Fact Sheet: ORANDA GOLDFISH

(Original title: Oranda Goldfish Care Guide)

An orange oranda (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Basic Oranda Goldfish Care Facts:

Oranda Goldfish are characterized by the bubble-like growth on their head. This fascinating growth is called a "wen". Oranda goldfish's wen can grow to be very large. For larger Oranda, this can lead to some sight impairment as well as swimming issues. These fish can be very awkward swimmers and this problem increases as the wen grows, making the Oranda goldfish more and more top-heavy.

Tank Requirements:

Oranda goldfish can grow to be 8-12" in length. These fish's egg-shaped bodies also take up a lot of space in an aquarium. Because of this size, it is recommended that in order to provide adequate Oranda Goldfish Care you should have a tank of at least 20-30 gallons. This tank should be larger if you are housing more than one fish.

Another important part of Oranda goldfish care is water aeration. Goldfish, in general, tend to be oxygen hogs. To keep your fish happy and healthy it is best to have a tank with good surface area exposed to air. This, matched with a quality filter, can help make sure the water is moving enough and the oxygen content in the water remains high. If you see your fish tends to hang around the top of the water this could be a sign of oxygen deprivation. The best solution is to increase the water movement at the surface of the water or add an air pump that can use bubbles to increase oxygen content.

Tanks for this fish should also provide adequate filtration. While the Oranda is a hardy goldfish good for beginners - it can also be a very messy fish. It is recommended to keep a filter that runs 10x the aquarium volume per hour. This is especially necessary if you are housing multiple fish in one tank.

Tankmates:

Because this fish is beautiful, wen can make it very top-heavy, it is a very awkward and slow swimmer for a fish. To give the best Oranda goldfish care possible it is best to abstain from housing this goldfish with faster, more agile fish. It is also advisable to keep aquarium decorations that are smooth and avoid any sharp edges that an Oranda could cut itself on. Like all goldfish, the Oranda does not make a suitable tank mate for tropical fish because of the differences in size, preferred temperature and diet.

Breeding Oranda:

Oranda goldfish are egg layers. They will find a suitable place in the tank to lay their eggs and the male will fertilize them. Once the eggs are laid the goldfish's parenting duties are over. If you are hoping to raise some of the fries you will want to have a second tank to move the parents to after the eggs are fertilized as they will eat their own eggs!

If you are trying to breed Oranda you will need to know the sex of the fish. This can be very difficult to decipher as both sexes are very similar. In most cases, female Oranda will be larger than males - but the only way to tell is by watching them mate or venting the fish. A good LFS might be able to vent the fish at the time of purchase.

While Oranda goldfish care is pretty simple, it should be taken seriously. These beautiful fish can live to be over 20 years old!

By Jonathan Lebowski -Article Source: EzineArticles

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RYUKIN GOLDFISH

Ryukin Goldfish

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Types of GOLDFISH

Goldfish (Carassius auratus) were originally domesticated from the Prussian carp (Carassius gibelio). Selective breeding over many centuries has produced goldfish with various colors, color patterns, forms and sizes far different from those of the original domesticated carp.

There are so many different types of goldfish. The main types are.

Black Moors: The Black Moor is a black version of the Telescope.

Bubble Eye: The Bubble eye is a small variety of fancy goldfish with upward-pointing eyes that are accompanied by two large sacs under the eyes. Like ranchu, the bubble eye lacks in the dorsal fin and has a double tail.

Butterfly Tail: The butterfly tail or jikin is similar to the wakin except when viewed from behind the butterly tail's double tail fin has a pronounced "X" shape.

Calico:  Calico has patches of red, yellow, grey and black along with dark speckles on a blue background. This nacreous coloration usually extends over the fins. Calico coloration can occur in goldfish varieties such as the orandas, ryukins, fantails, telescope eyes, and others.

A Celestial Eye (Stargazer) goldfish
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Celestial Eye: The Celestial eye has a torpedo-shaped body similar to the Bubble Eye. The Celestial eye has eyes that are aimed upwards but lacks the sacs under their eyes. Like ranchu, the Celestial Eye is one of the dorsal less goldfish.

Comet: Comet is a long slender body and a long tail. Comet is a hardy type of goldfish that are suitable for garden ponds due to their high tolerance for cold water.

Common Goldfish: Common goldfish are a type of goldfish with no other modifications from their ancestor, the Prussian carp(Carassius gibelio), other than their color.

Egg-fish Goldfish: Egg-fish has an egg-shaped body and a long tail, without a dorsal fin and no headgrowth.

Fantail: The Fantail has an egg-shaped body, a high dorsal fin, a long quadruple caudal fin, and no shoulder hump.

Lionchu: The Lionchu is a fancy goldfish that has resulted from crossbreeding lionheads and ranchus. The lionchu has the large headgrowth like the lionhead and lacks in dorsal fin.

Lionhead: The Lionhead has an egg-shaped body without dorsal fins and a very straight back.

Oranda: The Oranda has a large round shaped body. All of their fins are paired except the dorsal fin, and the tail fin is usually split. Their head growth or hood similar to the Lionhead.

Panda Moor: The panda moor is a fancy goldfish with a characteristic black-and-white color pattern and protruding eyes.

A Pearlscale Goldfish.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Pearlscale: Pearlscale is a spherical shaped body with finnage similar to the fantail. They have a straight back with a swollen belly, resembling a golf ball.

Pompom: Pompom is a type of fancy goldfish that have bundles of loose fleshy outgrowths between the nostrils, on each side of the head. The size of these pompom can differ greatly. Pompom  are available in different types with and without fins.

Ranchu: The Ranchu has a short, round body and short fins with no dorsal fin. The tail is set at a sharp angle to the back, and may have three or four lobes.

Ryukin: Ryukin is a rounded or egg-shaped body fancy goldfish. Ryukin is looks similar to the Fantail except for the hump back that begins right behind the head. A high hump is considered very desirable.

Clear picture of a Shubunkin.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Shubunkin: Shubunkin is a single-tailed with nacreous scales, and a pattern known as calico. Shubunkin is available in two different forms, London Shubunkin and Bristol Shubunkin.

Telescope Eye: The telescope eye is a fancy goldfish characterized by its protruding eyes. The telescope eye is known by several other names as well, such as Globe Eye, Dragon Eye and Demekin.

Tosakin: Tosakin has a body shaped like that of the Ryukin, its undivided tail fin opens and spreads so flat and wide horizontally causing the front ends to flip under at the front once and even twice. It is also known as the peacock tail, and may have originally been developed from ryukin.

Veiltail: Veiltail has very long fins that hang down from their bodies like a veil.

By Piman Khrutmuang Piman Khrutmuang is a goldfish lover guy. Article Source: EzineArticles

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Caring for a Goldfish Aquarium

Photo: Pixabay

Keeping Goldfish can be a fun and rewarding hobby. As with any new hobby, especially one that involves living creatures, always consider the maintenance that will be involved. If you care for your aquarium properly, you will be sure to have happy and healthy Goldfish for many years. Goldfish have a life expectancy of five to ten years. If you do a good job maintaining their fish tank, you should have fun, beautiful fish for a long time. Make sure to feed them correctly and keep their water fresh and clear. 

When starting any new aquarium, you should get everything in place before buying the fish. If you are going to put gravel on the bottom, you may want to put only a thin layer. This will make it easier to keep clean, as Goldfish tend to be messy. Make sure that you rinse the gravel thoroughly before placing it in the bottom of the tank. If you have some decorations, you should add them now. Make sure that you rinse them well before putting them into the tank. Also be sure that the goldfish have plenty of room to swim, as they as active fish. Give them a place or two to hide, and that should do nicely. 

Now that you have everything in place, you can add to the water. You will need to use a dechlorinator, as the chlorine in tap water is poisonous to fish. Once the fish tank is filled up, you can turn on the filter. Change it as often as recommended to keep your fish healthy. Goldfish live at room temperature so you will not need a heater. They are quite comfortable in temperatures from 68 to 80 degrees. However, they should not be exposed to rapid temperature changes. You might want to let the filter run in the new goldfish tank for a day or so to filter out any chemicals or dyes that might have been left on the gravel and decorations that you just added. Waiting to buy new fish can be one of the hardest things about fish keeping! 

You need to add fish gradually. Fish excrete ammonia. If you add too many fish at once to a new fish tank, the water will not be seasoned enough to dissipate it. As the water in your Goldfish tank ages, it builds up beneficial bacteria that turn harmful chemicals excreted by the fish into harmless ones. However, this will take some time. Start out with only one fish. The nitrogen cycle will not begin until you add the fish, so running an empty tank for several days will not help. Since your fish tank is brand new, you might want to consider making partial water changes of about 25 percent of the total water volume every few days for the first week or so. 

You can find Goldfish food at almost any pet shop. Make sure to purchase some when you buy your first fish. Feed only a small amount. Especially at first. Any uneaten food will sink to the bottom and rot. Keep this to a minimum. Watch your fish for the first few times that you feed them. Feed only as much as they will eat in two to three minutes twice a day, or as recommended on the Goldfish food label. Be especially careful not to overfeed when the Goldfish tank is new. This will cause an excess build-up of toxic chemicals and can kill your fish quickly. 

As the water in your fish tank cycles through the nitrogen cycle, you may notice that is becoming very cloudy. This is a normal process and should clear up in a few days. Do not add any new fish until the water is crystal clear again. Clear water will signify that the nitrogen cycle is working and that the toxic chemicals are being converted to good ones. 

Remember that Goldfish will grow large and they need a big space. Don't overcrowd the tank if you want to keep healthy fish. If you follow this little guideline, you will be sure to have a healthy goldfish aquarium.

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BUBBLE EYE GOLDFISH

Bubble Eye Goldfish

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GOLDFISH Maintenance

Photo  by You As A Machine 

Goldfishes were first among the fishes and also the most common fishes that were kept as pets. They are popular because they are inexpensive and long-lasting. They can even survive in ponds covered with ice until they have sufficient supply of oxygen. Many types of goldfishes are available in the market. Because of selective breeding, different types of goldfishes are available which differ in color, shape, eye and fin configuration. Some of these fishes cannot survive in the wild and must be kept only in the aquarium. This is because of their attractive colors. Thanks to mixed breeding, the body of some fishes have been modified which is an obstruction in natural breeding. Such kinds of fishes are hand bred, but this procedure is very risky and has to be executed very carefully.

Goldfishes can be kept in an aquarium with cold water. According to the popular perception, goldfishes should have to be kept in a goldfish bowl. But what people do not realize is that the decreased water surface area provides lesser oxygen to the fishes, which can result in difficulty in respiration. The fishes also die very quickly because of ammonia or nitrite poisoning. Hence, goldfish bowls have been banned in many countries. Also, goldfishes that are kept in bowls have a shorter lifespan. One medium sized goldfish need a minimum of ten gallons of water. Goldfishes intoxicate the water very quickly with their feces and the chemicals released from their gills. The water should be cleaned regularly otherwise the fishes can die in a short period. The water surface area should be considered when introducing new fishes to the aquarium, because of more the water surface area, more the diffused oxygen. The water can also be aerated with the help of filter or water pump. Goldfishes cannot survive sudden water temperature shifts. This usually happens in winters, when the heating is turned on.

The goldfishes shouldn’t be touched because it would result in a slimy coating on its body coming out, which exposes the skin to bacterial infection. This is very dangerous to the health of the fish. Goldfishes, when kept in dark will lose their color. This is because they have pigments in the cells, similar to the pigments in human, which causes it to become tan. Therefore, lights should be installed in closed rooms. A full hood can be used to provide adequate light. But if the aquarium has water less than thirty gallons, then the room lights will do the job. Also, the aquarium can be placed in the natural light, if it is available.

Goldfishes are opportunistic feeders, that is, they will eat whenever food is provided to them. The more the food is given to them, the more the waste created. They should be given food only twice a day and the quantity must be only that much which it can finish in a couple of minutes. The food should have high carbohydrate and low protein, as the fish will be unable to digest proteins well because of the lack of stomach. Other than the commercial food flakes and pellets, they can also be given bloodworms and green leafy vegetables. If the fishes are overfed, it could lead to the bursting of their intestines.

The goldfish can grow up to twenty-three inches and can weigh up to ten pounds. There are known to live for twenty years, but in captivity, they live for eight years. Goldfishes although are good in aquariums, they can also be kept in ponds. The depth of the water should be more than thirty inches so that the water doesn’t freeze in winter. Plants should also be added to the pond as they will filter the water and even increase the oxygen amount in the water. Along with that, filters should also be used to the clean the pond water.  Ponds are a good place to breed goldfishes. Water surface should be one square foot for each inch of fish’s length.

The goldfishes kept in the aquarium and as well as in the ponds should not be mixed with tropical fishes or any other kind of fish. Since most of the goldfishes are hybrid variety, they are more prone to attacks. Some fishes not only attack the goldfishes but also suck on their wounds.

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Shocking Dangers of Bad GOLDFISH Care (Part 2): Goldfish Overcrowding

 'A School of Fancy Goldfish (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Goldfish overcrowding (also called "goldfish overstocking") is a serious cause of goldfish dying prematurely or them having stunted growth.

I find it's helpful to use the analogy of your own house. Imagine you doubled the number of people living there. And then you couldn't clean it for several days. What would it be like? How would you react to that?

Oh yes, you can't open the windows or doors either. You are stuck with the same amount of oxygen in there as before. How would it feel?

Now imagine your goldfish. They are in a man-made artificially-constrained space (an aquarium). They are swimming in a limited amount of water and, like babies, they eat and excrete. But unlike babies, they can't cry and be heard if they are in distress.

Many people assume that when they go to a pet store and see fifty small goldfish in an aquarium that it means it is OK to buy a whole bunch of goldfish. And then keep them in one small tank at home.

Unfortunately, what they don't realize is:

1. Pet shops retail goldfish fast so they can keep large numbers - for short periods - in smaller aquariums
2. Young goldfish ("fry") are usually very small so you can keep a large number of them together for a few weeks
3. Goldfish aquariums are usually cleaned very frequently (daily) in pet stores to remove uneaten food and poo
4. When you get goldfish back home, they will start to grow very quickly. In fact, you'll be amazed to wake up one day and see how much they have grown

My rule of thumb: a 54-liter tank for a maximum of 2 average-size goldfish. The larger the aquarium, the better. You can never have an aquarium that is too big.

So why is overcrowding such a hazard for your goldfish?

Let me give you seven reasons why:

1. The waste products of excretion reduce the amount of available oxygen and cause ammonia build up
2. This means goldfish become poisoned by the water they are living and "breathing" in
3. As ammonia levels build up and as the goldfish continue to grow, there is less oxygen available in the aquarium
4. Goldfish will begin to gulp at the surface or start to develop a host of common goldfish sickness problems
5. They begin to suffer from oxygen starvation
6. Without adequate room to move, breathe or play the fish begin to suffocate
7. Eventually, the combination of stress and oxygen starvation leads to death

Here are a common mistake goldfish keepers make: just because the aquarium water looks clear does not mean it is clean or healthy for your goldfish. When a fish suffers from ammonia or nitrate poisoning, then what's happening is that the concentration of ammonia (a clear colorless liquid) is becoming higher. The water looks clear, but it is actually poisonous. You can only be sure it is safe by using an ammonia testing kit - and conducting regular water changes.

It's also worth noting that "goldfish stress" is a very real phenomenon and can result from several reasons. Again, even if you're not agoraphobic, imagine you are jammed into a small space with a bunch of people. How would you feel? I remember being stuck on a train once on a hot Summer's day. It was so crowded that I got hemmed in against the wall: I couldn't move. I remember stress levels rising fast...

Goldfish actually experience chemical changes under stressful conditions. They are designed to release growth-stunting hormones in hostile environments. And you don't want to be unintentionally creating a "hostile" environment in your aquarium - by having too many fish.

In the worst cases, goldfish get so big they can't physically turn around in an aquarium. They get stuck in the same position. They can't feed properly and become distressed.

Finally, your goldfish need plenty of space to move, swim and play. You can't expect them to be happy if you don't give them the room to move about. It'll be a lot more enjoyable for you to watch them moving gracefully. It gives them the chance to engage in a normal range of healthy behaviors. These are fascinating to observe (and watching goldfish is proven to bring your blood pressure down too).

By Richard Haggerty Richard Haggerty is the author of "The Goldfish Expert" and runs a popular Goldfish Care blog. To get a Free Special Report on avoiding the shocking dangers of bad goldfish care - and the pros and cons of different goldfish treatments - visit http://www.richardhaggerty.co.uk/GoldfishExpert/ Article Source: EzineArticles

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How to Treat ANCHOR WORMS on GOLDFISH

Anchor worms are another external parasites that often affects goldfish and other types of fish that is quite common. Anchor worms often referred to as Lernaea cyprinacea, a common copepod parasite which is small crustaceans. These parasites are mostly found in pond raised fish but if left untreated they can cause serious damage to your fish not only in the population of parasites but the secondary bacterial infections that can arise as well after the parasites attach themselves to the body of the goldfish.

What happens is that they pierce the body feeding on tissue and fluids that cause more bacterial infections to set in. The good news is that it’s not very hard to learn how to treat anchors worms on goldfish or any other type of fish in fact. These parasites are very treatable as there are many treatment medications on the market today to choose from. Here I will show you many different ways on how to treat your goldfish for anchor worms.

Removing Anchor Worms with Tweezers

This method of treatment for anchor worms is not one that I will suggest people use. You will, however, be able to see these worms found on your goldfish as they are like small green hair like parasites seen attached to your goldfish. They are quite easily seen and can be removed with tweezers but the only thing wrong with this method is you don’t see all the small worms that could be attached to the goldfish already which are beginning to grow. Anchor worms start off small that end up turning into larger worms as they begin to feed on the body fluid of the goldfish which then you will see later on without a microscope. This method may work but you will never know if they reproduced in your tank or pond and are just waiting to find a new host.

Anchor Worm Treatment Medication

In order to know for sure, you have rid yourself of anchor worms once and for all people should strongly use fish medication to eliminate these external parasites. There are many types of fish medications on the market and here are just a few people can choose: Anchors Away, Dimilin, Proform LA, and Potassium Permanganate. These anchor worm treatment medications work great and will eliminate the parasites affecting your fish.

Anchors Away

To treat your fish using anchors away make sure you always follow the manufacturers recommended dosage. Here is how you treat your fish using this medication:

1. Perform a 25% water change before treatments.

2. Always make sure you remove the activated carbon from your filter.

3. Add one teaspoon for every 40 gallons

4. Treat every 6 days for up to 3 weeks

Anchors away is a great product and effective at eliminating anchor worms and other parasites as well. You will notice after the first week of treatment that they will be falling off your goldfish.

Dimilin

Dimilin is another great product on the market that will treat fish suffering from anchor worms. Here is how you treat your goldfish for anchor worms using Dimilin:

1. Shake bottle very well before use.

2. Remove activated carbon.

3. Add 1 tablespoon for every 60 gallons

4. Wait 14 days to see if anchor worms are completely gone

5. If not, repeat dosage again and do not do a water change.

6. After second treatment is complete, wait another 14 days to make sure parasites are eliminated then perform a water change removing some of the chemicals.

Proform LA

This is one of the best forms of treatment for anchor worms and fish lice on the market. It is really safe for humans to use and is a very low maintenance method of treatment. What’s great about Proform LA is that it can be used in any water temperature where some can only be used as low as 50 degrees Fahrenheit. You can do three treatments one week apart and it’s a fairly low-cost medication to use as 1 pint will treat 5000 gallons and 1 quart will treat 10,000 gallons of water. This anchor worm medication will not harm turtles, frogs or snails. Follow recommended dosage

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Potassium Permanganate

This method of treatment should only be used by experienced fish keepers. This is a very strong medication that if done improperly will kill all your fish. Beware this can cure your goldfish or other fish from anchor worms but it can easily kill them too. With any medication that you use people should always use extreme caution wearing eye goggles, long sleeve clothes, and a face mask when possible. Never inhale by these medications and always work in a well-ventilated area. The slightest small crystal of potassium permanganate if it got into your eye can cause severe irritation and possible blindness. So please be careful when working with any form of medication. Again this form of medication should only be used by qualified people as other forms are easier to use and less risky. Here is how you treat with potassium permanganate:

1. Make sure you bypass your filter and shut off your UV sterilizer before treatment.

2. Make sure aeration is at top level.

3. Wear necessary protective equipment before adding treatment

4. Add 1 gram per 100 gallons or 1 teaspoon for every 600 gallons of water.

5. Wait till water turns brown

6. Add 1 pint of hydrogen peroxide per 1000 gallons. This will clear your water in not time and replenish oxygen to your water.

7. Turn on your filter again and UV sterilizer.

This method should be done up to three times to make sure you have eliminated all anchor worms and any other parasites that may be in the water. When you add hydrogen peroxide to the water it removes all effectiveness of the potassium permanganate. So in case of overdosage simply add hydrogen peroxide and your fish will be okay. Wait about 3 days before repeating treatment as the hydrogen peroxide may still be in the water making a new treatment ineffective. After 3 days you should be good to go for another treatment.

Now here I have covered several different ways at treating goldfish for anchor worms. Each medication is different and some are easier to use than others. Just make sure you use the one that you feel more comfortable with. Each of these above methods of anchor worm treatment will work. Just follow the manufacturers recommended dosage and your fish will soon be free of anchor worms.

By Jamie Boyle Jamie Boyle is an online author who writes and maintains his Goldfish Care Information (http://www.GoldfishCareInformation.com) blog to help people answer questions involving goldfish. If you need more information on goldfish and want to know how to treat various goldfish diseases please visit http://www.GoldfishCareInformation.com Article Source: EzineArticles

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GOLDFISH Care - What a Wonderful Way to Teach Children

Life is fast-paced. It is nice to actually stop and 'smell the roses' as the old saying goes. So busy rushing the children off to school, off to work, after-school activities, soccer, dancing, piano lessons homework, dinner, bath, bed. Does that routine sound familiar?

Many of us are living a whirlwind with no time to just stop for a moment, take stock and look at what is really wonderful in this world. I've found a little time spent relaxing, sitting together with the children, just watching our goldfish each day rewarding.

The goldfish market at Mongkok
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I want the children to grow up understanding commitment. Trends and fads can easily take over every part of our lives, from the groceries we buy, the clothes we wear to the home we live in. The term 'disposable society' creeps into our vocabulary all too frequently.

Our young children have the job of feeding our goldfish. The feeding ritual itself is a lesson for children. Not only the commitment to feeding the fish daily, but they learn that variety is important to the health of the fish. Even goldfish need their fruit and vegetables. A little zucchini and peas help to keep their bodies healthy, just like ours. Reinforcing the message of the importance of good nutrition.

They help with the weekly task of cleaning the fish tank. Being diligent with aquarium care and keeping the tank clean is vitally important to the health of the fish.

I love the deeper lessons our children are learning from taking care of their fish. Unlike cats & dogs these pets can't go to the door when they need to go outside or want to go for a walk. Goldfish are completely reliant on our diligence for their needs. If we let them down we possibly cut their lives short. Their lives are completely dependent on our care.

The great thing about goldfish is that they are relatively hardy, particularly the comet breed. These fish are very lively and add great color to the tank. The tails of the comet are 3/4 the length of the body of the fish and so look magnificent when added to an aquarium.

Overcoming society's 'disposable' attitude can be difficult. Children are conditioned from a very early age to 'throw away' things that are used, or imperfect.

All too often a goldfish meets an untimely end and is disposed of down the toilet. With diligence, attention and a little knowledge, this can often be avoided.

With care, we can nurse your pet back to health. A small hospital tank can be set up to isolate and treat the sick fish. It's a rewarding experience to see the fish recover and go back to his home with the other fish.

We go to the computer and research together. Setting up a breeding tank, learning and watching the cycle of life is another important lesson in caring and nurturing.

Keeping goldfish is a way of installing a caring attitude to nature. The lessons for our children are invaluable: commitment, responsibility, nature's life cycle and the importance of caring for life.

Apart from providing a wonderful addition to our home, these fish give our family so much more than the meager attention and care needed for their survival.

By Martina J For children, and those new to learning how to take care of goldfish, you may find this link helpful. http://www.howtotakecareofgoldfish.com There you'll find information to help in choosing aquariums, food, and necessities for your aquarium. You'll learn about types of goldfish and how to identify goldfish illnesses as well as treatments. All the information and resources necessary to keep your fish healthy. Article Source: EzineArticles

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FANCY GOLDFISH make a great pet

Fancy goldfish make an excellent indoor pet for a number of people with busy lifestyles and the craving for pets and some form of companionship but not the space in their homes or their lives to actively care for and raise pets like dogs or cats.

Fancy Goldfish - Photo  by    Dr._Colleen_Morgan

Goldfish have many advantages that pets that have legs don’t enjoy and they are a very low maintenance but a very therapeutically beneficial pet. You never need to take a goldfish for a walk early in the morning or even when it is raining. Sometimes you are just not in the mood for a walk even if the conditions are perfect. This is not an issue with goldfish.

Most pets are hideously expensive. The cost of raising an average size dog has been estimated by some studies to run into the tens of thousands of dollars which is a sum that few of us can really afford. In these hard economic times where everyone is trying to cut back on expenses and reduce spending around the house, your dog may not be such a great pet if it is almost as expensive as bringing up a child. Dogs are expensive to buy and the costs continue throughout their lives. They need to be inoculated and fed with expensive food and later in life when they need medical care that is a very costly proposition too.

Fish are cheap and easy to buy and so easy and absolutely painless to maintain that you could even give them as a gift to someone without wondering whether they will be able to take care of them and will not find them to be a burden. Dogs and cats can quickly turn into white elephants when given as gifts no matter how cute and adorable they are as kittens or puppies.

Fancy goldfish make an excellent indoor pet for a number of people with busy lifestyles and the craving for pets and some form of companionship but not the space in their homes or their lives to actively care for and raise pets like dogs or cats. have no such issues. Their short lifespans mean that you do not have to worry about long-term care for them. When they die you can decide if you want to get another batch and you are never stuck with them. This is also very important when you are going on vacation or leaving town for business. You do not have to worry friends with requests to come over and watch and feed your pets with goldfish and you do not have to worry about paying the exorbitant fees that kennels and doggy day care centers charge.

So get yourself some goldfish today. They make great pets and they are relaxing to watch.

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The Fun and Rewarding Hobby of Keeping Pet GOLDFISH

Have you ever discouraged yourself from owning pet goldfish because of what other previous goldfish owners have said about them, particularly the negatives? Well, you shouldn't; especially if you can't vouch for the truth on why their goldfish originally died! Perhaps the owner tried to keep the fish in a bowl, after partaking in the TV show myth of happy goldfish swimming in an adorable round bowl. Or, maybe the environment was not a bowl, but it was still confining; depending on how many goldfish the owner was keeping at a time (Goldfish need to swim in schools-that applies to just about every type of fish known to man-except "Siamese fighting fish" or Bettas).

2 goldfish in a tank
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Or who knows-maybe this person wasn't on the up and up when it came to some of the important key points of maintenance. Goldfish care is certainly not rocket science, but they too are not a "set and forget" kind of hobby-I have seen all too many perfectly good pre-owned aquariums for sale at second-hand stores and other places-It makes me sad to see that; perhaps these owners "didn't have the time" for this hobby after awhile. I cannot speak for everybody who eventually abandons fishkeeping-but it's kind of a shame to see some people turn their backs on such a rewarding hobby. I don't want that to happen to you. Let's look at some of the finer points of owning pet goldfish...

The first is the beautiful colors and patterns. Many out there you will find are not completely "orange". They have patterns of golden yellow, black, and white mixed in. The fancier the goldfish (such as fantails and moors) the more varied these patterns will be, but even common goldfish can be striking, too. One of mine is two-toned in white and orange. You will also find that goldfish are friendly, intelligent, alert (you will never forget to feed them as they will be greeting you at the glass as soon as it's time!) And they subsist on a fairly varied diet..pellets and flakes are good, but they've been known to enjoy spinach and shelled peas, brine shrimp and bloodworms. If you like live aquarium plants, I would refrain from keeping them around goldfish as they will nibble on them too.

You will also find that goldfish are hardy and long-lived (Japanese koi live even longer-some up to 20 years or more!) I've had the same orange and white pet goldfish for going on three years so I can tell you they are pretty tough. They are not completely immune-there are a few goldfish diseases like ick and swimbladder that definitely require attention and solitary quarantining. A goldfish lifespan depends on different things-but do not underestimate the "key points" which I will talk about in the next paragraph. The first point is their habitat.

Yes, absolutely, 100 percent. You NEED to keep them in a tank... NOT a bowl. I would strongly advise you against purchasing one of those "mini" or "nano" tank kits if you plan on keeping goldfish-save those for your solitary Bettas in the future. The tank needs to be fairly roomy-doesn't have to be gigantic (in such a case, you'd be better off keeping them in a backyard garden pond, where they will thrive in large numbers.) Many experts will tell you that you will need a 30 gallon tank at least. If you own a 29 gallon capacity tank; no big deal here as that's just one gallon off. 

There are friendly "natural" tank-cleaners like pleckos and Chinese algae eaters that can give your tank a little cleaning boost. The reason for this larger size is that a bigger tank will keep the water pollution issue to a minimum. Goldfish waste levels definitely exceed that of other freshwater varieties. The smaller the tank, the more frequently the water will need to be changed. You also need a good filtration system and an air pump. A heater for the aquarium will not be a necessity as goldfish are not as temperature sensitive as some other freshwater fish breeds.

Bi-monthly (every other week) water changes are important; the first time you may want to siphon about 25% of the water, the next time and subsequent changes, about half of the water should be good. Now if you are thinking of just pouring that dirty fish water down the drain, take a tip from my brother-in-law who has raised goldfish longer than I have. The bacteria present in fish waste laden water will make great plant fertilizer if you have a garden in progress. Even for a few houseplants, the soil will get a much-needed boost. When you replace the removed water with clean (chlorine-free; no instant from the tap kind of water) be sure to also change the filter cartridge as well.

You should (and will) enjoy your pet goldfish for a long time to come if you remember all the important points made earlier. Goldfish are attractive, not difficult to care for, and quite inexpensive (depending on whether you are looking at common or fancy varieties.) Four "common" goldfish from a pet store retailer set me back only a dollar. "Fancy" goldfish start at a dollar apiece and up from there depending on the type. They will pay you back in dividends as you see how big these little guys will get eventually! I have a four-incher that you would never guess was once two inches long so I hope it doesn't get any bigger. I consider this particular goldfish the "alpha male" or the "Queen Bee" of my bunch.

If you ever want to take this hobby to the next level one day, you might want to look into garden fish ponds. A lot of work goes into crafting the dream backyard goldfish pond-much more than tank-keeping-so keep that in mind. Until then though, I hope you will get the maximum benefit from raising your goldfish to be happy and healthy in a nice home aquarium!

By Jennifer L Fouts If you would like to learn more about goldfish and other helpful information on fishkeeping in general: Pet Goldfish be sure to visit Jennifer's Animal World for more information! Article Source: EzineArticles

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Different Types of GOLDFISH

Goldfish is a very popular pet among the young children as well as adults. It is a favorite pet of many people as each has a different personality and can be easily trained to do different tricks. Goldfish was the first fish that was used as a pet and is the most commonly found pet fish all over.

Photo: Wikipedia

Species of Goldfish:

Goldfish belong to carp family. There are many species found due to selective breeding. The specie varies in traits, colour, fin, tail shapes, eyes, body shape etc but all look visually pleasing and lovely.

Types of Goldfish:

The types and species of goldfish differ in certain traits, shapes, sizes and colours. The different groups of goldfish are single tailed, double tailed with egg shape body and double tailed with egg shape but without dorsal fins. Following are the different types of goldfish:

Shubunkins:

Shubunkins are found in two different forms; London Shubunkins and Bristol Shubunkins. Theses fish show calico colours like yellow, red, orange, violet etc. It can be identified because of small black spots on its body. Shubunkins goldfish appears to be scale less and look very much like the common goldfish.

Comets:

Comets Goldfish is the common goldfish found as a pet. Comets Goldfish have high tolerance for low temperature and low water. They can grow up to fifteen inches in length. They are very active and can have a life of up to thirty years.

Comets Goldfish can be identified due to their small slim body and long tails. It is found in a range of colors like orange and black, red and white, red and black and orange and red etc.

Oranda:

Oranda Goldfish have a characteristic head helmet and long split fins and tail. The true Oranda is rare and hard to find. It can grow up to five inches in length. Oranda Goldfish has an average life of sixteen years. This type of goldfish is found in blue, red, brown, yellow and black colors.

Ryukin:

Ryukin Goldfish have a small hump at the back of their head. These fish can grow up to six inches in length and have an average life of fifteen years. Ryukin Goldfish is found in calico colour combinations like white and orange and red and white etc.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Pearlscale:

Pearlscale Goldfish is also known as Chinshurin. This fish has scales that appear to be raised from the body. Pearlscale Goldfish is found in a range of colours. It has a round shape and has feature that make it look like a pearl. This type of goldfish is sensitive to temperature and water changes. Pearlscale Goldfish is found in different shiny colour combinations of yellow orange, brown, red orange. The colours can be in patches or on a blue background color.

Telescope:

Telescope Goldfish is a commonly found goldfish. It is found in a variety of colours and shapes. The true Telescope Goldfish has very long fins.

Black Moors:

Black Moors goldfish is an active and easy to train fish. It has an average life of seventeen years. This type of fish is only found in deep black colour. It is found in groups and is comfortable with other types of goldfish as well.

Veiltail:

Veiltail goldfish has different variants and is found with different adaptations like Philadelphia veiltails, European veiltails and Chinese veiltails. They have a delicate body and need a lot of care. Veiltail goldfish is available in different colours and has long fins.

Bubble Eye:

Bubble Eye Goldfish has large bulging eyes and large delicate sacks blow the eyes. Bubble Eye Goldfish is found in black and orange colour and is without dorsal fins.

Phoenix Egg fish/Egg:

Phoenix Egg fish/Egg Goldfish is a very rare type of goldfish and not found easily. It has long fins but no dorsal fins.

Lionhead:

Lionhead Goldfish has a straight back behind a large head. It is poor swimmer and is comfortable with other poor swimmer goldfish. It has a round body and is found in colours like yellow, orange, blue and black.

By Matthew Kepnes Matt Kepnes has been learning and writing about Goldfish since he had his very own as a young child. Article Source: EzineArticles

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Shocking Dangers of Bad GOLDFISH Care (Part 1): Poor Quality GOLDFISH Water

When you really take the time to look at it, the majority of common goldfish sickness problems stem from one thing: poor water quality. Fortunately, it's as easy to get this right as it is wrong.

Some goldfish problems related to water should never happen. For instance, a goldfish should never be kept in a bowl. Why? Simply because it's too small: too small for proper surface exchange of gases; too small to allow enough water to circulate and keep oxygen content high enough.

Lionhead Goldfish. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Did you know that in the United Kingdom, the government was forced to introduce legislation to protect goldfish? The reason was that they were often kept in small bags at fun fairs. Cramped inside, goldfish would routinely suffocate from lack of oxygen and inappropriate conditions.

If you're unclear why you require a large aquarium for your goldfish, then think about this:

How are your goldfish going to get all the oxygen they need?

From experience, even a small goldfish requires at least 20 litres of water. That's just a teeny tiny goldfish! And you know something? They grow - fast.

Second, you absolutely must have a working filter and pump. And these need to be turned on 24/7. If you turn the pump off, the water won't be pushed to the surface and oxygen transfer can't happen.

This is a good reason to ensure that you never keep an aquarium in a bedroom - not even for the kids. 

If you do, children often find it affects their sleep. That's the point where parents sometimes turn the pump off at night. It's far better to keep your goldfish somewhere you can leave the pump and filter running, so they can do their work. And you won't be disturbed at night time.

What happens if you don't have the right oxygen levels for quality goldfish water?

Answer: Your goldfish will choke.

You can tell if a goldfish is struggling to get adequate oxygen because they will spend a lot of time at the surface, gulping away. You can literally see them suffocating. And immediate action is essential: either buy a larger aquarium; get a pump installed; or do an immediate water change.

Poor water quality in an aquarium can come about in a number of ways:

• Not cleaning the goldfish regularly (each week)
• Not "treating" water before adding it to the tank
• Not having a working filter and pump running Turning the pump off at night
• Having an aquarium less than 54-litres in size (minimum)
• Too much algae Too many plants
• Having too many fish in the same aquarium (I suggest two goldfish maximum for a 54 litre aquarium)
• The list goes on

If you have a new tank and you notice that the goldfish water is cloudy, then that's just a sign that it's beginning the "cycling" process. This is natural and will settle down after a few days.

Here's the bottom line: if you don't change water regularly, your goldfish will suffer. You need a regular (weekly) maintenance schedule for any aquarium. The minimum requirement is to change 20% of water every single week. I usually change 40% of the goldfish aquarium water. And I have had healthy goldfish as long as I can remember.

By Richard Haggerty Richard Haggerty is author of "The Goldfish Expert" and runs a popular Goldfish Care blog. To get a Free Special Report on avoiding the shocking dangers of bad goldfish care - and the pros and cons of different goldfish treatments - visit http://www.richardhaggerty.co.uk/GoldfishExpert/ Article Source: EzineArticles

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