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Ponds & Aquatic Plants

How fast do feeder fish grow?

16 years ago

'Cuz I swear mine have doubled in size!

I picked up some feeder comets (all orange, some with black markings) for the princely sum of 10/$1.00. When I bought them, the biggest fish was barely 1 1/2". Now he's over 2"! And it's only been a week! Am I imagining this or do they really grow that fast? Oddly... the smaller ones (about 1") don't seem to be growing as rapidly. But the three "big" ones are getting bigger by the minute!

BasilB

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Comments (17)

tmg1963
16 years ago
After I installed my pond last September, I bought 6 feeders from our local pet store. They were about 1 1/2 inches as well. The smallest one in the pond is around 7 inches now - They grow fast. I'm not sure if they will get any bigger, but it was really neat to see how big they got after just one winter.

Tina
pikecoe
16 years ago
Sounds right to me. My goldfish grow rapidly. I bought some Calico Goldies a couple months ago and they have doubled in size. My babies that were less than 1/2 inch a month ago are now 2 to 2 1/2 or 3 inches. Glenda
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chrisl1976
16 years ago
I've seen signs that they can grow up to 12"...
tmg1963
16 years ago
Wow! Hopefully mine will get to be that large. Time to start digging again.. :-)
basilbird
Original Author
16 years ago
EEEEEEEEHAH!!!
This is exciting! Nice to know I'm not dreaming the growth spurts! I think I might pick up another ten (I lost at least one) this week. My favorite has a black tail. I'd love to see him make it to 5 inches (or more)
buyorsell888
16 years ago
They grow very fast and they start breeding soon too.
scottspond
16 years ago
In other words, you don't need to buy any more. They will soon fill the pond.

Happy ponding,
Scott
azlar
16 years ago
I bought 5 ~1" feeders when I started my pond. One didn't make it till morning, the rest are now ~6" and frisky. About the same time I figured they need some variety, so I bought a half dozen 1/2" "minnows".

A little over a year later, the pond is teeming with life. The critters range from "1/8 to 6". Don't know how big the goldfish will get, but I'm letting nature cull the general mix.

Goldies seem to be aquatic rabbits. I'm guessing that my $2 fish investment will go a long, long way...
txgdnr
16 years ago
I agree, I got feeders for my pond when I set it up years ago. They do grow fast, but I don't think mine have ever had babies. If they did I haven't seen them. Do they need special conditions, plants etc, like aquarium fish?
clairdo2
16 years ago
What is a feeder ???
pikecoe
16 years ago
Very small fish that no one wants and they are sold to stores that in turn sell them to people for food for animals that eat live food. For example, I purchased some feeder guppies one time to feed a baby turtle that I found in the river. I decided I didn't want him and took him back to the river. Glenda
kalevi
16 years ago
The 1.5" feeders you put in your pond this summer will be spawing next summer. They will be 4" to 8" long by the end of next summer.
marge727
16 years ago
I have heard that fish will grow larger in a bigger pond. We put feeder goldfish in two different ponds--one 18 feet long and one 6 feet long. The goldfish in the bigger pond are more adventurous and getting bigger. The others are slower growing and shy.
comettose
16 years ago
My baby goldfish have grown about 4 inches in two seasons in Zone 7.
sheepco
16 years ago
My eight 1"-2" feeder goldies produced 28 babies in just 4 short months. Beware :)

(Though I can't prove I didn't "buy" some eggs that came along on some plants - all the more reason to quaratine plants too!)
shiollie
16 years ago
Yes Goldfish can get to 12 in. sarsa comets need at least 20 gal. per fish in order to grow that large.
I bought some feeders around the first week of May and they were about 1.5 in. now they are pushing 4 and breeding like rabbits, my pond is chock full of babies.. it seems that everyday when I go out to feed in the morning there are more new babies clinging to the walls.
shiollie
16 years ago
here is a link to show the size a goldfish can get and if you take the "Jack2.jpg" off the address there is a great site to learn about them.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:220642}}

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