Ryunkin Questions.

[Goldfish7]

I might be adding another fish to my tank if I lose my oranda Piggy. He suffers from swim bladder issues and has gotten worse in the past 2 weeks. I was thinking of getting a Ryunkin because I really like them. When I was doing a little research I read that they can become aggressive as they get older and are known to suck eyes out of other fish. Is this true? Also, they would require atleast 15 gallons because they are deep bodied correct?

Thanks for any input that you all can provide.

[daryl]

Ryukins do have a reputation of being the "bad boys" of the goldfish world, but I have NEVER had a bad one! The Ryukin is my favorite fish - I have hundreds right now. I have never had one that was aggressive in any fashion. I have had others - a Lionhead and an Oranda that were a bit more aggressive than average, and a Froghead who is literally a demon with fins!

I think the fish aggression is a very individual thing - caused by a whole set of variables. Tank size, sex, sex of companions, time of year, food, water changes and hormones in the water, etc. all play a part. (I have a large tank ( 70 gallon) that is just for the jumbo male Ryukins.... no females around.)

I would not hesitate to get a Ryukin if you like them and find them beautiful. I WOULD, however, hesitate replacing a sick fish quickly.... unless you have a specifically identifiable, quantifiable reason for the sick fish's demise. Swim bladder disease is not so much a disease, but a symptom - a signal disease that alerts you to the fact that something is NOT right in a tank. Be it parasites, water parameters that are off, or feeding regiments that need changing - all problems need to be addressed before you add a new fish to the mix.

Ryukins easily get VERY VERY large. As with most goldfish, they have the potential to get very big, but a very deep bodied specimen is especially suceptible to stability problems. It would be good to find out why your first fish was unstable before adding in another sucesptible fish to the tank. I give my adult Ryukins at least 15 gallons apiece - 20 gallons @ if they are only in a 20 gallon tank. they grow fast and furious if all things are good...... I have4 that are over 12 inches in length - and they are still growing.

[CountryLovah]

Great info as always Daryl : )

[misty_blue16137]

Holy Smokes! Didn't realize just how big they can be. Good thing I did get that other 55 gallon after all, lol. Altho' Mocca Joe is supposed to be a Ryukin he doesn't have much of a hump so maybe will be smaller in the long run.

[Goldfish7]

Thanks Daryl! I plan on waiting a few months or more but I just wanted to get some information on Ryunkins before I got one. I have a feeling the pH is messing with the fish because it is unstable and I think it droped to 6.4 again. I have to check it and adjust accordingly.

Thanks again.

[seheap]

A good way to keep ph stable without buying lots of expensive chems (like buff it up) is to go to a LFS with a good saltwater section, buy some crushed coral in bulk (like a pound or so) and use this instead of carbon in your filter. You don't really need carbon as it just takes out things like meds and odors (I put my carbon back in to remove meds and if I ever notice a funky smell). All you need is a mesh filter media bag or a old knee-high nylon. Or you can use it as substrate, as long as it is big enough that it won't choke your goldies.

Crushed coral ups the kh which is responsible for keeping ph up and stable. It's basically limestone (that's what limestone is made of, fossilized shells and marine inverts) which has been used to up ph for decades. Good luck.

Be warned though, it's a slow process, unlike Buff-it-Up. It may take a couple weeks for you to notice the difference.

[Goldfish7]

A good way to keep ph stable without buying lots of expensive chems (like buff it up) is to go to a LFS with a good saltwater section, buy some crushed coral in bulk (like a pound or so) and use this instead of carbon in your filter. You don't really need carbon as it just takes out things like meds and odors (I put my carbon back in to remove meds and if I ever notice a funky smell). All you need is a mesh filter media bag or a old knee-high nylon. Or you can use it as substrate, as long as it is big enough that it won't choke your goldies.

Crushed coral ups the kh which is responsible for keeping ph up and stable. It's basically limestone (that's what limestone is made of, fossilized shells and marine inverts) which has been used to up ph for decades. Good luck.

Be warned though, it's a slow process, unlike Buff-it-Up. It may take a couple weeks for you to notice the difference.

I was thinking about going the crushed coral route since it will be cheaper in the long run. I will check it out the next time I am at the store.

[seheap]

It is much cheaper. I bought it in bulk for like 2.50 a lb. I ended up with more than enough to fill up a filter media bag. I'm not sure if it ever looses its effect either so that's a bonus!

[Goldfish7]

It is much cheaper. I bought it in bulk for like 2.50 a lb. I ended up with more than enough to fill up a filter media bag. I'm not sure if it ever looses its effect either so that's a bonus!

That is good. Thanks for the tip.

[shubunkin lover]

Don't mean to hyjack this thread but I was going to start my own ryukin thread until I saw that one was already started. This week I went to our local chain petstore and bought two fish out of the baby ryukin tank. The one inchers. At least, I'm hoping that both are ryukins. The white one with red fins and a red spot on his back looks very much like a ryukin. It's already showing the egg shaped body. Low belly. High back. It's sibling...mostly red with a white nose and belly....on the other hand looks like nothing more then a fantail. Do some develop slower then others or is this one that should of been culled?

[seheap]

Ryukin develop humps are different rates. Sometimes it takes a while. Probably genetics.....blerg!

[Goldfish7]

I have noticed that the Ryunkins at the big chain stores do not have a very large hump with a deep body, but most of their fish are not the best quality. Good luck with your fish.

[daryl]

To get a great hump, you really need a combination of GOOD genetics and lots of protien - fed from day one (actually, about day 3 )

I see humps on fry that are only 1/2 inch in the body. If the hump is not there, you can help exagerate what is there with proper protien, but will NEVER get the double muscle hump or the "show hump" so desired.

[spider man]

I bought a japanese ryukin about the size of my thumb nail and you can already see the hump developing. I have had the fish about six months now and it has doubled in size with the hump really developing. One thing to take into consideration with ryukins these days is that there are many variations of them out there. There is the short tail variety, long tail variety, and broadtail. There has been an explosion of color varieties. Sometimes when new varieties/colors are being developed, other characteristics such as the development of the hump takes time to incoporate into the newer varieties. Remember, the originally japanese ryukin only came in red and white or or all red. When the fish became popular in china, all of the other variations have started. Dary is correct, feed your fish very high quality food and do not crowd your fish. Ryukins can grow very large