How to care for a goldfishGoldfish are great pets. They come in different colours, shapes and sizes. But most importantly they are quite hardy animals. Goldfish are capable of living to 20 years and can grow as long as 30cm! Sexing your goldfish
Small goldfish are difficult to tell apart. Large fish at about one year of age are easier. Males develop small white tubercles along the pectoral fins. Housing
Make sure there is plenty of room to swim around. The old "3 second memory" theory has been well and truly disproved. Make sure there is plenty of surface area on top of the tank and that the tank is not overcrowded. Rectangular tanks have more surface area than bowls. If the goldfish are over crowded or overfed, the water will become cloudy. Water quality
Goldfish like the pH of the water to sit between 7 and 7.5. Ask your local aquarium for a water quality testing kit. Filtration
Filtration is important as goldfish eat a lot and thus produce a lot of waste! A product called "goldfish rocks" added to the water every tank change can absorb the ammonia and other toxic by-products from the water. Aeration
Plenty of aeration and regular filter cleaning will keep water quality and oxygen levels up. Water Changes
Weekly half to one third water changes will help dilute nitrogen and other waste products. Water Temperature
Keep the temperature between15 and 20 degrees. Feeding
Feed your fish floating granules or flakes. Occasionally, frozen vegetables are great. Never overfeed. Feed just enough food for your goldfish to eat over a 5 minute period. Please contact us for more information about other fish. Remember that fresh water fish are easier to keep than saltwater fish. For information about freshwater vs salt water fish visit reefsaltwateraquarium.com Back to Choosing a Pet
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