Goldfish
The
Goldfish is a favorite fish for many. How many of us didn't
keep one at one time or another? They are usually very hardy fish and
can live in temperatures ranging from 40°F - 90°F (4°C - 32°C). It is
important to note that Goldfish have an extremely long lifespan if
cared for properly, so getting one can become a long term commitment.
Many varieties are available with many different markings, fancy
varieties and colors including gold, orange, white and black.
The can sometimes come down with swim bladder disease and
occasionally freshwater ich. It's very important to provide your fish
with frequent water changes and quality, nutritious fish food.
To increase your chance of success with goldfish keeping, try
not to keep them in a tiny goldfish bowl. A tiny bowl will become
polluted quickly and you'll have to perform maintenance all of the
time. Instead get them at least a 20 gallon tank with a good power
filter or canister filter. Also, if you want to keep multiples, try for
a minimum of 10 gallons per goldfish after the initial 20 gallons for
better long term success with this fish.
Care Summary- Allow adequate volumes of water, preferably 20 gallons for one and 10 gallons (38 liters) per additional goldfish.
- Perform frequent partial water changes and gravel
vacuuming while avoiding wide water quality fluctuations such as
temperature, pH, etc.
- Avoid keeping them in small goldfish bowls. Most bowls are
simply inadequate to properly care for a fish. They only hold a gallon
or two, need frequent cleaning, it's hard to use a filter, and provide
little to no swimming space for your fish. What a miserable existence
this has to be.
- Give your fish a high quality and varied diet. Don't get
the bulk size containers since fish food does lose nutritional value as
it ages and as the top of the container is opened and closed every day.
Think really stale potato chips. It's better to buy your fish food in
smaller containers in this case.
- Learn about the aquarium nitrogen cycle if you don't know about it already.
- Don't over clean the filter! Rinse out the filter media in
discarded aquarium water and re-use or only replace half the filter
media at a time to avoid losing most of the beneficial bacteria needed
to keep the water safe for your fish.
- Remember that this fish will grow in size and that they can live for quite a long time if cared for properly.
