Credits
The main body of the caresheet was prepared by
Neville.
The caresheet was standardised and editted by
Armadillo.
Other contributors are creditted next to their text in the caresheet.
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We welcome additions to the caresheet. To contribute a tip or warning, add a post to this thread and we will integrate it to the main body of the caresheet with your name next to it. If you are quoting from a reference, please credit the author.
[Armadillo]
__________________
Introduction
Hey guys i would like to add a caresheet on Goldfish, hope it will help everyone. U can add your suggestions here, please.
[Neville]
Huuuge waste producers
Goldfish are heavy waste producers
[Neville]
Feeding
Do not overfeed them or they will die, because they have a poor digestion system, give them food only they can consume within a minute; twice a day.
Feed them sinking food, or pre-soak the food in a separate bowl in tank water. Giving them floating flakes puts them at risk of developing a swim bladder disease. [Armadillo]
Tankmates
Best tankmates for a goldfish is other goldfish. don't keep them with fin nippers like barbs.
[Neville]
Goldfish are long-finned slowmovers, have big mouths, have specific temperature requirements and are huge polluters. This makes them unsuitable tank mates for any: - tropical fish (temperature requirements)
- faster fish (most fish are faster, that includes seemingly innocent cleaner fish such as butterfly loaches)
- small fish or inverts (goldfish could swallow them easily)
In other words, keep goldfish with... goldfish. [Armadillo]
Temperature
Temperatures under 10C and over 25C are detrimental to the goldfish. As are sudden swings in temperature (e.g. unheated night/day difference, on-off air conditionning). A heater keeping the temperature at a
steady 22C is recommended.
[Armadillo]
Also, it's not so much that goldfish need cold water, it's more that they don't need heating, and prefer seasonal shifts in temperature. Goldfish even do well in summers when their water reaches 80+ degrees.
[Sirdarksol]
pH
pH 6-7.5
[Neville]
Size
Grows up to 6" or more
[Neville]
'Goldfish may grow to a maximum length of 23 inches (59 cm) and a maximum weight of 9.9 pounds (4.5 kg)' http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldfish)
[Armadillo]
Light regime
Keep the lights on for 8-10 hrs only, goldfish rest at night
[Neville]
Volume recommendation
Contrary to popular opinion, goldfish need space and filtration.
[Sirdarksol]
A well recognised estimate in the hobby is 20G for the first goldfish, and an additional 10G per additional goldfish. This seems surprising, but knowing that the possible lifespan of a goldfish is 20 years, their life in reduced volume could explain why such a lifespan is so rarely seen. A goldfish is a huge waste producer, and its growth will be stunted.
[Armadillo]
No kind of goldfish can go in a small tank for too long...they get really big. I had 8 fancy goldfish in 20g...they were tiny but once I learned more I realized with amount of goldfish I had at the time...we needed the 120g we have now. So I sold them...I really didn't want a huge goldfish tank.
[Allie]
Goldfish and plants
Goldfish will eat your plants. There are only a few, such as java ferns, that don't interest goldfish.
[Sirdarksol]
Recommended references
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldfish [Armadillo]
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Animal_Care/Goldfish [Armadillo]
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