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Goldfish care and feeding I’m not going to cover housing in this section, although that’s the most important part of goldfish care; it deserves its own article. Also, I’m not going to cover diseases in depth. Why? Two reasons. One, there are a number of excellent books on the topic, a scant few of which are on the books page. Two, and more important: goldfish are extremely healthy creatures. If you keep them in very large amounts of clean water, they should not be sick. My fish have yet to experience swim bladder, ich, or any other “common” malady while in the 125 gallon. Thus, I’ve come to firmly believe that these “normal” diseases are entirely preventable. And if your fish really has something severe and not preventable, like a tumor or parasite, you don’t want my help – you want a vet. Let me make this point very clear, though: just like humans, fish never “just die.” 98% of the time, it’s entirely preventable, almost always by the owner. So if you’re experiencing a lot of fish deaths, or even just a few – figure out why! It’s not just “well, fish die.” Goldfish live to 20 years, easily. If your fish didn’t live to at least 10, something was wrong! Filtration. I bet you can guess what I think on this subject – the more the better. However, here’s something fresh and new: on this subject I actually support quantity over quality. Obviously I’m not saying “buy cheap filters that will break down after six months,” but you don’t need a wet-dry, and you don’t need a canister. You can get three big power/HOB filters for the price of a big canister. The HOBs are easier to clean, provide more surface agitation, more media space, and are – this is worth repeating – easier to clean. In many situations a canister is a great filter, but not as a sole goldfish filter. Having two or more HOBs allows you to clean one a week without seriously disrupting the bacterial colonies, which is important. Aeration. Totally unnecessary. No, really. If you have good filters and lots of surface agitation, especially in a cooler-water tank, you should have no problems with inadequate dissolved oxygen. If you like the bubble look (I’m not a fan), go for it, but you don’t need it. If you notice your fish gasping at the surface, add a filter (although check for other causes as well – that’s a common sign of nitrite poisoning, for example). Gravel. First, let’s be clear: it’s not necessary. Oh, it’s a nice place for the good bacteria to live, and to put your plants, and so on, but you don’t need it. Plants can go in pots, bacteria happily live in the filter, and bare-bottom tanks are easier to keep clean. But, no one ever wants one. The issue is that goldfish can get gravel caught in their throats or in their intestines. Generally, people recommend getting very large gravel so this isn’t a worry. However, goldfish get big – even pebbles will eventually be just the right (or wrong) size to get caught in a fishie throat. Instead, I recommend very small gravel, about 3mm. This will allow the goldfish to easily spit it out, or, if it’s swallowed, it won’t cause intestinal blockages. If you start out with very small fish, leave the tank bare for a few months until they can be safely housed with small gravel. Another solution is river rocks, but those are both expensive and difficult to vacuum, so I don’t recommend them. The small gravel is ideal for plants, too. Don’t forget to vacuum! Heating – is it necessary? Yes and no. I don’t heat my 125, because the room temp never falls below 65, and because it’s enough water that there are never sharp changes. However, you fish are probably safer with a heater, especially under 100 gallons. But - it’s much better to have no heater at all than a cheap one that could roast your fish. Don’t skimp here! Ideally, you’d have two heaters, one rated to heat half the tank and one a bit more (in mine, for example, I could have a 300 watt and a 350). If the lower-wattage heater is set a few degrees above the other, it will do the job of maintaining the temperature. Only if the tank is quite chilled will the larger one kick in, thus minimizing the possibility that the powerful heater will die and roast your fish. Plants and other decorations will get their own article. Feeding. As with all fish – all animals, really – variety is the spice of life. In fact, it’s more important with fish because we don’t know as much about fish nutrition as about that of, say, dogs. Feeding one brand of flakes might lead to a nutritional deficiency, but if you feed three brands, probably not. I like Hikari, Tetra, and Omega One, and am on the lookout for that “PureSpectrum” stuff they advertise in the fish mags. Moreover, I feed canned veggies, mostly spinach with occasional cans of green peans, peas, or other treats. Trust me – this is why they love me. Spinach is the ultimate goldfish bribe. Not a fan of canned foods? Buy fresh, blanch, skin, and drop in whatever green veggie seems realistic. Celery: not real likely. Cucumber, skinned? A big favorite. You can also try some fruits, including pears, oranges, and tomatoes. Flakes are fine for young fish. I don’t agree with that old wives’ tale about eating from the surface causing swim bladder, because I’ve had goldies eating floating pellets and flakes for years with nary a flipover. After they reach a certain size, switch to pellets; floating or sinking is your choice (I use a mix, of course). And beyond that, you’ll need koi pellets or trout chow, which can be purchased in 50-lb bags. |
