As a beginner learning the ins and outs of keeping a healthy aquarium for the first time, things can get a bit overwhelming. There is so much terminology and equipment, it’s enough to make anyone’s head spin. It is recommended to learn everything piece by piece. Patience is key in many things related to aquarium maintenance. One fish that is often recommended for beginners is the goldfish. Commonly available, and quite beautiful when healthy, goldfish are one of the easiest fish to keep healthy and happy. However, be prepared to do some reading. There are terms and procedures that you should be familiar with.
The aquarium is absolutely essential to be able to keep healthy fish, no matter what type of fish it is. Proper care and maintenance of your aquarium is necessary, and there are daily and weekly procedures that must be followed. The first step in keeping a goldfish is choosing the aquarium. While you may see goldfish in bowls and other small containers on TV and even in real life, this is a really bad idea. While a goldfish can live for a while in a small bowl like that, it will never really thrive and will be more susceptible to disease and death. A minimum 10 gallon aquarium with filtration should be the minimum you consider keeping a goldfish. The filter that goes into the aquarium agitates the surface of the water and provides more oxygen to the water, which in turn means that the fish have plenty of oxygen and are healthier. More room to swim, and even some seepage currents, ensure goldfish stay happy and fit. Do not forget to take into account the number of goldfish! More than one goldfish will require more space.
Ask the guys at your local pet store or aquarium store (recommended) what they recommend. However, don’t buy too much tank at first. Try to keep it small and simple. Tell them how many fish you intend to keep and if you would like to add fish later. Always do some research before buying a product you are not familiar with. There are plenty of accessories and products associated with aquariums and fish. Doing a little research beforehand can prevent you from buying products you don’t need.
Unless you have access to well water, tap water probably contains chlorine or ammonia. These substances are very harmful to your goldfish, and can even kill them if you have specially chlorinated water. There are products available that are simply mixed well into the tap water after the aquarium is filled. They usually remove chlorine and add things to the water to help the fish form their slime coat and fight ick (a tiny parasite that is extremely common in fish that are stressed). If you prefer to use distilled or reverse osmosis purified water, there are other additives that restore the necessary minerals in these overly pure waters.
Be sure to check the filters once a week and rinse them with non-chlorinated water of some kind. It’s fine to use distilled water for this. It is common for snails to live in your filters. Try not to crush them and remove them during your weekly cleaning. It is not recommended that you put these types of snails back into your aquarium as they tend to over-breed and eat every bit of plant matter in your aquarium.
It is also necessary to keep the aquarium at a fairly constant temperature. An aquarium heater can be used to control the temperature of the water with some precision. You should also have an aquarium thermometer to check the temperature of the water.