# My new goldfish tank, pls comment.:-)



## Fish rookie (May 21, 2012)

I just purchased a 10 gallon fish tank with some black moon sand and a big bunch of Java Fern from a forum member here. 

A few days ago, I got some Java moss from another member and I had a lot of left over. 

I also have a small banada plant which I got for free a few days ago. 

With all these in hand, I decided to make a new gold fish tank for my little gold fish.

My daughter really likes her and I think she recognises my daughter. She will eat off her fingers.

I have 2 filters in this tank, one aqueclear and one sponge filter. The piece in the middle is lava rock and a tree branch that I have tied some moss to. There is a small cave formed by the two. In the front are some rocks from the dollar store with moss attached by means of hair net.

Owning to the high bioload of goldfish I do not want to cover the substrate with plants as I want to be able to vacuum the tank.

What do you think? Please give me your honest comment, thank you.


PS, nonsan and snailpuffer, thank you for the tank, filter, sand, and wonderful plants. You have made my little goldfish very happy.


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## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

Tank looks lovely! However, 10g is really too small for one goldfish when it gets larger. You'll find that a 20g or a 30 will be more stable and easy to manage and the fish will be much happier. I have fancy goldies in a 110g, and one of them is the size of a softball now! Java fern is good (tough), since if your fish is like mine, plants are seen as a nice salad bar.

If the tank has not yet cycled, you'll need to carefully monitor the water parameters and diligently change the water to keep your fish from being killed by the ammonia or nitrite spike. You can find great information on cycling a tank and managing the cycle here:

Tips for Cycling Your New Aquarium - The First Tank Guide - Getting Your Fish Tank Up and Running with Minimal Headaches

Best advice is to do small, frequent water changes (like 10% daily until the tank is cycled) and monitor the parameters. A good test kit will cost about $25 from J&L.

API Freshwater Master Test Kit

You need to test for at least ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and PH. If the water is at all whitish or cloudy or if your fish appear sluggish, are bottom sitting, have red gills or streaks or are gasping, do a large water change immediately.

Biggest tip: Feed good quality sinking goldfish food like Hikari and DON'T OVERFEED!!!! This will pollute the water and kill the fish very quickly. feed only what they will eat in a couple of minutes, once or twice a day. Goldfish love fresh veggies like lettuce or spinach, or slices of orange, or cooked and shelled peas (just microwave peas for 20-30 seconds and pop the skin off them, then feed the squished innards to the goldfish - great for digestion).


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## TomC (Apr 21, 2010)

It looks really nice, but Elle is right. It will be too small when the fish grows. Enjoy it for now, though.

If you arent able to do the water testing that Elle suggested, be sure to do lots of water changes.


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## Fish rookie (May 21, 2012)

Thanks for the comment.

My goldfish is quite small now and is swimming around all day long looking very happy. She really likes her new home.

I do not like to feed sinking food. I am only feeding goldfish pellets which consists of a higher protein content than my tropical food--and they wont sink and amke a big mess on/in the substrate. 

She would come up and eat it off the fingers of my daughter. When she is finally done with chewing and spliting the food out and eating again and again then we would feed her another one. I do not like to have uneaten food floating around.

I believe water condition/parameter is very important for a happy fish--far more important than the size of the tank provided that it is within reasons. For now the tank is big enough for the fish and she looks very happy. When she gows too big I will change a bigger tank.

For some people anything smaller than a pond is too small for a goldfish. I agree to an extend as I have seen some goldfish which has grown to be too big even for a 100 gallon tank but mine is very small right now. 

My water paramater is Amonnia:0, Nitrite:0, Nitrate: 20, GH: 120ppm, KH 80ppm. My GH is higher than that in my other tank as goldfish prefers a higher GH. I add a bit more equilibrium than I do with my other tank to keep the GH up, I use Alkaline buffer to mentain the KH.

The wood and rock in this tank came from another tank which is cycled. I also added stability and let it run for a day. I tested all the parameters and they were fine. After I added my fish in her new home she seemed really happy. I believe this breed of goldfish prefer a slightly higher temperature than most other breeds. The temperature is now at 76. The light is making it hotter than it should so I may add a few floating plants on top. Most likely water sprite from my other tank but not sure if she would eat them. I have no heater in the tank and it is placed on my desk away from the heat of window so I think the light has to be the reason why it is at 76.

It is hard to show it in the picture but her scales really glow very beautifully under the light. I like watching her. She is very cute and very active


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## Scherb (Feb 10, 2011)

Hello. looks good, only thing i would add is watch out for cheap rocks not all rocks are safe. put some white vinegar on the rock and if it bubbles don't use it. one of the tanks i service had rock from a fireplace store, looked good but put the ph way up, not good. Cheers


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## TomC (Apr 21, 2010)

It sounds like you really did your homework. Soon you will be wanting two tanks.


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## Momobobo (Sep 28, 2010)

The tank looks great  Though I agree with the others that this tank is too small for comfort. While I agree matinence and filtration are more important, having a tank too small makes it much harder. You seem to have it under control though :]


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## Morainy (Apr 21, 2010)

Lovely! Your fish looks very happy there. 

And one day, if you do end up moving your fish into a bigger tank, you can keep this tank for some endlers!


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## AdobeOtoCat (Dec 10, 2011)

Very beautiful tank. I really wanted a goldfish tank as well due to their dumbfounded personalities . But they sure produce a lot of waste! keep up with the water changes!


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## Fish rookie (May 21, 2012)

My goldfish is now about 1.5" long.

I am just wondering if Elle believes that 1 single goldfish needs 20-30 gallons to be "happy" then with her 110 gallon shouldn't she only have 4 goldfish and nothing else?

From reading her other post about her own tank she not only has more than 4 goldfish (and they are the size of a soft ball) but also keeps her goldfish with over 40 tropical (or subtropical) fish in the same tank. I am confused.

I can understand and appreciate the comment about water change as goldfish produces a high bioload--which is why I have put in two filters in the tank and they are both meant for bigger tanks. However, I cannot understand how someone can say--without seeing how my fish behaves--that a 1.5" fish alone in a 10 gallon lacks comfort or is not happy enough?

I have heard this kind of comment from Betta keepers who feel that anything less than a 10 gallon without filter/heater/plant...etc is a crime. If you tell them you have a Betta who has lived very happily in a small bowl for years they will tell you living and thriving are 2 different thing and they will never believe you.

I actually am aware that fish do grow in size over time and I understand that eventually the fish would be bigger--but my fish is very happy right now and I take very good care of my tank, my water and my fish. To say the fish will become bigger and eventually too big for a certain tank is like telling a new home buyer with a new born that he needs to buy a much bigger house to give his family a happier life as his kid would grow bigger and he would have more kids in the future. If he only has enough for a 2 bedroom dont you think it is kind of pointless and discouraging to tell him that the home he has selected lacks comfort?

I was very happy that to see my goldfish acting so happy and I like how the tank has turned out so I just wanted to share it here. I am just going to keep doing my thing.

Thanks for the comment anyway.

By the way, this is what i found on the Internet before I got my tank for my goldfish:

Like most carp, goldfish produce a large amount of waste both in their faeces and through their gills, releasing harmful chemicals into the water. Build-up of this waste to toxic levels can occur in a relatively short period of time, and can easily cause a goldfish's death. For common and comet varieties, each goldfish should have about 20 US gallons (76 l; 17 imp gal) of water. Fancy goldfish (which are smaller) should have about 10 US gallons (38 l; 8.3 imp gal) per goldfish. The water surface area determines how much oxygen diffuses and dissolves into the water. A general rule is have 1 square foot (0.093 m2). Active aeration by way of a water pump, filter or fountain effectively increases the surface area.


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## ilam (Apr 28, 2011)

I think you need to relax.. The fish is fine in a 10 gallon for now, but without a single doubt in anyone's mind, that fish will eventually outgrow that tank. Elle and others were simply letting you know that inevitably, the fish will be too big for that tank.



Fish rookie said:


> My goldfish is now about 1.5" long.
> I am just wondering if Elle believes that 1 single goldfish needs 20-30 g to be "happy" then with her 110 gallon shouldn't she only have 4 goldfish and nothing else? But from reading her other post about her own tank she not only has more than 4 goldfish 9and they are the size of a soft ball) but also keeps her goldfish with over 40 tropical (or subtropical) fish in the same tank. I am confused.
> I can understand and appreciate the comment about water change as goldfish produces a high bioload. I have put in two filters in the tank and they are both meant for bigger tanks. My water is not cloudy or anything like that, I would never let my tank look that way to begin with. I cannot understand how someone can say--without seeing how my fish behaves--that a 1.5" fish alone in a 10 gallon lacks comfort or is not happy enough?


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## jobber (May 14, 2010)

Beautiful choice going black sand and java fern. Makes the colour of the fish and plant pop right out. Give you a lot of respect and admiration for not overstocking the tank since you only have a 10 gallon. I really do applaud you for that. Look forward to seeing the goldie grow up.


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## hp10BII (Apr 23, 2010)

The general rule of thumb suggested by some fancy goldfish enthusiasts is 20 gallons for the first fish, 10 to 15 gallons for each additional goldfish. It's not written in stone, just a general guideline, the bottom line is that it is your fish. I find that whether it be a pond or a larger tank, it gives the goldfish greater potential to grow in size, with baby goldfish, most of the growth is within the first year.


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## Fish rookie (May 21, 2012)

Morainy said:


> Lovely! Your fish looks very happy there.
> 
> And one day, if you do end up moving your fish into a bigger tank, you can keep this tank for some endlers!


Yes, I was thinking may be about 6 rummy nose, and I will plant some short foreground plants to make a carpet--perhaps with dwarf hair grass. Dont want to do that now as I want to be able to vacuum the ground often to keep it clean.

Actually. I am tempted now to plant something taller to cover up the sponge filter but I really think I should vacuum the sand often so do not want to have too many plants obstructing the ground.


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## DR1V3N (Apr 22, 2010)

Great scape job and keeping it simple . Kudos on double filtration for the goldie too! From the pics though, the scale seems a bit off. This might be a 5-7 gallon tank. The pic cuts off to the right though.


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## Fish rookie (May 21, 2012)

I know what you mean, I have uploaded a few mor snapshots of the whole tank. It is a 10 gallon, is 20" wide. Think it woudl look nicer if it was longer...


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## Luke78 (Apr 24, 2010)

A great start, and neat setup for your goldfish.Nothing wrong with feeding a sinking food, a varied diet will keep your goldie happy.It will eventually pick up in growth and before you know it, a larger home is required.Fancy goldfish also need calm spots of water where the flow isn't too strong,causes issues with their swimming.


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## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

> I am just wondering if Elle believes that 1 single goldfish needs 20-30 gallons to be "happy" then with her 110 gallon shouldn't she only have 4 goldfish and nothing else?


I wasn't trying to pick at you, or to say that my way is the only way and I was certainly not saying that your fish isn't happy in your setup. Lots of people have fancy goldfish in 20's, 30's and 55's. The 20g thing is based on 20g for the first fish (or two) and about 10g per fish after that, but it's also dependent on water care. If you have a good maintenance routine and filtration, you can make do with less space. In my personal experience, larger tanks are also less prone to sudden spikes or PH swings, which can kill the fish pretty fast. A 10g is inherently less stable than a 20g simply because it takes less time and poop to cause a spike.

You're on top of your water parameters and have obviously done your research, so your fish should do really well for you. I tend to be a bit nervous when somebody says that they are just starting out and keeping a goldfish in a 10g, because a lot of the time they haven't been told by the store what the bioload is and how piggy these fish can be, let alone anything about cycling the tanks. We had somebody on here who was posting about how they never changed their water and were wondering why their black moors kept dying.  Sorry if I jumped to conclusions, this is a bit of a bee in my bonnet.

You are correct, my 110g does have a lot of fish in it. They're getting upgraded to a 180g or a 150g shortly. Right now there are 12 fancy goldfish (I think? must actually count them again), 4 small gold dojo loaches, and about 30 white cloud minnows. These are all specifically cool water fish compatible with fancy goldfish, so nothing in the tank is incompatible or freezing to death. The tank is minimally heated to keep it at 20C-21C (70F-72F), which is a good range for all the species in there. I also WAY overfilter my tanks. I currently have a canister filter plus two AC110's running on the goldfish tank, plus a UV sterilizer. And I change 50%-75% of the water each week and vacuum the gravel. If I wasn't doing that, I wouldn't have the number of fish in there that I do. So far the water parameters are stable and the fish are happy.

Your goldfish is pretty small right now, but it will still outgrow the 10g eventually, especially if you are keeping it well cared for. They grow pretty fast (mine put on 2-3 inches in a year), and the bigger the fish, the more they poop. 

_Edited to add:_

If you want to plant something tall to hide the filter, you could try vallisneria, but be prepared for it to be eaten. Sword plants also work and seem to be a little less appealing as snacks.


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## gsneufeld (Jan 28, 2012)

Very pretty tank... Might I suggest adding some fast-growing plants for your goldy to snack on? (The trick is to keep the main plant in another tank so it doesn't all disappear, then toss the cuttings in with the herbivores) One thing I would like to mention is please make sure that the hair nets are fastened so that the little guy can't get stuck in there; I've read of a few people whose fish got stuck and died.


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## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

Hornwort. Pretty plant, you can let it float or fasten it down, and it grows faster than the fish can eat it.


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## gsneufeld (Jan 28, 2012)

As you can see in my signature, I'm one of those psychos who keeps his Betta in a 10G. Do I believe that you kept one in a small bowl for years? Probably so. Once upon a time I did the same thing. In a centrally heated home, with frequent complete water changes it's entirely possible for a Betta to live in a tiny bowl. However, without a cycled tank, even if you change the water every day, in between those water changes that fish will be living in increasingly toxic conditions. Also, even in a very warm house, Betta splendens needs water at least 78 degrees to be comfortable, and without a layer of warm, humid air that a tight-fitting lid provides, the labyrinth organ can be damaged. So, does a Betta *need* a 10 gallon tank? Not necessarily, but while your fish might be surviving in a small, unheated, unfiltered, uncovered bowl, I agree with the other Betta psychos; no way in hell is your fish "thriving". Just my two cents.



Fish rookie said:


> My goldfish is now about 1.5" long.
> 
> I am just wondering if Elle believes that 1 single goldfish needs 20-30 gallons to be "happy" then with her 110 gallon shouldn't she only have 4 goldfish and nothing else?
> 
> ...


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## Fish rookie (May 21, 2012)

I used to keep a Betta with some livebearers in the past--live plants, filter, heater and rocks, woods and things like that. But my Betta was not happy. I think he was more of a loner who just did nto like to be around a lot of fish. I then moved him to another 2.5 gallon tank with a filter and a heater all by himself but he was not happy still. I think he did not like the current from the filter or where the tank was placed or something.
I went and got a big glass candle holder from Home sense, it is about 2gallon and after I put him in there he swims all day long and makes lots of bubbles! I place him on my dinning table with 2 other Betta (each placed in a big glass candle holder). The temperature is about 76-77 F, and I change the water and wash the glass everyday. The water is crystal clear. I keep the bottom with no gravel so once I see some poo I can siphon it out right away. I only feed 2 pellets in the morning and 2 at night. I can feed them from my hand and watch them eat their food one by one--they alwasy finish their food. 
In this set up, they are much more active. They look at each other through the glass and flare often and swim around all the time.
Of all the tanks I have placed them in, they are the happiest now. This is a fact. Will they even be happier I dont know--but I do know for a fact they are healthy, and happy where they are now.
Perhaps fish has their own personality-- some may not like to be around too many things while some may like to be very busy all the time. When my Betta was in a 10 gallon he was with other fish so he did nto actually get the whole 10 gallon for himself anyway. He probably had about 1-2 gallon of personal space. He did not like the other fish and I changed the fish several times to try find him a good companions but it did not work...
I know people may tell me keeping them in a bowl is wrong or inhuman or whatever but it works for me. Was I supposed to keep them in a 10 gallon knowing they were nto happy so others woudl approve me? I feel fish are like children and it is hard to tell anothe rparents what is best for their kids unless you really know them.
I have three Betta now--one halfmoon double tail, one super delta, and one is a very young baby which is white with a speck of gold on his forehead (not sure what he was called). I got them all from IPU and they are very beautiful.


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## Fish rookie (May 21, 2012)

Thank you for all the comment by the way. I have switched the direction of the flow from the sponge filter and the goldfish now swims around the right hand side of the tank as well while before she did not really go there. Think the current was too strong before. Thank you very much for the advice.
I also tried to put some plant cutting into the tank and he ate some of them. 
Perhaps buy some duckweed or something like that and see if he would eat them today?
I just changed his water 50% (I plan to do water change on Wed and Sun). Water was not as dirty as I expected. I think the two filters are working well.
I have a AC 150 and a spong filter meant for a 20 gallon.
Once again, thanks for all the help.


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## Fish rookie (May 21, 2012)

About putting plants to cover up the sponge...I am kind of leaning towards getting a smaller/shorter lava rock about the same shape as the one in the middle and got some small java fern and moss, kind of make a mini twin of the deco (but without the wood) in the middle and place it in front of the filter (to the right edge of the tank).Or should I just leave it the way it is now? What do you think?


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## TomC (Apr 21, 2010)

Sounds like you are not quite a fish rookie. You seem to know enough about fish keeping that your goldfish will do just fine. Does it have a name?


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## gsneufeld (Jan 28, 2012)

FishRookie, I wasn't trying to shame you or anything, and certainly, it's not worth doing anything solely for the approval of people on the internet. My Betta seems to enjoy having tankmates, which is why I keep him in a tank big enough for a few other critters. Two or three gallons is perfectly fine for a Betta (especially since they can't actually swim all that well) and like I said, in a centrally heated house the water can stay warm enough for them. Since like you say, he's blowing bubbles and swimming around, he's clearly not suffering. I would still advise you to use a filter for your Bettas though. (this can be done very cheaply by purchasing an air pump and a three or four way gang valve leading into air powered sponge filters.. search DIY sponge filter) if not for the health of your fish, then just to make things easier on yourself. Changing 100% of the water in all those bowls once a day or once every couple days must be a lot of work compared to 10% pwc once a week? And like I said, the important part is the layer of warm, humid air at the surface. These fish are obligatory air breathers, and the labyrinth organ is very delicate... They pretty much need a lid or some sort of cover over their bowl.


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## Diztrbd1 (Apr 21, 2010)

Looks very nice! A suggestion about the floating pellets... you might want to presoak them before feeding. The reason they are spitting it out is that it's hard and dry. Plus there is less chances of them overeating as the pellets will expand as they soak in the water and can cause bladder issues sometimes. I have also found feeding strictly floating pellets has been known to cause issues because when they suck in the food , they may suck in too much air and cause problems too. I'm no expert on gold fish, but back when i kept them I had one that ended up swimming upside down and never recovered from it. Turned out it was from the floating food. Have had the same problem in the past with Bettas and now I pre-soak all floating pellets before feeding them to the fish. Now as far as Betta's happiness in a small bowl goes.....seriously, how happy would you be living in a bare 10' x 10' glass box all your life? For that matter you compare fish to children....would you keep your kids in a 5' x 5' empty glass room? I'm a 2 gal minimum kinda guy myself, glad to hear yours are in something closer to that. Even if you chose to keep them in a small bowl, thats nobodys biz but yours. But keep in mind most of your threads are asking for honest comments, and that is what you will get from most. Bettas do have different personalities for sure. My first Betta was in a 33 gal community and loved it, he was always exploring the whole tank. I had another that didn't like it so much. For the record.... flaring is not a usually a sign of happiness, it's a sign of aggression and them wanting to rip the other betta apart lol 
I started a thread for members Betta pix to be shared on, please feel free to share some pix of yours on it as well:
http://www.bcaquaria.com/forum/member-photo-video-gallery-17/bca-members-bettas-past-present-823/ Always love to see peoples Betta's 
Back to the goldie, great job with the tank, I'm sure he will will be happy for a while in there.


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## Fish rookie (May 21, 2012)

Hi George, i understand and I appreciate your comment. Yes, it is kind of lots more work but it becomes a habbit and does not really take long. I have tried to use sponge filter and also a little filter made by Tetra (attached to an air pump) that runs with a filter cartidge but my Betta hated them. I think they do not like the sound/current. Right now they seem to be fine. I am not sure what it is but I suspect they prefer a more calm or perhaps even still water?



TomC said:


> Sounds like you are not quite a fish rookie. You seem to know enough about fish keeping that your goldfish will do just fine. Does it have a name?


Yes, she has a name. My daughter named her "ponyo".


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## andre21 (May 31, 2012)

Your fish tank is very pretty. The Gold fish is looking very lovely. Over all your decoration for the tank is honestly impressive. It's just for now but in further future you will need a bigger one. Keep it up brother.


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## Fish rookie (May 21, 2012)

Thanks. I am getting a 33 gallons tomorrow.  
But it will take some time to set up as I am going to make it a planted tank. I want to try dry start to get a nice carpet done first...
And I kind of want to get a blue german ram...so, I dont know...


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## Diztrbd1 (Apr 21, 2010)

if you get a German Blue Ram....make sure to atleast get a pair of them , they are much happier that way in my expirience.


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## Fish rookie (May 21, 2012)

Diztrbd1 said:


> if you get a German Blue Ram....make sure to atleast get a pair of them , they are much happier that way in my expirience.


Thank you. I read about that, too....but then my 33 gallon would be overcrowded according to some people, wouldn't it? 
I saw a blue ram once and they are so beautiful! May be I will keep the gold fish in the 10 g for now...I dont want to mix goldfish with tropical or subtropical fish, just feel kind of weird.
I may just put my 6 zebra danios in this 33g first and buy/add more fish later when the tank is stabilized. It is hard to say with CO2 and new substrate I dont want any ph crash or any problem with hardness and so on. When i first started CO2 in my first planted tank 3 of my shrimps died in one day!
Although goldfish is messy and all that but mine is quite smart and friendly so I and everyone in my family really like her. We can put our finger int he tank and she will come and kiss us (or perhaps she was just trying to see if there is ay food between our fingersLOL). When we are not in front of the tank she will swim around the tank but once she saw someone in front of the tank she will stay in the front swimming up and down trying to play and ask for food. She can also follow my daughter's finger sometimes...very cute.


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