Upside Down Catfish (Synodontis nigriventris)

The Upside Down Catfish is a fish from Central Africa, from the Congo Basin. The maximum length is 8cm (3.2 inches) and they should be in a 60cm (24 inches) long aquarium, with a 23 to 27C (73 to 81F) water temperature. They will enjoy eating insects, crustaceans, plant matter and dried food.

This fish doesn’t have scales and it’s a bit compressed on the sides. You will see three barbel pairs, two of them on the lower jaw and the third one on the upper jaw. The Upside Down Catfish has a cream/grey color, with some black or brown markings.

There are no colors on the fins of this fish, but they do have dark markings. The belly of the Upside Down Catfish is black. Because of the colors and the upside down way they usually use, the name was a natural fit for him.

They usually enjoy the night more and they are quite peaceful. They prefer shoaling with fish of the same species. Because they swim upside-down, they can pick the algae from the leaves underside.

There should be plenty of roots and rocks inside the aquarium, plus plenty of large leaved plants, to make sure that the fish has enough space to swim upside down.

In most cases, they will not breed inside home aquariums. When they do breed, they will change color from brown to white/yellow before they do it. The color of the laid eggs is pale yellow, about 2.5mm (0.1 inches) in size. It takes around a week for the eggs to hatch and another four days for the young to swim on their own.

During the first two months, the young will swim like other fish, but after that they will begin swimming upside down.

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Tiger Barb (Barbus Tetrazona)

The Tiger Barb fish is native to Sumatra and Borneo and it’s also known as the Sumatran Barb. This fresh water fishes original habitat would have been a tropical area where the water temperature was fairly high, and they would be located in fairly shallow water of either medium to fast moving streams, or swampy lakes.

Puntius tetrazona is the scientific name of this fish and it can reach a length of 6cm (2.4 inches). It belongs to the Cyprinidae (minnow) family.

This is a very widely kept fresh water fish species and rates at about the 10th most popular ornamental fish species.

The water temperature in the aquarium should vary between 20 and 25C (68 to 77F). The water should be either medium-hard or soft. They can be fed plant matter, crustaceans, worms and dried food. They need a good balance of meat and vegetable matter. A quality flake food is a good start but this should be supplemented with foods such as bloodworms and zucchini.

A fish that is colorful and quite good looking, the Tiger Barb’s base color is orange. There are four stripes, colored black, vertical on his body.

This fish is great for a beginner, as long as your aquarium is big enough. You should keep a minimum of 5 fish of the same type in the tank, because they enjoy shoaling. If there aren’t enough of them, they might become aggressive with other species you might keep in the tank. In such cases, they will nibble on the fins of those fish, especially when they have fins that are long and trailing.

You shouldn’t keep Guppies or Angelfish in the same aquarium with Tiger Barbs. You can think of these fish as the bad boys of the aquarium as they do tend to be fin nippers and are often aggressive towards more timid fish. Ideally you should keep no less than 5 fish from the barb species, because smaller shoals will be more likely to show this territorial behavior and attack their neighbors. In fact the larger the group the better, as this will encourage them to leave the gentler fish alone.

Tiger barbs should ideally be kept in a tank with a pH between 6 and 8, and a dH of 5-19.

Breeding the Tiger Barbs is possible. They reach sexual maturity when they are around 2 to 3 centimeters at the young age of about 8 weeks. The female is larger than the male and has a plumper belly, she also has a black dorsal fin. You should let them choose their pair on their own, and once they do that, move the fish to another aquarium, where they can leave the eggs. Once the eggs are laid, take the adults out of the tank and get them back inside the community aquarium. If they are left with the eggs, they will eat them.

This species will also enjoy shoaling with Golden and Green Barbs, so you can create aquariums with plenty of variety in them. You should place enough vegetation on the aquarium edges while leaving enough room for them to swim. Pieces of wood, rocks, and plenty of plants will be appreciated. The length of the aquarium should be at least 60cm (24 inches

 

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Rosy Barb (Puntius Conchonius)

The Rosy Barb is a 14cm (5.5 inches) fish that lives in the Northeastern part of India. Puntius Conchonius is the genus name of this fish. It should be placed in a tank that is 60cm (24 inches) or longer, with neutral or soft water, and a temperature between 22 and 25 degrees Celsius (72 to 77F). The Rosy Barb will eat insects, plant matter, dried food, crustaceans and worms.

A fish that a lot of people used in their aquarium in the last century, the Rosy Barb is great to have if you’re a beginner. The fish has a stocky body with the male being less stout than the female. Their length can go up to 14cm (5.5 inches) when they’re in the wild, but when it’s kept in a tank they will go only to 7.5cm (3 inches).

The belly of the Rosy Barb is silver in color and the back is olive/green. The sides of the fish are red and have a silver iridescence, which becomes a bright red when the fish spawn.

The fins of the Rosy Barb male are pink, with black for the dorsal fin’s tip. As for the fins of the female, they are colorless, with a bit of a dark tinge for the dorsal fin.

The Rosy Barb is not a demanding fish, that enjoys an aquarium with little lighting. You can do that by adding floating plants in the aquarium. They enjoy burrowing, so they need a soft sand at the bottom of the aquarium.

Because they enjoy shoaling, you should have a minimum of five fish of this type in your aquarium. If you want the females not to be harassed, the aquarium should have two females for each of the males.

When the Rosy Barbs breed, the eggs will be left on the plants. One day later the eggs are going to hatch. It will take a couple of days for the fish to begin free swimming. The adults will eat the eggs and the young, so make sure you protect them.

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Red Tailed Black Shark (Epalzeorhynchos Bicolor)

The Red Tailed Black Shark is native to Thailand and it’s also known as the Red Tailed Labeo. The genus name for this species is Epalzeorhynchos Bicolor and the length can go up to 12cm (4.7 inches). The aquarium should have at least 60cm (24 inches) in length and the water should have a temperature of 22 to 26C (72 to 79F). The water inside should be either a bit acidic or soft. Feed this fish with insects, plant matter, worms, dried food or crustaceans.

An elongated fish, the Red Tailed Black Shark is a bit compressed laterally. The mouth is facing downward for a bit and you can see two pairs of barbels and swollen lips on it.

In the best situations, the body of this fish has a color that is velvet black, with a red or orange tail. If you see a grey color on the fish, it’s because something in the aquarium doesn’t suit him or because the fish is upset.

The Red Tailed Black Shark is a bit aggressive sometimes, especially when they’re older. You should be able to keep them in a community tank, but take care. They are known to be aggressive with fish from their own species, so they should be kept alone. If you put new fish inside the aquarium, take care, as they are known for chasing new additions to the tank.

Another name for this species is Red Tailed Labeo, which is better actually, since “Shark” can be misleading in some cases. This fish isn’t actually related to sharks.

Because they are so aggressive, keeping them in groups is not advised. For the same reason, this fish doesn’t breed usually in home aquariums.

This species is quite hardy and it can have a long lifespan if treated well. Make sure that the tank has enough hiding spots for the fish. You can use a coconut shell or a flowerpot (on its side) to create those hiding spots

 

 

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Peppered Corydoras (Corydoras Paleatus)

Known as the Corydoras Paleatus genus, the Peppered Corydoras is also known as Peppered Cat, Peppered Cory or Salt and Pepper Cory. It can be found in the La Plata Basin and Southeastern Brazil. It will go up to 7cm (2.8 inches) in length, so the tank should be at least 45cm (18 inches) in length. Make sure the water temperature varies between 19 and 26C (66 to 79F). Their food should consist of dried food, insects, worms, plant matter and crustaceans.

The Peppered Corydoras has a pair of short barbels and it has a tall body. His lower lateral armor has between 20 and 22 bony plates, with the upper part having between 22 and 24. The ones from the bottom have a pale yellow color while the ones from the upper part are either olive/brown or dark olive/green.

This species is the most kept species out of all the Corydoras fish. This happens because it’s the least demanding of them, living in all kinds of water types. Still, it would be nice if you placed some plants inside their aquarium, as they enjoy hiding sometimes. The bottom of the aquarium should be made out of sand, so it’s soft and fish can burrow in it.

The female of the species can be recognized by the body, which is a bit longer and more robust than the male. The spawning will happen in a place chosen by the female, usually on a rock or on some plant leaves.

The male clasps the female and will deposit the sperm. Next, the eggs will leave the eggs in the place they chose, touching them with the mouth quickly.

The spawning process will take place a few times, taking three hours sometimes. In some cases, there will be two males taking part in the process, since the number of eggs can make it difficult for just one male to manage. It takes 5 or 6 days for the eggs to hatch.

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Oscar Fish (Astronotus Ocellatus)

The Oscar fish is also known as Tiger Oscar, Albino Oscar, Velvet Cichlid or Marbled Cichlid. The genus name for this fish is Astronotus Ocellatus and it can be found from Rio Paraguay to Orinoco, in South America. The maximum length reached is 35cm (14 inches) and you will need a tank that is 120cm (48 inches) in length if you want this fish. The temperature of the water should vary from 22 to 26C (72 to 79F). You should feed them chopped meat, insects, worms, dried food and crustaceans.

Plenty of people have Oscar fish in their aquariums, as they have a long lifespan (10 years) and their personality is quite distinct. This fish is very intelligent and they are even able to learn tricks. They can learn who gives them food and they will react differently to them. Since each of them is unique in their own way, it’s a pleasure having one.

There are a number of patterns and colors on an Oscar fish, so they have names like Albino, Red Fire, Tiger, Zebra and Red.

While the reputation of the Oscar fish says that he’s quite aggressive, this isn’t true. They got this reputation because they enjoy eating anything that fits in the mouth. If you compare these fish with other Cichlids, they’re actually a bit mellow and in plenty of cases they will be bullied by other fish. Since they are territorial fish, they might become aggressive when the pair is spawning. You might also have issues when the tank is too small for them.

Oscar fish should be placed only together with bigger fish, because smaller fish will get eaten by them.

Because Oscar fish enjoy digging, you shouldn’t place rooted plants in their aquarium. If you do, the fish will keep digging and moving the gravel.

The Oscar pair will clean a site for them to spawn, usually on a rock. After the eggs are released, they will adhere on that rock and the parents will guard them both. A few days later the eggs will hatch and they will be moved to a sand pit for another week

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Malawi Golden Cichlid (Melanochromis auratus)

The Malawi Golden Cichlid is a 11cm (4.3 inches) fish when it’s the male. The female can get to a length of 9cm (3.5 inches). It can be found in Lake Malawi, East Africa and it needs a 90cm (36 inches) tank to live in, with a water temperature of 22 to 25C (72 to 77F). He likes to eat dried food, crustaceans, plant matter, insects and worms.

The sides are a bit depressed and the fish is a bit elongated. If you watch the caudal fin you will see that its end is a bit concave, with the anal and dorsal fins being rounded.

The female and the male Malawi Golden Cichlid are different, with the male having a dark brown color, with a band that is pale on the sides, running from the caudal peduncle to the forehead. The bases of the anal and caudal fins are darker, while the back is colored yellow. The color of the dorsal fin will be blue/turquoise.

As for the female, the main color is yellow (golden) and she has three bands that are black/brown, with yellow fins and red/orange dorsal fin tips.

This species of fish is an aggressive one, and it should be in a shoal, with plenty of roots and rocks inside the aquarium, so they can hide behind them. If you put plants that are more robust, they will probably not get attacked by the fish.

The best place to keep the Malawi Golden Cichlids is in an aquarium where there are fish from the same species. If you do put them together with fish of other species, make sure they have a similar temperament and they’re large enough. If you do combine species in the same aquarium, keep an eye on them to make sure they get along. If you put small fish in the same aquarium with a Malawi Golden Cichlid, they will probably get eaten.

The spawning process will happen at the bottom of the tank and it will take between 22 and 24 days for the eggs to incubate.

You should only keep this species if you’re experienced in keeping fish

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Malawi Blue Cichlid (Pseudotropheus Zebra)

The Malawi Blue Cichlid is a fish that gets up to 15cm (6 inches) in length and lives in Lake Malawi, East Africa. The length of the aquarium should be 90cm (36 inches) or more and the water temperature between 22 and 25C (72 to 77F). He enjoys eating insects, worms, plant matter, crustaceans and dried food.

This is a high backed, squat Cichlid that has a bulging forehead, thick lips and a short caudal peduncle. Taking a look at this fish you will see pointed and elongated anal and dorsal fins.

The Malawi Blue Cichlid goes through a number of color phases, with the most common one being a pale blue, with 7 or 8 transverse bars that are blue/black. The ventral, caudal and dorsal fins are all blue.

Another of the color phases that this fish goes through is a blue that doesn’t have the transverse bars I mentioned before. In other cases, the color is white. Another example of a color phase for the female is the blue/white one, with brown, orange or black markings.

Quite the aggressive fish, the Malawi Blue Cichlid will do well when in a shoal. Just make sure you put some roots and rocks inside the aquarium, so they can hide behind them. If the plants you put inside are robust enough, they will probably be OK with the Cichlids.

This fish should be kept in an aquarium together with others from the same species. If you do want to put other types of fish in the same aquarium make sure they have the same type of temperament. Still, make sure you supervise them, to make sure they’re getting along. Smaller fish should be kept out of the tank, as they will get eaten by the Cichlids.

The female and the male will spawn at the aquarium’s bottom. The incubation for the small number of eggs takes between 22 and 24 days

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Honey Gourami (Colisa Chuna)

Belonging to the Colisa Chuna family, the Honey Gourami is a fish found in Bangladesh and India, which can grow up to 30cm (12 inches) in length. They should be in water that has between 24 and 26C (between 75 and 79F) and is either medium/hard or soft. The food eaten by the Honey Gourami consists of insects, worms, dried food and crustaceans.

While they will do OK in an aquarium with other fish, the Honey Gourami is more suited for an aquarium where only the same type of fish live. This is because the male needs to mark his territory and get his full colors.

The aquarium where these fish are kept should have rooted plants with feathery leaves and maybe some floating plants. You should use rocks and roots to give the fish shelter in the aquarium. The aquarium needs enough room for the fish to swim in.

The area where the Honey Gourami likes to hang out is the top side of the aquarium. They will breathe from the surface of the water, so it should be exposed. If you leave some ventilation holes in the hood of the aquarium it should be all the fish need.

The color of this fish is yellow with some silver on it, which is more pronounced on the belly. It has a red iris with a stripe colored dark brown from the caudal fin to the eye. The colors of the young Honey Gourami and that of the female are a bit duller.

This species can breed well when kept in an aquarium. They will start by the nest creation, done by the male by binding plants with bubbles. Next, the male courts the female, which releases the eggs inside the nest. The fertilization will be done by the male. The number of eggs varies between 300 and 800 eggs.

Once the eggs are released, the female should be taken out of the aquarium. The male is the one taking care of the eggs until they hatch and the young begin swimming (2-3 days). At this point take out the males as well, so they don’t eat their young

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African Tooth Carp (Aphyosemion)

The Genus Aphyosemion African Tooth Carp is the most favorite Carp Species because they are some of the most beautiful fish in the tank.
One main recommendation from the fish breeders is that you use female carps and not males because the males can’t stand to be near other males fish. They become highly aggressive and they fight. They also like glass tanks, rather than other material.

And when a Genus Aphyosemion dies, he dies quickly and it is recommended they have their own aquarium. During the dying ritual, so to speak, the fish will hide, mostly in the corners of the aquarium and fold the fins.

Other tank suggestions include adding a lot of plants into the aquarium. The Genus Aphyosemion African Tooth Carp likes a shady environment with many plants that float. They also like slightly acid water or a bit hard. Some carps need an alkaline environment when they breed. This is why, in the mating season, is recommended to add a teaspoon of table salt to a gallon of water. Some breeders suggest covering the bottom of the tank with some purified overcooked peat.

Like it was said before, this species does not live long and it is recommended to have private aquariums and also to separate the fish in categories.
There are 3 categories: midlevel breeders, surface breeders, and the bottom breeders.

The midlevel breeders love smooth leaf plants because the eggs like to stick to them. The surface breeders should have some floating plants to stick their eggs to them and the bottom breeders should have some peat, on the bottom area of the aquarium.

Use nylon mops to preserve fry, by inserting them into the tank to preserve fry. Keep in mind that any carp species eats their own children. After the eggs have been laid, it is safer to remove the parent to another tank.

During breeding, it is good to keep the water temperature to 25 degrees Fahrenheit, unless the fish are in peaty waters. If they are in peaty waters, the temperature must be around 65 degrees Fahrenheit. During breeding, raise the temperature to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, if you want the fish to breed, don’t dry the peaty because the fish will die. Also, when you refresh the tank water, shake the peat just a little.

Be careful and make sure the peat at the bottom of the tank is sterilized. The bottom breeders also need floating plants. Sometimes it is easier to remove the bottom spawners and put them in a smaller tank. Don’t forget to remove the parent fish from the tank because the water needs to be siphoned. When you do the siphoning, avoid the eggs and peat area. Do the siphoning with a small tube. Before the breeding starts and during it, the water temperature should be at 70 degrees Fahrenheit. After the eggs are laid, keep it like that for two weeks more. When all is done, change back the temperature to 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, when you do the egg transfer, adjust the temperature to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. After that, you can break the peat up into lumps.

This fish species is not recommended for first timers. Avoid it if you never had an aquarium before. Other types of Carp are easier to take care of.

Choose the Brachydanio Rerio or Zebra Danio. They come from Eastern regions of India and are less demanding than the Carp. They look like a small cylinder and the colors are very attractive. Some of the colors are: silver, gold, blue, and black. The Rerio is quite smart, enjoys a peaceful tank environment, and is less demanding about food. It will eat most foods. Also, they don’t need special water conditions.

But if you are a beginner and you got this species, there are many starters’ kits on the market that will help you with good and practical advices

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What Fish Species are Coldwater

Question: What Fish Species are Coldwater?
Answer: In answer to the reader question:
"Could you give me a list of coldwater fish? I'm interested in starting an aquarium, and I would just like to know what options I have beside the goldfish."

The most common coldwater fish is the goldfish, followed closely by it's larger counterpart, the Koi. However there are many other interesting fish that do not require a heated tank. Many coldwater fish are large enough that are only suitable for ponds. Since you are planning to set up an aquarium, I've put together a list of fish that are small to medium in size.

Barbs - Several readily available species of Barbs are tolerant of temperatures into the mid sixties, or even lower. All are easy to care for, and are suitable for a community aquarium. They include: the Gold Barb (Barbus schuberti), the Green Barb (Barbus schuberti), the Rosy Barb (Barbus conchonius), and the Two Spot Barb (Barbus ticto).

Bloodfin Tetra - Both the standard Bloodfin (Aphyocharax anisitsi), and the False Bloodfin (Aphyocharax dentatus) tolerate temperatures as low as the mid sixties. Bloodfins are offered in many pet shops, are easy to care for, and are quite hardy. They are active top dwellers and are best kept in schools.

Buenos Aires Tetra (Hemigrammus caudovittatus) - Easily found for sale, they will tolerate temperatures into the mid sixties. Standard varieties, as well as albino variants can be found. Like the Bloodfins, they are undemanding and easy to care for. They are suitable for a community tank, but will eat live plants voraciously.

Croaking Tetra (Coelurichthys microlepis) - Not often found for sale, they are an attractive fish that is worth shopping around for. Like other coldwater tetras, they are easy to care for and are suitable for community tanks.

Guppy (Poecilia reticulata) - As readily available as any fish, there are many attractive variations of this popular fish.

Hillstream Loaches - Although they are not often seen in pet shops, some species can be found for sale from time to time. Not all of them prefer cool temperatures, but most will tolerate temps that fall into the mid to upper sixties.

Native Fish - A variety of North American native fish are now being sold in the aquarium trade. Virtually all of them tolerate cool water. Availability varies from state to state, as do laws regarding which species may be legally kept in home aquariums. Keep in mind that some will become too large to keep in a standard aquarium.

Pearl Danio (Brachydanio albolineatus) - Like the zebra danio, this fish is very hardy and easy to care for. It will tolerate temperatures into the mid 60's without difficulty, and is easy to find. They are larger than zebras, but need not be kept in schools.

Weather Loach (Misgurnus angullicaudatus) - Readily available, this loach is one of the easiest to care for. Couple that with the fact that it will tolerate temperatures into the fifties, and it makes an excellent candidate for a coldwater tank.

Wimple (Myxocyprinus asiaticus) - Also known as the Freshwater Batfish. Not commonly found, it is an unusual fish that is worth tracking down if you like to have something unique. It will tolerate temps into the mid sixties.

White Cloud Mountain Minnow (Tanichtys albonubes) - One of the easiest fish to care for, a new gold colored variant has become very popular. They do best in cooler temperatures, although very low temps will lessen their attractive coloration.

Zebra Danio (Brachydanio rerio) - Outside of goldfish and the guppy, the zebra is the most readily available of all coldwater fish. They tolerate temps that fall into the mid sixties, and are very easy to care for. Long finned species are available, as well as a popular leopard spotted variety.

There are many other coldwater species I could cover, but the above list should give you enough options to get started. Good luck with your coldwater aquarium. Drop by the forum and let us know how your new aquarium turns out.

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Can you put a baby goldfish in the same tank as a big goldfish?

Dear I have more gold fish in a pond / equerium from last 12 years in which small and bigg are among but have not seen that they disturb each other,yes when they were new for each other they do some such exercise .
Now gold fish are become about 5"to 6"from1"in 10 to 12 years offcourse color get
light.
It depends on whether it is an aggresive fish but there is a chance that it will kill it.

Answer

Daniel.. Goldfish do NOT cannabalize each other, so there is no risk of the fish killing the younger one UNLESS they are bubble eyes. I would not keep small bubble-eye goldfish in with larger goldfish of any kind as their bubbles are VERY delicate.

Answer

NO! You can't put a baby goldfish in the same tank until the baby goldfish in with the same fish at all. Until the Baby is not a baby but a FULL grown fish. And it dosent matter if it is an aggresive fish or not they wiill kill each other.
rubbish, you can put them in
If the fry (young fish) are very small the other fish may mistakenly eat them. It is best to separate them untill the young fish are larger. If you have a pond, and it has dense vegetation, the fry will hide, some will survive.


no you can't because i have goldfish and i have baby's and adults IN ONE FISH TANK AND THE BABIES EAT THE ADULTS FINS..... So NO!!!
Answer
you can NOT put a baby goldfish with a big goldfish, i should know, my baby goldfish got eaten before my very eyes, and i hate canniballism, so i had this sudden urge to kill the fish. i have not heard of babies eating adult fins, but, i never had a chance to see that thanks to the bigger fish, i'm sorry jeffy!

AWANCER
goldfish have 73 scales

Note: There are comments associated with this question. See the discussion page to add to the conversation.

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2 wk old Baby Goldfish Fry feeding

Breeding Goldfish and Raising Baby Goldfish Fry.

This page is about Breeding Goldfish and has information about spawning Goldfish, about the difficulty of determining the gender of Goldfish, and about raising Goldfish fry

We got an email shown below asking us for more information about breeding Red Cap Orandas, like the beautiful one shown in the picture to the left that's about 3" to 3.5" long

Reply. Hello Mande. Sometimes Goldfish begin to spawn, when they've grown to be about 3" long, but usually they don't begin to spawn, until they're at least 4" long, and professional breeders use even larger fish that produce more eggs and more baby fish. A female Goldfish can lay several thousand eggs during one spawning. 

1. Determining a Goldfish's Gender
It's not easy to tell the male Goldfish from the female Goldfish. Professional breeders can often tell the difference, but it's difficult for them to explain how they do it.

Mature female Goldfish are usually plumper, and mature males have little bumps on their heads, called tubercles, that turn white and are easier to see, when the Goldfish spawn. Click here for more information about determining the gender of Goldfish. 

 2. Spawning Mops
Goldfish spawn best in the spring after a cold winter. Most professional Goldfish breeders place floating "spawning mops" in the ponds with their breeder gold fish. These spawning mops are usually made by cutting off 18" lengths of nylon rope. One set of ends is tied together tightly, and the other ends are untwisted to make a big fluffy mop.

Goldfish lay adhesive eggs that stick to the spawning mops. Since Goldfish love to eat their eggs and baby goldfish, the mops must be removed promptly and put in another pond or large aquarium, where the eggs hatch into tiny Goldfish fry.  

 These Goldfish fry must feed on the microscopic life in the pond for several days, before they are large enough to start eating powdered food. Click here for more about powdered food for baby fish.

3. It's January 18th 
and the weather has been unusually cold here in San Diego. The water temperature in the small pond by my front door is 48 degrees F. This is the coldest I've ever measured. I looked at my Goldfish carefully to be sure that "he" is doing well, and I noticed that "he" has gotten quite a bit plumper. In fact I think that maybe "he" is a female and starting to fill with eggs to lay in the spring.

 Click here to see a picture of my Goldfish that was taken last summer, when "she" was still slender

   4. Ways to Stimulate Goldfish to Spawn. (1)  Do a partial water change every day. Fresh water stimulates Goldfish to spawn. Remove up to 20% of the water and replace that water with fresh tap water. Changing more than 20% of the water on one day may stress your Goldfish, even if you add Water Conditioner. Click here for more information about Water Conditioner. 

(2)  Improve the diet of your Goldfish. Do not abruptly change the type of food that you feed your Goldfish, instead add some live or frozen food to their diet like brine shrimp or feed them a few Live Black Worms. Click here for more about feeding Live Black Worms to fish. 

 (3)  Many Goldfish breeders separate the males and females into separate ponds, then put the males and females back together in the same pond to spawn. This means you have to be able to distinguish the males from the females, which is not easy to do. 

source     http://www.aquariumfish.net/catalog_pages/goldfish_and_koi/breeding_goldfish.htm

 

Baby Goldfish

If you want to get some baby goldfish, the most fascinating way of obtaining them is of course to breed goldfish in your own aquarium or pond. A goldfish becomes sexually mature when it is around one year old, but will not reach their prime until two years later. It can be hard to distinguish a male goldfish from a female goldfish, but when they become mature the female will usually become a little plumper than the male. The male goldfish will develop small bumps on his head, and when the spawning period begins those bumps will be easier to notice since they will become white.

There are several things that you can do to encourage your goldfish to produce baby goldfish. Pond living goldfish will typically spawn during spring, when the cold season ends. Frequent water changes can also induce spawning. If you want baby goldfish, you should make a partial water change once a day. The fresh water and supreme water quality will help getting your goldfish into spawning mood. Changing 20 percent of the water is a good rule of thumb, since a larger change can alter the water quality too rapidly. Keep the water temperature around 70 degrees F at day time and around 50 degrees F during the night.

An improved diet will also increase the chance of baby goldfish in your pond or aquarium. If you usually feed your goldfish pellets or similar, you can gradually substitute the prepared food with frozen or live food such as worms or brine shrimp. A third trick that is commonly used by professional goldfish breeders is to separate the male and female goldfish. When you reintroduce them to each other, they will be more interested in making baby goldfish. This method does however mean that you must know which fish that is male and which fish that is female.

Providing your goldfish with spawning mops is a good idea when you want to have baby goldfish, since the female goldfish can use these mops to deposit the eggs on. The eggs are adhesive and will stick to the spawning mop. Professional breeders will often make their own floating spawning mops from nylon rope, but you can choose to purchase ready made goldfish spawning mops from the fish store if you don’t want to create them yourself.

You know that your goldfish are ready to make baby goldfish when the male starts to chase the female around for several hours. He will bump and push her on the abdomen as soon as he gets a chance. When the female is ready, she will deposit eggs that stick to virtually anything in the pond or aquarium. If you have provided the goldfish with floating spawning mops, she will probably choose to release the eggs near them. As soon as the eggs are released, the male goldfish will spray his milt over them in order to fertilize them. Most female goldfish releases several batches, and the first batch is considered to be of highest quality. A large female goldfish can lay up to 1000 eggs during one spawning, but it is only a fraction of these that will turn into baby goldfish.

When you plan to raise baby goldfish, it is important to keep in mind that adult goldfish love to eat baby goldfish, including the eggs. As soon as the eggs have been fertilized, the spawning mops should therefore be removed to their own aquarium or pond. Rinse the spawning mops in a bucket of water. The water must be suitable for fish keeping, and have the same water quality and temperature as the water in which the eggs were deposited. Then you can place the eggs in a 20 gallon aquarium where the water is no deeper than 6 inches. If you keep the water temperature at 70 degrees F, the eggs will hatch within 3 or 4 days. During this period, you can spot eggs that are not as clear as the rest. It is only the clear eggs that can hatch, and the other eggs should be removed since they will attract fungi.

Newly hatched baby goldfish will be too small to feed on anything else than microscopic organisms, but you can eventually start giving them larger and larger food. When the baby goldfish are 48 hours old, you can give them liquid fry food, oatmeal paste and hardboiled egg yolk. After around two weeks, the baby goldfish is large enough to eat infusoria and newly hatched brine shrimp. The next week you can introduce powdered fish food. Do not feed your baby goldfish more than what they can consume within 20 minutes. During the first four weeks, they need food three times a day. Until they are four moths old, you should feed them at least twice a day.

source    http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/goldfish/baby.php 

Goldfish

Goldfish was one of the first fish species to be kept in ponds by humans. It hails from a wild carp, probably the Crucian Carp, but has been bred selectively for centuries in China. Goldfish is still a very popular fish in aquariums as well as in ponds and can today be obtained in a wide range of different variations. If you look further down this page you will find articles about both commonly kept Goldfish types and more unusual Goldfish variations.

All Goldfish variations belong to the same species, Carassius auratus auratus. According to Chinese tradition the different Goldfish variations are divided into four basic groups.

1. Ce goldfish or Grass goldfish are goldfish without any “fancy“ features. The Common goldfish is very similar to the carp from which it has been bred; the main distinguishing feature is the colour modification. Unlike the wild carp, the Common goldfish can be obtained in a wide range of colour variations, including white, black, lemon yellow, orange and of course the golden colour.
2. Wen goldfish are goldfish equipped with a dorsal fin and a fancy tail. An example of a Wen goldfish is the Fantail goldfish that has a dual-lobed tail that can reach a size of three inches.
3. Dragon Eye goldfish have protruding eyes. As the names suggest, the Bubble Eye goldfish and the Telescope Eye goldfish both belong to this group.
4. Egg goldfish is a goldfish that has no dorsal fin. One example of Egg goldfish is the Japanese Ranchu goldfish. If a Bubble Eye goldfish is without dorsal fin, it is considered a part of this group instead of the Dragon Eye goldfish group.

Compared to many other fish species that have been bred and developed in captivity, the Goldfish has a remarkably long history. Its ancestor is believed to have been the Crucian Carp, a comparatively small carp with a dark grey to olive-brown colouration. The Crucian Carp is native to East Asia, and it was the Chinese that began to keep it in fish ponds. The Tang Dynasty is famous for its beautiful fish ponds, and it was during this era that the golden colour mutation was discovered and used for selective breeding. In 1162 A.D. the Chinese Emperor issued a ban that restricted anyone but the royal family from keeping yellow carps. The orange variations were however still allowed. According to ancient Chinese literature, the other colour variations that occurred were first recorded in 1276 A.D. The fancy tailed goldfish is believed to have originated during the Ming Dynasty. It wasn’t until 1502 A.D. that the goldfish was introduced to Japan, where it became highly popular and new Japanese versions of the goldfish was eventually created. Tosakin and Ryukin are two examples of Japanese goldfish. The goldfish reached Europe in 1611 A.D. when it was brought to Portugal.

Goldfish is still a popular pond fish, but some of the more vulnerable variations need to be kept in aquariums. If you want a robust pond fish, the Shubunkin is one possibility. The Shubunkin goldfish was developed by Japanese goldfish breeders that wanted to create a brightly coloured goldfish that still had the physical strength and survival skills of the common goldfish. Shubunkin goldfish is the result of selective crossings between Comet goldfish and Calico Fantail goldfish.

source

http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/goldfish/