How many of you have seen a full size adult goldfish?

[Apotheos]

I've noticed that a huge percent of people that come into my work don't know how big goldfish get, so I was curious how many of you guys know.

[Melisserz]

I have yet to see one get to full size in a a tank. But I've seen 12inch+ goldfish/carp in my uncles pond. As well as other fish that have been dumped in his pond by the residents of the neighborhood(s) behind/near his pond.

I'm aware of how big your average comet goldfish gets. At a foot or more they're more than most hobby aquarists can handle.
I encouraged my family to ask my uncle / our neighbor to allow us to release our 6'+ comet to one of their ponds. I knew he would die in the 29gal that they had...
Sadly he did die in that 29gal tank; because I never took the initiative to just dump him into the neighbors pond (which was artificially created and has no stream/river connectors)....

[Shanna66]

ive seen adult carp and koi, but as for goldfish the largest ive ever seen have been 6-8in which is still a baby.

[AraTeran]

People dump goldfish into the rivers here from time to time, so occasionally I see them at work.

I've seen hundreds of carp that were 15-20lb+ while E-fishing.

[Srintella Tiagara]

The size of a goldfish (add koi to that too) depends on the size of their environment. That being said, they can get pretty big.

We had a pond and the goldfish given time could get pretty big. Our biggest might have been (not good in size here)

About the size of my hand. The butterfly koi got to be about the size of my two hands (or a bit more)

They would have been bigger if not for the fact that an otter somehow got in the back yard and killed all the fish.

--; Had to start all over..

So...yeah they can get pretty big.

[lividdarkangel800]

ive seen pics on the net of how big they get, but never anything in person. i have one that is about six ish inches. he hasnt grown for three years though. he is getting old, losing his color already. he is my baby and im sad too he is getting into his twilight years. i don't know how old he was when i got him, but he is a feeder rescue. anyway, he is my baby and im not thinking hes going to get any bigger.

[Friday_Dora]

I had a ryukin whose body length was 5-6 inches, big enough to make my 55g require bi-weekly water changes. gonk

[Shark Bacon]

I thought it was around 16" depending on environment?

I've honestly only seen the big ones you see at Chinese restaurant ponds. Well, and Asian river carp, I believe are related, but they don't look the same.

[Apotheos]

Shark Bacon

I thought it was around 16" depending on environment?

I've honestly only seen the big ones you see at Chinese restaurant ponds. Well, and Asian river carp, I believe are related, but they don't look the same.

16" is one hell of a goldfish. The biggest we have is a nice 12-13".

I was talking to a guy the other day, he has a 4' koi, so that was pretty awesome.

[Shark Bacon]

Tinfoil Paradox

Shark Bacon

I thought it was around 16" depending on environment?

I've honestly only seen the big ones you see at Chinese restaurant ponds. Well, and Asian river carp, I believe are related, but they don't look the same.

16" is one hell of a goldfish. The biggest we have is a nice 12-13".

I was talking to a guy the other day, he has a 4' koi, so that was pretty awesome.

That's just what I thought I had read somewhere once. It may be wrong.

But a 4' koi would be pretty killer to see.

[RCJ remixed]

I actually had no idea goldfish got to be pretty big until last month when I came across a five gallon tank I loved and thought I would love to try keeping a goldfish ini t.

So glad I'm not an impulse buyer. Did my reading and researching only to find pretty much nothing can live happily in a five gallon except maybe a single Beta and some small shrimp. I just can't get into huge aquariums, but would love something small, just poor fish can't do that lol

Pretty surprised goldfish had so many requirements due to the whole "starter pet" myth around here.

Back to trying to convince my husband into letting me get a pair of rats, then.

[Shanna66]

RCJ remixed

I actually had no idea goldfish got to be pretty big until last month when I came across a five gallon tank I loved and thought I would love to try keeping a goldfish ini t.

So glad I'm not an impulse buyer. Did my reading and researching only to find pretty much nothing can live happily in a five gallon except maybe a single Beta and some small shrimp. I just can't get into huge aquariums, but would love something small, just poor fish can't do that lol

Pretty surprised goldfish had so many requirements due to the whole "starter pet" myth around here.

Back to trying to convince my husband into letting me get a pair of rats, then.

Rats are the best animals ever

[Eizoryu]

Never in person, but know full well how large they can be. Spent two and a half years discouraging people from buying our cheap comets for their kid's 1-10g tanks.

Bruce, a Red Oranda from Hong Kong, is the current record-holder for fancy goldies at 15" (or 16", depending on source material) in length, including his fins. No idea how old he is. But I understand that koi can live for decades.

[RCJ remixed]

Shanna66

Rats are the best animals ever

I hear that a lot. They seriously have the cutest little faces I've ever seen, and everything I read from their temperaments to their intelligence just makes me want them even more.

I even found a breeder I think would be wonderful to get babies from. She takes the babies to the vet for check ups and hands over the vet records for them. My husband has just banned them from the home for now lol. I wish I knew someone who raised them so maybe he won't be so on edge about getting them as pets

[Shanna66]

RCJ remixed

Shanna66

Rats are the best animals ever

I hear that a lot. They seriously have the cutest little faces I've ever seen, and everything I read from their temperaments to their intelligence just makes me want them even more.

I even found a breeder I think would be wonderful to get babies from. She takes the babies to the vet for check ups and hands over the vet records for them. My husband has just banned them from the home for now lol. I wish I knew someone who raised them so maybe he won't be so on edge about getting them as pets

thats fantastic! sounds like a great breeder

my dad was a bit iffy on rats at first but my sister and i did so much research that eventually he said yes so long as they stayed in my room. rats were the best pets i ever had. i still really miss my first boy and he died over 4 years ago