Have you ever been put off keeping goldfish as pets because of what previous goldfish owners have said about them, particularly the negatives? Well, you shouldn’t; Especially if you can’t vouch for the truth about why your goldfish originally died! Perhaps the owner tried to keep the fish in a bowl, after participating in the TV show myth of happy goldfish swimming around in an adorable round bowl. Or, perhaps the environment was not a bowl, but was still confined; depending on how many goldfish the owner had at one time (goldfish need to swim in schools, that goes for just about every type of fish known to man except “Siamese fighting fish” or Bettas). Or who knows, maybe this person was not aware of some of the important key points of maintenance. Caring for goldfish is certainly not rocket science, but neither are they a “set it and forget it” type of hobby. I have seen too many mint condition used aquariums for sale at thrift stores and other places. It saddens me. to see that; perhaps these owners “did not have time” for this hobby after a while. I can’t speak for everyone who eventually gives up fishing, but it’s a shame to see some people turn their backs on such a rewarding hobby. I don’t want that to happen to you. Let’s look at some of the finer points of having a pet goldfish…
The first is the beautiful colors and patterns. Many out there that you will find are not completely “orange”. They have patterns of golden yellow, black, and white mixed together. The fancier the goldfish (such as fantails and moorfish), the more varied these patterns will be, but even ordinary goldfish can also be eye-catching. One of mine is bicolor white and orange. You’ll also find that goldfish are friendly, intelligent, alert (you’ll never forget to feed them, as they’ll greet you in the glass as soon as it’s time!) and subsist on a fairly varied diet. good, but they have been known to enjoy spinach and shelled peas, brine shrimp, and bloodworms. If you like live aquarium plants I would refrain from having them near goldfish as they will nibble on them as well.
You’ll also find that goldfish are hardy and long-lived (Japanese koi live even longer, some up to 20 years or more!) I’ve had the same orange and white pet goldfish for three years, so I can tell you they’re pretty tough. They are not completely immune – there are some goldfish diseases like sickness and swim bladder that definitely require solitary care and quarantine. The lifespan of a goldfish depends on different things, but don’t underestimate the “key points” that I will cover in the next paragraph. The first point is its habitat.
Yes, absolutely, 100 percent. You NEED to keep them in a tank…NOT a bowl. I strongly advise against buying one of those “mini” or “nano” tank kits if she plans on having goldfish, except those for her lonely Bettas in the future. The tank should be fairly spacious, not gigantic (in which case it would be best to keep them in a backyard garden pond, where they will thrive in large numbers). Many experts will tell you that you will need at least a 30 gallon tank. If you have a 29 gallon capacity tank; no big deal here since it’s only a gallon off. There are friendly “natural” tank cleaners like pleckos and Chinese algae eaters that can give your tank a little clean. The reason for this larger size is that a larger tank will keep the problem of water contamination to a minimum. Goldfish waste levels definitely exceed that of other freshwater varieties. The smaller the tank, the more frequently the water will need to be changed. You also need a good filtration system and an air pump. An aquarium heater will not be a necessity, as goldfish are not as sensitive to temperature as other breeds of freshwater fish.
Bi-monthly (every two weeks) water changes are important; the first time you may want to siphon about 25% of the water, the next time and subsequent changes about half the water should be good. Now, if you’re thinking of dumping dirty fish water down the drain, take a tip from my brother-in-law who has been raising goldfish longer than I have. The bacteria present in fish waste laden water will make excellent plant fertilizer if you have a garden in progress. Even for some houseplants, the soil will get a much-needed boost. When you replace the withdrawn water with clean water (chlorine free; not instant tap water type), be sure to change the filter cartridge as well.
You should (and will) enjoy your pet goldfish for a long time if you remember all the important points above. Goldfish are attractive, not difficult to care for, and fairly inexpensive (depending on whether you’re looking for common or fancy varieties). Four “regular” goldfish from a pet store only cost me a dollar. “Deluxe” goldfish start at a dollar each and go up from there depending on the type. They will pay you dividends as you see how big these little guys will eventually get! I have a four inch one that you would never guess was once two inches long so I hope it doesn’t get any bigger. I consider this particular goldfish the “alpha male” or “queen bee” of my group.
If you ever want to take this hobby to the next level one day, you may want to look at garden fish ponds. It takes a lot of work to create your dream backyard goldfish pond, much more than tank maintenance, so keep that in mind. Until then though, I hope you get the most benefit from raising your goldfish to be happy and healthy in a nice home aquarium!