How to Take Care of a Goldfish

"I think there's something great and generic about goldfish. They're everybody's first pet." ~ Paul Rudd

I don't know about you, but my first pet was a goldfish named Goldy! I know the name is very outdated, but it was when I was the little girl at school and not a professional writer! Goldy was the only one I shared my room with, she..., well I don't know if she was actually a she or a he, because it's pretty hard to tell in case of fish, but Goldy was the only one I shared all my secrets with because I knew he won't tell anyone, because he simply can't!! Hehehe! Anyway, enough about my first pet, but almost all of us have had a goldfish as a pet. They are always preferred over others because of the fact that they look amazingly pretty and cute, and second that you really don't have to do much when it comes to taking care of them. They are not like other pets such as cats and dogs who require constant grooming, hugging, cuddling, etc. Therefore, goldfish are the best pets for those who don't have too much time to give to their pets, but still want to keep a pet anyway! If you are considering to get a goldfish for yourself, then apart from the excitement, you must know how to take care of a goldfish too. It's simple and easy, and also cost-effective. Have a look at what you need to do, and get ready to get a goldfish yourself.

Essential Tips to Take Care of a Goldfish

Caring for goldfish is one of the most effortless jobs! Unlike other pets, did you know that a goldfish can go without food for weeks? But that strictly does NOT mean that you will keep them hungry! Goldfish love to eat and they love to explore. Have a look at the following tips and know all that a goldfish expects from you.

• The first thing to take care is the water in which goldfish need to be kept. A single goldfish needs about 20 gallons of water! So make sure that you get a fish tank which has the capacity to fill in 20 gallons of water, if you are looking forward to keep one goldfish. If you want to have more than 1 goldfish in your tank, then you need to add an extra 10 gallon for that. This means, that for 1 goldfish you would need 20 gallons, for 2 goldfish 30 gallons, 3 goldfish would require 40 gallons and so on.
• Another important factor is to keep a check on the water temperature, which should always be within 65°F - 68°F. You can use a thermometer to keep a check on that. If the temperature of the water is more than 72°F, then the levels of oxygen in the water will decrease, resulting in serious illness and diseases in your goldfish.
• The next thing that you need to keep in mind is that a goldfish should always be kept in aged water, especially when it comes to taking care of a goldfish in a bowl. You can check at the fish pet store if the tap water in your area in suitable for the goldfish. You need to make sure that the water doesn't contain too much of chlorine. If that is the case, there are tablets available which can help in getting rid of the excess chlorine. Or you can also open the tap for about 2 minutes and let the water flow, after 2 minutes fill the water in a bucket and keep it overnight! Keeping the water overnight helps in getting rid of the chlorine as well.
• It is always advisable not to keep a goldfish in a bowl. Did you know that a goldfish can live up to 20 years if taken care of properly? And keeping a goldfish in a bowl reduces its life expectancy by almost 80%. If you love your goldfish then you better get a spacious fish tank with a filter in it, which would help your goldfish live in a clean toxic free water.
• Another important tip is to choose a filter which is appropriate for your goldfish! Make sure that the filter doesn't produce too much of current to make it difficult for the goldfish to swim.
• Also make sure that you change at least 10-15% of water in the tank every week. This is important in order to clean the waste that the filter failed to remove. Never change the water more than 15% as the temperature of the water would change, which is something that we don't want.
• Now let us come to the part which involves essential tips for feeding your goldfish! This point is very important, especially for kids, as they love to feed the fish all the time. This is something you must never do! Just feed the fish once in a day. Although goldfish love to eat, too much of eating may not be good for their health! Just feed them the amount of food which they can finish within 2 minutes. Give them high quality and foods rich in carbohydrates. The excess food will make the water more dirty and will increase the chances of your goldfish to become sick.
• Another important tip to make your pet feel more at home is to give it a lot of hiding places in the tank. goldfish are prey animals and therefore, they love to dig into the sand and look for places where they can hide. In order to make the goldfish feel more safe and secure, it is advisable to give it a lot of cover.
• Also make sure that the decorations which you are using for your goldfish tank are not too sharp or edgy as this may hurt the little creatures while they swim. Since goldfish love to dig, it is advisable to keep small and light pebbles so that it becomes easy for them to dig.
• Many people keep only one goldfish in a bowl, but it is preferred to keep them in a tank if you want them to live healthier and longer! Be very careful in choosing a companion/companions for a goldfish as not all other fish can be kept with them! Check with your fish dealer for the same.

As mentioned earlier, goldfish have the least maintenance as compared to other pets! However, you must follow the aforementioned tips in order to have a long living, healthy, and active friend for a long time! All the best!