going to be her time...and I am glad I didn’t wait any longer. After she was gone it was apparent how much fluid was filling her abdomen. She would have been in a lot of pain soon. I think I made the right choice. 

I will miss her. A lot. She was the last of my fish from Boston, and she made it through so many crazy times. She almost died in transit - twice! She came to me from Dandy Orandas...so I have no idea how old she really was. She spent 4 and a half years with me, and was from China before that. When I got her, she was only a little smaller than she was today. I estimate she was at least 6 years old, but she may have been as old as 8. I loved her so much and today has been sad missing her in the tank. But I also know she’s not in pain anymore, and somewhere out there she’s swimming around with Mr. B and having all the best fishy snacks she can dream up! 

Thanks for reading <3 I have a few more photos of her from a recent shoot, before she got sick, that I’ll post in the coming weeks. 

[googlygoldfish]

A lil note!

Whew! Guys! I moved again, this time to my very own one bedroom which has been GREAT but is taking a long time to get set up :) I promise I’ll be back soon with photos (as soon as I find where I packed my camera...) and you may even see a new face in the tank....hehe. Hang tight! 

[googlygoldfish]

Here’s a slightly old photo of Mako from my last shoot, to hold you guys over until I’m back in SoCal and can get some more pics together! Currently home on the east coast for the holiday, but I have a friend checking in on my cats, the fish, and my newest addition - a budgie. Found on the streets of LA. Story and photos to come on that....

[googlygoldfish]

is it possible to keep a black moor in a 20 gallon? or would they be happier in a bigger tank?

Hi there - It’s definitely possible to keep a black moor very comfortably in a 20 gallon tank. As a rule of thumb, each goldie needs 15-20 gallons. However, goldfish are social and really enjoy the company of a friend. They don’t school, so it’s not like you need to get 3 or 4 more fish (thankfully!) but they do best with a companion. So, for 2 goldies, you’d want between a 30 and 40 gallon tank - with appropriate filtration, of course. 

In the meantime, though, a 20 gallon is perfect for one goldfish :) Good luck, and feel free to ask more questions if you have them! 

[googlygoldfish]

One of those weeks...

Hey guys - I’m just popping in to say that I’m sorry for the lack of updates over the past week - unfortunately, I might not get much new content up soon due to the fact that my car was stolen yesterday. Pretty much feels like one big nightmare I can’t wake up from. I’m hanging in there emotionally; thankfully, neither of us were hurt (we were sleeping when it happened) - but both my roommate’s car and mine were stolen from inside our secured garage (and both our cars were locked at the time). 

Once I get my life in order again and manage to find a way out of shit creek, posts will resume as normal - promise! In the meantime, any good vibes, thoughts, etc. would be so, so amazing. Thanks for understanding. 

[googlygoldfish]

nice to see a pom pom! they are dying out in the hobbie within the UK. not everyone's a fan of those cute cheeks lol

Thanks! I don’t see them much in the USA either. People always ask me “what’s with her face?” lol. It’s a shame, since they really are cuties! 

[googlygoldfish]

They like the tunnel a whole lot (PSA it has since been scrubbed of diatoms and looks a lot cleaner now than in this pic...)

[googlygoldfish]

More party fish - this time featuring Opie! 

[googlygoldfish]

I have a goldfish but right now I am unable to get another goldfish until I can get him a bigger tank. Will he be alright until then? I did not know that goldfish were social so that is why i didn't get him a friend.

Hey there! I think your goldfish should be fine, solo, until you can get him a bigger tank where both he and a friend would be comfortable. Just try not to wait TOO long! Bare minimum for two goldies, I’d recommend a 40 gallon tank (if you can find a 30 that would do, but it’s kind of a non-standard size whereas 40gal is pretty common in pet stores) and a canister filter. This will allow the fish enough space to swim and grow big and healthy, and also will allow for fewer water changes (once a cycle has been established). If you have any more questions, feel free to ask! 

[googlygoldfish]

What’s on Chai’s face are they ok?

Hey there! Thanks for the ask. Chai is a pompom oranda goldfish, and the “things” on her face are “pompoms.” They are overgrown nasal florets that have been selectively bred for over time to create an enlarged pompom look. She’s perfectly ok; I just need to trim her pompoms every now and then, so she doesn’t have trouble eating. 

[googlygoldfish]

My new tank light comes with a bluelight setting and it looks really neat - but is hard to capture with a camera! I call it the “party fish” setting....

[googlygoldfish]

Chai’s scales are changing a little bit. She’s getting more “glittery” gold! 

[googlygoldfish]

your fish are so beautiful and healthy looking!!! I could cry; I love your blog!

aww thank you! I really appreciate this little note :) 

[googlygoldfish]

Closeups of Opie!