Goldfish in a water trough for steers?

[QChickieMama]

I read somewhere that goldfish will eat the mosquito larvae and help keep the water trough cleaner for my steers. I've had them a week, and the water is GREEN.

Do goldfish help or harm the water trough?
Would the steers prefer clear water to green water?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Goldfish put out a lot of waste which fuels algae growth. They also don't tolerate high temperatures. I would remove the ASAP and get them into an appropriate pond or tank.

 

[thecatumbrella]

Are you sure it's the goldfish? Sounds like an algae bloom.

 

[OnlySympathy]

Absolutely do not keep them in there. Goldfish produce tons of ammonia which is not something anything should be drinking out of. And with no filtration in hot weather the oxygen in the water is going to be very low making the goldfish lethargic and not want to eat. The reason the water is green is because there has been an algae bloom caused by the waste the goldfish produce. Goldfish also get huge (one of mine is around 9-10 inches and they can get 14+) so depending on how many you have you either need to get a large tank, a stock tank, or pond to keep them in which also means a lot of extra work, find a proper home for them (do not release them into the wild they are extremely invasive), or kill them and feed them to your chickens/leave them out for wildlife

I’m guessing keeping them as pets isn’t what you will want to do but if you do I’m happy to help with any questions you have, they are one of my favorite fish

 

[Squawkers]

Absolutely do not keep them in there. Goldfish produce tons of ammonia which is not something anything should be drinking out of. And with no filtration in hot weather the oxygen in the water is going to be very low making the goldfish lethargic and not want to eat. The reason the water is green is because there has been an algae bloom caused by the waste the goldfish produce. Goldfish also get huge (one of mine is around 9-10 inches and they can get 14+) so depending on how many you have you either need to get a large tank, a stock tank, or pond to keep them in which also means a lot of extra work, find a proper home for them (do not release them into the wild they are extremely invasive), or kill them and feed them to your chickens/leave them out for wildlife

I’m guessing keeping them as pets isn’t what you will want to do but if you do I’m happy to help with any questions you have, they are one of my favorite fish

I was just about to tag you

 

[MROO]

I read somewhere that goldfish will eat the mosquito larvae and help keep the water trough cleaner for my steers. I've had them a week, and the water is GREEN.

Do goldfish help or harm the water trough?
Would the steers prefer clear water to green water?

Haven't tried it yet, but there's a theory going 'round about a piece of copper piping dropped in the tank will keep algae down. It'll also kill goldfish, so NO FISHIES in the water trough!