How big of a tank should I have for 2 fancy goldfish and a pleco?

Hi! I have a ryukin (about 4 inches long), a black moor (3 inches) and a pleco (3 inches). Right now, they're in a 10 gal. tank, but relax, this is temporary.



Since goldfish are piggies, the tank size is not enough right now to sustain their waste and is unstable (I'm having a lot of problems keeping the pH levels balanced and the water keeps getting cloudy. I've tried water changes, pH balancers/regulators, and water clearers like AccuClear--it keeps clouding up.). A 10 gal. filter is in the tank right now--if I got a stronger filter, would I still have these problems??



I've heard that for goldfish, there should be 20 gal. for the first one and 10 gal. for each additional goldfish. I was thinking about getting a 29 gal, but I didn't know if this would have enough room for the pleco too. It should be enough, shouldn't it?



I don't want to have to spend $100 on this really, so if anyone knows where I can find reasonably priced fish tanks, let me know. I'm kind of hoping I can find a bigger tank that will still sort of fit on the 10 gal. metal stand.



Anyways, thanks everyone--let me know what you think.How big of a tank should I have for 2 fancy goldfish and a pleco?
Locally owned fish stores are a really good idea. I bought a 20gal fish tank for 40$. Ask if they have any used tanks that they will sell you for cheap. I have a pleco, a black moore, and a calico fantail in a 20 gal. Wal-mart has whisper filters for about 20$ and they work really well. My water never gets cloudy. I replace a gallon of water a week. So good luck with your fish! I'm also glad that you decided to invest in a bigger tank. The fish I have, I have had for 5 years and I love watching them.How big of a tank should I have for 2 fancy goldfish and a pleco?
20 should be good for a while but remember goldfish can get up to 15 inches long

if u dont want to spend alot of money i would suggest getting a 20 gal then get a bigger one when thay out grow it (should be about a year or 2 before they do) and sell the 20 gal on craigslist or something so it wont be like ur spending a fortune



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The 29 gallon tank should be enough if you dont add any other fish although the fancy tails do like to have alot of room. Mine are in a 55 gallon tank but i have plenty of other fish with them.I guess it all depends on how much room you want them to have
1 gallon of water for every 1 inch of fish length, is a good rule of thumb. Remember to figure this on the size they will be in a year or two.
really if you are going to spend all that money on tanks, and if you like fish keeping you should go to walmart and buy a aquatech 55 gallon starter kit it will have everything you need to start your tank up. but they are 170$. so unless you want to spend it and you dont that is a good choice. Gold fish need atleast 20 gallons for one fish because they are so dirty so a 55 gallon would be sufficent and you can also put the plco in there.
Getting a stronger filter would help, but the nitrates and solid waste would still be present in the tank, and it wouldn't solve all of your problems. Also, better filters can cost a lot of money, depending on the type, and i would see what kind of tank you are planning to get next before getting another filter. this way you don't risk spending more money.



I would suggest a 30 gallon bare minimum for these two goldfish and your pleco, but you wouldn't be able to add any more fish to it. Fancy goldfish don't grow near as large as their comet counterparts---they only get about 6 inches--but they are still very hefty fish and will make enough waste to fill the space. You may eventually have to trade your pleco when he gets too large, these fish produce massive aounts of waste when they get larger, and they grow ugly. The rubberlip pleco is a good alternative to the regular one, since they only top out at about 6 inches.



A good place to get a better deal on tanks are privately owned fish stores, and online places like amazon and craigs list. Don't go to petsmart or petco, their tanks are outrageously priced. Look in the classifieds online, there may be someone in your area with a tank and stand for sale. $100 is really pretty low for a tank, just so you know---these can be expensive, and you may have to spend this much on it. But you won't be getting cheated.



To put it honestly, putting a bigger tank on an undersized stand is a bad idea. a 30 gallon tank with water, rocks, and decor, would weigh over 300 pounds. The weight wouldnt be evenly distributed, and you risk your tank breaking or falling over. Trust me, it's way better to get the right sized stand and not have to worry.



Good luck