constipation or laying eggs

Question
Okay, I know this sounds crazy, but we bought a new goldfish today and we just noticed it has a long thik string hanging from its bottom. I know this is where poop comes from, but it looks different. It is also staying there for a long time. Is it constipation, or eggs.  we have only a small tank ( 1gallon) I know we need a bigger one,, but we're starting small.


Answer
Hi Amy;

It is indeed poop and is staying there too long because of constipation. Goldfish commonly become constipated because they are often overfed. Give him little bits of cooked, peeled green peas for a couple of days, but no other foods. This helps digestion and should be fed to him at least twice a week. It is good to vary the diet with other types of veggies too. You can feed little tiny pieces of romaine lettuce, cooked green beans, little slices of cucumber, squash and spirulina algae. They can all be rinsed and dropped into the tank as replacement of a meal.

I know it seems to make sense to start small with a small goldfish but he really needs a bigger tank right away. As you can see by his poop, goldfish make a lot of it and do so very often. The little bowl is simply not enough to keep him happy. Many goldfish do "survive" for awhile in them but that's really all they are doing. Just barely surviving. In such a small space they are in constant contact with waste toxins. It burns the eyes, skin and especially the gills. I know you didn't know how serious it is and want more for your little guy than that. Goldfish need at least 10 gallons per fish with good filtration to reach maturity. They get to be 9 inches long and have very thick bodies. That's why they produce so much waste. You could get a 5 gallon, but you will have to graduate up again very soon. Within a few months at the longest. Here is a link to a good page about goldfish and their needs;

http://www.firsttankguide.net/goldfish.php

You will also have to contend with New Tank Syndrome. Here is a link to my article about it;

http://www.xanga.com/Expert_Fish_Help

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins