Tolis the tortoise
New Member
Warning:
Do your research on goldfish! This guide is not complete and I have not mentioned everything important!
Goldfish are actually more difficult to keep than you think. I am an expert on goldfish specifically, and all this information comes from my knowledge on goldfish.
They cannot live in those tiny 1 gallon fish bowls no matter how small they are. The cute little goldfish you see at the pet store are just babies, which unsuspecting people could buy without knowing these goldfish could turn to 18 inch, 10 pound monsters, that are capable of eating other fish they live with.
If you take care of your goldfish properly with ALL their needed requirements, they could live 20-40 years.
Please do your research before buying one of these, and if you have a goldfish in a 1-2 gallon bowl, a tiny fish tank, or an unfiltered container, or if you are new to keeping them, please read this care guide:
Housing:
Goldfish are messy eaters, plus they produce plenty of waste. Goldfish should NEVER live in an UNFILTERED container. The ammonia from their waste will burn, and eventually painfully kill them. Fancy goldfish should have 20-30 gallons per adult goldfish. Goldfish can grow pretty large, so do not keep any more than one in this tank size. You might want to keep more than one goldfish in a tank, so it would be best if you had a 60-75 gallon aquarium with 2-3 goldfish. Add live aquarium plants to the aquarium such as duckweed, Java fern, Java moss, amazon sword, and etc (Research other water plants suitable for goldfish). you might want to note that goldfish will possibly eat and destroy live plants, but live plants will help control nitrate and ammonia levels in the tank, so they are beneficial. Always have a strong aquarium filter. Heaters are not necessary since goldfish are cold water fish, and not tropical fish, but they can live with heaters. The temperature they need will be around 68-74 Fahrenheit degrees for fancy goldfish, and for common, comet, and shubukin goldfish, they will need between 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Food:
Goldfish are omnivores, which means they feast on both plants and animals.
Here is what a goldfish should eat:
- Blood worms (Frozen, live, or dried.)
- Brine shrimp (Frozen, live, or dried)
- Boiled Vegetables such as boiled de-shelled peas, boiled broccoli, boiled kale or lettuce, etc (Search more on edible vegetables for goldfish). Make sure to boil them, to make it easier for goldfish to eat, as they do not have teeth.
- Gel foods for goldfish
- fish pellets and flakes for goldfish
Remember NEVER, EVER, let your goldfish eat their food at the surface of the water. Yes, do not throw fish flakes or food to them at the surface of the water because goldfish naturally eat sinking foods, plus, goldfish will gulp air while eating food from the surface, feeding them at the surface can cause swim bladder disease that will make them swim upside down, or in an unnatural position, so sink their fish flakes and pellets in a container full of water before giving dumping it to them. For other foods, make sure to sink them in a small container of water before giving it to your goldfish. Feed your goldfish twice a day, and feed them what they can eat in 2-3 minutes, don't feed them more or less than a pinch of food. Overfeeding or underfeeding could cause health problems in your goldfish.
PH and water condition:
Ph determines how acidic your fish's water is. You should have a water testing kit for fish to determine the Ph, nitrate, and ammonia levels. The PH for goldfish should be around 6.5-7. The Nitrate levels should be 0-0.25 ppm, and should not be any more. Nitrate levels should NEVER be 1.0 ppm or higher. This will make your fish ill, or kill them. If you have a fish tank, you should have done the nitrate cycle before getting fish. This is a 6 week process that will make sure you have the bacteria needed for your fish, and little to no nitrates or ammonia, or any harmful compounds. Research the Nitrate cycle for aquariums on how to begin one in your aquarium, if you haven't already, and research important information about it. FishLore is an amazing forum for information on the nitrogen cycle. I highly suggest you research and learn about the nitrogen cycle. You will need water conditioner for fish, to remove chlorine from the water, and to begin the nitrogen cycle in new fish tanks. For every week, you will need to change 5-10% of your fish's water. Do not do a full water change as that will remove important bacteria from your fish tank. Make sure to add chlorine remover for fish, when you are doing a 5-10% water change. Search more on ammonia, nitrates, nitrogen cycle, and water changes. Do your homework!
Behavior:
Goldfish are known to be fin-nippers, which is a reason they should not live with long-finned fish such as betta fish. Goldfish are generally peaceful with small, hardy, fish, such as zebra danios. They can also live with rosy barbs, giant danios, etc (Search 'Tank mates for goldfish).
Young goldfish that are not fully grown may chase each other as a sign of aggression, if their tank is not large enough. However, if you have a well filtered large tank, you may notice your male goldfish chasing a female. This is part of their mating ritual. Goldfish should be active, and if their fins are clamped to their body and they are lethargic and ignore food, check the temperature. It may be too cold or too warm.
(Search more on goldfish behavior)
What you need for a goldfish:
- 30-70 gallon aquarium
- Strong filter for 30+ gallons
- Water conditioner
- Heater (Optional, but recommended.)
- Live, frozen, dried, and gel foods for goldfish
- Medium-sized aquarium gravel
- Live plants
- Testing kits for water on PH, nitrate, and ammonia
- A fish net
- Lighting
Aquarium decorations:
Please do not add very small decorations in the aquarium, since a goldfish may try to eat it. You should have medium sized gravel, which means the gravel isn't too small. Goldfish should have caves, and places to hide in the aquarium. You should moderately plant the tank, meaning you don't have too much water plants in your aquarium, or too little. (Search goldfish decor)
Warning:
Do your research on goldfish! This guide is not complete and I have not mentioned everything important!
Research more on goldfish, because I cannot mention everything. If you have a specific question start a conversation with me.
Do your research on goldfish! This guide is not complete and I have not mentioned everything important!
Goldfish are actually more difficult to keep than you think. I am an expert on goldfish specifically, and all this information comes from my knowledge on goldfish.
They cannot live in those tiny 1 gallon fish bowls no matter how small they are. The cute little goldfish you see at the pet store are just babies, which unsuspecting people could buy without knowing these goldfish could turn to 18 inch, 10 pound monsters, that are capable of eating other fish they live with.
If you take care of your goldfish properly with ALL their needed requirements, they could live 20-40 years.
Please do your research before buying one of these, and if you have a goldfish in a 1-2 gallon bowl, a tiny fish tank, or an unfiltered container, or if you are new to keeping them, please read this care guide:
Housing:
Goldfish are messy eaters, plus they produce plenty of waste. Goldfish should NEVER live in an UNFILTERED container. The ammonia from their waste will burn, and eventually painfully kill them. Fancy goldfish should have 20-30 gallons per adult goldfish. Goldfish can grow pretty large, so do not keep any more than one in this tank size. You might want to keep more than one goldfish in a tank, so it would be best if you had a 60-75 gallon aquarium with 2-3 goldfish. Add live aquarium plants to the aquarium such as duckweed, Java fern, Java moss, amazon sword, and etc (Research other water plants suitable for goldfish). you might want to note that goldfish will possibly eat and destroy live plants, but live plants will help control nitrate and ammonia levels in the tank, so they are beneficial. Always have a strong aquarium filter. Heaters are not necessary since goldfish are cold water fish, and not tropical fish, but they can live with heaters. The temperature they need will be around 68-74 Fahrenheit degrees for fancy goldfish, and for common, comet, and shubukin goldfish, they will need between 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Food:
Goldfish are omnivores, which means they feast on both plants and animals.
Here is what a goldfish should eat:
- Blood worms (Frozen, live, or dried.)
- Brine shrimp (Frozen, live, or dried)
- Boiled Vegetables such as boiled de-shelled peas, boiled broccoli, boiled kale or lettuce, etc (Search more on edible vegetables for goldfish). Make sure to boil them, to make it easier for goldfish to eat, as they do not have teeth.
- Gel foods for goldfish
- fish pellets and flakes for goldfish
Remember NEVER, EVER, let your goldfish eat their food at the surface of the water. Yes, do not throw fish flakes or food to them at the surface of the water because goldfish naturally eat sinking foods, plus, goldfish will gulp air while eating food from the surface, feeding them at the surface can cause swim bladder disease that will make them swim upside down, or in an unnatural position, so sink their fish flakes and pellets in a container full of water before giving dumping it to them. For other foods, make sure to sink them in a small container of water before giving it to your goldfish. Feed your goldfish twice a day, and feed them what they can eat in 2-3 minutes, don't feed them more or less than a pinch of food. Overfeeding or underfeeding could cause health problems in your goldfish.
PH and water condition:
Ph determines how acidic your fish's water is. You should have a water testing kit for fish to determine the Ph, nitrate, and ammonia levels. The PH for goldfish should be around 6.5-7. The Nitrate levels should be 0-0.25 ppm, and should not be any more. Nitrate levels should NEVER be 1.0 ppm or higher. This will make your fish ill, or kill them. If you have a fish tank, you should have done the nitrate cycle before getting fish. This is a 6 week process that will make sure you have the bacteria needed for your fish, and little to no nitrates or ammonia, or any harmful compounds. Research the Nitrate cycle for aquariums on how to begin one in your aquarium, if you haven't already, and research important information about it. FishLore is an amazing forum for information on the nitrogen cycle. I highly suggest you research and learn about the nitrogen cycle. You will need water conditioner for fish, to remove chlorine from the water, and to begin the nitrogen cycle in new fish tanks. For every week, you will need to change 5-10% of your fish's water. Do not do a full water change as that will remove important bacteria from your fish tank. Make sure to add chlorine remover for fish, when you are doing a 5-10% water change. Search more on ammonia, nitrates, nitrogen cycle, and water changes. Do your homework!
Behavior:
Goldfish are known to be fin-nippers, which is a reason they should not live with long-finned fish such as betta fish. Goldfish are generally peaceful with small, hardy, fish, such as zebra danios. They can also live with rosy barbs, giant danios, etc (Search 'Tank mates for goldfish).
Young goldfish that are not fully grown may chase each other as a sign of aggression, if their tank is not large enough. However, if you have a well filtered large tank, you may notice your male goldfish chasing a female. This is part of their mating ritual. Goldfish should be active, and if their fins are clamped to their body and they are lethargic and ignore food, check the temperature. It may be too cold or too warm.
(Search more on goldfish behavior)
What you need for a goldfish:
- 30-70 gallon aquarium
- Strong filter for 30+ gallons
- Water conditioner
- Heater (Optional, but recommended.)
- Live, frozen, dried, and gel foods for goldfish
- Medium-sized aquarium gravel
- Live plants
- Testing kits for water on PH, nitrate, and ammonia
- A fish net
- Lighting
Aquarium decorations:
Please do not add very small decorations in the aquarium, since a goldfish may try to eat it. You should have medium sized gravel, which means the gravel isn't too small. Goldfish should have caves, and places to hide in the aquarium. You should moderately plant the tank, meaning you don't have too much water plants in your aquarium, or too little. (Search goldfish decor)
Warning:
Do your research on goldfish! This guide is not complete and I have not mentioned everything important!
Research more on goldfish, because I cannot mention everything. If you have a specific question start a conversation with me.