Taking care of a Goldfish

Goldfish are often cited as one of the easiest types of fish to care for in an aquarium setting. Goldfish are relatively hardy, being able to tolerate fluctuations in temperature and water quality. In addition to this, goldfish can live in an aquarium setting for as much as 10 years! However, many people mistakenly believe that goldfish do not require as much care and attention as some other types of fish. Here is a general guide to help you to better understand proper goldfish care.

Water Quality

Goldfish are notorious for producing a large amount of waste. While some of this waste (especially fecal material) may be due to a diet that is too high in protein, this is not the only type of waste that goldfish produce. Goldfish secrete harmful chemicals through their gills as well, which can quickly reduce their water quality. To help prevent your goldfish from dying unexpectedly, it’s important to closely monitor the water quality. Replace at least 10% of the water in your goldfish’s tank once per week, using a siphon to remove waste from the bottom of the tank.

Feeding

Goldfish require a diet that is slightly lower and protein, while higher in carbohydrates than the diet of most other fish. This is because goldfish aren’t able to completely digest a diet that is high in protein. To give your goldfish a proper diet, be sure to purchase either a flake or pellet food that is specifically designed to be fed to goldfish. Since goldfish are opportunistic eaters, they generally will overeat if given too much food. As a general rule, only give your goldfish as much food as they can consume in a period of 3 – 4 minutes.

Types of Goldfish

Due to selective breeding, there are many different types of goldfish that can be kept both in aquariums and in outdoor ponds. Most of the variations are referred to as “fancy goldfish”, and are not as tolerant of varying temperatures or water quality. In addition to this, some goldfish that have been selectively bred to display a specific body shape may have swimbladder problems, which may affect that fish’s ability to swim. In addition to this, certain “telescope eye” goldfish have notably poor eyesight, and may not be able to compete for food with some other goldfish types. When selecting the right type of goldfish for your tank, it’s important to choose carefully.