10 Goldfish In Aquaria Care Sheet

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

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How to care for...

Goldfish in

aquaria

10 Coldwater fish

If in doubt contact

your OATA

retail member

for further

information

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© Copyright OATA Ltd 2010 May 2013

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.

Never release your aquarium

animals or plants into the wild

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.

Equipment

Glass or plastic aquarium

Gravel cleaner

Water testing kit

Tap water conditioner

Gravel

Filter

Food

Before purchase make sure:

The aquarium is of a suitable size

Water parameters are as advised in this leaflet.

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Before purchase make sure that:

You have the appropriate equipment and position for

the aquarium.

You have researched all the species you are interested

in and your final choices are all compatible.

You are familiar with how to transport and release

your fish.

You are aware of the daily, weekly and monthly

maintenance your aquarium will require.

You are prepared to look after your fish properly for

the duration of their life.

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Checklist

Introduction

Maintenance

Feeding

Water requirements

Stocking levels

Aquarium 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: between 4-25°C

pH: 6.0-8.0

Ammonia: 0mg/l (0.02mg/l may be tolerated for short

periods)

Nitrite: 0mg/l (0.2mg/l may be tolerated for short

periods)

Hardness: Moderately soft-moderately hard (5-19°dH)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Biology

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

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.

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.

Compatibility