The Puffer Forum

Hey I have just moved my fancy goldfish into the 155 gallon tank and later today I noticed that my little Red & White Ryukin was chasing around my Red & White Oranda all throughout the tank and they were also grinding on each other!!! They are around the size of a golf ball, I thought they had to be older and bigger than this to be doing that!?

Size is secondary to age. If they are post-sexual maturity but still small from extended residence in insufficient water volume or quality to suppoprt "normal" growth rates, they me sexually mature although not really adult sized. That is not rare with goldfish. You would need to know their past history and real age with prior handling.

Does the chasing fish show nuptial tubercles? If so, it is a mature male and is reacting to pheromones from the female(s).

Mine just spawned again.

RTR wrote:Size is secondary to age. If they are post-sexual maturity but still small from extended residence in insufficient water volume or quality to suppoprt "normal" growth rates, they me sexually mature although not really adult sized. That is not rare with goldfish. You would need to know their past history and real age with prior handling.

Does the chasing fish show nuptial tubercles? If so, it is a mature male and is reacting to pheromones from the female(s).

Well I have not seen any visible signs of those nuptial tubercles but I am very aware of what goldfish spawning behavior looks like, I have just not seen it happen in such small goldfish before. I have only had these two for a month. I am worried now that I may have bought stunted goldfish.

Could they merely just be "playing"?

Pufferpunk wrote:Mine just spawned again.

Wow! lol

More of them are doing it to her now! I may have to separate the Oranda as she seems exhausted and trying to find a place to hide!

The big one just started harassing her:

That may be a wise move

That's one sexy fish you have there!

LOL Why thank you! The other goldfish seem to be in agreement!