How to Keep a Pet Goldfish Alive

Goldfish are great inexpensive pets that kids enjoy. Here are a few good tips to keep from killing them.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Goldfish
• Fish Bowl
• Food

1. 
    

   First get a good glass fishbowl. The more surface area the better. DO NOT clean the bowl with glass cleaner or dish soap ever. Hot water will clean it well. Use a dechlorinator to remove chlorine and other chloramines. Both Novaqua or Right Start are good brands. If you do not have a dechlorinator let the water sit out overnight before you buy any fish. Chlorine will scar the fishes lungs and make breathing difficult or kill them outright. Most tap water is chlorinated.

2. Fill the bowl to the level that creates the most surface area. Surface area helps oxygenate the water. If you have too many fish for the bowl size you will find them all at the top gasping for breath. A bubbler will help, but if you have enough surface area you should be fine. Also about 2 to 3 inches of fish per gallon of water. A 5 gallon tank can support 4 or 5 medium size fish.

3. 
    

   Goldfish like water below 70 degrees. They can tolerate temperatures down to freezing if the temperature change is gradual. Don't have a heater in a goldfish tank. Don't mix them with you community tank tropical fish. Those fish like 78 to 82 degrees. Mix goldfish with other goldfish. Some algae eaters and snails do well at the cooler temps. Also African Frogs can be mixed in if fed a different food.

4. 
    

   Feed goldfish food made for goldfish. They need a different fat and protein content than other fish. You can feed them 2 or 3 times a day as much as they will eat completely in 3 minute. Uneaten food will cloud the water and grow bacteria that rob valuable oxygen from the water.

5. Do partial water changes once every week or 2. Change 25 to 30 percent of the water. The water you add should be dechlorinated or have sat overnight before you add it just like when you fist set up the tank.

6. A few DON'TS. Do not put pennies in the water. A copper penny will kill fish and snails. My relative who cleans and cares for saltwater aquariums says a single copper penny can kill a 500 gallon aquarium full of fish. Don't allow kids to throw pennies in outdoor fish pond either.

Tips & Warnings

• Sudden changes in temperature will put a fish in shock and kill or sicken it. When adding new water or a new fish to an aquarium give the water time to equalize in temperature before you add it.

[prettyevil]

on 3/10/2009 Great tips. I see so many fish articles that get it all wrong; it's so nice to see one who has it right.

[harrietcat]

on 1/27/2009 Wow! I didn't know the thing about the pennies! 5*

[eugene2009]

on 1/15/2009 Lol I had like 5 goldfish die because I didnt know what i was doing when i was a kid! lol 5*

[soanyway]

on 12/27/2008 I love my little ping pong ball fish I win at the fair! I once had 2 live for 3 years! I now have 3 more. Thanks for the article! Happy New Year!

[JackLTrades]

on 12/17/2008 and keep the pennies out.. copper kills fish