Goldfish are popular and beautiful pets. They do require more care than you might think at first. Before you buy a goldfish you should be committed to giving it the best care possible by feeding it properly and maintaining its habitat. With simple, regular care, your goldfish will live long happy lives and provide you with many peaceful fish-watching days.

Before buying your first goldfish, you must prepare his habitat. You may be tempted to buy a standard goldfish bowl, but think before making that choice. Wouldn't your fish be happier in a big aquarium where he could swim freely? In a small goldfish bowl he runs the risk of running low on oxygen, being poisoned by ammonia, and having stunted growth.

You surely don't want your goldfish to be lonely either. The more goldfish you have, the larger habitat you will need. It is best to avoid putting goldfish in an aquarium with other fish. They might get picked on. It is okay to put several goldfish in the same aquarium however, as long as it is big enough.

To determine the size of aquarium you need, you can use a simple formula. Multiply the depth in inches by the length in inches and divide that by 30. The number you get is the total inches of goldfish that can live in that space. For example, take an aquarium that is 20 inches long and 10 inches tall. Multiply those and you get 200 inches. Divide by 30 and you have roughly 7 inches. That means you can have two goldfish that are 3.5 inches long or three goldfish that are 2 inches long.

When setting up your aquarium be sure to choose just the right spot before you fill it with water and becomes too difficult to move. Don't set it in the direct sunlight or in a place in your home where there will be big changes in temperature such as next to a heater or doorway. Place it away from busy areas so you don't have to worry about the tank getting bumped or broken.

Clean your aquarium before putting your goldfish inside by washing it with clean water and soap. Wash all items that will be inside your aquarium like gravel and statues. Be sure to rinse away all traces of soapy residue. This is the same method you will use to periodically clean your aquarium once your goldfish are established.

Now you can fill your goldfish aquarium with water. You can use tap water. It is nice if the water is filtered but it is not necessary. Do not fill the tank all the way to the top or the fish might jump out. Keep your water temperature around 68 degrees Fahrenheit. When you need to change your water after your fish are established, do not shock them by changing the water all at once. Just take out about 10 to 20 percent of the water each week and replace it with clean water. When you need to clean the entire tank, transfer your goldfish into a container along with their old water.

Depending upon your climate and the temperature of your house, you may need a heater for your aquarium. As long as you can keep the water above 66 degrees, you won't need one however. You probably do want to use filters such as under gravel filters because these will help keep your goldfish aquarium clean and you won't have to work as hard on its upkeep plus your fish will stay healthier. When looking for a filter to buy, the important thing to look for is one that provides biological filtration rather than worrying about getting one that turns water over.

You may want to place live plants in your goldfish aquarium. It might be a good idea to establish your plants first before adding your goldfish. If plants are not taken care of properly, they can rot and add pollution or infection to the water. Plastic plants are an alternative option.

If your goldfish aquarium is healthy, algae will develop and is only a problem if its growth becomes rampant. The time to scrape algae is right before a water change so you can remove a large part of the floating debris. It is not necessary to remove all traces of algae although you may want to keep it off the sides of the aquarium so you can see your fish better.

To keep your goldfish bright and healthy, they need the proper diet. They enjoy nibbling on algae and live plants but also need supplemental food that you buy from the pet store. You can choose flake food, frozen food, or pellet food.

Pellet food has the potential to swell inside the stomach of the goldfish, which can make him sick. Therefore it is the least desirable choice. Flake food is commonly fortified so you can be sure your goldfish get all the nutrition they need. You can even feed your goldfish live food in the form of mealworms or other types of worms. Goldfish will eat just about anything.

The important thing to remember when feeding goldfish is that you do not overfeed them because that makes them unhealthy and also pollutes their habitat. You should feed your fish twice a day, at the same time each day so they establish a routine. Do not feed them more than they eat in a single feeding.

By following these simple goldfish care tips, your fish can lead long lives and provide you with a lot of pleasure. Although goldfish are small, they are just like any other pet and require dedicated, loving care in order to thrive.

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