Can goldfish swim backwards?

[lb99]

I scored a few goldfish for our pond the other day, after being acclimatised and realeased, they all fucked off into the nooks and crannies in the rocks, and are very rarely sighted. are they likely to get stuck if they go into a gap they cant turn around in? why are they hiding, is this normal?

[98tls]

Yes they can.Dont have a pic of them doing it but have observed them doing such a thing.

[Skyryder]

Yes fish can swim backward they use the fins just behind the gills and sort do the backstroke.

I was once fly fishing and saw a young trout keep missing my fly die to the eddies in the current.
The water was gin clear and as the flow floated towards me,I was in midstream and could clearly see the movement of its fins as missed and remanouverd for a take on my fly. A once in lifetime observation. No idea 'bout gold fish.


Skyryder

[speights_bud]

Speaking of goldfish, been thinkin about gettin some (landlord says no cats/dogs ) what sort of coin for the basic tank + couple of fish?

[Ixion]

I scored a few goldfish for our pond the other day, after being acclimatised and realeased, they all fucked off into the nooks and crannies in the rocks, and are very rarely sighted. are they likely to get stuck if they go into a gap they cant turn around in? why are they hiding, is this normal?

Almost anything is going to run and hide if it see you peering at it. Sensible fish, I'd say. Get your missus/girlfriend/boyfriend/goat to watch them, that would probably be less traumatic for them.

[lb99]

Almost anything is going to run and hide if it see you peering at it. Sensible fish, I'd say. Get your missus/girlfriend/boyfriend/goat to watch them, that would probably be less traumatic for them.

cynical? unbeleivably so, crackpot? undoubtably

[klingon]

Yep, they can swim backwards a bit (not as well as they can swim forwards obviously). That was an excellent description, Skyryder. Those are their pectoral fins they were using for the backstroke.

Speaking of goldfish, been thinkin about gettin some (landlord says no cats/dogs ) what sort of coin for the basic tank + couple of fish?

I would strongly suggest you go for tropical fish rather than goldfish for a small tank. Goldfish are notoriously messy (meaning you have to change the water often) and they will eat up any plants you put in there. Tropicals cost only a little more to set up in the first place eg. $15 -$20 for a heater. But they are a lot more colourful and a lot less demanding in my experience.

I have a tank with a variety of tropical fish in it and will happily help you out with advice. Or you could talk to the good folks at www.fnzas.org.nz

[98tls]

On the subject of ponds etc,under the water lilies be observed lots of clear jelly like things,are they fish eggs or water snail eggs?

[speights_bud]

Yep, they can swim backwards a bit (not as well as they can swim forwards obviously). That was an excellent description, Skyryder. Those are their pectoral fins they were using for the backstroke.



I would strongly suggest you go for tropical fish rather than goldfish for a small tank. Goldfish are notoriously messy (meaning you have to change the water often) and they will eat up any plants you put in there. Tropicals cost only a little more to set up in the first place eg. $15 -$20 for a heater. But they are a lot more colourful and a lot less demanding in my experience.

I have a tank with a variety of tropical fish in it and will happily help you out with advice. Or you could talk to the good folks at www.fnzas.org.nz

Thanks i'll flick you a PM if i get lost

[Coyote]

This is the oddest topic I've seen on Kiwibiker, yet there's been serious responses.

Well done.

[Headbanger]

I would imagine goldfish to be expert swimmers.

Doubt there species would have lasted very long if they had a habit of hiding in spots they couldn't back out of.......

[lb99]

I would imagine goldfish to be expert swimmers.

Doubt there species would have lasted very long if they had a habit of hiding in spots they couldn't back out of.......

yeah, strange that they don't come out much though, maybe its like the new kitten hiding behind the sofa for a day or so when you first get them....
I hope they dont get sucked into the waterfall pump

maybe they need some time to get used to running water

[speights_bud]

yeah, strange that they don't come out much though, maybe its like the new kitten hiding behind the sofa for a day or so when you first get them....
I hope they dont get sucked into the waterfall pump

maybe they need some time to get used to running water

Maybe they are trying to jam the waterfall pump so the tank will gunk up! then they'll get out of the tank when you clean it and escape into the BIG BLUE!!! Just like on Finding NEMO!!!... Dammit i need to get a life...

[klingon]

Funnily enough, sometimes fish do swim into tight spots they can't back out of. The problem isn't so much with the swimming action - it's their scales. If they swim into a really tight spot, their scales can jam them in there and they can't back out!

But yeah, generally a fish knows its limitations and won't get stuck so don't get too worried lb99. They will take a while to settle down and become more comfortable in their new home, then you might see more of them. Good to hear you have water lillies for them to hide under - they will feel more secure that way.

Oh and the jelly-things are likely to be snail eggs. I wouldn't worry about them, either.

[lb99]

Maybe they are trying to jam the waterfall pump so the tank will gunk up! then they'll get out of the tank when you clean it and escape into the BIG BLUE!!! Just like on Finding NEMO!!!... Dammit i need to get a life...

is the whole world conspiring against me?:

speaking of the big blue, my 3yo daughter set her fish "free" into the swimming pool not so long ago, cause " he asked me to".
you think they are hard to catch in a tank, you should try catching them in a swimming pool.
the chlorine didn't seem to do any harm though, but this is the one I rescued from a puddle of seriously dodgy water (read: sewage) after the flooding this year, if it can handle that it can handle anything