Caring For Goldfish
Avoid these five common mistakes new owners make
THE HUMBLE GOLDFISH can make a lovely pet for children and adults alike, with over 100 varieties in different colours, shapes and sizes. While goldfish are relatively easy to keep, there are a few common errors that often result in their early death. Veterinarian Dr Katrina Warren shares her top tips.
KEEPING GOLDFISH IN A BOWL It is a mistake to put goldfish in a small ‘goldfish bowl’. You’ll be wondering why they die within a couple of months. These bowls do not have a big enough surface area for the fish to obtain adequate oxygen. As goldfish require large amounts of oxygen, the best way to provide this is to have a large, rectangular tank fitted with a filter. This will aerate the water and help to keep the tank clean.
Goldfish grow quickly when they have good living conditions, and they need space to swim. They also produce a lot of waste and if the tank is too small, it can become harmful.
NEW TANK SYNDROME This occurs when people set up a new tank and pop the fish in without settling the tank to provide the right conditions. In a brand-new tank, there are not enough beneficial bacteria to eliminate toxins, so your tank should be left for a few weeks before adding your fish. During this time, you should
do what is called ‘cycling the tank’, which involves using a kit available from aquatic shops to test ammonia and nitrate daily before adding any fish. This allows time for bacteria to establish to break down waste and for the level of nitrite and ammonia to drop to a safe level. Fish should be added gradually so the tank can adjust to the new additions.
OVERFEEDING This will pollute your tank as excess food will rot, producing ammonium which is toxic to goldfish. Goldfish should be fed twice a day and only given the amount of food that can be eaten in two to three minutes. Supervise children at feeding time as they will often be too generous with the amount of food. To adequately provide for their nutritional needs, goldfish should be fed a good-quality commercial food. Avoid cheap fish food that has a lot of fillers. You can also supplement a goldfish mix with brine shrimp.
OVERCROWDING Goldfish are social and should be kept in groups, but they produce a lot of waste and need a lot of space otherwise the water will quickly become polluted. The bigger the tank, the better.
MIXING FISH Goldfish are a coldwater fish, so they can’t live with tropical freshwater fish. Other fish often target their large fins, and goldfish may eat fish that are smaller than their mouth size. There are not many fish varieties compatible with goldfish, so it’s easiest to have a goldfish-only tank. If you do keep mixed varieties of fish, be sure to consult with an aquarium expert to ensure you find suitable tank mates.