How to take good care of goldfish?

Contrary to what many may believe, the goldfish is not a fish that just goes around in circles all its life in a small bowl. It is very sad to subject such a life to an animal.

At the Jardin des Animaux, we try to undo this belief so that we can give better living conditions to these magnificent colorful freshwater fish. Although they are physically very aesthetic, they are not decorations and their needs must be met like any other living being.

So here is a compilation of things you might not know about them.

Goldfish are social animals

In the wild, goldfish are not solitary. He rather lives in bench. So be sure to offer him at least one congener to avoid boredom and stress. We offer about fifteen gallons per fish, so the aquarium is quickly overcrowded.

Find the happy medium according to the volume of your bin. However, be careful not to mix them with other species. Goldfish can carry bacteria without it being visible. Other species, much more fragile than goldfish, may not tolerate these infections and die. Inter-species mixing is therefore not recommended for these fish.

A fish that thinks big

Then, you should know that the goldfish is a pond fish that we want to keep in the aquarium. So make sure you give it enough space. The optimum size for a goldfish is 30 cm, or 12 inches. A jar is therefore strictly not recommended! If you've ever known a goldfish that survived in a bowl and stayed small, it's because its body naturally stopped growing to adapt to its environment.

However, his organs continue to grow inside him. You can therefore guess that this situation is extremely painful, and that is why we make sure when adopting a goldfish that you do indeed have a reasonable aquarium volume.

Life expectancy

A goldfish has a life expectancy of between 20 and 30 years. It is therefore a long-term commitment! Tish the goldfish* would even have broken the world record for the life expectancy of a goldfish in captivity. He died in his 43rd year! If your goldfish have a life expectancy of 2 or 3 years, this should not be considered normal. A water test could reveal problems with the parameters that affect the health of your animals.

Need for cleanliness

Although it is very resistant, the goldfish requires regular maintenance since it is very polluting. You will therefore have to carry out weekly maintenance and equip yourself with an effective filtration system in order to maintain acceptable water parameters for its health. This is another good reason not to let it live in a jar, since the latter does not have filtration.

Here is a list of things to get before your goldfish come. Do not hesitate to print it to facilitate your shopping. Our advisors will be happy to guide you through our wide selection of products.

What should I get before adopting my goldfish?

• A powerful filter (goldfish are very polluting!) ideally an external filter from the Fluval 07 series >>
• A scoop to catch fish if needed >>
• A light to simulate day and night
• Appropriate food >>
• A tank of at least 30 gallons for a couple (2) of fish >>
• gravel
• Decorative accessories to create hiding places
• A product to remove chlorine from tap water >>
• A product to add bacteria and feed the biological cycle >>
• a product to help remove organic waste (highly recommended to help keep the aquarium clean) >>
• Live plants to oxygenate the water (prefer anubias to prevent them from being eaten by fish)

Finally, you will be surprised to notice that goldfish are remarkably intelligent and endearing animals if you offer them optimal conditions. Do not hesitate to consult one of our aquarium specialists for further advice.