I have goldfish fry! What now?

[pedrofisk]

So this happened.

I have two stacked container ponds, one 15g with endlers above a 40g with three goldfish, 2 common and 1 oranda. I know, I know about mixing types. Let's just say it was a convolution of my three young kids, a carnival, 3 prizes, 1 death and 1 replacement trip to the aquarium shop and basically all out of my control.

I go to start a water change in the ponds today and see lots of small fish in the goldfish pond and figure some endler fry were washed in during the rain last night. I start scooping them out and among them was clearly a goldfish fry. Ultimately I saw 7 was able to catch 6. They are all about 1 inch long so that makes them at least a few weeks or a month right?

Here's my dilemma. I can set up a 10g today but it is somewhat of a hassle or I could put them back and wish them good luck. They have survived this long. My real dilemma is letting the kids get attached to what will probably be cull level olive drab common goldfish.

Anyone have an opinion or advice? All are welcome. Thanks in advance!

Here are the ponds and the endler(?) fry.

 

These are endlers and not goldfish right?

[pedrofisk]

I put the small goldfish fry in a 10g and their fine. Now there is a new mystery. Looking in the upper pond that is Endlers only I saw something way too big. I put in a big net to take a scoop and found 2 more goldfish fry that are three times as large as the other.

Question is, how the heck did they get up there?

[Brandy]

8 minutes ago, pedrofisk said:

Question is, how the heck did they get up there?

could they have ridden up as eggs on a plant? I move plants around and could see setting a handful of hyacinth in the upper container while cleaning the lower...

[pedrofisk]

Just now, Brandy said:

could they have ridden up as eggs on a plant? I move plants around and could see setting a handful of hyacinth in the upper container while cleaning the lower...

I thought about that except I only move frog-bit from the upper pond to the lower pond. Maybe the kids did though. I feel a bit like I'm in the fish Twilight Zone.

[Andy's Fish Den]

I'd just leave them in the pond for now and let them grow. they will develop colors soon.