Habitat - Indoor :: Goldfish surviving in tank for 6+ months

Turtle tank setups and other indoor configurations.

Post Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2016 2:06 pm   Goldfish surviving in tank for 6+ months

Hey about 6 months ago I put 2 goldfish and 1 guppy in the 110g with my res. Now before you start raging about feeding my res goldfish, I am already aware that they have little to no nutritional value. I only got him 2 little ones to stimulate hunting more, and to get him better at it, cause he could never catch a guppy (this was the first time I got him goldfish btw); I had to catch them myself and hold them for him.

Anyway, he ate one goldfish and eventually caught the guppy, and left one goldfish alone. Not too sure if he didn't like the taste of the other one, but now the goldfish can pass right in front of his face and he doesn't even think about eating it.

I'm just confused at how this fish survived all this time (and is still alive). I didn't change anything at all, never even gave any goldfish flakes or anything like that for the fish. It didn't grow all that much, either.

Someone enlighten me.
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jgreerberube
 
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Post Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2016 7:40 pm   Re: Goldfish surviving in tank for 6+ months

I think your turtle is saving it for a special occasion. Or just too lazy to snatch it? Maybe he likes having it around?
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steve
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Post Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2016 1:36 pm   Re: Goldfish surviving in tank for 6+ months

I had a Yellow Belly for a little over 20 years. I put 3 goldfish in with him once, he killed and ate 2 of them immediately. The third one he let live for about 5 years, then one night decided he'd had enough of looking at the fish. I had fallen asleep on the couch, got up to go to bed and saw that Leo (turtle) had gutted Moe (fish). He didn't even eat the fish, just killed it and left it floating.
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Post Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2016 1:46 pm   Re: Goldfish surviving in tank for 6+ months

Did Leo go after the head first? I'd seen my RES do this when he just wanted to disable the fish so he can eat it later.
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steve
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Post Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2016 10:50 pm   Re: Goldfish surviving in tank for 6+ months

I have had 3 goldfish in with my turtles for well over one year! My turtles nip at them but that's about it.
1 Male Mississippi Map/Mississippi
1 Female RES/Slidy.
1 DBT White Concentric Female/ Lucky
1 DBT Male/ Spots
(Housed in the same tank)

300 gallon indoor stock tank, FX6 & FX5 filters. Mega-Ray 100w UVB bulb.
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Post Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2016 11:28 pm   Re: Goldfish surviving in tank for 6+ months

When we first set up the 20 gallon long with the new baby turtle, my son insisted on fish. I got 3 black neon tetras, because they were cheap.

The fish were nearly as long as Tobie. They all survived a nasty aquarium cycle and were later moved to the 55 gallon with Tobie. She never touched them.

Eventually, I added some regular neon tetras. After a week or two, they started disappearing at night. Each morning there was one or two fewer. The black neons she grew up with never disappeared, until they were showing signs of age. She currently has four with her. One is from three years ago.

They stay away from her, but she also doesn't chase them. They're still in the 55 gallon, that needs to get upgraded soon.
Tobi a RES born in 2012
1 dog, 1 teenager, 3 aquariums filled with fish, snails, shrimp and a bit of algae
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ljapa
 
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Post Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2016 8:30 am   Re: Goldfish surviving in tank for 6+ months

steve wrote:Did Leo go after the head first? I'd seen my RES do this when he just wanted to disable the fish so he can eat it later.


No, Moe's head was still intact. The fish was just floating with his guts ripped out. Not sure the exact circumstances of how Leo got it since I had fallen asleep, but it was a little sad since the feeder had survived for years and been given a name.
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Post Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2018 1:30 pm   Re: Goldfish surviving in tank for 6+ months

We got our turtle Winter (Dec) of 2016. At the insistence of our daughters, we got a goldfish on a trip to the petshop to 'keep him company'. Kiddingly, the girls named him survivor. Fish made it until last night. Woke up this am, to our RES chomping on a the tail of the half eaten fish. Had never bothered him before as the GF outswam the turtle. He had been nipping at him, we found marks on the GF snout over the past few weeks. Finally... Needless to say the girls were mortified. It's hard to bury a goldfish in 12 inches of snow in Chicago winters. RIP Survivor- 1 year, 3 weeks.
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RES_TED
 
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Post Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2018 1:45 pm   Re: Goldfish surviving in tank for 6+ months

Poor fish, but he was on borrowed time. How big was it? My RES would eat fish of any size pretty quickly.
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steve
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Post Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2018 11:18 pm   Re: Goldfish surviving in tank for 6+ months

I have one Rosy Red that is refusing to die. This one seems more grey/silver than the others did, maybe he blends in better with his surroundings, dunno, but "Chill" Phil Chowder will be with us until he isn't (those wanting to bet on the Over/Under can contact me via Private Message).
ekuyper
 
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Post Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2018 10:12 am   Re: Goldfish surviving in tank for 6+ months

RES_TED wrote:We got our turtle Winter (Dec) of 2016. At the insistence of our daughters, we got a goldfish on a trip to the petshop to 'keep him company'. Kiddingly, the girls named him survivor. Fish made it until last night. Woke up this am, to our RES chomping on a the tail of the half eaten fish. Had never bothered him before as the GF outswam the turtle. He had been nipping at him, we found marks on the GF snout over the past few weeks. Finally... Needless to say the girls were mortified. It's hard to bury a goldfish in 12 inches of snow in Chicago winters. RIP Survivor- 1 year, 3 weeks.



Where in Chicagoland are you? Naperville here.
My RES will keep feeder fish as friends for about a month then one day POOF they're all gone and there's a very happy turtle with a grin.
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VeipaCray
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Post Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2018 2:34 pm   Re: Goldfish surviving in tank for 6+ months

Chill Phil left us some time last night. I'd say he's in a better place, but I know what my turtle willing to eat, so...

There will be a viewing in approximately 48-72 hours.

In happier news, I have an immediate opening for a Rosy Red to be a tankmate for two wonderful turtles. Must be slow, easily swallowed, and preferably slightly suicidal.
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