goldfish and bristlenose catfish

Question
Hi Chris,  the glazed pot was purchaced from a nursery they say its fine for fish, the rain water was from my tin tank outside, the pipes are rusty therefore have to let water run a bit the pot holds about 6 9 liter buckets, the gold fish are only small so were the bristlenose and were sat in their bags in the water for 1/2hr before released and the water temp was 20 degrees, the pots opening is 60cm in diameter and doesnt have a filter. the readings of the ph in the water they said were a little high but nothing to kill the fish.  hope its enough information  Dib

Answer
Hi Diba;

Without a filter or oxygenating pump I'm afraid those types of fish can't survive in there. Bristlenose need oxygenated water or they suffocate. Goldfish are messy fish that need ten gallons (40 liters) of filtered water per fish to survive. Without a filter, a single goldfish might be able to survive in an 80 liter, but only until the fish gets to be about 3 inches long. Goldfish get to be over 8 inches long so you will have to graduate up to a larger pot, tank or pond as he grows.

What you might also try is using regular tap water and a water conditioner. Your tin tank may have other metals that are toxic to your fish. If anything other than water ever had contact with the inside it could also poison them. Even if rinsed well some chemicals and toxins are very persistent.

Just put one goldfish in the pot and no others. You will have to change at least 50% of the water once a week and don't add any other fish. Without a filter to harbor beneficial bacteria that consume waste, there's no place for it to go. It would be like living in a closet with an unflushed commode. Yuck! If you see him at the top a lot as if he is eating but there's no food there, it means he is suffocating from high toxins and as a result, low oxygen. Perform an immediate 25% to 50% water change to reduce waste toxins.

Since goldfish are actually going to grow too big you might consider different types like guppies, white clouds or danios. They stay small and should work out just fine. Just 5 or so though. Keep the population low, under one inch of adult fish per every 8 liters of water. If you can rig up a filter of some kind it would really expand the possibilites.

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins