The goldfish is widely considered one of the lowest maintenance pets available. There is a great deal of truth in this statement: there is no need to take it out on walks in the rain, nor the requirement to fix a fish-flap into your backdoor. Despite the relative ease with which fish can be kept however; there are still a few commonly made mistakes when it comes to looking after these water loving companions. The following points are by no means an exhaustive list of aspects to consider but are most definitely worth bearing in mind if you're planning to invest in an aquatic pal:
1- Chlorine is good for swimming pools...but not good for fish tanks: Although relatively hardy, there are some things which fish struggle to tolerate. Unfortunately one of these things is chlorine and other trace elements, which it just so happens are often present in small quantities in tap water. In order to prevent this chlorine and other contaminants from posing a threat to your goldfish, run the tap for at least 30 seconds before filling the tank. In addition it is advisable to add some de-chlorination solution to the water.
2- Fish are sociable: Research has suggested that gold fish enjoy watching their owners go about their daily lives as much as we take pleasure in watching them do the same. As such: keep your fish tank somewhere visible and relatively light (but out of direct sunlight), this also lessens the risk of forgetting to feed your fish.
3- Don't overfeed your fish: Overfeeding is the single largest cause of premature death in goldfish. They pretty greedy chaps and are unlikely to stop eating just because they're full, so you must make sure that they don't get carried away. Once a day should be the absolute maximum in terms of feeding regularity. I personally have found that once every two days is absolutely perfect: it also saves a little money on fish food!
4- Careful with the water temperature: Goldfish are coldwater fish, that does not however mean you should fill the tank with cold water...confusing, I know. The ideal is in fact a more ambient temperature: a couple of degrees lower than room temperature is perfectly adequate. So remember to add a little warm water to cold water and test to ensure that it isn't icy cold (nor actively warm!).
5- Clean the tank out: Goldfish are relatively dirty animals, then again so would you be if you ate and excreted in the same small space! As such, even if the water in the tank looks clean it may well be rather saturated with none too pleasant micro-organisms. Clean the tank out regularly and make sure to abide by the previous points about de-chlorination and temperature when doing so to keep your fish happy.
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