10 Goldfish In Aquaria Care Sheet

: Aquarium Care-Sheet-Goldfish Care-Sheet-Goldfish s

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Never release your aquarium
animals or plants into the wild

Checklist
Before purchase make sure that:

1

You have the appropriate equipment and position for
the aquarium.

2

You have researched all the species you are interested
in and your final choices are all compatible.

3

You are familiar with how to transport and release
your fish.

4

You are aware of the daily, weekly and monthly
maintenance your aquarium will require.

5

You are prepared to look after your fish properly for
the duration of their life.

Equipment
1 Glass or plastic aquarium
2 Gravel cleaner
3 Water testing kit
4 Tap water conditioner
5 Gravel
6 Filter
7 Food
Before purchase make sure:

1 The aquarium is of a suitable size

Never release an animal or plant bought for a home
aquarium into the wild. It is illegal and for most fish species
this will lead to an untimely and possibly lingering death
because they are not native to this country. Any animals or
plants that do survive might be harmful to the environment.

Important things to remember
Always buy...
test kits and regularly check the water for ammonia, nitrite,
nitrate and pH. This will allow you to make sure the water in
your aquarium is not causing welfare problems for your fish.
Establish a routine...
for testing the water in your aquarium. Record your results
to enable you to highlight fluctuations quickly. Also check
the temperature of the water.
Maintain...
the water in the aquarium within the accepted parameters
highlighted in this leaflet. You may need to do regular water
changes to achieve this.
Always wash your hands...
making sure to rinse off all soap residues, before putting
them into your aquarium. Wash your hands again afterwards
and certainly before eating, drinking or smoking.
Never siphon by mouth...
A fish tank can harbour bacteria which can be harmful if
swallowed. Buy a specially designed aquarium gravel cleaner
which can be started without the need to place the siphon in
your mouth.
Scan this code to
download an
electronic copy

2 Water parameters are as advised in this leaflet.

May 2013

If in doubt contact
your OATA
retail member
for further
information

© Copyright OATA Ltd 2010

How to care for...

Goldfish in
aquaria
10 Coldwater fish

Introduction

Aquarium requirements

Feeding

Goldfish are perhaps the most widely recognised aquarium and
pond fish and have been kept by humans for many centuries.
They were first kept in bowls in China in the third century and
imported into Europe in the 1700s.

If purchasing a small aquarium for small goldfish, be prepared to
upgrade the aquarium as they grow. Whilst keeping goldfish in
smaller aquaria is possible, remember that the bigger the aquarium,
the more stable the environmental conditions such as temperature
and water quality. Whatever the size, a filter is always essential.

Goldfish are opportunistic feeders in the wild and will take most
food types. In the home aquarium, they should be fed with a
good quality flake or pellet. Goldfish require more
carbohydrates than other fish species therefore specialised
goldfish food should be used. They are insatiable feeders and
will constantly look for food. Try not to over feed though as this
can lead to a build up of uneaten food which breaks down
releasing toxic waste in the tank.

Goldfish can be found in many shapes and colour variations,
including the Sarasa comet and Shubunkin, and colours,
including red, blue, yellow, black, white and orange.

Water requirements
Goldfish are an adaptable species and can tolerate a wide range
of environmental conditions. It is suggested that you maintain
the water quality water within the following guideline values:
Temperature:
pH:
Ammonia:
Nitrite:
Hardness:

between 4-25°C
6.0-8.0
0mg/l (0.02mg/l may be tolerated for short
periods)
0mg/l (0.2mg/l may be tolerated for short
periods)
Moderately soft-moderately hard (5-19°dH)

Biology
Carassius auratus is the scientific name for the goldfish which is
a relative of the carp. They are members of the Cyprinidae
family.
Goldfish have reportedly grown to sizes of 40cm+, although in
an aquarium, a maximum size of up to 25cm is more common.
Goldfish can live for many years in an aquarium with good
water quality. There are many reports of fish living 6-8 years
and even up to 20 years or more.
The colour of goldfish is determined by pigmentation cells in
their skin known as chromatophores. The colour produced
depends upon the amount and type of chromatophore present.
Chromatophores respond to light and the colour of your
goldfish may change over time depending upon the lighting
conditions. Juvenile goldfish lose dark pigmentation as they age
and become brighter, and old fish may lose colouration
altogether.
Goldfish can be sexed during the breeding season. Males
develop tubercles (white spots) on their gill covers and pectoral
fins. Females have deeper bodies compared to males.

The tank should also have gravel and ideally live plants present.
The plants are a food source and the addition of oxygenators is
beneficial. If live plants are not used, then the addition of plastic
plants and ornaments is recommended which supplies the fish with
shelter.
A heater is not required for goldfish unless they are kept in a very
cold room. Although goldfish are coldwater fish, they do not
tolerate fluctuations in their water temperature which can cause
stress and lead to disease. Thus, their aquarium should not be
situated near any draughts or heat sources.
Lighting is recommended. If no lighting is added to the tank, then
ensure the room is bright enough. Water testing kits are essential as
goldfish can be very dirty, which can increase levels of ammonia
and nitrite. Water should be checked on a regular basis to ensure it
does not slip below the standards mentioned previously.

Maintenance
At least once every two weeks, a partial water change of 25 to 30%
is strongly recommended (a siphon device is useful to remove waste
from the gravel). The water should be tested regularly to ensure
that pollutants such as ammonia and nitrites don’t build up. Ensure
that you either allow the replacement water to stand or aerate it to
remove any chlorine present. Ideally, treat all replacement water
with tap water conditioner before adding to the aquarium.

Goldfish should only be fed what they can eat within a few
minutes one or two times a day. Remove any uneaten food to
reduce waste build-up.

Stocking levels
Water quality problems will affect fish behaviour and can be
shown by clamped fins, reduced feeding, erratic swimming and
gasping at the surface. Immediately test the water if any of these
symptoms are shown.
If in doubt ask your retailer for advice.

Compatibility
Goldfish can be kept by themselves or with others. It is not
advised that comet goldfish are kept with fancy goldfish. This is
because comets swim faster than the fancies and they often out
compete them for food. In some cases, there are reports of
boisterous goldfish fin nipping the slower swimming fancy
varieties.

Compatibility

Filters should be checked for clogging and blockages. If the filter
needs cleaning, then do not run it under the tap as any chlorine
present may kill the beneficial bacterial population that has
established in the media. Instead, it can be rinsed in the tank water
which is removed during a partial water change as this reduces the
amount of bacteria which are lost.

Goldfish can be successfully bred in large home aquariums. It is
more likely to occur if males and females are kept in a ratio of
2:1 (males: females). Spawning can be induced by slowly
raising the temperature (in effect, mimicking what happens in
spring) to approximately 20°C. It often occurs following a
partial water change.

Good husbandry is essential as these fish can be stressed by even
the smallest amounts of ammonia and nitrite. Test the water to
monitor the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels every week,
especially during initial set-up and after adding extra fish.

Males will chase the females in a courtship display. The fish will
lay eggs in plants or a spawning mop which should be removed
afterwards as goldfish are notorious for eating their eggs and fry.
If successful breeding has taken place, then the eggs will hatch
within three days and dark-coloured fry should be seen
swimming within a few days.



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