If you mention goldfish tanks some of us will still picture goldfish won at the fair and a round glass bowl for them to live in. Well think again! Goldfish bowls are so out of fashion and aquariums are in. They provide better environments for goldfish to live in and make them happy, while you also stand a better chance of being able to keep them alive.
We’ve come a long way since the days of fairground fish and goldfish bowls, and there is a now a much better general understanding of fish’s needs and many more types of tanks on offer.
Goldfish need space to swim around in and grow, as goldfish can potentially grow to be up to 15cm long, if you provide them with the right living conditions.
The minimum size tank you should really consider getting to keep goldfish is about 60cm (24″). In this size tank you could keep a few fish but if they grew too big you might have to re-home them in a bigger tank or a pond.
Be wary of some of the small tanks that are recommended for keeping goldfish in as many of them are simply too small and this is cruel to the fish. Not only will your fish need some room to swim around in but the larger the tank the easier it is to keep the water clean, which is essential for the health of your goldfish.
A filter is highly recommended, even in goldfish tanks, as all fish produce toxic waste that can harm them if they are left to build up. A filter removes this waste, keeps the water clean and maintains a good environment for the goldfish so they are happy and healthy.
Goldfish will die easily if the water in the tank is poor quality, so a filter is the only way to make sure it is of good quality. Don’t be fooled into thinking that plants will maintain the water quality by oxygenating it through photosynthesis, as plants only photosynthesize during the day. At night they remove oxygen from the water, and apart from that goldfish are likely to eat to plants anyway!
If you have an air pump in your tank this will help the water condition a little but if you want to keep healthy, happy fish you really do need a filter. Also remember that an air pump needs to run 24 hours a day to have any effect at all and they can be quite noisy so a filter makes much more sense.
Most basic goldfish tanks available come with an under-gravel filter but you need to look after them. There are several other types of filters available as well but it depends on what type of tank you’re getting as to what the most suitable is.
Whatever goldfish tank you choose remember never to top it up with tap water as it contains chlorine, which is toxic to fish. Always treat the water you add to the tank with a water conditioner or dechlorinator. You can get these from any aquarium supplier or shop.
Before you begin to look around at the different types of goldfish tanks on offer, remember that goldfish can live for many years, so it’s a big commitment getting some. There are some beautiful aquariums available so once you’re sure of your commitment to keeping fish you should get many hours of pleasure from it.
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Thanks, this was very helpful. A good page & a happy reader; well done. :]
hi good article