Watch them for awhile. Three gallon for six fish is alright for a couple of weeks. Perhaps you may come to like them and get a bigger tank. At the slightest hint of interest from visitors you can thrust a couple upon them.

albert_135 - Thanks so much! You must be a mindreader!

I talked it over with my DH, and to my surprise, he told me that he is already attached to the little guys, and wants to build a pond for them! I was shocked! (He has always wanted a pond, but we recently bought a fixer upper home with a very long to-do list, and the pond wasn't supposed to happen for a number of years.)

Anyway - while we figure out the whole pond thing - what would be a good sized tank to keep our new friends in for a few months? Right now they are a inch long or less, not including fins.

Thank you so very much!! :)

I should think that if you change a third to half the water every few days and don't feed too much you could keep six goldfish in a three gallon tank for long enough that you get bored and want to proceed with the pond.

When we bough an old house the first thing the wife did was convert a hot tub into a 450 gallon tank outside -- then she started thinking about appliances and the floors and the walls and color schemes and plumbing and, and , and ... you get the picture.

She now has six eight inch goldfish. Some floors improved, plumbing repaired. Color schemes still on hold but the goldfish look good.

I've rescued pathetic little feeder goldfish too. As they outgrew their aquarium I put them in a 350 gallon cattle waterer from TSC (~$250 IIRC).

I keep it netted & have a cheapo Harbor Freight pump in it within a home-made filter tub.

I've had the guys for years & they are gorgeous & have done just fine in the outside climate. (I do keep the tubs on the shady side of the house & half covered with shade net since my climate gets so hot.)

good luck--I think goldies are under-rated & abused because they are so cheap. They are tough, easy-keepers, beautiful & sweet.

"I talked it over with my DH, and to my surprise, he told me that he is already attached to the little guys, and wants to build a pond for them!"

That is so cool. What good luck for the survivors!

A couple of things you will want to be aware of before you build the pond.

A pond will attract raccoons and other animals that like to eat fish. Herons are aggressive fishing machines. Unchecked, they can wipe out a pond of Koi in a couple of hours.

Also consider how you are going to keep the fish warm in the winter. Some folks bring them inside for the winter.

Best of luck with your new pets and please post back to let us know how the pond works out!

Links that might be useful:

www.pondalgaesolutions.com/articles/keeping-pond-fish-safe.html

www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?aid=418

www.ehow.com/how_6165450_keep-backyard-pond-freezing.html

To bad you don't live close to me(Toronto)as I have a 30 gallon tank I'm giving away.I've kept goldfish in it for 40 years and all you need is a couple of corner filters.When Your DH makes that pond make sure you have a cover on it at night as racoons love fresh fish,I found out the hard way.
Bill