by FrankenPen

Created on: January 08, 2007   Last Updated: March 14, 2007

Goldfish (Cassius auratus) can make a great and wonderful pet. They're surprisingly intelligent and very interactive. Goldfish are one of the most popular pet fish available, and it's easy to see why. Of course, there's more to caring for a goldfish than a simple bowl and some water. For their long-term health, there are a few key considerations when contemplating a goldfish for a pet.

Goldfish grow much larger than most people think. Although it varies between the standard (wild-type) and fancy goldfish, their ultimate adult size ranges from around 8 inches to nearly two-feet in length! A small bowl is not an appropriate home for a goldfish. An aquarium size of around 15-20 gallons PER goldfish is much more acceptable, due to various reasons.

While goldfish are very hardy fish and can live for a few years in a bowl, consider the impact this will have on the fish. They will quickly become stunted and unhealthy. Fancy goldfish have been inbred for so many generations (to bring out certain desirable physical traits), and their immune systems are often compromised in the process. This leaves them susceptible to many diseases, so good water quality is essential in their care, which is very difficult to maintain in a small aquarium or bowl.

Goldfish are also fast growers, and subsequently heavy feeders. They create a mess while eating. An ideal feeding regimen includes multiple small feedings per day (3-5) of a good quality fish food. Goldfish tend more to the herbivorous side of the diet spectrum, and their staple diet can be supplemented with common greens (romaine lettuce, seaweed, etc.).

Water quality in a goldfish aquarium should be monitored daily until a routine is established. With the amount of waste these fish can produce, the water parameters can fluctuate rather quickly, bringing down the quality of their water. Water changes and proper filtration will be necessary to keep your pet happy and healthy. A neutral pH (7.0) and zero readings for ammonia and nitrite are mandatory for good health. Nitrates (the end product of the breakdown of waste in the nitrogen cycle) should be kept at 50ppm or less. Testing the water to determine when a change should be done is necessary. Simple math can be applied. For example, a single goldfish in a 20g tank with a nitrate reading of 100ppm would require a minimum of a 50% water change, which would bring the nitrates to 50ppm. Ideally, smaller, more consistent changes are less stressful on the fish and allow for better health.

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