Do You Have The Knowledge Of Choosing The Best Goldfish…

what the store has to offer?

When you shop for goldfish, or any other kind of fish, be cautious! Choose fish that are in good health, to ensure that they will have few problems settling into their new home. This may sound obvious to you unfortunately many still make the same mistakes despite having been rearing fish for years. Knowledge, I believe most aquarists have them. The “problem” lies when they (especially beginners) allow emotions rule over their judgment.

Let’s face it, any decent aquarium store will beautify their tanks to attract more buyers. Have good sale staff to pitch you with whatever they have in store even you don’t need them. That’s their job but you don’t to conform to that if you stay focus on your goal—choosing the best goldfish or fish what the store has to offer! If they don’t have what you want, move to the next store as quickly as possible so that you do not give the sale staff an opportunity to sell you second graded fish!

6 Crucial Tips On Choosing The Best Goldfish

#1 Behavior: Healthy goldfish are alert and active. Some signs that a fish is unwell: listlessness; jerky swimming movements; it keeps “flashing” against the gravel; it’s constantly lingering near the water surface or lying on the aquarium floor.

#2 External Appearance: Look out for unusual marks such as white spots, reddened areas, lumps and growths. Cotton wool-like patches may indicate fungal growth. However, some of these marks may be normal features in certain varieties of goldfish.

#3 Body: An odd-shaped body may be a sign of an internal problem, such as a curved spine. However, certain varieties of fancy goldfish are bred specifically for their unusual shapes. For example, the bodies of Pearl-scale goldfish are very swollen and have white spots all over them.

#4 Fins: Healthy goldfish should have upright fins, though some long-finned varieties have fins that droop naturally. All fins should be intact – the presence of red streaks or tears can indicate poor health or injury.

#5 Eyes: Cloudy or bulging eyes may also point to poor health, unless the particular variety of goldfish, like the Bubble-Eyes, is bred specifically for its unique protruding eyes.

#6 Fancy Goldfish: If you are purchasing fancy goldfish for your pond, it’s best to view them from the top. The Oranda, Ranchu and Moor goldfish varieties should have a “rectangular” body shape when viewed from above. The Ryukin and Fan-Tail should be teardrop-shaped, and the Pearl-scale should look like a golf ball with fins.

Some varieties, like the Oranda, Ranchu and Pearl-scale, have a head growth called a cap. Look for good head growth on these fish. As the cap grows, it will appear as if the fish has small, white patches of fungus. Unless there are similar patches on the body of the fish, these are likely to be just growth spots, which will fade once the growth spurt is over.

Two Additional Tips on Choosing The Best Goldfish

Even if you spot a seemingly healthy specimen, you have to observe its tank mates as well. If you see a number of sick-looking fish in the tank, it may be wise not to purchase the fish. It could be carrying a disease, and yet to display external symptoms.

When shopping for new fish, it’s best to bring along an experienced hobbyist who can give you advice. Do not hesitate to consul the shop owner either if you are unsure about something – ask questions instead of simply assuming that a fish is unwell.

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