Tips On Rearing An Auspicious Fish Like Goldfish

First domesticated more than a thousand years ago by the Chinese, the goldfish has indeed come a long way. It was introduced into Japan around the 15th century, and selective breeding over the centuries in these two Eastern countries led to myriad genetic mutations that created the hundreds of varieties of goldfish we have today.

Goldfish, in general, is a popular aquarium pet, well liked by young and old, because of its hard nature. Chinese regard them as auspicious creatures to have at home as they are believed to bring wealth into the household. They are also particularly popular during Lunar New Year because of their “gold” color and name.

Tips For Rearing Healthy Goldfish

• Do not rear your goldfish in bowls (pic above) as they are too small to allow for healthy growth.
• Sudden water temperature changes can be fatal to all fish. When transferring a fish you have just purchased to your home aquarium, the temperature difference between the temporary container and your tank should be minimized. This can be done by floating the container in the tank for at least 20 minutes before releasing the goldfish.
• Goldfish are coldwater fish, so they do not survive well in higher temperatures. There is thus “no need” for a heated aquarium.
• As goldfish can grow up to six to eight inches long, you need a big tank, even if it houses only one fish. The ideal volume is 10 to 20 gallons of water per fish.
• Goldfish produce a lot of water as they cannot digest excess protein, polluting the water. It doesn’t help either that they tend to eat whenever they are fed, regardless of whether they are hungry. Overeating can cause the digestive tract to burst, killing the fish. Feed goldfish no more than twice a day, and an amount equal only to what they can eat in three to four minutes.
• Install a filter, since your goldfish will produce waste easily. Also change the tank water once a week—replace 10 to 20 per cent each time. Do let the replacement water stand for at least a day prior to the change.
• If you put real plants in your fish tank, they are unlikely to live long because goldfish are nibblers.

Goldfish Nuggets

• Goldfish were originally bred from the common Asian carp.
• Goldfish can live up to an average of 10 years.
• Young fish often experience changes in color markings or patterns on their bodies.
• Goldfish swallowing started as a fad in 1939 in Harvard from a wager between two male students. It was subsequently made illegal.
• There are more than 100 different species of goldfish in the world.

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