Goldfish going into season

Question
QUESTION: Hello Lynda.
Two of my goldfish Rudolph and Dasher have been showing signs of you know, breeding. They have been doing everythibng goldfish do like rubbing against eachother and Rudolph has been chasing Dasher and nudging Dasher to try to get eggs out. please help me. I don't know how to look after the eggs as I have never had this before. The betta is fine now. She took your advice. Also I don't like Dasher gill cover. It has a big white cover over it and Dasher doesn't look very happy with it there either. Dasher keeps looking at me with a look saying " mummy I don't feel very well. Help me." The raising awareness about goldfish is going very well but now people are laughing at me and calling me a fish nut and every name under the sun. I'd do anything for my fish. Just done a water change. Hope your aquariums are doing great.
Danielle.
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ANSWER: Hi Danielle,
I'm sorry I cannot help you with breeding of Goldfish.  You will have to ask another expert for advice on this.  As for the white cover over the gill, if the fungus treatment did not help them, then there too you would be better to ask a goldfish expert.  I have bred almost everything in tropical waters, but never bred goldfish.  I only help out when I can, but when things get more serious, I send them to cool water experts.  I don't want to take a chance on that.
I'm happy you are raising awareness on Goldfish, every little bit helps the fish world.  Oh yes, that we are "fish nuts" but if it weren't for fish nuts, where would we be today?  Where would we go to learn, how could we even think about keeping fish.  Thanks to Dr. Rudiger Riehl and Hans A Baensch, also Dr. Herbert R. Axelrod who wrote books on the beautiful Discus fish, and many others, where would we be today?  Many educated people have written books on fish, all kinds of fish, from Goldfish to Salt Water fish.  If it weren't for these people who took the time, to learn, write, and teach us how to care, where would the fish industry be today?  Nowhere!  I lift my hat to fish nuts!
Lynda

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QUESTION: Hi Lynda. The white patch over the gill has disapperared now. I know what to do when a goldfish is breeding now as I have a friend who had goldfish that bred and she said she will help me so don't worry about that either. The youngest fish Comet is going to be another Leiko because he has a mustach like Keiko.  I have a question that I want to get of my chest. When I get catfish would I still need to clean the tank out and if so how do you get the catfish out of the tank without getting stung by the little spines?  I have got everything ready for the raising awareness of goldfish. Certain people  are still calling me a fish killer. I turned round and said, " have you ever heard of diseases? It's always a mystery when all fish die at once.." They went quiet after that. Don't worry because after I have finished with this raising awareness of goldfish they will see that it wasn't my fault they died. In fact, I'd do anything for fish. Fish mean everything to me. If you ask me if I would  jump of a cliff or a climbing wall I would say yes. I want to prove to people how much fish mean to me. Comet is like a comet, Rudolph is cheeky and Dasher is dashing around the tank.
Danielle. fish I love you all. Dasher is still splashing me like crazy. I totally agree with you on what  you said about us being fosh nuts. We both love fish don't we. I am interestedin breding catfish. I would love to take the time to learn about fish.  like you said, we wouldn't be anywhere if it weren't for these people. The poor fish need looking after properly. You are the only person who really unserstands me and how much I love fish. everybody else I know just say they are only fish.

ANSWER: Hi Danielle,
If you are talking about little catfish, you buy a silk net so that they won't get caught in it.  When you make water changes you mustn't change all the water.  There is good bacteria in your water.  Just do 35-50% water changes.  You needn't take out the little cat fish if you do this.  Always syphon your water from the bottom.  The little catfish must be fed too, and yes you will have to do your water changes just the same.  My biggest worry is that they won't get enough to eat with Goldfish, and will starve to death.  I have seen this happen so many times with catfish, and Goldfish.  Goldfish are gluttons, let face it - lol
If you were talking about a pleco, then you would have to grab him from under the arms...it's a little touchy at first, but you get use to it!!  He too must be fed special pellets that you get at the Pet Store.
Have a nice day
Lynda


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QUESTION: ha. I am getting a little catfish. I know somebody who had a huge tank and he owns a Pleco catfish. As he went to grab him under the arms it stung him pretty badly. It didn't scare him though. What would you say if I told you my goldfgish are being very good fish today? When you say goldfish are gluttons what does that mean? I have never heard anybody say that before. That hugecatfish is still at the pet shop. It's a monster of a catfish. The guy said it was a dwarf Catfish but it looks far too big to be a dwarf catfish to me. I have got the silk net already. I got it when I bought Lunar and Wily and another fantail called Little spot way before Iittle Keiko. I do still think about them you know. They used to charge around the tank like mad.
Danielle.

Answer
Hi Danielle,
Glutton means that they will eat, and eat, and eat -lol  You have to watch so that your little catfish will have food to eat too.  If you are getting cory catfish, it would be better to get two, and they love to play.  If you are going with a pleco, just get one.  Make sure they eat, as Goldfish will grab every bit of food in site!!
Lynda