Breeding goldfish

It’s not impossible to breed your goldfish, but it’s not as easy as breeding rabbits or gerbils.

The reason is that goldfish lay eggs in the water, rather than giving birth to baby goldfish. These eggs must be protected until they hatch, and the tiny baby fish (called fry) raised using special baby fish food.

The eggs are vulnerable to infection, and parents will give you no help, either. In fact, they may even eat the eggs, and so the eggs and baby fry will need their own aquarium or pond.

On the other hand, you can potentially raise dozens or even hundreds of baby goldfish from just one spawning, if you’ve got the time, resources and commitment.

You might even get the bug, and try and develop your own line of fancy goldfish. After all, no fancy goldfish occur naturally in the wild - they have all been developed by many years of selective breeding.

Key steps in breeding goldfish

Click on the links below (where available) for information on that specific breeding step.

1. Choose the parent fish for breeding
2. Separate the male and female goldfish
3. Feed your brood stock to improve their condition ahead of breeding
4. Prepare the special aquarium that you will use to raise your goldfish fry
5. Reunite the male and female goldfish in early Spring in the breeding aquarium
6. Watch your goldfish making love! Then remove the parents, and wait for the eggs to hatch
7. Feed the babies baby brine shrimp, switching to other foods as they grow
8. Maintain good water conditions in the fry aquarium
9. Cull weak or deformed goldfish in order to preserve the genetic line
10. As they grow, divide the goldfish out into more aquariums or ponds to avoid overcrowding

source: http://goldfishcareguide.com/2008/04/01/breeding-goldfish/

Baby Goldfish

If you want to get some baby goldfish, the most fascinating way of obtaining them is of course to breed goldfish in your own aquarium or pond. A goldfish becomes sexually mature when it is around one year old, but will not reach their prime until two years later. It can be hard to distinguish a male goldfish from a female goldfish, but when they become mature the female will usually become a little plumper than the male. The male goldfish will develop small bumps on its head, and when the spawning period begins those bumps will be easier to notice since they will become white. There are several things that you can do to encourage your goldfish to produce baby goldfish. Pond living goldfish will typically spawn during spring, when the cold season ends. Frequent water changes can also induce spawning. If you want baby goldfish, you should make a partial water change once a day. The fresh water and supreme water quality will help getting your goldfish into spawning mood. Changing 20 percent of the water is a good rule of thumb, since a larger change can alter the water quality too rapidly. Keep the water temperature around 700 F at day time and around 500F during the night. An improved diet will also increase the chance of baby goldfish in your pond or aquarium. If you usually feed your goldfish pellets or similar, you can gradually substitute the prepared food with frozen or live food such as worms or brine shrimp. A third trick that is commonly used by professional goldfish breeders is to separate male and female goldfish. When you reintroduce them to each other, they will be more interested in making baby goldfish. This method does however mean that you must know which fish that is male and which fish that is female.

Providing your goldfish with spawning mops is a good idea when you want to have baby goldfish, since the female goldfish can use these mops to deposit the eggs on. The eggs are adhesive and will stick to the spawning mop. Professional breeders will often make their own floating spawning mops from nylon rope, but you can choose to purchase ready made goldfish spawning mops from the fish store if you don’t want to create them yourself. You know that your goldfish are ready to make baby goldfish when the male starts to chase the female around for several hours. He will bump and push her on the abdomen as soon as he gets a chance. When the female is ready, she will deposit eggs that stick to virtually anything in the pond or aquarium. If you have provided the goldfish with floating spawning mops, she will probably choose to release the eggs near them. As soon as the eggs are released, the male goldfish will spray his milt over them in order to fertilize them. Most female goldfish releases several batches, and the first batch is considered to be of highest quality. A large female goldfish can lay up to 1000 eggs during one spawn, but it is only a fraction of these that will turn into baby goldfish. When you plan to raise baby goldfish, it is important to keep in mind that adult goldfish love to eat baby goldfish, including the eggs. As soon as the eggs have been fertilized, the spawning mops should therefore be removed to their own aquarium or pond.

Rinse the spawning mops in a bucket of water. The water must be suitable for fish keeping, and have the same water quality and temperature as the water in which the eggs were deposited. Then you can place the eggs in a 20 gallon aquarium where the water is no deeper than 6 inches. If you keep the water temperature at 70 degrees Fahrenheit, the eggs will hatch with 3 or 4 days. During this period, you can spot eggs that are not as clear as the rest. It is only the clear eggs that can hatch, and the other eggs should be removed since they will attract fungi. Newly hatched baby goldfish will be too small to feed on anything else than microscopic organisms, but eventually you can start giving them larger and larger food. When the baby goldfish is 48 hours old, you can give them liquid fry food, oatmeal paste or hardboiled egg yolk. After around two weeks, the baby goldfish is large enough to eat infusoria and newly hatched brine shrimp. The next week you can introduce powdered fish food. Do not feed your baby goldfish more than what they can consume within 20 minutes.

During the first four weeks, the need food three times a day. Until they are four moths old, you should feed at least twice a day.

http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/goldfish/baby.php

Freshwater Aquariums

Freshwater aquariums remain the most popular option for fish tanks. Although saltwater aquariums have a certain draw, fish enthusiasts and traditionalists tend to feel strongly about using freshwater in the environments that they build for the fish that they house. A freshwater fish tank can be easier to care for than a saltwater aquarium, and can also be more cost effective over time.

For beginners who are just buying their first fish tank and creating their first underwater environment, freshwater aquariums are the best bet. They are typically simpler to prepare for in terms of stocking up on supplies. In addition, the maintenance required on freshwater aquariums is typically far less time consuming than for saltwater environments. When you decide to introduce a freshwater fish tank into your own home, simply keep in mind a few basic considerations and you will successfully be able to set up and maintain your tank.

One of the most important components to choose for freshwater aquariums is the filter. Think of your fish tank as a miniature swimming pool. As with a swimming pool, the water in the tank has to be continuously filtered to guard against the infiltration of harmful substances that may either develop or be introduced remotely. Therefore, it is very important to choose a well-designed filter that will run continuously to keep the water pure and healthy for the fish that live in your freshwater aquarium.

Another important consideration for freshwater aquariums is the size and design of the tank itself. Remember that if you are a beginner, you will want to start smaller and truly learn how to provide ongoing care to a fish tank before moving to the larger and more extensive tanks. Consider choosing a simple rectangular or circular tank to get started with. You will then choose an appropriate filtration system based on the size tank - don't try to work in reverse and pick a filter before a tank or you'll end up with a mismatch.

Other supplies to consider for freshwater aquariums are the gravel that will line the bottom of the tank as well as any cute objects that will be used to create a tableau or design. When picking any object to add to a fish tank, ensure that it's waterproof, able to be sterilized, and will provide no threat to the water or the fish that live within it.

Once you have made all of these important decisions, it's time to set up your freshwater aquarium. Finding the appropriate place in your house can be a tough but important decision. Freshwater aquariums are often the focal point of a room, and so you should choose an area that is highly visible, yet outside of the normal traffic within the room to guard against any accidents that may harm the tank. Depending on the fish you choose to raise, consider the amount of light that the aquarium will get either naturally or through a tank light. And finally, have fun with your new tank - freshwater aquariums can make for a very enjoyable pastime.

Getahugetank.com offers custom aquariums , fresh water aquariums and fish tank supplies.

Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kurt_Dinn

How to Care For Goldfish Like the Experts Do

Goldfish are renowned for their beauty and grace that they display when in aquarium. You just have to visit any pet shops to find varieties of this majestic fish available for sale. But how do you care for them? Are there any special needs for gold fish? This article will attempt to provide some answers to this question.

It is important that the quality of the water is well monitored because goldfish has a tendency to produce a lot of waste materials thus degrading water quality. A good filtration should therefore help to maintain water at an optimum level so as to care for the goldfish.

The aquarium should also be wide enough to allow the fishes to be at ease and also to provide space for the goldfish to grow. Some interesting facts about goldfish are that they can attain 40 to 50 cm in the wild. However in captivity this is rarely the case.

Goldfishes usually will prefer flakes as food but it is advised to give them pellets for food because it does not spoil the water quality. It is recommended to remove the excess pellets that fishes will not eat within a period of five minutes. These pellets will only dissolved in the water and degrade the water quality.

Goldfish are freshwater fishes that will thrive in temperature from 5 degrees to 25 degrees Celsius. Although goldfish might survive at temperature above 25 degrees it is recommended for the goldfish health that the temperature is kept within this range. This should also be the range if you are interested in goldfish breeding.

Keeping goldfish does not need to be a chore. If you know the basic tips about goldfish care this should be easy for you to maintain your goldfish in good shape and resist any upcoming goldfish illnes

Araticle Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elijah_Bitson

Choosing Fish For Aquariums - Choose Between Gold Fish And Piranhas!

When you have put together your aquarium, you would be all eager to get the fish to go into it. But the dilemma about choosing the fish is that there are so many varieties available that you could get confused about your choice. It is best if you take the advice of your fish shop locally. But surely their advice will not be any different than the advice that follows here. If you think this is going to blossom into a really keen hobby, then choosing small fish could be just a waste of money and time. On the other hand, if this is a passing fancy or you have your kid's interest in mind, then most certainly you should go for small fish.

Aquarium fish which is small is usually of bright colors and feed on fish flakes more than fish meat. They could range from angel fish to tetras and are chosen for decorative purposes due to their shine which reflects a bright silver under the particular aquarium lights. The fish species are simple and no fun to watch as they have no personality. These fishes are suitable for decoration and for simple aquarium set ups and usually people wanting a tank with low maintenance go for it.

It is a bit more difficult to maintain the larger fish like African fish and cichlids. But they generally are sturdier fish so their mortality rate is very low compared to other smaller weak fish. The main attraction or rather the problem of cichlids is however their cannibalism. They will gobble up the smaller fish in the tank in no time at all. If you feed them anything less than fish meat, they will not like it. Cichlids have different types and their looks also differ. Oscars which find personal favor with many people; can be red, tiger or albino. Then there are jaguar cichlids as well as black belts, and so the list goes on. These fish types need a lot of gravel cleaning and filter since they create lots of waste. Cichlids' breeding pair costs a lot of money! Cichlids are generally the more expensive fish as they are larger (one tank can accommodate 5-6 cichlids and one half foot Oscar). One thing to remember is that these fish prefer to arrange the tank just the way they like it. So initially though the tank caters to your taste, it won't stay the same for long. There is so much more to know about cichlids which have a distinct personality.

So the type of fish that you should get for your aquarium depends on the purpose of your getting the aquarium. Decorative small tanks need decorative small aquarium fish. But if you have a bigger tank, you should get bigger fish. Put in some larger fish and see the fun you will have watching them!
Abhishek is an avid Fish Lover and he has got some great Aquarium Care Secrets up his sleeves! Download his FREE 105 Pages Ebook, "Aquarium Care Made Easy!" from his website http://www.Wonder-Homes.com/636/index.htm. Only limited Free Copies available.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Abhishek_Agarwal

How to Clean a Small Fish Tank

This guide will walk you through cleaning your small fish tank or fish bowl.

Step1

First you will want to pour most (about 3/4)of the water from your original fish tank, into your holding fish tank or container.

Step2

Now net your fish buddies out of the remaining water and move them over to the other fishtank.

Step3

You can pour the remaining water out, and you are free to clean the inside of the tank, but do not use anything with harsh chemicals, a simple wipe down with a clean towel should do fine, anything you may use from under the sink can leave residue and harm your fish!

Step4

Once your tank is clean, you can fill it back up with water about 2/3 the way and add your Fish Scale Treatment (treat water per instructions on bottle) and also add your Water Treatment(treat water per instructions on bottle), especially if you have county or city water rather than a well.

Step5

Now grab your bag, and fill with the original old water, and net your fish and put him in the bag as well, tie the bag off and put it in the new water (This will allow the fish to gradually get used to the new water temperature so you dont shock him by changing his water temp suddenly) You shouldnt have to leave him like that but about 2 hour or so, but it depends on the size of tank you have.

Step6

Once the water temperatures have had time to even out, you can free your fish from his bag prison, into his freshly cleaned home!
Source: http://www.ehow.com/how_2184489_clean-small-fish-tank.html

Notes on Goldfish Breeding

Goldfish breeding is done with lot of care and attention. For breeding, the single tail type goldfish is advised for beginners. The types of goldfish that are sensitive at the time of pregnancy have to be avoided for goldfish breeding. The breeding should not simultaneously be taken up for more than two types of goldfish.

The prime age of a gold fish is three years for goldfish breeding. More number of fish is selected and set aside for breeding to compensate for some of the fish may die. The fish selected for breeding are fed small quantities of live feed avoiding dry feed for two months before the spawning.

The tank selected for goldfish breeding should be cleaned well. Germs free tank is recommended for breeding. The tank is advised to be dried after cleaning for two weeks. The tank is provided with good aeration and sufficient light. Natural plants and nylon wool are placed inside the tank for goldfish breeding.

The water temperature is raised 2 degrees per day until the ideal temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degree Centigrade). For successful breeding more males are kept. The ideal proportion is two males to one female for goldfish breeding. The female gold fish has a bigger and fuller abdomen; male goldfish develop white color breeding tubercles.

The male fish follows behind the female in the ritualistic spawning chase. The male pushes the female goldfish in her abdomen repeatedly. This takes place for few hours. The female goldfish releases eggs in batches. Goldfish at its prime release five hundred to one thousand eggs. The eggs are sprayed with milt by the male goldfish making them fertile at once.

The eggs are moved to another tank with water at 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The water is about six inches to avoid the pressure for the fish fry. In four to seven days the goldfish eggs hatch. Being heavy, the fish fry sink to the bed of the tank. The feed for the first 24 hours is supplied from the full yoke sac of the fish fry. Fish fry swim up in search of food after 24 hours.

If you want to learn more about goldfish or more specifically goldfish breeding then check out http://www.secretsofgoldfish.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dane_J_Stanton

How to Name a Goldfish

Your new goldfish deserves a noble moniker to honor him his whole life, even if that life only lasts until next week. Goldie’s been done, Fish is too obvious and Sushi is ironic but cruel. Consider the following to determine a name for a goldfish.

Step
1
Observe the goldfish you have chosen. Does a name scream out to you? Does your fish have obvious traits, such as a growth on his forehead or a spot on his tail that looks just like the one on your mother-in-law’s chin?
Step
2
What do you want your fish’s name to say about you? When a friend asks, do you want the name to indicate your humor, vocabulary, coldheartedness, knowledge of Eastern religions or taste for shocking slang?
Step
3
Ask yourself, “Will I be comfortable saying this name in 10 years if the goldfish defies the odds and survives that long?” Even if you’d like to change your goldfish’s name, your kids, relatives and friends will never let you forget his original appellation.
Step
4
Try names on your tongue. Does Aloysius sound satisfying? Does Carpo feel right? Is Magdalena just too long?
Step
5
Consider your household. If you have children, they will want to name the fish. Make suggestions to vary the options or you may be feeding “Goldie," “Fishy” or “Swimmy” for the next few years.
Step
6
If no perfect name emerges from your musings, let your fish remain nameless until inspiration strikes. Your fish will swim on in blissful ignorance of his John Doe status and you can hold out for the name that seems right.
Source : http://www.ehow.com/how_2009206_name-a-goldfish.html

How to Sex a Goldfish

Sexing a goldfish is an important part of its ownership. Determining the correct sex of your goldfish can help you name your goldfish suitably or plan breeding activities. Tell the sex of the goldfish early in its life so that you may properly care for it.

Instructions

Step
1
Wait until your goldfish are ready to breed. Telling a goldfish's sex is easier when a goldfish is mature and interested in spawning. 
Step
2
Look at the goldfish's overall body type. Males tend to be thinner and longer than female goldfish. View your goldfish from above its aquarium. Males have more symmetric bodies than females. 
Step
3
Note the goldfish's abdomen. If the abdomen appears swollen, asymmetric and soft, the goldfish is probably female. A hard abdomen indicates a male goldfish. 
Step
4
Check the goldfish's gills and pectoral fins. If hard, white pimples develop in these areas, the goldfish is likely male. Goldfish belonging to species with short fins can also have their fins studied to determine sex. Male short-finned goldfish have relatively longer, sharper and stiffer pectoral fins and leading rays than their female counterparts. 
Step
5
Inspect the goldfish's vent. A female goldfish typically has a vent that is more prominent than a male goldfish's; their anal fin's leading ray is also thicker than a male's.                              

Source: http://www.ehow.com/how_2146225_sex-goldfish.html

Aquarium Plants

Keeping plants in the aquarium can require just as much patience and care as the fish in your aquarium. Keeping a planted aquarium will pose many new challenges for you to keep track of and manage. Many people chose fake plants for their aquarium, but they do not get the full experience out of these. In this article I will going through the various things you need to consider when picking out the proper plants for the aquarium.

The first thing you want to do, is find out what type of plants best simulate your fish's natural habitat. Of course you could always mix it up as long as it will pose no harm to your plant or your fish. Many fish require plenty of plant cover in their natural habitat so it is good to provide it in the aquarium. You should also make sure to not add real plants to aquariums where the fish you are keeping tend to eat that plant type. You should also make sure to house any plants in an aquarium of at least 10 gallons in size. It is better to have an aquarium of 30 gallons, but for starting out 10 gallon should work just fine.

As far as lighting conditions for your planted aquarium, you should provide an adequate amount of lighting for the plants. You should make sure that you do not use lights that can cause additional heat to be transferred to your aquarium. Lighting arrangements can work out if there is plenty of plant cover for this fish to hide under, but you should also definitely take into account the fish's own lighting needs. It is best to include plants and fish with similar lighting requirements to make adjusting the levels that much easier.

When you are putting plants in your planted aquarium, you should provide a suitable substrate for the plants to get their roots in. A substrate of at least 1-3mm in size is normally recommended, but you should check your plans specific needs to find out exactly what would be the best for it. Most planted aquariums are freshwater, so just be sure to properly condition and de-chlorinate the water so your plants aren't damaged. Different species of plants have different water conditions so just make sure you know the exact water parameters to properly care for the plant.

I have tried to show you a couple of things to take into consideration when you are thinking out the details for your planted aquarium. I always recommend you take it a bit slow when starting out your planted aquarium. Haste definitely makes waste, and it is great to have a bit of patience. You can purchase your aquarium plants from many retailers all over the web, you can always ask a helpful sales representative if you have any problems or questions when selecting the plants. Thank you for taking the time to read this article, and I hope I was able to provide you with a bit of useful information. An informed decision on a planted aquarium is always the best kind.
GetAHugeTank.com is an online fish tank superstore that offers fish tanks, custom aquariums of all sizes, aquarium supplies and much more.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jake_Wilson

Discus Fish

Discus fish are one of the most sought after freshwater fish available on the market today. Discus fish are very intelligent fish and have very distinct personalities, and the discus fish seems to normally recognize its caretaker and will respond with a display of affection when you enter the room. You can even feed a discus fish right out of your hand! In this article I will be going through a few things to consider when caring for your own discus fish, and also some things you can expect out of your new pet.

The first thing you need to do when starting up your own discus fish tank is to pick out an appropriate aquarium for them. It is always a good idea to purchase the biggest aquarium you can afford. Having a larger aquarium will allow you to have a bit more leeway when it comes to environmental conditions. A larger aquarium will generally tend to be a bit more stable then the smaller ones. After you get your aquarium you will need to pick out the appropriate filters and equipment for your setup. Make sure to check for your discus fish's specific requirements and adjust accordingly for your aquarium.

Discus fish are a bit harder to care for then other species of freshwater fish, and are not typically recommend for the beginning aquarium enthusiast. Discus fish tend to be more of a schooling fish and do best when kept in an aquarium with plenty of same species companions. Also you should provide plenty of cover in the form of driftwood and rocks for your discus fish. Discus fish also require water temperatures to be around 84 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit for best results. For feeding, you should feed your discus fish a steady diet of frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp, and typical sinking pellets. When your discus fish are young, you should feed them at least 3 times a day. As your fish get older you can cut back feeding to once a day. Avoid overfeeding your discus fish as it can cause them to be obese and pose health problems.

Once you get the hang of your discus fish, you can start to breed them. Discus fish are very loving parents, with both of the parents playing an active role in their fry's life. It is truly a sight to behold, seeing your discus fish swimming around with their very own offspring and I highly recommend you try and breed your discus fish when you are comfortable in your ability to provide adequate care for them.

I hope you have found this article helpful in considering owning and taking care of your very own discus fish. There are many more in-depth guides around the web that can go more into detail about the various aspects of providing care. I have just tried to give you a brief overview of a couple things to consider. As always, if you are still stuck up on some unanswered questions about discus fish, you can always contact a friendly sales representative to answer any questions you may have.
GetAHugeTank.com is an online fish tank superstore that offers fish tanks, custom aquariums of all sizes, aquarium supplies and much more.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jake_Wilson

Learn All The Secrets About The Color Of Your Goldfish

The main colors that the modern goldfish are available in are: Bronze: These types have to be specially bred. Pink (albino): This is a type which is also a result of selective breeding. Wild type: These types of goldfish are more common and they slowly change their color as they grow, losing all the black pigments and becoming more of the ornamental type. 

The two main ornamental color types in goldfish can be classified as the: Metallic group: These type of goldfish can either be self-colored or red, orange, yellow, blue, brown and black, or even a combination of colors with a dash of silver and a splash of patterns. Metallic goldfish have scales that reflect thanks to what is called the guanine layer present in their skin and make their color look like gleaming, burnished metal. Calico group: The Calico type of goldfish can have different kinds of patterns of either reflective scales, matt scales because of the absence of the guanine layer in their skin and nacreous scales when the guanine layer is partly present. The common color effects of the goldfish with matt scales depending on the color pigments that are present are pink; blue and colors like violet, gray and brown. The ideal calico goldfish is believed to be the Shubunkin which is a combination of red over blue The Goldfish look and form The Goldfish might be common but there is hardly one average on the looks side! Apart from being available in different kinds of colors, Goldfish also have different types of body structures. These are the most common types of goldfish available according to their body type: 
Single-tailed: This kind of Goldfish have, as the name suggests, a single, short and sleek tail. They have a very slender body and are very hardy. Singletailed goldfish include the popular Comets, Commons and the Shubunkins.

Double-tailed: This kind of Goldfish are also slender but their tail fins are split giving it a fan like look. The double tailed variety includes the Wakins and the Jikins that usually come in white, red and white and orange.

Double Tailed with Dorsal Fin Goldfish: This type of Goldfish has a very egg shaped body with long doubled or short tail fins. These are hardy but more of the fancy kind of goldfish. Their midsections are larger than other goldfish and some of them have a head growth or a hump on the back. Some of common types of this variety are the Fantails, the Pearlscales, the Orandas, the Ryukins, the totally black Moors and the Telescopes.

Double Tailed with No Dorsal Fin goldfish: This type of Goldfish also have egg shaped bodies but no dorsal fins. Instead they have flowing fins like the rare Eggfish, head growths like the Lionheads and the exotic Celestials and Bubble Eyes.
Article Source: http://goldfish-kiki.blogspot.com/search/label/goldfish%20color

Home Aquariums: Why They Are Handy by Jeanie Smith

The practice of keeping fish in the home came about in the late 1800's. These fish were usually kept for short periods of time, and were used as a food source. Home aquariums were generally kept only in coastal towns where the fish were readily accessible. Today, however many things of changed. We wouldn't dream of dipping a net into an aquarium and frying up the family pet for dinner. That's what Red Lobster is for. Home aquariums are for our personal entertainment and enjoyment. Aquariums add life and color to any room. They soothe sick patients at doctor's offices, and entertain small children while their parents are shopping at Nordstrom. 

When considering adopting a family pet, think fish. They are a good compromise when your children are eying that puppy in the window of the local pet store. Aquariums need little care in comparison to cats, dogs and even birds. When going out of town, it is acceptable to leave the fish alone for a week or even longer. Just have a neighbor feed them once or twice. There is no grooming or bathing needed for fish. While a home aquarium does require regular maintenance and cleaning, it is minor compared to the care required for larger pets. Aquariums are usually less costly, as well. Dogs and cats require regular visits to the veterinarian, vaccinations, flea and tick medications, etc. Last year the purchase of pet toys was a billion dollar industry. We don't have to worry about buying a tug rope or a stuffed friend for our fish. 

An aquarium is less of a commitment than larger pets, and can still be a welcome addition to the family home. Aquariums are great learning tools for small children. Kids get excited if they are involved in process. They can learn responsibility by having to help with the chores associated with aquarium care. Teach the children how to feed the fish and how to clean the tank. Aquariums are very handy for helping kids develop language skills, as well. It's amazing how much conversation can take place between a two-year old and an aquarium. Let the kids name the fish. Have discussions and ask questions like, what color is that fish? What are the fish doing today? Count the fish. Just be careful with counting. If one of the fish has decided to eat some of its tank mates that could turn into a different type of learning experience altogether. This doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing; you just have to be prepared for it. After all, kids do have to learn about the cycle of life and death somehow. It would certainly be a lot easier to cope with the death of goldfish as a child's first loss, rather than a human family member. 

In these times of having five hundred plus cable channels and excessive video games, an aquarium can be a refreshing touch to a home. The next time you sit down for a family dinner, try looking at the aquarium instead of the television. You never know, it may just start an actual conversation.
Article Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=1008190

Using The Right Fish Tank Equipment

Are you new to the fine art of owning fish? Having your own fish aquarium is an exciting hobby that will teach you a lot about nature, but the key to proper fish care is using the right fish tank equipment. In order to keep fish alive and in their optimum health condition, you need to accommodate them by producing an environment that mimics what they are used to as closely as possible. This means that their water condition, temperature and surroundings must all match what they are used to. This also means that using the right fish tank equipment is absolutely vital if you want to keep your fish healthy and give them the quality of life that they deserve.

Using the right fish tank equipment means implementing all of the following pieces of equipment in your aquarium set up:

- A proper filtration system.
- A heater.
- A thermometer.
- Aquarium plants or Airstone.
- The right Décor.

Filtration- is a necessary part of keeping your aquarium properly equipped. Filtration pulls the water through, filtering out impurities, waste and other bits and releasing clean water back into the aquarium. Not only should you have the fight filter in your aquarium, but you have to make sure that you are using the right filter media as well. Most filters use charcoal to purify the water before releasing it back into the aquarium, sans waste and debris.

Heater - Most tropical and salt water fish prefer warmer waters. Goldfish are usually more than happy to be in colder waters, but if you want to keep your tropical fish happy, keep them warm. Most heaters for aquariums are set up so that they only click on when the water needs a boost of warmth. Make sure that you also have a thermometer installed inside your aquarium so that you can make sure that the right temperature is being reached at all times. Different fish species have different temperature requirements, so keep that in mind when setting your heater.

Aquarium Plants and Airstones - These two pieces of equipment are not necessarily vital to the health of your fish, but they are nice and helpful additions. Plants and airstones both introduce oxygen into the water and while fish do not need to breathe the air we breathe, they do need the oxygen in the water in order to survive. Airstones release oxygen into the water by way of bubbles, and plants naturally produce oxygen as part of their normal life cycle. So while not exactly necessary, these props are still worthwhile additions to your aquarium setting.

Décor - Some people would tell you that décor is not a vital part of any aquarium setting, but some fish do require it.

For example, African Cichlids are aggressive fish that take up territories in an aquarium. If you plan to house numerous Cichlids in the same aquarium, giving them different territories and boundaries is a good way to keep them from harming one another. Another less than vital aspect of the aquarium setting, but still worthwhile if you want to create a safe haven for your fish.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/using-the-right-fish-tank-equipment-436525.html

How to Create An Awesome Aquarium

Fishes are cold blooded vertebrates. This means that they remain at approximately the same temperature as the water surrounding them, in contrast to the whale or the water rat, which like us maintain a much higher temperature. Aquarium fishes share with ourselves and other mammals, however, the possession of a backbone, or vertebral column, and are built on the same fundamental plan, having the same basic system of bones and organs as we do. 

Fishes breathe oxygen, but it is usually absorbed only from solution in water by the gills, which are leaf like organs, normally four on each side of the neck in a pouch covered by the operculum, or bony gill cover. The gills are richly supplied with blood vessels, and water is swallowed from the mouth and forced over the gills, leaving by a slit between the operculum and the body. The rate of fishes` respiratory movements is partly determined by the need for oxygen and its concentration in the surrounding water. 

Fins

There are two paired and (in all but fancy goldfish and a few other fishes) three unpaired fins. The paired pectoral and pelvic (ventral) fins correspond, respectively, to the arms and legs of human beings and connect with bony girdles in the body which correspond to our own pectoral and pelvic girdles. The unpaired fins are the dorsal, the anal, and the tail or caudal fins, as shown in the accompanying figure. These fins are supported by rays, sometimes bony and sometimes made of cartilage. In some families the dorsal fin is split entirely into two parts, the forepart with spiny rays and the hind part with soft rays. In the characins and some others, there is a small adipose fin, composed of fatty material with no fin rays.

Body

The fish body is composed mainly of a large lateral muscle on each side of the backbone, divided by sheets of connective tissue into segments corresponding to the vertebrae, which give rise to the typical flaking of the cooked fish. This is the main organ for swimming. The internal organs often occupy a very small volume, toward the front, so that much of the apparent trunk of the fish is really its tail (as distinct from the tail fin). This is indicated by the forward position of the beginning of the anal fin, which marks the end of the digestive tract. Fishes possess the usual organs familiar to students of human anatomy, with the exception of lungs and chest cavity; they have a stomach, intestines, a liver, a spleen, kidneys, and so forth.

Skin and Scales. The skin may be naked, or it may be covered by scales or by bony plates which in turn have an outer layer over them. The scales may be opaque or transparent; if they are transparent, the appearance and color of the fish may be due to skin pigments, not to scale color or formation, as in the calico goldfish. Bony plates may be seen in the Corridors, or South American armored catfishes.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/how-to-create-an-awesome-aquarium-86023.html

All The Secrets About The Ranchu Goldfish

The ranchu goldfish is one of the most precious goldfish on Earth and is a treasured household pet all across the world. So what makes the ranchu goldfish special from any other breed? Well one of the main things that sets a ranchu apart from any other goldfish is its bazaar appearance. It has an unusually large head that closely resembles the look and shape of a lionhead. In fact the only thing that makes a ranchu goldfish different from a lionhead is that it has a much more curved posterior dorsal contour. Basically first glimpse of a ranchu would have you believe they are the same as a lionhead, but once you take a closer look at the tail, you will be able to tell them apart easily.

The lionhead has a tail much like the fantail goldfish that is shaped like a butterfly. The tail of a ranchu goldfish looks more like that of a comet, much smaller and simpler. Most ranchu goldfish a colored gold and white, however they have been known to be black in some cases. They grow to about the same size of a lionhead, sometimes bigger however you won't be able to notice any different due to the fact a lionhead has a much larger tail.

It's common to hear people refer to ranchu goldfish as buffalo heads, especially in the Far East. In fact they first originated in China and were kept in outside ponds and treated with much respect. Later the Japanese imported ranchu's into their country and further developed there until they finally achieved the look we see today.

So How Much Do They Cost?

Ranchu goldfish are far more expensive then most other breeds of goldfish, some retailing for over $300 each! One of the cheapest ways to buy ranchu's is to go on the internet and purchase one online as they are much cheaper. You may be able to buy one for under $200 if you are lucky, the only problem is that you can't be sure what you are going to get, however 99 out of 100 times you are going to get what you paid for. Just to make sure, check first if the site you are buying from has a return policy, that way if there is a problem, you can just return the fish you just bought and get your money back.

Most of these sites also include photos of the fish you want to buy. In most cases you are going to have to drive to where they fish is to pick it up, however you should also be able to pay a fee that will enable the fish to be delivered to your doorstep if you don't want to travel out to pick it up. Try to make sure the place you are buying from isn't too far away as that will end up costing you more money that you can handle. If you are unsure where the shop is, give them a call, as their number should be on their website somewhere, and ask them for directions. I personally would take the time to drive out there in person, especially if you are spending $200 on a ranchu goldfish.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/all-the-secrets-about-the-ranchu-goldfish-72290.html

Goldfish Eggs - Essentials to Healthy Fry

At the time of breeding, it is easier to see the changes in the male goldfish. The male develop breeding tubercles that are white and of the size of pin head. The female goldfish cannot be recognized easily. The female has a bigger and full abdomen. When the male goldfish is ready to breed, the fish performs the ritual of spawning chase. The male swim closely following the female and hit her abdomen repeatedly for several hours.

At the prime age, female goldfish lays anywhere between five hundred and one thousand goldfish eggs. The male spray milt on the goldfish eggs and make them fertile immediately. These eggs are released in batches.

The eggs should be transferred to another goldfish aquarium immediately. New goldfish aquarium contains water maintained at the same temperature. Before this process, the goldfish eggs are normally rinsed with water with the same temperature of the previous tank. The optimum temperature is 20ºC for breeding. Transferring at once is possible as the goldfish eggs are fertilized already.

The fertile goldfish eggs look clearer but the unfertile eggs look furry. The danger of fungal attack is imminent on the unfertile eggs can be on the fertile eggs also. To avoid this goldfish eggs are observed with rapt attention. The water can be only six inches deep. The fish fry after hatching can not take more water pressure. To ensure this the water can be only about six inch deep. This water being shallow allows the fish fry to swim with ease.

It is normal for the fish fry to sink down to the bottom of the tank once the goldfish eggs are hatched. The new born fish are attached with full yoke sac that is translucent. This sac will sustain the fish fry for twenty four hours. After twenty four hours, the fish fry swim around in search of food.
If you want to learn more about goldfish or more specifically goldfish eggs then check out http://www.secretsofgoldfish.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dane_J_Stanton

Goldfish External Anatomy

                                Goldfish External Anatomy

Anal Fins: Helps to keep the fish stable in the water and keep it from from rolling over.

Caudal Fins: Tail fins are used for propulsion (to push the fish forward). Goldfish are bred to have many different types of tailfins. Common goldfish have single tails and the fancy goldfish have different types of double tails.

Caudal Peduncle: Where the tail meets the body.

Dorsal Fin: provide stability when swimming. Wild type goldfish (and most common goldfish) will have a long dorsal with about 13-19 rays. The rays starts like spines and branch out at the end. Not all goldfish breeds have dorsal fins. Ranchu and Lionheads are two of the most common breeds without this fin. Some veiltail varieties have a very tall dorsal fin. For fish with a dorsal fin, this this fin should be erect (a sign of good health), however in some breeds with tall dorsal fins, the dorsal will bend.

Eyes: Goldfish use their eyes to see. Goldfish have fairly good eyesight. Some breeds however are bred to have "bug eyes" (i.e. telescope goldfish like moors) and cannot see that well. Some people believe that black goldfish are normally almost blind. Fish do not have eyelids, so you should turn your tank lights off every evening so they can get some sleep.

Lateral line: Is a sensory organ (a series of fluid-filled canals just underneath the skin) that helps fish detect water current, pressure and movement.

Mouth: The mouth opens at anterior end of head. The upper and lower jaws are equal in size and are slightly slanted. Golfish don't have barbels. Goldfish do not have teeth in their jaws, but they do have pharyngeal teeth found in the back part of the oral cavity.

Nares: There are two pairs of nares on each side of the snout. The front and rear nares are connected by a U shaped tube. Water flows through the nares through the olfactory tube and receptors embedded in the epithelium detect odors in the water. Behind the front nares, there may be a flap of skin called the narial folds or nasal septa which directs water into the front opening. Pompon goldfish are known for their large frilly narial folds or nasal septa.

Operculum: The flap covering the gill also known as gill cover. Males will develop small white spots on the gill cover which are called breeding stars or breeding tubercles. Breeding stars are not seen until the goldfish is old enough to breed, somewhere between the age of two and three years. Some goldfish are bred to have curled operculums.

Pectoral Fins: The two pectoral fins are used for steering. Male goldfish, when they reach sexual maturity will often develop white bumps called nuptial tubercles or breeding stars along the leading ray of their pectoral fins. Some people say that the first ray of the pectoral fin is rather thick and stiff in male golfish (compared to those of female goldfish). Some people also believe that male goldfish have longer pectoral fins that do female goldfish. If the goldfish is ill, it may clamp the pectoral fins close to its body.

Pelvic/Ventral Fins: The two pelvic fins provide stability and help with steering. For breeders the shape and length of the vental fin is very important. Japaneese breeders in particular often specialize in fish with long ventral fins.

Vent: (or anal opening) External opening to digestive, urinary and reproductive tracts. Some people believe that females have rounder covex vents while males have thinner concave vents. During spawning, male golfish will try to butt the female anal area.

Wen: Rasberry-like growth (skin folds) on top of the head of some breeds of goldfish such as orandas, and lionheads. Sometimes also known as a hood, cap, crown or goosehead. As the wen grows, white pimples may sometimes occur. These are generally nothing to be concerned about.
Article Source: http://thegab.org/Articles/

Fish Make The Greatest Pets

Aren’t the children always begging for a pet or another pet?

You don’t want a cat – there’s that whole litter box thing. You don’t want to train a puppy, plus what about when you want to go away for the night? Birds make such a mess and can be quite noisy. And then there’s those “rodent” things.

When we found out we were expecting our first child we decided to decorate the nursery in tropical fish decor. Then we thought a fish tank in the room would be perfect for the “white noise” and for a nice little night light. So we bought a 10 gallon tank set that cost about $40 for everything but the fish. We had no clue about caring for fish, so we only got a few fancy guppies that were about $3 each. How cheap!!

Who knew we’d become addicted? Well, me anyways. We learned that guppies are live bearers, meaning that they have “live” babies instead of laying eggs and they can be all sorts of pretty colors. Needless to say, we learned a few things about raising guppies and haven’t spent any more money buying fish (well, except for a few more different colored guppies and a bigger tank to start breeding our own)!

Fish are so easy to take care of and are rather inexpensive to keep. We clean out their tank a little bit each month and spend about $2 on food for them that lasts about 3 months. The kids all love the guppies – their pretty colors and especially watching the babies grow. I love the guppies because they’re cheap, relaxing, neat, quiet and they teach the children about responsibility with having a pet.

So before you jump down their throats about not having a pet, tell the kids to consider some guppies. If you’re looking to do some more research on them, check out www.guppies.com . There are plenty of tips and people there that are willing to answer all of your questions.
Jennifer is the owner of http://www.MomOnABudget.com, a resource for money saving tips and ideas, quick and easy recipes, how to decorate on a budget, work at home ideas and so much more.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_Shircel

Goldfish Feeding

The main issue with feeding goldfish is how much. Goldfish will typically eat just about everything that is given to them. Apparently in the wild this is no problem, but in captivity domestic goldfish basically will not survive if fed to anywhere near their capacity to eat. There are exceptions; very young fish need to be fed a considerable amount to get reasonable growth rates and some foods that are essentially only roughage can be fed quite freely. But in general it is necessary to limit the amount of food provided to your goldfish. 

What happens if you overfeed your goldfish? Many people have described the digestive track of the goldfish as basically a straight tube. In the simplest scenario, if you feed too much, food being pushed in the front end of the "tube" pushes food out the back end ... before it is fully digested. If your goldfish's poops look just like his food, this could be an indication of overfeeding. 

For robust, wild-type goldfish overfeeding's main problem is water quality; the semi-digested food makes it harder to keep the water of sufficient cleanliness without frequent massive water changes. This may explain why overfeeding is not a problem in the wild. However, for fat-bodied fancy goldfish, that straight tube tends to have a few kinks in it; just like with people, lack of roughage and too rich a diet can cause significant problems. For more information, see the discussion on swimbladder problems. 

All right, now that you're convinced that whatever amount you are feeding is probably the wrong amount, what is the right amount? The quick answer is that if you don't have water quality problems, don't have problems with your fish floating, and the fish seem active and healthy, you are probably doing just fine. And, uh, scatologically, if the poops are in quarter to half inch sinking chunks, this is good too. Otherwise you probably are overfeeding or not feeding quite the right diet. 

A common recommendation is to feed goldfish two mouthfuls twice a day. I was troubled for a long time about what is, exactly, a goldfish mouthful. I believe it is as much as a goldfish will take in its mouth before it stops "gobbling" and starts chewing. Determining the correct amount of food for your fish is then relatively easy; toss in units of food until everybody stops chasing and then figure about double that for a feeding. This actually ends up being quite a bit of food. 

It has been suggested that goldfish are naturally grazers, eating small amounts continuously. It does seem that goldfish have fewer problems with many small meals than they do with one large one per day. So, if you can conveniently do it, a regime of one mouthful four times a day will be better that two mouthfuls twice daily. And, conversely, feeding four mouthfuls in one feeding will probably give you problems. 

Unfortunately, it is pretty clear that the most entertaining thing in a goldfish's life is eating. Most owners would like their fish to be as intellectually stimulated as is, uh, possible. This can lead to overfeeding. I won't go overboard on the anthropomorphization here, but, like people, low calorie high-roughage foods can be fairly freely fed without digestive problems. Romaine lettuce is a good example: it is reasonably nutritive (much better than iceberg lettuce), but is also mostly water and fiber. A leaf clipped inside the tank will last days if submerged and the fish will nibble away on it. The only downside is that the resulting lettuce puree in the tank can plug filters pretty quickly. But otherwise this is an excellent option, I think.

Article Source: http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/4468/feeding.html

Ten Steps To a Healthy Goldfish

Tank
1. A 10-20gal tank for one goldfish. Goldfish grow to be 6 to 8 inches in length and therefore they need a big tank for just one fish. 

A filter

2.Reason: Goldfish are very dirty fish when they process thier food it goes through thier system fast since thier organs are squished into a tight space. 

Setting up the new tank
3. Goldfish love to pick up rocks so in my opinion you should use river rocks (you can find them at a Home Improvement store)that way the rocks are to big for the goldfish to get in there mouths and get one stuck in there. Make sure when you get your rocks that you rinse them well with water to get rid of any debris. Then add your rocks carefully in to the tank. Next use water that you have let sit out in a jugs or buckets for 24 hours so that the toxins have had a chance to evaporate from the water (chorine, bleach, ect....) to fill up the tank with. When you add the water to your tank place a flat dish in the bottom of the tank on top of your rocks so it doesnt splash the water so much. When done remove the dish. 

Lights and Heaters
4. Goldfish need light just like you and I. Also you will need light if you get live plants in the tank. Heaters are not necessary in a goldfish tank goldfish can live in temps from 78 to just below freezing. So unless you want your tank at a constant temp goldfish don't need a heater. 

Additives in the water
5. When setting up a tank or doing water changes you need to add some type of water clarifier (like Amquel) to help get rid of more toxins in the water, since goldfish have to breath the water any type of chorine or bleaches can kill your goldfish. 

Test Kits
6. This is a tip for all that are starting a goldfish tank. It is very important to have test kits like the ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. You need to check the water before every water change. This is expecially true when a tank is first cycling, the ammonia levels and the nitrites are the first killers of most tanks that are just starting out.. Also if you are going to use Amquel for a water conditioner you will need a test kit that is "salicylate" based, because the "Nessler" based kit will give false readings when using Amquel..... 

Plants
7. You can use real plants if you like but goldfish are nibblers so you plants wont live very long. There are some plants that goldfish don't really like to nibble on like Java ferns and the grass like plants (the wider the leafs the better). If you don't want to spend a a lot of money to maintain the looks of the tank I would go with the fake plants. 

Selecting Your Fish
8. Now that you have had the tank up and running now for a week or two you can start looking for a good and healthy goldfish. 
What to look for: 
a. Look at the tank the goldfish are in. Are there any dead ones in the tank? If there are that normally means there is something wrong with the fish or tank and in any way the goldfish is most likely to be sick. 
b. Look at the fish you want. Is the fish you want aware of his/her surroundings? Is the fish moving around looking and nibbling at things or just staying in one spot. Goldfish that look more aware of what's going on are the better ones. 
c. Look at the fish's eyes. Are the eyes clear not foggy. If foggy the goldfish could have a disease or just blind. 
d. Look at the fins. The fins should be erect. If the fins are always in the down positions the fish could be stressed out. 
e. Look at the fish over all. Make sure the fish doesn't have any times of parasites (ick, anchor worm, ect......) on them or any type of disease (fungus, fin rot, ect......) on the fish. 
f. Now you have chosen your fish When you get you fish make sure the pet store places the goldfish in a plastic bag , then in a brown paper bag, so the fish will not get stressed out by seeing what is going on around him. When you get the fish to his tank make sure you float the bag in the tank for 5 mins so that the fish will get used to the temperature in your tank with out stressing out if you just put him in there. After floating in the tank open the bag and slowly let the water from your tank enter the bag and let the bag again float for about a min. Then let the goldfish out and keep a close eye on the goldfish for a couple of days to see if there are any problems with the goldfish. 

Feeding Your Goldfish
9. Now there are many foods out there for your goldfish and many people think this one is better than that one. If your going to feed you goldfish any pellets or flake food, please soak them in water from the tank for at least a min. Un-soaked food will expand in the stomach (just like if you ate rice or bread) and the goldfish will eventually get swim bladder disease (some times irreversably) and the goldfish will not be able to eat and swim correctly. Feed your fish once every day, what they can eat in 5 mins or the food will spoil the tank. 

Water Changes
10. Now you've had your goldfish in your tank for a week you need to do a water change. Once a week you need to change at least 10% to 20% of your water. When you change the water make sure you are replacing the water with water that has been sitting in a jug for at least 24 hours. When you're starting to change the water, use a gravel siphon to get a lot of the waste the filer hasn't picked up from the bottom. Now add the water that you had sitting out for 24 hours to the tank, also add your water conditioner (Amquel) if needed. At this time its a good idea to check your filter to see if its dirty and them clean it out. 

Cycling
When you have your tank up and running you will need to understand the general rule of cycling the tank. This is very important to have a tank that is cycled or the fish can get sick or die. Very important to read.
Article Source: http://www.kokosgoldfish.com/tensteps.html

Goldfish Food

There are many different kinds of fish foods out there and many kinds of home foods that you can give to your fish. Some fish foods help with wen growth, while others help in the general growth of the fish. On this page I will try to explain the different foods and what they help with. Also I will show you the different home foods you can give your fish as treats.

1.Flake Fish Food

Flake fish foods come in many different types example for the growth of wens, color enhancer and other things. Flake fish foods can be a problem for some fish. When most people feed the flake fish food they will just place it in the tank, this will make the fish go to the top and when trying to get the fish food they gulp in air at the same time. For some fish this can cause swim bladder disorder. So if this food is good for you then a good tip is due, soak the fish food for at least 1 min then give it to the fish. This will cause the fish food to sink to the bottom and no air in the fish's stomach.

2. Pellet fish Food

Pellet fish foods come in many different types example for the growth of wens, color enhancer and other things.They also come in sinking (my favorite) and they floating kind. Pellet fish food should be soaked before giving them to the fish. When they are made they are compressed but there is air still in the food, just watch them when you place them in some water, you will see air bubbles coming out of the fish food. This is what is going into your fish and some fish cant handle this. I strongly suggest soaking any floating or sinking pellet fish foods for atleast 2 mins.

3. Frozen fish Food

Frozen fish foods come in all sorts of flavors and are a great treat for the fish. You should be careful when feeding them frozen fish foods, look for the ones that say bacterial free because they could cause problems if they hadn't been handled correctly. Most of them need to be soaked first for easy eating but some of them you can just drop in and let them nibble on the fish food as they thaw in the tank.

4. Gelatin fish Food

Gelatin fish foods are harder to find in most pet stores. Formula one and two foods made by Ocean Nutrition is a good one if you can find it. You can make it your self too if you have the time. Gelatin fish Food Make sure that when you are feeding it to your fish that you thaw it out in bowl of tank water and then crush in your hand as you drop it in your tank this makes it easier for the fish to eat it.

5. Home fish Foods

Some fish foods that you and I eat the fish can eat to for example: Romaine lettuce, Peas cooked, earthworms, eggs, cucumber, insect larvae, grapes,oranges, and spinach. This is just a short list of some of the foods. For more foods check out This list

6. Medicated fish Food

There are several medicated fish foods out there but I have found that two of them are the best for goldfish, these are only found on Goldfishconnection. They should only be used when a fish is very sick over using them can cause the parasite or bacteria to be resistant to the medication and your fish to remain sick.

Article Source: http://www.kokosgoldfish.com/food.html

Why Are My Goldfish Not Eating?

There are many reasons why goldfish may not be eating and there are certain things people should do to take care of their goldfish and make sure they're okay.
Here are several reasons why your goldfish may not be eating:

1. Poor water quality, polluted water- make sure test the water
2. Water chemistry such as PH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate may be off the scale, check levels
3. Filter may be dirty, causing stress and poor conditions resulting in fish not eating.
4. There may be dead goldfish in the tank causing bad conditions resulting in fish not eating.
5. Goldfish may have disease or illness's resulting in lack of interest for food and eating. Sickness is one of the top reasons why goldfish don't eat. Pretty much the same as humans, when we're sick the thought of food doesn't interest us.
6. Food may be old or stale, lack of nutrients.
7. Goldfish may be showing lack of interest in the same food, try feeding your goldfish a different food.
8. Make sure there is no chlorine in the water, make sure you always add AquaPlus Water conditioner when performing water changes.
9. There may be an organic matter build up in your aquarium. Make you stir up the aquarium gravel with a aquarium gravel cleaner to make sure aquarium bed is clean.
10. Your goldfish do sleep, maybe there resting and full resulting in lack of interest in eating.
11. If you've recently purchased goldfish from a pet store, they still may be getting used the their new surroundings. Usually it may take a day or two to get used to their new surroundings as stress is a big reason why as well goldfish are not eating.

By cross elimination you can figure out why your goldfish may not be eating. Once you've determined why they're not eating, fix the situation and they will begin eating right away. Usually its something simple. Think about it, would we like eating the same food everyday, same goes for goldfish. Offer your goldfish a variety of different foods to make sure they stay healthy.

ArticleSource: http://goldfish-care-information.blogspot.com/

How Fast Do Goldfish Grow

How fast do goldfish grow is a question on every ones mind. Goldfish growth really depends on certain factors that will influence how fast they will grow. Some factors that directly influence goldfish growth is:

1. How clean is the water for your Goldfish?
2. How big is the environment, goldfish bowl, goldfish aquarium or goldfish pond?
3. What kind of goldfish food are you feeding your fish?
4. The genetics (DNA) of the goldfish parents passed on to their offspring.

How fast do goldfish grow is really a tough question to answer really. As mentioned above these factors will influence the growth potential of your goldfish. For example the how clean your water is impacts how fast they will grow. If the water is too clear then lacks algae and food to feed on. Second if water quality is not kept up with proper maintenance causes stress on goldfish which may impact the goldfish desire to eat. If goldfish don't eat, they don't grow, therefore growing slower then normal.

The environment or home for your goldfish plays a big part on how fast goldfish will grow as well. For instance if you put a goldfish in a goldfish bowl it won't grow as much as it would if it were in an aquarium or garden pond. The environment plays a major part in goldfish growth. Goldfish will only grow to the size of their environment in which it can handle. Also the more space a goldfish has will help increase the size of your goldfish and won't stunt your goldfish from growing. When goldfish have big aquariums or tanks to grow in it will make less maintenance for you and much happier goldfish. Another reason goldfish grow faster in larger environments is there is more food readily available to eat. There is always food in an aquarium to eat for goldfish especially in ponds. Goldfish will grow fast due to abundance of algae to eat and also the live microscopic animals and insects to feed on. Goldfish basically have a buffet at anytime they want with the amount of food they will find to eat living in ponds. Goldfish will grow extremely fast as well if the water is green like pea soup or they are grown in mud ponds. You will see your goldfish grow fast.

The goldfish food that you feed them plays a part in their growth as well. If you want your goldfish to grow fast consider feeding them a wide variety of food. Also high growth food will help as well maximizing the growth of your goldfish. You can also feed them several times a day just make sure they eat all the goldfish food that you give them within 2 minutes other then that discard uneaten food as it will foul your water. Goldfish food will play a part in their growth as well.

So to really answer the question, "How Fast Do Goldfish Grow" really has too many factors to really answer. Also genetics plays a part in this as well. If you look at some people today some are skinny, some are large, medium, petite, tall and short. Everyone grows differently and the same goes for goldfish. For example I'm 6'4" while my parents are like 5'6" so I grew taller. Usually if you come from a tall family you will have tall kids which happens most times through DNA passed on to kids. So goldfish genetics and DNA sometimes will impact how fast goldfish grow as well. Really a question with no true answer but definitely things people can do to grow goldfish faster by doing several things. Biggest thing that will help grow your goldfish fast is give them the space they deserve don't confine goldfish to small tanks go bigger and you will have bigger goldfish.

Article Source: http://goldfish-care-information.blogspot.com/

Goldfish 101

Goldfish are hardy freshwater fish. While most people know about them, they do not necessarily know all about them. This article attempts to tell you a lot more. They originated from the Gibal Carp. Over the past 2000 years, beginning in China, Goldfish were the result of breeding and early genetic like experimentation. Unlike many other species, various genetic traits can be changed over 3-4 generations with Goldfish. 

Wild “Goldfish” live in an environment of ponds, lakes, and other water holes and can be found in Moving and still water ranging from 50 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit / 10 to 32 degrees Celsius. The largest types of goldfish can grow to be upwards of 12 inches/ 30 cm and with weights around 5 ½ pounds / 2.5 Kg. 

In the wild, their colors tend to be darker and paler which seems to be a direct result of the amount of light in their environment. Their colors actually include gold, bronze, and pink. They have a couple sub-hues of the sort too, metallic and calico.

It is time to shatter a myth, a dream about keeping goldfish. Those cute little bowls that are often sold containing goldfish are not the right environment for Goldfish. They need more room, as they can grow large and need high oxygen levels in the water. Something that is hard to maintain in a bowl. Small aquarium tanks are never wise for aquarists, as they can have more drastic (and fast) changes in the water quality. This means that the water very fast can turn toxic and kill your goldfish. You sometime hear people being proud that my new goldfish has lived for 3 or 6 month or something like that. A six month old goldfish is really nothing to be proud of as these fish can become 30 and even 40 years old with the proper care.

For a Goldfish aquarium tank, it is advisable to have a tank with a lot of surface area as that allows more water contact with the air which means more oxygen in the water. For every inch of Goldfish, you should have 30 square inches of surface area. Do not forget that they will grow, and some variety can become as large a foot / 30 cm. 

Goldfish should be kept in freshwater and can in some areas be taken directly from the tap. Check with a local fish store to se if the water in your area is good enough to house fish in and use a good water preparation chemical. Make sure that new water that you add to the aquarium keeps the same temperature as the old water in the aquarium. You should always let your aquarium stand for about a week after first adding water to it before adding any fish. This process is called cycling and makes the water more suitable to support life.

Gravel on the bottom is wise, as it will help the Goldfish to feel more at home. About 1/8 inch is good. It is a good idea to avoid dyed gravel, as it might have contaminants that your Goldfish will not appreciate in terms of health.

Filtration are not, with good water changes, as necessary for Goldfish as they are with many other fish, though still a good idea and strongly recommended, as it will make your task a bit simpler and help you keep the water conditions good. The filtration will also start a current which increase the oxygen levels in the aquarium tank which is beneficial 
Oxygenating is a good thing as well. It will help release some harmful chemicals in the water, and helps oxygenate the water as well. A simple air stone, and pump for your Goldfish will help them live happier and healthier, and the cost are worth every penny of it. 

Goldfish, like most other fish, do enjoy some environment to play in. Places to hide and find shade in. One other aspect, it is wise to have at least 2 goldfish, as they do like company. Loners in the fish world probably are not that much different from those in the human one. Do not leave your precious pet alone without someone to play with. Make sure all things in the tank are meant to be in a fish tank, and that they are clean, so they don’t add harmful chemicals. Don’t use any detergents to clean the fish tank and/or any part of decoration and equipment.

Lighting will help the fish to maintain the best color. Florescent Normal Output bulbs do well for Goldfish, although high output bulbs can make your goldfish colors look and be even brighter.

You should take care bringing the Goldfish home. Darkness, room temperature, and gentleness are a great idea, as they will help lessen the stress on the goldfish during the move. Another aspect is that it is wise to dim the lights before adding them to the tank to further reduce stress. Before releasing them into the tank you should let the bag float on top of the aquarium for a while. (At least 15 minutes) you should thereafter open the bag and but about a cup of water in it and than wait another 15 minutes. You should repeat this process 4 times before you release you fish in their new home. This will give the goldfish the possibility to slowly adept to the new water conditions. 

Once things are up and running, you should change some of the water in the tank weekly. This helps remove stale water and clean out some debris. You should siphon about 15% of the water out and from the bottom at the gravel where the debris fall. Then replace the removed water with the fresh water, make sure that the new water has the same temperature as the water in the aquarium. If the water changes causes big changes in the water values it might stress the Goldfish.

Goldfish have special nutritional needs that are often available as “Goldfish Food.” For example, Goldfish need more carbohydrates in their diet than many other fish species. It is wise to only add enough food for them to eat fully in 5 or 10 minutes. Any more will likely be waste resting at the bottom and worsen the water quality. It is better to feed them 2-3 times a day then it is once a day.
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