Tips on Keeping Goldfish in a Bowl

A very important fact to remember when caring for goldfish, is that it is not a good idea to keep them with tropical fish. For one, they don’t eat the same foods. Secondly, goldfish like colder waters than tropical fish. In addition, goldfish can be threatened by tropical fish. The long flowing fins and the slow motion of the goldfish make them irresistible targets to many fast fin nipping tropical fish. The stress can be very traumatic.

Starting Right

For best results, you should start by filling your goldfish bowl with “aged” or “conditioned water” found in existing aquariums. Typically, goldfish come from waters that are alkaline and slightly hard. Most of the goldfish sold at Aquarium Adventure are pond raised. Tap water is suitable for them, but it should be “conditioned” to rid it of chlorine or chloramine prior to pouring it into the bowl. This will prevent damage to the gills of the goldfish. You will then need the right, healthy goldfish. Feeder goldfish, or “carnival goldfish” as they are sometimes referred, are generally not the fish of choice. An Aquarium Adventure Fish Specialist can help you select a good specimen.

As a general rule, you should not keep more than two (2) inches of fish per gallon of water. For example, a 2-gallon fish bowl should not house more than two, 2-inch long goldfish.

Feeding


It is very important to understand that goldfish do not tolerate tropical fish food well. Goldfish do not have a stomach. Food is absorbed as it travels through their intestines , so it must have a high alkaline content. Tropical fish food is too acidic for their digestive system. It is true that goldfish will eat tropical fish food, but they will reap very little nutritional benefit from it. Over time, feeding tropical fish food to goldfish will seriously affect their health and longevity. You must feed a designated Goldfish Food for best results.

Be very careful with your feedings. Overfeeding, especially in a small goldfish bowl, will cause the water to become cloudy and smelly from the accumulation of decayed food. This water will, in time, become harmful to the fish. When feeding, remember that less is best. A safe recommendation is to feed 2 to 4 pieces of flake or pellet food every other day.

Cleaning Your Goldfish Bowl

Since a goldfish bowl generally does not have a filtration system, you must be very careful when cleaning the bowl. Every 5 to 7 days, the fish keeper will need to pour the top 2/3 of the bowl water into a clean (uncontaminated) plastic or glass container. Then, carefully transfer the goldfish, using a net, into this holding container while the rest of the bowl is cleaned.

The remaining fish bowl water should be discarded. Once the bowl is empty, it can be rinsed out with fresh tap water. Never use glass cleaner, or any other chemical to clean the bowl, as these, even in trace amounts are toxic to the goldfish.

Once the fish bowl has been rinsed, 1/3 of the bowl can be filled with fresh tap water. Remember, the water must be conditioned to remove chlorine and chloramine. The water should be at room temperature or cooler. Goldfish are cold water fish, and prefer water temperature in the low 60’s. Carefully, pour both the goldfish and the old water back into the fish bowl. It is best to only fill the bowl 3/4 full. This allows for a larger water surface area, providing your fish with more oxygen. Your fish will breathe easier.

Goldfish - A Brief History

Although records of the domestication of the goldfish date back over 1,000 years, it was during the Chinese Ming Dynasty (1368 to 1643 A.D.) that goldfish became so popular that they were taken from their natural pools and maintained indoors in the beautiful pottery bowls of this period. In the 1500’s, the goldfish made its appearance in Japan. In both China and Japan, distinct species were developed to reflect the tastes of the two cultures. The Chinese developed extreme forms: the lion head, the celestial, the telescope, and the pom pom to name a few. The Japanese on the other hand directed their efforts toward developing graceful “swimming flowers” with long fins and colors that are best appreciated when viewed from above. Today, goldfish enthusiasts have an amazing array of colors, scale structures, and body shapes from which to choose.