Thinking about culling some large, black goldfish

[ChrisP]

My pond is getting rather populated, and there's some large, black common goldfish; i.e. "undesirables". The last thing I want is for O2 levels to drop in the winter due to over-population, so I think I should be pro-active.

Most are two or three years old, and I figure that's long enough for them to change color if it's going to happen. I highly doubt anyone wants to have a 6" black, short tailed goldfish, so I doubt it's even worth placing an ad on Craigslist for "free goldfish".


So, I figure the best way is to but them into a bag, then into the deep freezer, no?

 

[mrsclem]

Pleas don't do that! Offer free pond fish on craigslist or any other website you have available. I had a lot of black koi that I thought no one would want. Put a white shower curtian in the stock tank and let people know fish change colors for years, every one got a new home.

 

[bettasngoldfish]

Not everyone feels black goldfish are undesirable. I myself would actually like to have one or two.

You may be able to give them to a local petstore. We have a store here in Ohio (Pet Supplies Plus) that will take unwanted fish and rehome them for free (got a nice oranda that way)

Also, Just an FYI about euthanasia. Clove oil is considered to be more humane than freezing a fish. It's used to sedate fish as well as euthanize (by overdosing)

 

[Tara]

There's no harm in putting an add out for a few days to see if there is any takers, you might be surprised. People do buy the solid black fish from the pets stores. I looked around for a solid white fish or solid black, and not a hope could I find one.

 

[j.w]

I've had black goldfish stay black for a few years and then change to orange or white. They all seem to change eventually, some just take way longer. You would be surprised at the people who might want them for their ponds.

 

[Lisak1]

I've had black goldfish stay black for a few years and then change to orange or white.

Same here. I've never had one STAY black forever. They all color up eventually.

 

[CometKeith]

Hi Chris. All the orange goldfish in this picture started out as black! Some took 3-4 years or longer to change.

 

[Linus_Cello]

Offer on Craigslist. Some people may want feeder fish.

 

[JohnHuff]

Take them to Petco. Mine makes them available for adoption.

There shouldn't be any problems with O2, the fish are less active.

 

[ChrisP]

The governor has given them a reprieve - long enough for a month on Craigslist.

 

[Tula]

The governor has given them a reprieve - long enough for a month on Craigslist.

Best of luck. I catch the koi off spring each year and luckily had neighbors who wanted them. In 2017 the neighbors no longer wanted / needed more koi. I was kind of panicked but found a nice plant nursery with a huge outdoor pond and they've accepted them the last two years.

If I wasn't able to place them there, I'd try CL, but none of our pet stores accept them. I would never put them back into my main pond, so I'd have to decided between trying to keep them in a separate container or humanly euthanizing them.

 

[Abe]

Black is beautiful , it always add some drama.

 

[ChrisP]

Just update - call it laziness, but all those black fish remained in the pond. Some are just starting to lose that color.

 

[Blueeyes]

I have several black ones too because the koi spawned with the female goldfish so I have crosses between koi and goldfish will they ever change colors I have eight baby ones out in the Frog Pond and one huge one in the koi pond?

 

[ChrisP]

I have several black ones too because the koi spawned with the female goldfish so I have crosses between koi and goldfish will they ever change colors I have eight baby ones out in the Frog Pond and one huge one in the koi pond?

That's a thing?!