Fish for 30 gallon freshwater pond

[James_O]

For common goldfish, yes. They're a normal shaped fish that is fairly active. I've been referring to "fancy" goldfish (ryukin, oranda, ranchu, moors, butterflies, etc) as they're eternally dopey fish that aren't really active lol

For fancy varieties, you still need a 4ft tank as a minimum, as I said here:

It is recommended to have at least 120×45×45 cm (4×1.5×1.5 ft) for fancy goldfish

A 40g breeder is only a 3ft tank.

 

[LiveFreeAndReef]

I trust trustworthy sources, which can be found with google searches!

Care Guide for Fancy Goldfish – Housing, Feeding, and More

This care sheets answers your most frequently asked questions about fancy goldfish when it comes to housing, feeding, appropriate tank mates, and more.

www.aquariumcoop.com

 

[Sharkbait19]

I agree goldies need good space. There really isn’t a limit to their size and waste. Honestly whatever is said to be the bare minimum for a large fish…double it and you have a good bet.
To the op, temp and tank size are the big limiting factor. Without a heater, temperate fish are really the only option. Good ideas are minnows or zebra danios.

 

[elorablue]

30 gallons is not a ‘pond’ it’s a big bucket

 

[Sharkbait19]

30 gallons is not a ‘pond’ it’s a big bucket

This sums it up. You’re not working with a lot of space in 30 gallons, especially when you have to worry about temperature and how fast it freezes.

 

[LiveFreeAndReef]

For fancy varieties, you still need a 4ft tank as a minimum, as I said here:



A 40g breeder is only a 3ft tank.

I'll just agree to disagree on this one lol You found one source that says a 4ft tank is required, I know of many that say 20 gallons per fish is required. Until we have scientific evidence one way or the other, they're all really just opinions and could all be wrong hahaha

 

[Sharkbait19]

I'll just agree to disagree on this one lol You found one source that says a 4ft tank is required, I know of many that say 20 gallons per fish is required. Until we have scientific evidence one way or the other, they're all really just opinions and could all be wrong hahaha

I know they don’t usually get this big…but that’s only because they don’t ever get the proper conditions they deserve. Goldfish is easily the most misunderstood, and therefore abused, fish in the hobby.
I wouldn’t feel comfortable putting the fish above in a 20-30. Even a 55 would feel small real fast.

 

[LiveFreeAndReef]

I know they don’t usually get this big…but that’s only because they don’t ever get the proper conditions they deserve. Goldfish is easily the most misunderstood, and therefore abused, fish in the hobby.
I wouldn’t feel comfortable putting the fish above in a 20-30. Even a 55 would feel small real fast.

Kinda backing up my point of everyone having different opinions on how they should be kept though! A 55 is a 4ft tank, which has previously been said to be a requirement. I personally think that the footprint of the aquarium is a lot more important than the capacity. Unless the person holding the fish is Andre the Giant, I'd say that the fish is about 8-10 inches. Which would make turning around in a 55 kinda tight, but a 40 breeder would have room to spare.

 

[Sharkbait19]

Kinda backing up my point of everyone having different opinions on how they should be kept though! A 55 is a 4ft tank, which has previously been said to be a requirement. I personally think that the footprint of the aquarium is a lot more important than the capacity. Unless the person holding the fish is Andre the Giant, I'd say that the fish is about 8-10 inches. Which would make turning around in a 55 kinda tight, but a 40 breeder would have room to spare.

True, but a 40 breeder would then have less length and less room for water diffusion. I’d say 75 (4 foot) for that fish.
With large, active, high waste fish like goldies and cichlids, 10 gallons per inch is a good rule of thumb, with some wiggle room. 8-10 inch is probably good in a 75 or 90, but bigger than that would probably need a 125.
It’s easier to talk about going up in size than down, as at that point it just becomes about what is too much, which is all opinion.
A juvie goldfish can definitely live in a 30, but as it packs on size, bigger gets better.
Imo goldfish are for large ponds…just so big.

 

[LiveFreeAndReef]

True, but a 40 breeder would then have less length and less room for water diffusion. I’d say 75 (4 foot) for that fish.
With large, active, high waste fish like goldies and cichlids, 10 gallons per inch is a good rule of thumb, with some wiggle room. 8-10 inch is probably good in a 75 or 90, but bigger than that would probably need a 125.
It’s easier to talk about going up in size than down, as at that point it just becomes about what is too much, which is all opinion.
A juvie goldfish can definitely live in a 30, but as it packs on size, bigger gets better.
Imo goldfish are for large ponds…just so big.

Except fancy goldfish aren't a very active fish, and not a high waste fish either. Their waste is directly related to how much they're fed. I don't understand why people think goldfish magically make more waste than other fish. They're not ordering Uber Eats when you're away lol And the 10 gallon per inch rule is bullhonkey (yeah I said bullhonkey lol), just like the having to wait 6 months to keep an anemone "rule."

 

[Sharkbait19]

Except fancy goldfish aren't a very active fish, and not a high waste fish either. Their waste is directly related to how much they're fed. I don't understand why people think goldfish magically make more waste than other fish. They're not ordering Uber Eats when you're away lol And the 10 gallon per inch rule is bullhonkey (yeah I said bullhonkey lol), just like the having to wait 6 months to keep an anemone "rule."

So by that logic an Oscar doesn’t need at least 125?
And goldfish do produce more waste than other fish. They poop a lot when compared to something like a tetra, even at comparable sizes. And in my experience with fancy goldfish (I’ve had a lot), they were no less active than their normal bodied counterparts.

 

[SlugSnorter]

So by that logic an Oscar doesn’t need at least 125?
And goldfish do produce more waste than other fish. They poop a lot when compared to something like a tetra, even at comparable sizes. And in my experience with fancy goldfish (I’ve had a lot), they were no less active than their normal bodied counterparts.

okay no goldy, we should put together a decent set of fish and CUC for a 30 gallon pond for OP

 

[LiveFreeAndReef]

So by that logic an Oscar doesn’t need at least 125?
And goldfish do produce more waste than other fish. They poop a lot when compared to something like a tetra, even at comparable sizes. And in my experience with fancy goldfish (I’ve had a lot), they were no less active than their normal bodied counterparts.

With the 10 gallon per inch rule, a single guppy needs a 20 gallon tank to itself? Once again, we're in the territory of opinions, not facts.

 

[SlugSnorter]

With the 10 gallon per inch rule, a single guppy needs a 20 gallon tank to itself? Once again, we're in the territory of opinions, not facts.

look, do you guys want me to start a goldfish form? I think we should just hunker down and decide on some fish, goldfish are out, lets just stick to smaller fish

 

[LiveFreeAndReef]

okay no goldy, we should put together a decent set of fish and CUC for a 30 gallon pond for OP

The "OP" doesn't seem to concerned as they haven't had any input on this tread at all lol..

 

[LiveFreeAndReef]

look, do you guys want me to start a goldfish form? I think we should just hunker down and decide on some fish, goldfish are out, lets just stick to smaller fish

Unless you know of a saltwater goldfish, we don't need a goldfish thread on Reef2Reef. That's been done to death elsewhere anyway. And again, the "OP" isn't even involved in this thread so I'm not sure what exactly we're doing here (other than arguing about flippin goldfish lol)

 

[SlugSnorter]

Unless you know of a saltwater goldfish, we don't need a goldfish thread on Reef2Reef. That's been done to death elsewhere anyway. And again, the "OP" isn't even involved in this thread so I'm not sure what exactly we're doing here (other than arguing about flippin goldfish lol)

Its a "joke", created this to get a cleaner less crowded area to discuss temperate water fish that could be a good solution to OPs problem

 

[Sharkbait19]

With the 10 gallon per inch rule, a single guppy needs a 20 gallon tank to itself? Once again, we're in the territory of opinions, not facts.

As I said, it applies to larger fish…

okay no goldy, we should put together a decent set of fish and CUC for a 30 gallon pond for OP

Ok
Assuming this is unheated, I’d go with Rosy reds and mosquitofish. They are cheap, small, and easy. Rosies are a lot like a smaller goldfish. Unfortunately, there aren’t many easily available coldwater options for this size tank.
If you have a heater, you could try something like barbs.

 

[LiveFreeAndReef]

Its a "joke", created this to get a cleaner less crowded area to discuss temperate water fish that could be a good solution to OPs problem

But the "OP" isn't even involved here lol Technically, you're the OP!

 

[SlugSnorter]

But the "OP" isn't even involved here lol Technically, you're the OP!

I summoned everyone from the past form and said the purpose was to find fish for the original OP