Friday Poll Results: What should we call our two new fish?

judith · ‎10-06-2011

First of all I’d like to say Happy Friday everybody and aren’t we all glad that its almost the weekend?

As giffgaff’s official fish keeper I was very keen to find out this week’s poll results.

I am very pleasantly surprised by the amount of votes – wowsers I never knew we had so many keen fish followers.

I hope that you are enjoying the live streaming of the endless giff and gaff entertainment.

Who needs TV when you can watch them swim around the fish tank looking for things to nibble on? I just can’t get enough and I’m even thinking of relocating my desk (my request is still pending with my boss).

But as much as I adore them I have to say goldfish produce a lot of waste and are quite messy pets. That is the reason why we got our two new fish. If you didn’t know they are corydoras and they are very small but surprisingly fast. Apparently they eat algae and from observation all the fish poo too, so they were the perfect investment!

The moment you’ve all been waiting for is here and I can announce the winner:

And therefore our two new fish are called Floater and Torpedo!!

Lemon and Lime did just as well as the winners and I'm thinking we should get two canaries and basically turn the gaff into an animal sanctuary.

The winning names make me giggle, and they fit the corydoras very well. The smaller one swims around the tank like a Torpedo and the bigger one just likes to Float(er) around the plants lol.

Next Poll: How do you feel about 3D in films and TV?

Here at the office the educators have been heavily discussing how good we think 3D is and we all have a very different opinion.

So who better to help us decide than the giffgaffers!

markymarkphiz · ‎13-06-2011

Possibly the best names for fish ever, now if you do get Gerbils i've got some awesome names in mind

judith · ‎13-06-2011

@ u_ghafoor - they are 4 fish we have - the two gold fish are called giff and gaff and the two corydoras have just been named Floater and Torpedo

judith · ‎13-06-2011

@markymarkphiz - dare I ask what they are?!

pinkcalculator · ‎13-06-2011

Well for gerbils we've had Button and kinky and creme all still alive Chocolate blacky squiggs and whippy are under Rose bushes and Alex and Harry are the hampsters

sheena · ‎17-06-2011

Hmmm gerbils, that could be a possibility...

pinkcalculator · ‎17-06-2011

Any paper evidence can be chewed to pulp by the gerbils They love watching tv and eating cheerios We love our gerbils

djrestricted · ‎24-06-2011

Just so you know... corydoras should NOT be mixed with goldfish. Corys are tropical fish where as goldfish are not. Also despite popular belief corys will not eat algae, they are bottom feeders and will pick through the gravel. Corys also should be housed in a group of at least 4. They need sinking food such as tetra prima or catfish tablets. If you have excess algae address the problem at its source, algae is caused by excess nutrients (over stocking or overfeeding) and excess light (tank lights on too long or sunlight). Keep up with your weekly partial water changes, wipe off what you can, address those rather than adding more animals to the mix. Also goldfish will eat a small amount of algae. Try a couple of chinese algae eaters, they love algae, dont grow too big and will live very happily with your goldfish. Corys will NOT eat poo although their digging can make it look like they do. Please take the corys out, its borderline cruelty. Dan

judith · ‎27-06-2011

Hi djrestricted, wow you seem to know a lot about fish!

It was actually the shop that recommended the corys and they said they'll keep the tank clean and they will get on with the goldfish - they pretty much equipped the whole tank for us so I'm sure they wouldnt recommend us something that would be bad for the fish? Next time I'm there tho I'll make sure I double check your comments with them, really appreciate it!

johnlaurence6 · ‎27-06-2011

I think we may need something od a compromise with the fish. Goldfish are not true tropical fish, but nor are they cold water.

They are members of the carp family, many of which like the common carp originated in Japan and similar climates. Corys need warm water, goldfish are happy with warm water. In cold water carp species become torpid, as they are cold blooded and not (unlike trout for example) able to tolerate cold water well. So you need to check with the shop for the ideal temperature control.

Also as algae are plants, and feed by photosynthesis then djrestricted is absolutely correct about the light. Make sure the tank is shaded from sunlight at all times and keep artificial lights low. And yes you will need 4 corys because they are social fish. Its just as well you already have the 2 new names ready.

johnlaurence6 · ‎27-06-2011

Check this reference for corys:

http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/catfish/corydoras-different-species-temp-preferances-63617/

Remember also goldfish can tolerate temperatures up to 75 degrees fahrenheit, but cannot go below 55 degrees fahrenheit.

Corys prefer 74 degrees fahrenheit and higher so your temperature control would have to be very exact if you keep these fish together.