Goldfish are great, rewarding pets, however their proper care is of little knowledge as we have only begun to understand the true requirements of these fish to make them thrive. Here is how to make your gold fish happy and healthy!
1. Get a large enough tank
The minimal tank size for one goldfish is 20 US gallons (Remember, they grow to about 20cm, and sometimes over!) and you will need to add 10 US gallons onto that 20 gallons for every next goldfish. So,1 goldfish needs 20 gallons, 2 goldfish need 30 gallons, 4 need 50 gallons and so on. As babies, you can provide them with a five gallon tank.2. Use gravel that won't get stuck in your fish's throat
Use either large rocks (that are too big to swallow) or very small gravel (too small to get stuck in their throats). Small gravel is better for goldfish because it is too small to get caught in the throat and because goldfish like to be able to dig. They are bottom-feeders.3. Perform a 50%-75% water change weekly
If you do not have a filter in your tank, do a water change every 2-3 days.Soap is poisonous to fish and will kill them quickly, so don't wash your tank with soap. Also, don't use regular tap water to put in your tank. Bottled/jugged water is best for filling tanks without filters, and even ones with filters. If you don't want to do this, buy some water conditioner and add the amount it provides on the bottle.
4. Feed your fish 2 times daily
Only give it what it can consume in a minute. Make sure you have a strong enough filter for the fish. Don't clean the filter in new water; clean it in the tank water so it does not take the good bacteria away that helps your fish live.Before adding your fish, make sure to tank has gone through the fishless cycle - you can read more about fishless cycles in different articles.
