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How To Treat Sick Goldfish

June 24th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Not all sick goldfish can be treated but if you can identify the disease and act quickly then you have a good chance of being able to save your goldfish.

When a goldfish is sick it will show signs in its behavior such as:

• clamped fins
• shaking body
• constant scratching against objects in the tank
• hiding in the corners
• gasping at the surface
• swimming abnormally

With the exception of wounds and some visible fish parasites the treatment of sick goldfish takes place in water either in their own tank or, if possible, in a separate hospital or quarantine tank. A separate treatment tank will allow you to administer the correct dose of medication as you should be able to easily calculate the volume of water. If you use a hospital tank it should be aerated but activated carbon should be removed from any filter as it will absorb the medication.

Before returning your fish to the main tank or pond remove the medication from the hospital tank by doing partial regular water changes. This will assist to acclimatize the fish to the clean water conditions of the main tank.

Your hospital tank won’t need plants or ornaments although you might like to add a couple of plastic plants to give the fish a feeling of security.

See the comprehensive article on how to treat sick goldfish for additional information

How To Breed Goldfish

June 15th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Discovering how to breed goldfish can be a fun, easy and fascinating study into goldfish mating and spawning processes. If you have a breeding tank and five fertile goldfish, you are already on your way to many tiny fry. Breeding goldfish is far and away the most interesting part of keeping goldfish for me. It can also be the most frustrating part.

Goldfish breeding originated in China at the height of the Ming dynasty in approximately 1400 AD. This first elite and valued breeding stock was originally a political yet gracious gift from Japanese rulers to the Chinese rulers of the Ming Dynasty as a symbol of good will. Goldfish breeding is the answer why. As people get more into their hobby they would eventually like to see their fish breed. Goldfish breeding tends to be a rough and tumble affair.

Eggs should be incubated for 8 or 9 days at 18?C. Ten drops of 1% Methylene Blue should be added to each 10 litres of well-aerated aquarium water. Eggs will generally hatch in from 4 - 7 days, depending on the water temperature. The fry are quite small at the time of hatching, and feed for the first 3 -5 days on the attached yolk sac.

Spawning is stimulated with frequent water changes. Spawning mops or plants need to be in the water for the eggs to adhere to.

Learning how to breed goldfish is a rewarding part of fish-keeping.

Finding Nemo Syndrome - What Is It?

April 28th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Finding Nemo Syndrome is the reckless practice by fishowners of flushing unwanted fish down the the toilet or releasing them into waterways. Despite many years of education this practice is still occurring.

Newcastle in New South Wales looks like the latest victim of Finding Nemo Syndrome as a small feral population of the exotic fish platys has been found in a drain connected with the city’s main water supply.

It seems that the aggressive platy has few natural enemies in the wild - at least in Australia - and the discovery of these fish in the water supply has led some scientists to compare it with the the cane toad, the Indian myna bird and the rabbit as an introduced species with the potential to wreak havoc on the native ecosystem.

Please, goldfish and exotic fish owners, if you no longer want to keep you fish please dispose of it humanely or give it to a friend because the damage it could cause if released into the wild is incalculable.

Please Don’t keep your goldfish in a bowl!

April 15th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Goldfish keeping provides a lot of fun for many people. It does require more investment and more effort than most people realize, but it can be very rewarding. Many people get started in their fishkeeping hobby with a goldfish in a bowl.

Keeping goldfish in a bowl is not recommended as the small round space is very restrictive for your pet and will cause it stress which can lead to a range of goldfish diseases. If you have a goldfish in a bowl we suggest moving it to an aquarium as soon as possible. See Treating Sick Goldfish for additional information if you think your goldfish is suffering, and discover How To Set Up A Fish Tank at www.GoldfishSite.com
Goldfish bowls are curved, giving no accurate viewing angle. The bowl shape causes the objects inside to look bigger than they really are, and conversely can cause us to look smaller than we really are to the goldfish.

Fish in the wild live in different water conditions than the tap water we have. There are more dissolved salts in their natural habitat and their water is harder. Fishkeeping is also therapeutic; gazing into their silent world actually slows your heart rate, and calms nerves. But it is also a responsibility - a goldfish is for life.

Tropical fish need to have their tank water at a warm 78 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit. Your goldfish, on the other hand, like a cooler water temperature between 65 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Tropical fish food is too acidic for a goldfish’s digestive system. It is true that goldfish will eat tropical fish food, but they may gain very little nutritional benefit from it.

Feed sparingly once daily. Overfeeding can lead to swimbladder (floating) problems, a condition that goldfish are susceptible to. Read more about goldfish diseases.

Keeping Goldfish

February 27th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Keeping Goldfish - Goldfish Care and Aquarium Maintenance

Fish tank maintenance is the first step in keeping goldfish and is an important part of owning a tank of healthy fish. A well-maintained aquarium makes keeping goldfish easy and takes little time.

If you prefer you can hire an aquarium maintenance service to come to your home or office and care for your fish tank and its occupants. On the other hand, taking care of your goldfish yourself can be very satisfying.

The Steps In Keeping Goldfish

The most important piece of equipment in your fish tank is the filtration system. There are several different types of filtration system. A type of filter that you will frequently encounter is a box that fits over the side of the tank. The water circulates through the filtration system, which usually uses charcoal or a similar filter media to filter out the impurities in the water. Another type of filtration system is a biological filter. Biological filtration can be used in conjunction with a charcoal filtration system, and permits good bacteria to grow in the tank which helps to keep the tank clean.

The number of goldfish you have in your aquarium can impact on the water quality, especially if you have too many fish in a tank that is too small. It is important to ensure that you have the correct goldfish population for the size of tank you own. Do not overcrowd your fish. After overcrowding, the next most likely cause of problems with your goldfish is overfeeding. Goldfish should only be fed an amount they can eat within a few minutes. If you feed your goldfish too much, the uneaten food will fall to the bottom of the tank and turn into sludge which will not provide a healthy environment for your fish to live in. Uneaten food can also lead to algal growth.

Partial Water Changes

You will need to perform partial water changes every two weeks or so as a central part of keeping goldfish. This keeps the algae level down and helps to maintain a healthy environment for your goldfish. Typically, siphon off about 20 percent of the water and replace with fresh water. If your tap water contains chlorine it is imperative that you add a chlorine neutralizer when adding fresh water to your fish tank.

Observe Your Fish Daily

Observe your goldfish on a daily basis. Ensure that all your equipment is running properly. Always make sure your filter is running as it can sometimes lose its prime if there is a power outage. Make sure your air pump is working properly, too, to ensure your goldfish have plenty of oxygen. Goldfish don’t need a heater but if you have tropical fish they will require a heater to maintain the water temperature.

Just keeping an eye on your fish on a daily basis and observing their behavior can help with your goldfish care and tank maintenance. If you notice any behavioral problems with your fish, take a proactive approach to determine what is wrong with them and treat the symptoms immediately. Sick fish should be put into a quarantine tank if possible while being treated.

Maintaining a clean aquarium and a healthy living environment are not difficult tasks in keeping goldfish, and a little preventative fish tank maintenance on a regular basis will keep your fish healthy and disease free.

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