Maintaining Your Goldfish

Maintaining Goldfish

Goldfish are one of the most popular and widely enjoyed of all domestic pets. Unfortunately few are given the chance to live to their full life expectancy of 10 years or even longer. To achieve this they must be provided with the right environment and care. There are some simple guidelines to follow.

Too many pet goldfish are confined to small bowls, as it is a common misconception that these fish don’t need to be in a tank. The truth is, unless the owner is able to maintain daily water changes, the fish is very likely to die well before its time. Even if good filtration was possible in a small bowl, pet goldfish are a lot happier with room to swim freely.

Goldfish need a tank big enough to provide at least 7 gallons of water per fish. So if you wanted to keep 4 fish you would need an aquarium that holds at least 27 gallons. Overcrowding will threaten the health of your goldfish so it is worth paying the extra on a bigger tank.

When deciding which tank to buy for your goldfish the most important thing to consider is that it allows plenty of air to get into the water. Goldfish need well oxygenated water to stay healthy, so a long tank is much more suitable than a tall tank. A long tank allows more air to touch the surface and more oxygen to enter the water which is very important to the health of goldfish.

Also aim to keep the water temperature between 65 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Special aquarium thermometers are very cheap to buy and will allow you to easily monitor the temperature. Maintaining the right water temperature will greatly help your goldfish to stay disease free.

You will need a good filtration system for the tank. You need to factor into account the size of the aquarium and one that will be easy to clean and maintain. If you are keeping fancy tail goldfish in the tank don’t choose a filter with a too strong current, as this type of fish will struggle to swim in fast moving water.

The main cause that a goldfish does not reach its live expectancy are overcrowding, overfeeding and bad water quality. To give your goldfish the best chance at a long and healthy life provide a good filter, complete regular water changes and don’t allow uneaten food and other waste to build up in the tank. Waste in the aquarium will cause the water to become toxic which often proves deadly for goldfish.

With very little work and maintenance you and your goldfish will feel the benefits for years to come. Keeping pet goldfish can be a very enjoyable and rewarding experience, and doesn’t have to be short lived.

Get useful facts about make money at home – study quoted web page.

Technorati Tags: Fish and Aquaria, Goldfish

Related articles:

1. How To Fix A Sick Goldfish & Identify Goldfish Disease
2. Thinking About Getting A Bi Orb? Things You Need To Consider Before Buying