Goldfish Breeding

Goldfish make wonderful pets and are easy to maintain as well. They do no need much attention and make ideal pets for those with a busy lifestyle and less time to spare for pets. Goldfish belongs to the family of 'Carassius Auratus' and are of different varieties like 'comet', 'shubunkins', 'oranda', 'watkins', 'telescope', etc. It is best to keep them in fish tanks or aquariums rather than keeping them in bowls, as they require a little more space compared to other fish, that are kept as pets. Goldfish breeding is an easy process, but you need to know some of the basics before you can actually try breeding them. Breeding goldfish needs to be done in a very systematic manner so that you are not disappointed at the end of it.

How to Breed Goldfish - Choosing a Goldfish
Goldfish can be bred twice a year and they need warm temperatures for breeding. Goldfish that are two years or older are ideal for breeding but those that are five to six years old will be the best for breeding goldfish. While choosing the specimens for goldfish breeding, choose those that are of good quality and assess them according to their color, size and structure of their body and the fins. Choose a higher ratio of male goldfish, like two males for one female, for better chances at breeding.

Determining the Gender of Goldfish
Determining the gender of goldfish is a bit difficult and this can be done accurately only when they reach the spawning stage. A female goldfish has a protruding, heavier abdomen and is plumper, while a male goldfish develops a breeding tubercle on the gills, when it reaches the spawning condition. A male goldfish also has a slight white bump on its head which can be easily spotted. You may find it difficult to determine the gender of a goldfish initially, but it will be fairly easier with practice. You can also seek the help of a professional goldfish breeder to get a hang of this process.

Preparing the Goldfish for Spawning
You can start preparing the goldfish for breeding in early spring, right after winter. The first step of preparation would be to clean the goldfish. For this, you will need to add a cleaning solution which can be made by mixing together 6 drops of copper sulphate, one measure of terramycin and 80 drops of formaldehyde in 4 gallons of water. Add this solution to the water in the aquarium and let the goldfish remain in it for around 20 minutes. Then remove them and place them in a container of clean water. You can then start preparing the aquarium for spawning.

You need to create a natural spawning environment for goldfish breeding. This can be done by cleaning 20% of the water daily and replacing it with tap water. You can also use a water conditioner after cleaning the water. Next, add spawning props like natural plants, artificial or coconut fibers, spawning mops, etc. in the tank. Then make sure that the water temperature in the tank is around 26°C, which is the ideal temperature for breeding goldfish. Place the goldfish back into the tank and keep feeding them at regular intervals, so that the female develops healthy eggs and the males develop 'milt', a substance required to fertilize the eggs.

Spawning Process
When the Goldfish are ready for mating, you will be able to observe a 'spawning chase' that is characterized by the male swimming close to the females abdomen for a long time. This process usually takes place during the mornings and the goldfish will be seen swimming in batches. When the female is ready, she releases the eggs and the male goldfish deposit the milt over the eggs to fertilize them. The female releases around five hundred to a thousand eggs at one time. Here you should note that goldfish eat their eggs and so the parent goldfish should be removed or the eggs should be removed from the tank as soon as they are fertilized. If you remove the eggs, they need to be washed in water that has the same temperature as the tank. Then place the eggs in a 20 gallon tank which has water up to six inches and the temperature should be around 21°C for the eggs to hatch.

Hatching of Goldfish Eggs
The eggs that look very clear are the ones that are most fertile. You should observe the eggs regularly, as the eggs that are not very fertile are susceptible to fungal infection, that may also spread to the healthy eggs. After the eggs have hatched they will have a translucent yolk sac, which will make them sink to the bottom of the tank. This is a common phenomenon and after the yolk sac is absorbed, they obtain an air bladder and start swimming. At this stage, you can start feeding them commercially available food at intervals of half an hour. After this you will need to follow the basics of goldfish care until a few days.

Once you have gained a substantial amount of experience in goldfish breeding, you can take it up as a hobby or even become a professional breeder. Goldfish breeding can be fun but needs a lot of patience, practice and care.