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.
Click on the link to learn more about goldfish or some other fish species.
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Are Your Fish Sick?

Keeping a fish tank is a wonderful and relaxing hobby, but it can turn stressful if your fish start to die off. The most common cause of fish disease is poor water quality so it is vital that you perform regular maintenance on the tank, making sure you do a partial water change periodically and clean out any waste or uneaten food so it does not decay and poison the water.

Many fish disease can be halted if you provide treatment as soon as you see any signs of your fish being sick. Therefore, it is important that you monitor your fish each day to see if there are any signs of illness.

Some common symptoms of disease are listed below.

White dots – sometimes fuzzy looking, almost like grains of salt on your fish. This disease is called Ichthyophthirius), or simply Ich. It is a rather common disease and is caused by poor water quality or can effect your fish when it’s immune system is not functioning up to par due to stress. It can be treated easily if you catch it in time. There is a special solution you can buy at the pet store to medicate your tank and, hopefully, get rid of this problem.

Gray patches on the skin, looks cottony and can be around the gills. This is a fungus also caused by excess fish waste and food decaying in the bottom of the tank. You can buy treatment for it and it should clear up easily unless you have let it go too far. In the future remember to clean the tank each week so you do not have a reoccurrence.

If your fish seem like they are gasping for air, this could be simply due to lack of oxygen in the water and not necessarily a disease. You could add an airstone to see if that helps the problem. Make sure you do not overcrowd the tank with too many fish.

If you see your fish scraping itself agains the bottom of the tank or the decorations, it’s possible that he has a parasite called Flukes. These attack the gills and skin and are rather difficult to get rid of once your tank is infected. Again, poor water quality will make this much worse. They do sell medication for the tank and you may be able to clear it up if you treat the tank at the first sign of trouble.

Rotting fins are sometimes seen if the fish is under stress and also if the water quality is substandard. It is a bacteria that is attacking the fins and you must treat the tank at the first sign of this problem. If possible, isolate the affected fish to another tank to prevent the bacteria from spreading.

To insure that you always have healthy fish, you should keep the tank clean and religiously perform partial water changes. This will not only keep your fish happy but will make for a better looking tank as well!
Lee Dobbins is a pet lover and owner of Fish Tank Guide.com where you can learn to setup your freshwater aquarium. Visit the site and learn more about fish disease.
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Goldfish Analysis

When goldfish swim up to the glass of the tank, does it mean they are smart enough to recognize people?

Goldfish sure are smart not in the sense as dogs are, but they are smart. They will swim up to meet you probably because they think you are going to feed them. They might not be able to differentiate between one person and the other but they do know that the people they live with are the caregivers. Know that they depend on you and hence love you.

Why is a new goldfish not moving in its bowl, when he is very much alive? 
Well first of all, he probably hates being in a bowl. Goldfish do not like bowls even though humans think the bowls are cute. Put him in a tank with a compatible companion goldfish. Meanwhile watch the fish. Is he coming up to the top of the tank when you feed him? If he is then, he’s probably just getting used to the new bowl. If it looks like he has difficulty swimming and that he keeps sinking to the bottom he might have a swim bladder disorder caused by too much dry food and bad water.

Why is a goldfish swimming to the top every once in a while? 
Goldfish keep swimming to the surface of the tank because that’s where they get their oxygen. Always make sure that there is enough empty space at the top. Do not fill up the tank to the brim, as leaving space will give them the required oxygen. If your fish are normally active, swimming and chasing each other a round, don’t worry if they swim to the top every once in a while.

Why do goldfish always seem starving?

That’s because they are greedy! Don’t get tempted enough to feed them whenever they ask for it because overfeeding will cause them more harm. Besides, goldfish can never starve to death; they are always nibbling away at something or the other.

Why would one goldfish lie motionless most of the time whilst the rest swim around? Is it a social outcast?

If you have different varieties of goldfish, make sure they are compatible. The slower fancy varieties might get stressed out by the faster ones like comets. Yes, they might feel like outcasts and keep to themselves. Some goldfish might even get aggressive with another and in that case you need to one that is being badgered to another tank.

Why are all the goldfish so lifeless and tend to stay at the bottom of the tank most of the time, like they are very tired?

If they aren’t swimming as they usually do, something is definitely bothering them.

If you tank is brand new and the goldfish are having a problem because the tank has not been cycled. Wait a while and watch. Make sure you cycle the tank before you put them in because a new tank cannot deal with the ammonia that the goldfish produce.

If you tank is an old one and the goldfish are suddenly more still than usual it could be that the toxicity of the water is bothering them. So change the water. When your goldfish seem inactive, you must check the water for nitrites and the pH level.

If you would like to find the answers to more Goldfish related questions such as - What is the reason why some Goldfish attack eachother? or, What can I do to save my Goldfish from dying when suddenly it turns on its side? - Please visit my site to find the answers these questions plus a great deal more information relevant to everything Goldfish. Click here to visit.

Dane Stanton - www.goldfish-secrets.com
Dane Stanton is an expert on goldfish health care. To visit his website visit http://www.goldfish-secrets.com for more information on Goldfish care and other aquarium related topics. *Recommended*
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How Many Goldfish Can I Put In My Aquarium?

This is one of the top questions that aquarium hobbyist have getting into the goldfish and aquarium hobby. Everyone wants to know how many fish they can put in their aquarium when setting up their tank or even pond in fact. The biggest thing that people don't want to do is overcrowd your aquarium by adding too many fish. What happens when you overcrowd a fish tank, it causes too much stress on the fish itself and also the filter as well. Not only does it cause these problems but will also end up creating poor water quality as a result of all the waste being created by your goldfish. With poor water quality and ammonia spiking it will end up causing your goldfish to get sick with diseases and possibly even death. In such crowded conditions it wouldn't take long for goldfish diseases like Ich to quickly take over a tank. The reproduction rate of parasites would drastically increase and start infecting other goldfish.

Generally speaking people should only put one inch of fish per gallon of water. Now this is a general measurement but doesn't always apply to all fish really. When people have larger goldfish you are definitely going to need more water for that size fish. A good example of that is say you have a 10 inch goldfish and you place it in a 10 gallon aquarium it would look quite ridiculous. You need to give larger fish more room and water to live in to be healthy. The 10 inch goldfish is not the same as ten one inch goldfish. So the general rule of thumb that you hear does not really apply to all fish. The bigger the goldfish they will need a bigger environment as a result of not only their body size and length but how much waste they will produce as well. For bigger goldfish you need to allow more water per inch of fish. I would say go about 1 inch per 3 gallons or if not more. The more water the better and your fish will love you for it. By allowing more water per inch your water chemistry will stay good resulting in less chances of stress on fish causing goldfish diseases and the healthier they'll be.

With proper filtration and maintenance on water quality will help ensure your goldfish stay healthy. It is in your best interest to follow this simple guideline and adjust accordingly to the size of goldfish you have to be sure not to overcrowd your tank. So how many goldfish to put in your tank really all depends on you and how big your aquarium is able to hold using this simple rule.

Jamie Boyle is an online author who writes and maintains his Goldfish Care Information blog to help people answer questions involving goldfish. If you need more information on goldfish please visit http://goldfish-care-information.blogspot.com
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