I just bought two goldfish. They're the "fancy" goldfish. Calico? I think. Anyway, I don't have a clue on how to take excellent care of them. I can give them what they need, but I do want to learn more about them. Are there any websites or tips that anyone could lend me? I don't know much about their behavior either. Perhaps I should buy a book? Any ideas? I know this is a very vague post, but any help would be awesome. Thank you!
I'm very new at this.
- Thread starter dstnydcvr
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Dangerdoll
Global Moderator
Warning! Warning! Fancy goldfish can get up to 12 inches and require at least 10gallons of water each, 20 gallons for a single one. If you don't think you can supply that much room for them then I would return them and go for some small tropicals. If you can provide for them I greatly reccomend them. I have an oranda and a couple other fancys and they have lots of personality. ;-) Good luck!
Be prepared to have your goldfish a long time if you take care of them properly. I had a Koi that I won at a fair and he lived for 20 years. Someone told me that almost all species of goldfish will live this long or longer if taken care of properly. I have no idea if this is true, so somebody correct me if I am wrong.
yes, goldfish can live for decades. all the people who keep a goldfish in a bowl and think they're done a good job because it lived for 3 or 4 years are sadly mistaken. i'd go with a 30 gallon minimum for the first one and at least 10 or 15 gallons more for each additional fish.
Dangerdoll
Global Moderator
I agree with wataugachicken, they are a long-lived fish if treated correctly. They are heavy bio-producers so adequate filtration and strict water changes are a must. Once they do get fist sized, they do seemed to grab a hold of the heart strings though and can be big beauties. Be careful if you put any other fish in the tank as anything they can swallow will eventually make it to their robust bellies.
dstnydcvr said:
Just a word of advice. It's a great idea to buy books and check out websites to research the fish you are interested in, however, you should do that before you buy them! That way you are prepared and don't find yourself responsible for a life that you "don't have a clue on how to take excellent care of".
I was reading this week that Koi can be so long-lived that they were often passed from generation to generation in wills in Japan.
