What Does Your Pet Goldfish Need?

Goldfish are very popular pets and most people think of goldfish when they think of pet fish. Like all other pets goldfish have their own special requirements depending on their species that must be taken into consideration ensure a healthy life and greater lifespan.

Tank size

The size of the tank and the volume of water it holds needs to be determined by the number and type of goldfish you wish to keep together. You also need to consider the size of adult fish because if they grow larger than your expectations you may have to get a bigger tank. Depending on the size of the species it is recommended to add round 30 gallons for larger ones and almost 20 gallons for smaller ones.

Filters

Goldfish are notorious for being really messy so it is up to you to ensure clean water at all times. There are multi-purpose filters available along with other fish supplies at US pet stores or online websites like www.lovemypets.com. These filters trap large debris, catch smaller particles and have have activated carbon for adsorbing dissolved impurities. There are also biological filters that do a great job of promoting good bacteria and eliminating harmful bacteria from the aquarium.

Aeration

Goldfish need plenty of oxygen along with clean water to stay fit and active. They may come close to the water surface to ingest a floating food particle and gulp in oxygen but this may make them more buoyant than they should be. It is best to have a high level of dissolved oxygen by using bubble wands or porous rocks.

Gravel and decoration

Goldfish are curious eaters and may accidentally ingest smaller gravel so be sure to layer their aquarium bed with large gravel. They also tend to eat live plants so it is a better idea to have fake plants only. Also no sharp objects should be placed within or any cave like openings where they may get stuck.   

Temperature and pH

Goldfish enjoy cold temperatures and are sensitive to abrupt and severe temperature changes so only 2-3 degrees should be changed every day if required. They are content with neutral pH but also thrive in slightly alkaline pH as well.

Living with other fish species

They are not suited to living with tropical fish for a number of reasons like movement, food and other preferences. There is also no need to introduce bottom feeders like Plecostomus because goldfish do not leave any food leftovers and also due to the latter’s love for the goldfish’s slime coating which can kill the goldfish if attacked badly.

Food types

It is a good idea to keep a variety of foods in your goldfish’s diet like live food, pellets, flakes, freeze dried food and fresh or frozen leafy and green vegetables. A high protein may be required if they are being bred or a high fiber diet for the older ones. It is important to monitor the density of the food you put in the tank to ensure that it is not floating which may cause buoyancy issues as mentioned before.  

Health care

The most common threat to a goldfish’s health is Ich which is a tiny parasite that attaches to the body, lives off its fluids and reproduces in huge numbers. You can easily get rid of them by quality medication or adding salt along with a drastic temperature increase. To prevent this infestation be mindful that the temperature of water being mixed together matches because Ich develop due to such temperatures. The swim bladder disease mostly occurs in goldfish who take in too much air to reach food at the water’s surface. The prevention is simple. Just try to increase food density by presoaking to ensure it sinks.