Should they stay or should they go?

[reptilegrrl]

So I've had these goldfish for three weeks now.  They are a)eating all the plants in the pond, b)not very interested in the food I bought to give them (which means my turtle is eating it, joy) or the veggies I have been tossing into the pond for them, and c)they are not friendly.  Add to that that my turtle is not happy with their presence, and I think it might be time for them to move on to another pond.

I feel bad about re-homing them, even though my friend who gave them to me said it was fine with her if I gave them away if they didn't work out here.  Plus, they are so very pretty, that I keep hoping I will go outside one day and they will be my friends.  The smallest goldie is the friendliest and I plan to keep him and get a few more small ones for him to school with.  And I have my mosquito fishies.

So what do you think?  Should they stay or should they go?

[livetogarden]

It took my fish quite a while to become friendly. I'm sure yours will come around in time. Just be patient.
Mine come to the water's surface to get fed now. There was the time I hardly ever saw them never mind having the thought that they would actually come to be fed.
Cath

[Ky Kim]

Yes, just have patience.  If you feed'm they will come.  It will just take a little time, and they will get use to you.  Then everytime you get near, they'll feel your footsteps and greet you with a smile.

Kim

[obsessed-nj]

Don't give up on them! My five large goldfish disappeared into the depths along with four dozen minnows and I rarely got a glimpse all summer. Yesterday, since the water has cooled down to around 65 degrees, they started coming up to the surface so I tossed in a few floating pellets. One snagged a bite and that did it! They all began eating and when I went to the other side  of the pond, they followed. Later on I tossed in more since they were still topside and next thing I see is one solitary minnow hanging out with the goldies and snapping up pellets! Today I went out and swished my hand in the water in the same spot and here they come like they'd been doing it all summer only this time the minnow brought a friend! So don't give up on them--they'll come around and once they do, if you're like me, you won't get anything done 'cause you'll be having too much fun feeding the fish! I'm soooooooo happy to finally interact with my fish! 

Linda

[Teresa]

I've kept both turtles and goldfish in ponds for almost my entire life.  Goldfish don't eat all your plants . . . turtles do and koi will, but goldfish don't.

However, if you are convinced that they are the root of all your problems, then you should definitely find a better home for them.  I wouldn't recommend you getting any more, small or large tho.

[reptilegrrl]

I posted a reply to this a few days ago- what happened?

Anyway, Teresa, I don't think they are the root of all my problems.  But I do know that they are eating the plants, because a)I have seen them and b)my turtle's plant consumption is not as great as is that of the fish.  The pond has essentially half as many plants as it had before the fish came.

My friend gave them to me because she had too many goldies and they were eating all of HER pond plants.  She has no turtle. 

Other people have also told me "goldfish won't eat plants" but plenty of goldfish keepers can't keep plants in their tanks because the fish eat them. 

I have decided to find a new home for the two largest fish, and keep the smallest and get another small goldie to keep him company.  The smallest fish is more friendly than the two big guys.  By the time he is big I will have a bigger pond, I think.

[Jerry]

Turtles eating my plants was my problem, but no more.  I just put in so may plants they can't keep up, just like in nature!  Your 135 gallon pond has a limited capacity.
Glodies were never a problem. Some excellent ponders don't even feed them at all!

[reptilegrrl]

Haha, Jerry, my plan was to feed them very seldom, but they are eating me out of pond and home!  I bought some fish food, with the plan of feeding them once or twice a week.  They are like mouths with fins.

They do clean up after my turtle- he is a messy eater and makes a lot of crumbs.  When I feed him they swim beneath him and clean up his crumbs.  But that means the mosquito fishes are getting less to eat, so they come up and steal the turtle's pellets... it's wild kingdom over here

I think it's just that they are so big that they need a lot of food.  Or something.