Comet Goldfish
Comet Goldfish are freshwater species. Many people are mesmerized by their beauty and unique attributes!
But owning one is not as easy as you think.
Comet Goldfish care requires great knowledge and preparation. Also keeping fishes like these as your pet, comes with a number of hurdle you have to overcome.
How long do comet goldfish live?
Comet Goldfish Lifespan
On average Comet goldfish can live anywhere between 10 and 20 years!
Comet Goldfish can have longer lifespans in certain conditions. Good water conditions and a large environment will reduce the chances of disease and parasites and will help Comet goldfish thrive for more years.
Appearance of Comet Goldfish
Even though they look quite similar to normal Goldfish, but if you observe carefully you will see distinct physical traits. The big difference is their tail.
Standard Goldfish have short and stiff tails. On the other hand Comet Goldfish have flowy and forked tails. Their tailfins move beautifully in the water, even when they are swimming at their top speed.
Comet Goldfish are basically single-tail Goldfish which means they have a singular forked tail with two tips rather than a twin-tail with four tips like some other fish species.
How can you tell if a comet goldfish is male or female?
Female Comet goldfish usually have fat, round little bellies and full of eggs. Males Comet goldfish show two unique physical features. First is their Roughened pectoral fins and secondly raised bumps on their operculum. This is most common difference in Comet goldfish
Small Comet Goldfish size
Maximum Comet Goldfish size when they are completely grown is 12 inches long. When you buy a Comet Goldfish, basically its a tiny juvenile that is only a couple inches in length.
Poor water conditions can stop the growth of fish and can even shorten their lifespan. But Comet Goldfish are a bit different.
It’s believed that Comet goldfish have a Growth Inhibiting Hormone that will affect their adult size. The hormone adjusts according to the size of their environment. So, a larger habitat with good environment will result in a big Comet goldfish and vice versa.
Are comet goldfish friendly?
Comet goldfish are basically a friendly fish and they enjoy the company of other comets. As long as you know the rule of 1 comet per minimum of 50 gallons of water, and keeping in mind the number and sizes of any other fish that you have, you can have as many Comet goldfish as you like.
Comet goldfish Care requirements
Comet Goldfish are very hardy and they can almost adapt well to most tanks, but they do require more care than most amateur aquarists think. Comet goldfish are very unique fish that have different needs than most of the other tropical fish you see in aquarium trade.
To take proper care of your Comet Goldfish, follow these guidelines
Comet goldfish requirements
Comet Goldfish Tank Size and Tank requirements
Minimum tank size for Comet Goldfish should be 40 or either 50 gallons. But if its possible, go for a larger tank.
I suggest you to keep them in 75-gallon tank if its possible for you. That is for a single fish!!
Never ever keep your Comet goldfish in a small bowl. If you want to keep a group, then you must add about 50 gallons of space for each additional Comet goldfish.
Comet goldfish are quite active and they will spend their entire day swimming around the habitat. If it is too small for them then you will face many problems.
Ideal environment for a Comet Goldfish is a large pond.
About their tank setup, Start from the bottom of the tank, use a gravel substrate to create a nice foundation in the tank. You can then place fake or natural hiding spots. You can incorporate the tank with large plastic decorations and carefully sculpted rock caves.
Also it's very important to add plenty of plants in their tank. Live plants also act as a source or food for your fish and also the plants helps to oxygenate the water.
Good filtration system is also very important. Because Comet goldfish produce lots of waste, so you have to invest in a filter that is powerful enough to keep the ammonia levels low.
Comet goldfish tank mates
These are some best tank mates for Comet goldfish
- Koi
- Shubunkin
- Sterlet
Water Parameters for Comet Goldfish
Comet Goldfish are not found in the wild, they are basically descendants of Prussian Carps so their needs are similar to wild carps, which can be found in cool and slow moving rivers throughout Asia.
Imitating those environments is your goal. Your tank or pond should have relatively cool water that is also highly oxygenated.
what temperature do comet goldfish prefer
These are ideal temperature for Comet goldfish
- Water temperature should be 65°F to 70°F
- pH levels must be 6.0 to 8.0
- Water hardness has to be 5 to 19 dKH
Breeding of Comet goldfish
Comet Goldfish breeding basically require a massive environment to be feasible. They are not going to breed in a small tank no matter what you do.
Comet goldfish can lay up to 1,000 eggs at one time, which is quickly going to raise your fish population!
If you want to trigger the breeding process, then you have to replicate the warmth of spring. For doing this start by keeping the water cool for at least about a month. Then you have to slowly raise the temperatures to about 70 degrees.
Once you reach the main target temperature, you are going to see fish pairing off and breeding. Comet goldfish males will chase Comet goldfish females around the environment and It can be very chaotic in a huge pond!
I recommend you to use artificial plants or breeding mops. Also you must remove the eggs in order to improve survival rates. Comet Goldfish never show any parental behaviors and they can often eat any eggs they want.
In a separate tank, the eggs are going to hatch in a week. The fry are going to survive on their egg sacs until they are able to swim freely. At this point, you can provide them with foods like infusoria and baby brine shrimp which are high in protein.
Comet goldfish breeding age
For a matter of fact, goldfish are ready to breed from 1-2 years old, but usually their breeding age is at 3 years. Comet goldfish spawn once a month from April to August, when the weather is bit warm.
How many comet goldfish should be kept together?
I suggest you to keep a single comet goldfish in a 75 gallon which will be approximately 284 liter tank. And YES only a single fish in a 75 gallon tank. if you want to keep a group, you have to add another 50 gallons per fish. So basically two Comet goldfish should be kept in a 125 gallon tank and three should be in a 175 gallon tank and so on you can do the maths according to your quantity of fish.
Comet goldfish Food
Comet Goldfish are basically omnivores so they need a varied diet. High quality but dried food is best option for them.
Many foods are packed with all the important nutrients they need, which will keep your Comet goldfish happy and healthy and will also improve their coloration.
Also you can supplement dried food with live or frozen alternatives. Comet Goldfish like bloodworms and tiny insects which are high in protein . Comet goldfish also do well with plant-based foods like peas, lettuce, broccoli etc. I recommend you to feed your Comet Goldfish 2 or 3 times a day. Avoid overfeeding as it can cause bloating.
How do you know if a Comet goldfish is healthy?
Healthy Comet goldfish will have a clear and bright body colouration and their fins will be erect. Healthy Comet goldfish are also alert and they swim effortlessly in your tank.
Are comet goldfish aggressive
Talking about aggressiveness, Comet goldfish are not aggressive generally, though they can become aggressive during feedings. You can reduce this aggression by feeding at both ends of the fish tank so food reaches to ever fish.
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