Like most fish, goldfish are very opportunistic feeders. Goldfish differ from most tropical fish in that they lack a true stomach, so they will produce more feces and wastes when an excessive amount of food is offered. Thus it is essential to feed them the right amount of food and to properly maintain the equipment .
Goldfish can be fed many different varieties of commercially available foods. These include dried pellets, flakes, and live foods such as bloodworms, mosquito larvae, brine shrimps, and tubifex worms.
| BASIC FACTS ABOUT GOLDFISH CARE |
| 1: |
Provide appropriate , regular , varied feeding - usually about 2 to 3 times a day. |
| 2: |
Keep water well conditioned and stable |
| 3: |
Choose fish that are compatible |
| 4: |
Try to keep fish population within a reasonal limit so as to avoid overcrowding. |
| 5: |
Select the largest aquarium your budget and space will allow. A larger aquarium allows you the ability to keep the water parameters stable, which is a critical factor in keeping fish healthy. |
| 6: |
Check all the inhabitants in the aquarium on a regular basis for signs of disease and abnormal behaviour. |
| 7: |
Check water temperature on a regular basis to make sure it is in the proper range. Check the aquarium equipment including pumps, lights, and filters to make sure they are working properly. |
| 8: |
Remove any uneaten food so it will not foul the water. |
| 9: |
Make sure you have the aquarium setup and running first for about a week before you go out and purchase your goldfish. |
Goldfish prefer a pH around 7.2 to 7.6 , however they can tolerate a pH as high as 8.0. They like water that is moderately hard but can survive in water that range from very hard to very soft.
Fish Tanks
A large surface area will help in providing more oxygen for your goldfish so a rectangular aquarium tank is often a better choice than a fish bowl. You should try to keep your aquarium tank away from direct sunlight and areas that are too hot or too cold. As far as decorations, these additional items can be placed in the tank:
- ornaments, gravel, rocks, and plants to make it more attractive and interesting to look at and to provide different hiding areas for your goldfish
- only items that are specifically designed for aquariums
Cleaning
Cleaning your fish tank is a task that needs to be done on a regular basis. Be sure that you:
- replace some of the water in the tank once every three to four weeks
- only change about 20-30% of the water in the fish tank each time, instead of all the water at once. The reason we only perform a partial water change each time is that so that we can preserve the beneficial bacteria that is present in the water. The purpose of these beneficial bacteria is to help break down toxic fish wastes.
- siphon debris from the gravel and clean the decorations and ornaments
- before placing the new water into the fish tank, allow it to stand for a few days so that the chlorine can evaporate. This step is not necessary if a water conditioner is used.
What are the different signs that a goldfish is healthy ?
These are the things you should look for in your fish:
- it should be actively swimming and moving about
- the eyes should be clear and not cloudy looking
- it should have a healthy appetite
- its breathing should be normal and not erratic
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