# Breeding Goldfish



## dalomesser (Nov 25, 2006)

Hi everyone, Im dale and am looking for some answers.

When do baby goldfish change to their parents colours?

Why are baby goldfish called fry?

How much is a typical common goldfish at 3 inches worth?

If anyone could tell me an answer to any or all of these questions it would so kind of you. 

Thanks.

For information on my breeding program or just general pond info please goto my webpage:

www.messerfamily.co.uk


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## Sable (Nov 6, 2006)

Actually, all baby fish are called fry. Not sure why, though... and I've never successfully bred goldfish. When I was younger, I remember seeing a fry in my goldfish tank (50 gal with two girls and one boy), but one of the females ate it. There was only the one, anyway, and I was about 7.


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## rba (Aug 25, 2006)

Goldfish can change color, especially early in life and may never match the parents. Baby fish in general are called fry. Common goldfish have a very low price in the States.

Baby goldfish are remarkably small and grow quite slowly at first. They will fit in the mouth of just about anything for a long time. If you have an algae bloom in the pond it helps them survive since they can't be seen in the murkiness.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

I've cranked out tens of thousands of goldfish in my ponds. 

I don't know why they're called fry.

They keep that bronzy green color for a month or two, maybe three, before their true colors erupt. Their colors can change over the years as they grow, but they usually have their permanent lifelong colors before nine months of age.

Some strains of goldfish can be valuable, but most aren't, wholesaling at some 40 cents (US) or less at the 3-inch size for "comets."

Many countries banned the import/export of goldfish a few weeks ago due to the new virus they can carry. This will no doubt have a profound effect on goldfish prices in the next few years. I suspect that common "comets" will remain cheap, but the fancier strains will become quite expensive. ( _and by "quite" I mean "ridiculously"_ ) This should result in the comet farms switching gears to produce the fancy strains instead, which will eventually raise the price of the remaining comets while lowering the cost of the fancies.


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## Sable (Nov 6, 2006)

TheOldSalt said:


> Some strains of goldfish can be valuable, but most aren't, wholesaling at some 40 cents (US) or less at the 3-inch size for "comets."


I once bought a 10-cent comet goldie (at about 1") to feed to a 7" redtailed black shark. Then again, juvenile black moors go for $4 apiece in my LFS, and large comets for $12 and up.


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## harif87 (Jun 5, 2006)

At my LFS black moors go for $20 a piece, never looked at the prices for goldfish, but theyre ridiculously low


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## Sable (Nov 6, 2006)

harif87 said:


> At my LFS black moors go for $20 a piece


Well, if you ever want black moors, you know who to ask!


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## harif87 (Jun 5, 2006)

Sable said:


> Well, if you ever want black moors, you know who to ask!


Lol, well i got one that im trying to get rid of.


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## Buggy (Oct 17, 2006)

I got a 28 cent commet for my little girl and he is in my 10 tank. I keep hoping he will "expire" like the other three did so I can have my tank back. lol


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