How to Make Your Goldfish Thrive @ Home

Intro: How to Make Your Goldfish Thrive @ Home

The goldfish bowl is an outdated fish torture device. Learn how to care for these fish properly.

STEP 1: Tank Size

For (long bodied) common/comet/shubunkin goldfish you will need 200 litres (50 gallons) for the first one and 80 litres (20 gallons) for each additional.

For fancy goldfish (fantails,pearlscale,celestial etc) you should have 80 litres (20 gallons) for the first one and 40 litres (10 gallons) for each additional.

Long bodied goldfish and celestials should be kept in a species only tank.

STEP 2: Filteration

Like all fish goldfish need filtration.

You should buy a filter capable of filtering the tank water 10 times an hour.

So buy the most powerful filter you can afford.

You will also need to cycle the aquarium
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/fishless_cycling.php
This can take up to 4 weeks.

STEP 3: Feeding

A goldfish has a stomach about the size of its eye.

I would feed a small goldfish the amount it can consume in 2 minutes every day
and a large goldfish a larder amount daily.

Choose a goldfish food containing low amounts of flours and wheats and higher amounts of vegetation and meat such as worms and shrimp.

STEP 4: Maintenance

# Do 25% water changes weekly using a siphon.

# Always use water dechlorinator. This removes the chlorine and chloramines. from the water.

# Add a little aquarium salt to help fight infection about 1 tsp per 20 litres (5 gallons).

# Wash out the filter cartridge in old tank water monthly. Do not rinse the cartridge so much that all the bacteria comes out of it, or you will have a re-cycle and your fish will die. Just rinse the cartridge a little so water flow is normal.

STEP 5: Adding the Goldfish

Only add one fish a week so the filter can handle the bio load.

1. Float the bag the fish is in for 15 minutes.

2. Add 1 cup of your cycled aquarium water to the bag.

3. Wait 10 minutes.

4. Gently net the fish into the aquarium and discard the bag water.

STEP 6: The End

Please comment, question and make suggestions so i can improve on my instructable.

Comments

[profquatermass]

Not strictly true. A goldfish has no stomach.

The food simply passes along its intestinal tract and what is not absorbed falls out.

So if you over feed your goldfish, you get masses of solid looking poo strings.
And as this hasn't had all the protein removed, it really pollutes the tank!

Most commercial goldfish food is designed for small young goldfish which do need a little higher than normal amounts of protein.

But once the fish is over say 3" in length, switch to a very low protein food like peas, etc. with animal protein fed only occasionally.

[chuckr44]

The page below says goldfish have a stomach.
http://thegab.org/Articles/GoldfishInternalAnatomy.html

[profquatermass]

If you read the page you refer more fully it also says on that page

"Fancy goldfish don't have a stomach like ours, it's more like an enlarged continuation of the intestine. "

or if you like a second opinion:

"food moves down through the esophagus to what would be the stomach if they had a stomach (which they don't). Muscles in the esophagus squeeze excess water out of the food. The goldfish intestional tract is a long tube."
http://thegab.org/Articles/GoldfishNutrition1.html

or

"Goldfish differ from most tropical fish in that they lack a stomach, so they will produce more feces and wastes when an excessive amount of food is offered. Thus it is essential to feed them the proper amount of food and to regularly"
http://www.petgoldfish.net/goldfish-care.html

again...

"Most unusual of all - even among fish - they have no stomach. "
http://www.happy-goldfish.com/blog/category/goldfish-biology/

I suppose some unknowing people call it a stomach because that's where the food goes first so surely it must be called the 'stomach'. :-)

Technically the first area after the esophagus (think throat) is called the "anterior intestinal bulb" in Goldfish. It's just gut. Not a stomach at all.

Koi are the same as are quite a few other fish.

With a goldfish, if you put in too much food, you get out food purée ;-)))

:-)

[MakerBreaker]

Goldfish DO Have stomaches! its a myth that their stomaches are the size of their eye and its a myth that they dont have stomaches. they have a stomach but its not like humans. their brains dont alert them when they get too full thats why they die what they are overfed. and yes i did alot of research on this and have asked some professionals at some of my local fish stores and they also have said that goldfish have stomaches

[profquatermass]

Sorry but you are still mistaken.

Yes it's a myth that they have stomachs the size of their eyes, just like it is a myth they have stomachs.

If you did a lot of research, then you'd be able to quote people, web sites and scientific papers that back you up like I did.

Sorry but saying you asked some staff in a fish shop doesn't cut it. It is well known that staff in local fish shops are usually non-qualified in any fish-based biology. But I'd be more than happy if you quote their name and cite their sources. :-)

Goldfish do not' 'have stomachs. Why do you persist in thinking they do?
All you have to do is walk up to a college or veterinary building and ask a Vet or fish biologist. They'll set you straight. :-)

[maxiaxie]

SHUT THE HELL UP THE LOT OF YOU!!!
Now, goldfish DO NOT have stomachs. However, their intestines act like a stomach, filtering out nutrients. Just accept that.
And Profquatermass, stop acting like a baby and accept that some people believe urban legends. Do you believe that goldfish have 10-second memories? They don't. I've trained goldfish, koi carp and swordtails to respond to colours with different actions. My axolotls are now obsessed with the colour yellow that they attribute to feeding-time (though axolotls aren't fish, they're amphibians).

[TheBestBud]

Pardon me, but what about the "be nice policy"? No cussing y'all.

[chuckr44]

Thanks for clarifying. I had never heard this before.

[MakerBreaker]

no they dont have stomaches but they do have intestins which work like stomaches, and it goes the same for koi

[profquatermass]

Of course they have intestines. I didn't say they didn't.

[fought piranhas]

Thanx!  I'm a new goldfish owner.  I have four beautiful, happy fat-belly goldfish.  I also have algae that makes my tank look dirty.  :(  Any suggestions on that, or should I just scrub it off at water change and quit my gripin'?

[Grooby]

You might want to add Chinese Algae Eater fish to the tank one of the few cold water  algae eaters.
I found these in a fish Shop in Lower Hutt,  Wellington, New Zealand, it has been verry good cleaning the algae my tank. But dont know about other parts of the world.
www.thinkfish.co.uk/fish/Sucking_Loach/

[fought piranhas]

Thank you!  I ended up getting a  clown plecostamus, and he is doing a pretty good job on my algae. 

[Grooby]

Cool, Now I should get another tank. just looked at at it and it looks like it would suit my tank better than my Chinese Algae Eater.  Thank you

[fought piranhas]

No problem!   I have to tell you, though, you might not see much of your clown plecostamus!  Mine is SO shy.  He hides in a hole in my texas holey rock all day.  But, like I said, at night he does his job with the algae. :)  

[Grooby]

My tends to hide as well but. he gets use to you in the room and starts cleaning away again.

[TheBestBud]

That's so cute, I know that fish can have personalities but I've never heard of a fish being shy!!

[I3uckwheat]

Every time i get an algae eater it just sits there and does nothing. i dont know why lol.

[goldfishandbetta]

My goldfish charlie and Jack will probably love it.

[juicymoose]

yay thanks alot i have 1 black moor and organda and they are very happy!