Goldfish are great satisfying pets. These animals, however, are not always cared for in the right way and only recently have the best ways to make them feel good have been theorized. If you want to breed goldfish, if you want to keep one as a pet or if you are just curious about how to take care of these animals, here's how to make your fish happy and healthy!
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Aquarium Requirements and Fish Care
Step 1. Get a large enough aquarium
The minimum size for a goldfish is 80 liters (remember, they can grow to 25-30 centimeters and even more!) And you will need to add 40 liters of volume for each additional fish. Research all the different types of goldfish. Common ones, comets or other single-tailed species need "huge" ponds or aquariums, because they can exceed 30 centimeters in length. Don't buy fish of that type if you don't have a 700-liter aquarium or pond where you can move them when they're too big.
- For years we have imagined goldfish in small tubs and for this they have become synonymous with a short life. In fact, in such a small space, ammonia levels grow very quickly and make the environment toxic. To increase the life span (and improve the quality) of your goldfish's life, keep it in an aquarium of the appropriate size.
- The maximum size a goldfish can reach while growing is related to the environment in which it lives, but it is not necessary to grow them to their maximum potential. A two-inch fish can grow as long as your arm, but that can only happen if it grows in a pond or professional aquarium.
Step 2. Prepare the aquarium in advance before buying the fish
It takes time and care to recreate a proper habitat for the goldfish. As mentioned above, there are steps to follow to make sure the water and living conditions are good for the fish.
- Fish are sensitive creatures, moving from one environment to another can cause stress. Too sudden a change could even kill the fish despite the ideal environment. Avoid constantly transferring fish from one tank to another.
- Goldfish cannot live long in small, temporary plastic bags. An hour is fine, more than a few hours begin to be too long; if you need more time (one day maximum), use a small container.
- In an emergency, use a large plastic bucket, thoroughly cleaned and filled with treated water.
Step 3. Use gravel that won't get stuck in the fish throats
Choose a large (too much to swallow) or very small variety. Coarse gravel is best suited to goldfish because they will not be able to swallow it and because they like to dig for hidden food.
Make sure you clean the gravel before putting it in the aquarium. Even if you just bought it, rinsing it well will remove impurities and ensure that your goldfish can thrive in the best environment for them. Do not use soap
Step 4. Make sure there are lights and decorations in the aquarium
Goldfish are diurnal animals, meaning they are active during the day. They need light to maintain a healthy sleep-wake cycle. There is some evidence that light is needed for fish to retain their vibrant color. Fish that do not sleep well or do not get enough sunlight lose their color and become dull. If the aquarium is not exposed to natural light, light it for about 8-12 hours a day to mimic a healthy night-day cycle. Never expose your aquarium to direct sunlight, though, as this could cause large temperature changes inside and contribute to algae growth.
- Consider placing a stone or wooden decoration with artificial plants in the aquarium. Stone or wood will have crevices for fish to explore and artificial plants will not accelerate the growth of vegetation in the aquarium. Goldfish prefer lightly decorated environments. They are usually not good swimmers, so the absence of obstacles allows them to move more freely. Try placing a medium or large decorative piece in the center of the aquarium and some plastic plants away from the areas most frequented by fish, to give the animals as much space as possible.
- Real plants are useful, because they help absorb some of the ammonia, nitrites and nitrates that accumulate in the aquarium due to excrement and use. Goldfish, however, are omnivorous and very hungry. Only put fake plants in the aquarium until you have the time and resources to protect the real plants from hungry fish.
- Make sure that the decorations you have chosen are not hollow (they would be ideal habitats for the proliferation of bacteria) and that they do not have sharp edges (the fish, otherwise, could injure their fins).
- Try using some fluorescent lights for your goldfish. Halogen and incandescent lamps will also work. Be careful not to keep the aquarium lit for too long. Goldfish like 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness.
Step 5. Install a water filter
The goldfish they need of a filter. Choose a 3-stage model: mechanical, to remove larger particles, such as excrement or food residues; chemical, to remove odors, discolorations and other organic substances; organic, to recycle fish droppings and ammonia with beneficial bacteria. The device should also be of sufficient power for the size of your aquarium. If your tank is at the limit of the capacity of one type of filter, it is best to purchase a larger one. A functional and efficient filtration system, combined with clean water, will allow you to have happy and healthy goldfish. There are three widely used types of filters:
- Filters to hang on the back of the aquarium, which inject clean water and suck up the dirty one. They are widely used, do not cost much and often have the best value for money.
- External filters, which are placed under the aquarium and recycle the water thanks to a series of pipes. These devices are almost completely silent, cost a little more than the previous ones, but are often more efficient. Usually, they are only available for aquariums that exceed 200 liters.
- Wet / dry filters, which use a tank to remove impurities. They are significantly larger than previous versions and, consequently, are only suitable for aquariums that exceed 200 liters of capacity.
Step 6. Fill the aquarium with water
When you have your aquarium available, fill it with tap water treated with an appropriate solution. Alternatively, you can use distilled water.
Untreated tap water and drinking water contain minerals and chemicals that are harmful to goldfish
Step 7. Before placing goldfish in the aquarium, complete at least one filter cycle
Pour some ammonia into the water and check the nitrate levels to make sure they are safe for the pet. Unfortunately, many fish die after being moved to a new tank due to ammonia and nitrate poisoning. Make sure you use a dechlorinator, as the chlorine in tap water will kill the fish.
- Before putting the fish in the tank, make sure the environment is safe. Purchase a pH test kit and check that ammonia, nitrite (NO2) and nitrate (NO3) levels are normal. The test result should be zero ammonia, zero nitrites and less than 20 nitrates (preferably around 10). Measuring strips can be difficult to use correctly and are quite expensive, so buy a liquid kit.
- You will need to continuously pour drops of ammonia into the aquarium. This will give rise to the nitrite formation process. Subsequently, nitrates will form, which are consumed by algae or other plants. Once the cycle is complete, you can put the fish in the tank!
Part 2 of 3: Maintenance and Nutrition
Step 1. Place the fish in the aquarium
In theory, you should have purchased more than one of the same species. Unfortunately, goldfish feed on other smaller fish and can overeat, depriving their mates of food. If one of the animals were smaller or slower, it would have no chance to survive. You can use an aquarium divider to separate the bully fish from the weaker ones.
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Do you want to add more fish to your aquarium? The fish of the White Cloud Mountains (Tanichthys albonubes) may be a good choice, the species should be combined with varieties of not too large goldfish. However, remember: these fish live in schools, so if you decide to put them in your aquarium, you will need at least six. Goldfish are generally better not to cohabit with them, as many varieties would not stand up to food competition with other fish, because they are too slow and clumsy.
- Any new fish placed in an already populated aquarium should be kept in quarantine for at least two weeks. If you have any diseases, you shouldn't risk them spreading to healthy fish!
- Remember that goldfish like a lower water temperature than most other pet fish, so only accompany them with hardy species. You may want to consider adding a goldfish to an aquarium that contains fish that spawn too often to eliminate unwanted offspring.
Step 2. Clean the aquarium at least once a week, even if it doesn't look dirty
Goldfish produce droppings that even your filter cannot collect. A clean aquarium makes animals happy and healthy, allowing them to survive for many years! Soap is poisonous to fish and kills them quickly, so never use it to clean your tank. Also, do not use ordinary tap water. Drinking water is also not suitable for goldfish, because it does not contain some minerals that are useful to such animals. Buy a water treatment product at a pet store and apply it according to the doses shown on the package.
- Do not remove the fish from the aquarium when cleaning it. You can use a vacuum cleaner to suck up waste without taking the animals out of their habitat. If you have to move the fish, for whatever reason, put them in a plastic container rather than a net if possible. In fact, in a net, goldfish can easily injure their fins. They also scare them and can stress them out.
- Change 25% of the water every week if your aquarium is well maintained. Change 50% of the water whenever nitrates reach 20. For this difficult task you can use old towels. Be careful not to suck in smaller fish as you change the water.
Take Care of Goldfish Step 10 Step 3. Measure the water pH, ammonia and nitrite levels
Remember the test you took before putting the fish in the aquarium? You have to repeat it! The ammonia and nitrite levels should be zero. The pH can fluctuate between 6.5 and 8.25.
Step 4. Feed the fish 1-2 times a day
Make sure they don't overeat, and pour only what they can swallow in a minute into the tub. Don't follow package directions - goldfish can easily indigestion and die. Feeding these animals too little is always a preferable alternative to giving them too much food. If you are using floating food, soak it in water for a few seconds before pouring it into the aquarium, as it will sink. This allows the fish to swallow less air as they eat, reducing any buoyancy problems.
- Like humans, goldfish also enjoy a varied diet. Mainly feed your pets flake food, sometimes live foods, such as shrimp, and occasionally freeze-dried foods, such as mosquito larvae or worms. Remember to soak freeze-dried foods in a cup of water from the tank before feeding them to the goldfish, as these foods expand in the belly of the animals, which, as a result, can have trouble swimming.
- Feed the fish only what they can eat in a minute. Eliminate all excess food. The leading cause of death for goldfish is indigestion.
Step 5. Turn off the light and let them sleep
If you thought goldfish weren't sleeping, you were wrong. More or less… they don't have eyelids and they don't stop swimming, but their bodies go into a kind of lethargy. You may notice a slight change in color and a reduction in their activity (they will remain in one side of the aquarium).
Goldfish prefer to "sleep" in the dark. When you go to bed, therefore, turn off the light! You only need an aquarium lamp if you want to grow plants or if the room where you keep the fish is particularly dark. Even if you don't own an aquarium lamp, reduce energy waste by turning off the lights
Step 6. Let the water temperature change with the seasons
Goldfish do not like temperatures above 24 ° C, but they do appreciate seasonal changes, for example in winter, when the water drops to 15-20 ° C. Remember that these animals will not feed below 10-14 ° C. Basically the home temperature will be fine.
- A good thermometer allows you to easily check the water temperature. You can choose between two different types: internal and external ones. Both are pretty accurate, but the internal ones are preferable.
- Self you don't want to reproduce your goldfish, maintain a water temperature of 23 ° C all year round. If not, simulate the passing of the seasons (goldfish are born in spring). Start by lowering the temperature (winter) down to 10-12 ° C. When it's time for breeding, gradually turn it up to 20-23 ° C. Goldfish should spawn around that time. In any case, the care of goldfish fry is not very simple, so even if they spawn you will not find yourself inundated with fish.
Part 3 of 3: Addressing Any Problems
Take Care of Goldfish Step 14 Step 1. Check the oxygen levels in the aquarium
If you notice goldfish congregating near the surface, they probably have too little oxygen available. Don't despair though! By reducing the water temperature you can correct this problem. Therefore, cool the aquarium or move it out of the sun and hopefully the crisis will pass. Alternatively, you can purchase an oxygenator and pump air into the aquarium to move the water.
If you've read all the steps above, you already know the most common problems and know how to avoid them! As long as you maintain adequate levels of ammonia, nitrates, nitrites and oxygen, as long as the pH is within the ideal range, if you do not feed the fish too much and clean the aquarium, you will avoid 95% of possible problems for your pets. Excellent
Step 2. Clean the water if it gets cloudy
In some cases, even when we try our best, things can still go wrong. Water can turn yellow, green, or even white. If you notice it right away, the problem won't be serious. Clean the aquarium immediately, though!
Each color of the spectrum indicates a different problem. This could be algae, bacteria, or even decaying plant matter. Don't be too alarmed! With another filter cycle and a water change, your fish should be safe
Step 3. Watch out for itchy goldfish
One of the most common diseases affecting these animals is Ichthyophtyriasis. The affected specimens have small white spots on the body, on the fins and have difficulty breathing. Fortunately, it is a completely treatable parasite. Move the affected fish to a "hospital" aquarium and use a specific fungicide, which is easy to find on the market.
- The most important thing to do is to isolate the fish from other living things, including plants. The parasite can spread to any other organism.
- If you notice white spots on the pebbles or decorations, remove the chemical stage of your filter and treat the entire aquarium. Keep sick fish in quarantine, as they will need more care than healthy fish.
- You can also try non-chemical alternative remedies, such as raising the water temperature or adding a lot of aquarium salt. Temperatures of 29 ° C eliminate almost all strains of ich, as well as a tablespoon of salt for every 5 liters of water. Make sure you raise the temperature or add salt gradually, no more than 0.5-1 ° C per hour or one tablespoon per gallon every 12 hours. Continue treatment for at least 3 days after all signs of infection have disappeared. Once complete, change some of the water frequently to bring the temperature or salt levels back to normal. Treated fish will likely lose its color or liveliness.
Step 4. Check for flukes
These worms are other common parasites. If your fish were to become infected, they would rub against surfaces, develop external mucus, turn slightly redder and their bellies could swell. You have to save them!
As with other parasites, quarantine the affected fish. If you fix the problem as soon as it arises, he can be back swimming with his friends in a few days
Step 5. Watch out for swim bladder disease
This problem is pretty easy to spot, because your fish will be swimming sideways or even upside down. You may think he's dead, but he's not. Fortunately, it is a non-contagious disease that can be treated promptly.
- In this case it is not necessary to keep the fish in quarantine, as the swim bladder disease is not caused by a parasite. If you don't want to risk it, though, you can also keep the affected fish in a separate tank.
- Medicines are usually not needed to treat this disorder, which in most cases is caused by excessive or improper nutrition. Reduce the amount of food you feed your fish, or, better yet, leave it on an empty stomach for about 3 days. This gives the bacteria in the animal's stomach a chance to return to normal. If symptoms persist, you can change their diet to include higher-fiber foods, such as peas or cucumbers, or use medical fish food specifically designed to treat internal infections.
Take Care of Goldfish Step 19 Step 6. If a fish dies, take appropriate measures
First, throw it away where it doesn't smell bad in the house. You can bury it, or throw it in the trash. Do not flush it down the toilet! Take it out of the aquarium with a plastic bag around your hands, reverse the bag and tie it. Aquarium cleaning operations depend on the situation.
- If only one fish died and you don't notice any signs of disease in the others, it was probably a parasite that you didn't recognize quickly enough and that didn't spread to other animals in the aquarium.
- If all the fish are sick or dead, you need to clean the entire aquarium with a bleach solution. A quarter of a tablespoon of bleach is enough for every 4 liters of water. Leave the solution in the tub for an hour or two to remove all toxins. Then, drain the water and let the aquarium dry.
Advice
- Healthy goldfish have shiny scales and erect dorsal fins. When buying a specimen, make sure it is lively and cheerful!
- In some cases, goldfish pick up pebbles with their mouths. If you notice this behavior, don't worry! In most cases, they will spit them out. For this reason, it is important not to buy pebbles that can cause animals to choke.
- Fish can fast for a week without any problems. It is not dangerous to forget to feed them for a day or two.
- Fish don't really have a 3 second memory. They remember many things and you can see a testimony of them every time they swim upwards when they hear the aquarium lid open. Many fish are very intelligent.
- If a goldfish looks sick to you, clean the water more often. Feed him regularly. If the problem gets worse, do your research and find solutions on online forums. Alternatively, take the fish to your local pet store for advice.
- If you are using floating food, soak it in water for a few seconds before pouring it into the aquarium to allow it to sink. This allows the fish to swallow less air as they eat, reducing any buoyancy problems.
- Watch your goldfish to see if they are unhappy.
- Never use a tub with a narrow top for a goldfish. The spherical shape leads the animal to bump against the glass and is too small to allow adequate oxygenation of the water. Don't think "It's so easy to take care of a goldfish! Just put it in a glass ball!" After watching a movie. Unfortunately, that's not how it works.
- To improve the health of your goldfish, feed them microwaved peas for 10 seconds. Make sure you peel them gently and mash them to make them easy to swallow.
- You need 80 liters of space for each fish. If you have two goldfish, a 160-liter aquarium is ideal. If you want to accommodate more animals, get a 300-liter tub.
- If your fish has white spots on its body, it is a victim of a parasite known as Ichthyophthirius multifiliis. You can cure it with a solution available in all pet stores.
- Don't take a fish out of the aquarium just because its eyes are open and it doesn't move. He is probably sleeping: the fish have no eyelids, so they always keep their eyes open.
- Watch out for goldfish with wounds on the scales.
- When cleaning an empty aquarium, use baking soda. This product eliminates algae present on artificial plants, on the sides of the tank, on the pebbles and in the filter. Rinse everything thoroughly.
Warnings
- When you change the water, you have to move the sand, to prevent it from compacting and containing dangerous gas accumulations.
- Do not imitate the images you see on the packaging of an aquarium. Almost all of them represent tanks too full of fish, which do not allow enough space for the animals inside.
- For tips on how to manage an aquarium, visit My Aquarium Club (in English), a great forum where tons of fish breeding experts write! AqAdvisor.com, on the other hand, offers a useful calculator for your aquarium space. Enter the size, then the filter, then the type of goldfish and you will get the fill percentage. Better not to fill the tank more than 80%.
- Goldfish grow large (usually around 20cm, but the most unusual varieties do not exceed 15cm) and can live 15 to 30 years. Unfortunately, millions of these animals die every year due to improper care and urban legends (ball aquariums, etc.). Treat your fish with care and it will live for a long time.
- Goldfish will try to eat anything, so be careful what you put in the tank!
- Watch out for fish that live together with goldfish! Do your research and ask for advice from those who sell you animals: you would never want to find the skeleton of your favorite specimen floating in the aquarium. Make sure he sells animals to you is an expert. Many sellers don't know how to advise you effectively. In that case, do some research on the internet.
- Never put a goldfish in a glass ball in another aquarium with a capacity of less than 80 liters. Glass balls are not only too small, but they are difficult to filter, the water inside them is not oxygenated enough, they can fall easily due to their spherical shape and limit the growth of the animal. Fish that live in glass balls are exposed to lethal chemicals that are unfiltered and live in an extremely confined space. This damages their immune systems a lot and results in immediate death or slow and painful death over the course of a few years. Living in a glass ball reduces the lifespan of a goldfish by 80%. It would be like forcing a human to live to only 15-20 years!
