goldfish in 5 gallon tank

Question
QUESTION: How many goldfish can be put in a 5 gallon tank?I have 2 small 1 1/2" goldfish and 3 comets are these too many?
ANSWER: Hi Wendy
Sorry-but yes that's way too many for that size tank.  Usually it's recommended to have 15 gallons per goldfish.  With some of the smaller fancier ones, you can get away with 10 gallons per goldie.  Comets though can get anywhere from 8-12 inches long.  And goldies put out a lot of ammonia naturally through their respirations and waste, so they really need a large tank.  Plus, they're a very active fish, and it's not fair to them to keep them in a small tank.  I'd recommend a much larger tank for them, or giving them back.  Or, depending where you live, get a pond :)

Good luck!!

Christy

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: So if I can't have any of these I have in this tank what kind of fish are appropriate for a 5 gallon tank I have heard of guppies,neons,angelfish,but other than that I am lost but they need to be ones that are available at any local pet store or walmart nothing too hard to find please?

Answer
Hi Wendy
You could go with a 1 betta, or maybe 2 or 3 guppies, but that's really it.  I don't recommend neons, they die very easily a lot of times just from the move from the store to your tank.  Angels get too big for that size.  Also stay away from any tetra, they like to be in groups of at least 3-5, and that's too many for your tank.  

Ok, there's this rule of thumb you can use.  I really hate using it, but I think it's ok for tropical/community type fish only, like guppies, platies, and such.  Not for goldfish, or cichlids, or any others.  It's the "one inch of adult size fish per gallon of water".  So, adult guppies  get to be about 2 inches.  Now you also have to take into account, you have a 5 gallon tank, is there gravel and decorations?  So the tank is a bit less then 5 gallons really.  And, we don't fill it all the way to the top, so it's more like 3 1/2-4 gallons, to be on the safe side.  You could also try a couple of dwarf puffers.  They're going to need frozen food or live brine shrimp though.  They're not as colorful or flashy though.  

When you pick out fish, try to find ones that don't get larger then 2 inches.  And I would only go with about 3 of them.  If you go with livebearers like guppies or platies, only get all males or all females.  Don't mix them, you don't need to deal with babies :)

Good luck!!

Christy