How long do funfair goldfish live for?
“Funfair” Goldfish are usually common or comet Goldfish. These fish should grow over 12″, need at least 55 gallons each ideally, and lifespan is generally over 15 years in good health. I saw someone saying they live 3 years max, if that’s their experience they’re doing it wrong! My friends cheap common Goldfish is 9 years old now and going strong. These are essentially pond fish however. To move your tank you need to bag the fish like they would in the petstore, put the water and filter in buckets, empty the tank down to 1″ above the gravel, then move the tank, put everything back together once its moved. Keep filter media wet!
Goldfish last between 5 and 10 years, although the oldest on record was 41! Most fairground fish die within a week or so because people put them straight into tap water when they get them home, the chemicals added to most areas tap water are lethal to fish. You will have to drain the tank to move it, but don’t throw the water away as it’s nicely conditioned and won’t disturb the natural balance in the tank.
Commons and comets are usually the types of goldfish given away at fairs/carnivals. They grow to about 10-12 inches on average, and with the proper care ie: proper varied diet, proper sized tank, frequent water changes, they have the potential to live 20+ years. To move a tank, drain all the water out first. Don’t ever move a tank with even a little bit of water in it-it’s heavy and can stress the seals and cause it to leak or break. If it’s large, you may need to remove the substrate as well. Good luck!
I won some when I was a kid, we had them in a tank for about 3 years, then my dad built a pond and they grew HUGE in there! They were in the pond for about 10 years until we moved and left them with the new house owner, who wanted to keep them. That was 3 years ago so I am not sure if they are still with us. But they sure did last a long time! Best way to move them is to filter out a lot of the water in to a clean bucket or spare tank so there is just enough for them to swim about in the bottom of their tank. Move it when it is like that and then replace the water.
Your fish has lived as long as it has because it’s in a large tank. Generally they are comet or common goldfish, with proper care they might live for 20 years and grow to over a foot long. They aren’t even big enough to breed until they are about 6″ long and a couple of years old. The reason that most of them die prematurely is that people keep insisting that they can live in ‘goldfish’ bowls. To move the tank, net the fish into a bucket of tank water. Drain the rest of the water out. Keep the gravel and filter wet though. Move the tank, refill with water, add a splash of water conditoiner and put the fish back. As long as the gravel and filter dont dry out the fish will be OK in 90% new water.. Dont believe they get big? http://www.goldfishfarm.co.nz/photos.
