Guest Myrna Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 Hi, My first mature Oranda, been eyeing him for a month at PS, took plunge yeterday! I have confidence now that I've discovered Koko's I can try to do this right and have him for a long, long time. Never had great luck with GF in past years so I have stuck with small ones thinking it wouldn't be such a loss when one dies, not so sure about that.......... This lovely fish seems huge to me, sales girls who never seem to know to much, thought 2-3 years. His body is the size of intakes on HOB filters. Question is about amt. to feed. Does this sound about right: AM 3 pea size bits of jel food, takes him less than minute to eat. Same in PM. ? ? Last eve I only gave him one pea cut in two. Mid day today I offered very small amt. of spinch that he inhaled. Seems I did read that feeding twice a day give what fish will eat in 2 minutes? Seems like it would be an awful lot with this fish. His name is Happy as that is how he makes me feel ! And perhaps he is a she. Thanks for your input. myrna 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Hidr Posted October 19, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted October 19, 2008 Very unlikely he is that old. The supplies of fish to those changes want to get them out fast so they can make room for more. Even my Mongo was the largest they had and I still bet he is under a year. Would love some pictures. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member lynda441 Posted October 19, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted October 19, 2008 Age is difficult to determine based on size as the size can vary so much depending on what the fish has been fed, where it has been kept, how much sunlight it has received, if any, etc. What is its size in inches? Not that that helps determine age either, but it can help with how much to feed. And, of course, we here all love pictures, so we'd love to see some! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member crystal dixon Posted October 20, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted October 20, 2008 Congratulations on your new goldfish!! Can't wait to see pictures ! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member misty_blue16137 Posted October 20, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted October 20, 2008 Congratulations on the new Oranda! I love the Oranda's. Can't wait to see pics. I feed my whole bunch twice a day. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Myrna Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 Thanks for replies. E mail snaps all the time but not sure how to manage it on the forum. I believe I have to have 100+ post before I can upload snaps? Happy is 3" from nose to base of tail. A good 2" from where ventral fin is attached to base of dorsal. Very round, such a large head. I'm use to looking at the junvenile Ryukins so he seems huge in comparison. Just the cutest fish! I don't want to over feed, will continue as I have been unless told other wise....... He's in the 29 gal by himself for now. Is there anything to statement I read, not here, that Ryukins will pick on Oranda's? Thanks again, myrna 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member lynda441 Posted October 21, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted October 21, 2008 No, it's not true that ryukins as a whole will pick on orandas. Now, there's always the possibility of getting a bully, but far and away, goldfish are very social and you won't find problems between them. The biggest problem will be between putting the wrong kinds of goldfish together and they won't get enough food, for instance, the fast swimming commons and comets and the fancies or fancies with regular eyes and fancies with speclialized eyes. I don't know how experienced you are with goldfish keeping. If you want to make sure you keep your new friend alive and happy, are you reading a lot of the information on this site about water changes and water testing and tank cleaning and maintenance, etc.? All of that can go a long way to goldfish living for a very long time. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Myrna Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 I don't know how experienced you are with goldfish keeping. If you want to make sure you keep your new friend alive and happy, are you reading a lot of the information on this site about water changes and water testing and tank cleaning and maintenance, etc.? All of that can go a long way to goldfish living for a very long time. Thanks for your interest Lynda and answering one of my questions. Yes, I am reading lots from this site and have improved my goldfish keeping. I have had them off and on for a number of years. Two problems I won't repeat, over crowding and water chemistry. Our water is very soft with high pH and I have learned here that this leads to pH crashes. Thank goodness I've always let change water sit over nite or longer before a water change or I wouldn't have had any longivity in the past, not that 2 years is long. I'm getting a handle on using Buff It Up and that has helped a lot with keeping pH in the 8 to 8.4 range. Living is learning! Feeding Happy twice a day, 4 mouth size bites of food. That was my orginal question. I will notice if he seems to slim down any and increase. I'm feeding my fish gel food, frozen Bshrimp, Bworms, and Krill, peas and other veggies. Thanks again, myrna 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member misty_blue16137 Posted October 22, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted October 22, 2008 Thanks for replies. E mail snaps all the time but not sure how to manage it on the forum. I believe I have to have 100+ post before I can upload snaps?Thanks again, myrna Most of us use Photobucket and then post the links to the pics here. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Myrna Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 Most of us use Photobucket and then post the links to the pics here. Thanks Kathy B I will try to post one of Happy! myrna 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member lynda441 Posted October 22, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted October 22, 2008 Thanks for your interest Lynda and answering one of my questions. Yes, I am reading lots from this site and have improved my goldfish keeping.I have had them off and on for a number of years. Two problems I won't repeat, over crowding and water chemistry. Our water is very soft with high pH and I have learned here that this leads to pH crashes. Thank goodness I've always let change water sit over nite or longer before a water change or I wouldn't have had any longivity in the past, not that 2 years is long. I'm getting a handle on using Buff It Up and that has helped a lot with keeping pH in the 8 to 8.4 range. Living is learning! Feeding Happy twice a day, 4 mouth size bites of food. That was my orginal question. I will notice if he seems to slim down any and increase. I'm feeding my fish gel food, frozen Bshrimp, Bworms, and Krill, peas and other veggies. Thanks again, myrna Overcrowding and water chemistry are definitely the big ones! You get those down and you're most of the way there! With regard to unstable ph levels, Buff It Up is great, but just to let you know that it's only a temporary fix and will, eventually, dissipate and leave your ph back where it was before, which can cause fluctuating ph levels which can be worse than too low. If you need to buffer your ph, you can add crushed shells or coral to your tank. This is a slower acting, longer lasting way to stabilize your ph. Now, what do you mean keep it up to the 8 to 8.4 range? Is that what your ph reads normally without any buffering agents? And, if you have soft water with a high ph, what do your KH and GH tests read? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Myrna Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 Thanks for your interest Lynda and answering one of my questions. Yes, I am reading lots from this site and have improved my goldfish keeping.I have had them off and on for a number of years. Two problems I won't repeat, over crowding and water chemistry. Our water is very soft with high pH and I have learned here that this leads to pH crashes. Thank goodness I've always let change water sit over nite or longer before a water change or I wouldn't have had any longivity in the past, not that 2 years is long. I'm getting a handle on using Buff It Up and that has helped a lot with keeping pH in the 8 to 8.4 range. Living is learning! Feeding Happy twice a day, 4 mouth size bites of food. That was my orginal question. I will notice if he seems to slim down any and increase. I'm feeding my fish gel food, frozen Bshrimp, Bworms, and Krill, peas and other veggies. Thanks again, myrna Overcrowding and water chemistry are definitely the big ones! You get those down and you're most of the way there! With regard to unstable ph levels, Buff It Up is great, but just to let you know that it's only a temporary fix and will, eventually, dissipate and leave your ph back where it was before, which can cause fluctuating ph levels which can be worse than too low. If you need to buffer your ph, you can add crushed shells or coral to your tank. This is a slower acting, longer lasting way to stabilize your ph. Now, what do you mean keep it up to the 8 to 8.4 range? Is that what your ph reads normally without any buffering agents? And, if you have soft water with a high ph, what do your KH and GH tests read? KH and GH from the tap are very low, 2 dps to see color chg. KH would be 3 dps to see it real bright yellow, pH is 8.8.Leslie who lives in Atl. has same problem. I would let water sit for 36-48 hrs to get it to drop to tanks 7.2, after chg tank might go down to 6.8 than few days later up to 7.2. Reading about crashes sending pH into the low 6's I thought this was the best to keep water conditions less stressful for fish. In using the buffer things have improved a lot, am using a lot of it. With every WC I need to use less as I can see in on glass bottom and on Java Ferns so some stays in tank in doing water changes. Monday after WC on Sunday, had pH 8.2 GH 5 KH 8. Still same last pm. Reading here it was suggested that I use Buff Up to keep pH more in line with tap pH. This does make WC less time consuming. I assume that if I keep using it with every WC my chemistry will be exceptable? Have 3 different Fish Homes so looks like I will be ordering it more than once! Always open for any fishkeeping advice, Thank you, myrna 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member shuvo Posted October 24, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted October 24, 2008 can u show us some pics please......please 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Myrna Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 I tried to get snap to forum as you saw, it didn't go through, dumb me! Try again when I have time......myrna 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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