goldfish

[sagesaria]

I used to have a goldfish earlier in my time in this house...ten years ago, I'd say? I won it at the county fair...or it was won for me. Whichever.

Anyway, I'm considering trying to win another one this year, as we're going to the fair tomorrow, and I'm just wondering how possible it'd be, since I remember there was some maitenence to it. So I have some questions that hopefully folks here can answer;

- I'm assuming I'll have to wipe out the old bowl before putting a new fish in it. Should I replace the used gravel in it too or would that still be good?

- is ten-year-old fish food, unused gravel, and water cleanser still good?

- I think I need to replace the bubble machine, or at least whatever it was that connected it to the pipe that shot the air upward. How long would the fish be ok without it?

- the bowl I have is 10" in diameter and about 5.5" deep. It's too late to do math so I have no idea what it makes the volume. I remember Goldeen (I was a Pokemon fan at the time, shut up) fitting in it just fine, but would a second fish be too crowded?

- I remember going to the pet store sometimes to get a snail to help keep the tank clean. Is there a specific kind of snail I should get? The most I remember was that I liked the ones with orange shells XD Also I remember the snails I owned crawling to the top a lot; should I get some sort of lid so they don't escape and dry out while I'm at work or something?

- anything else I should be reminded of?

- bonus question: how twisted and wrong of me would it be to name it Kaito?

just evaluating what I'd have to go through if I do decide to get a new fish. any help would be appreciated!

Comments

[patches023.livejournal.com]

There is quite a bit of information on goldfish care on the infonet. Wikipedia has a nice article about them here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldfish.

I would wash the old bowl well. However, according to the article it might not be big enough. Or maybe it is depending upon your pump (I think the bubble machine is a pump). I would go to an aquarium store and talk to them about the pump and get new food. I wouldn't use the food. I would think you could reuse the gravel if you soak it and then rinse well so no dust is in the water.

From the article
The popular image of a goldfish in a fishbowl is an enduring one. However, some countries have banned the sale of bowls of that type under animal rights legislation due to the risk of stunting, deoxygenation and ammonia/nitrite poisoning in such a small environment. Because of their large oxygen needs and high waste output, the popular goldfish bowls of the past are no longer considered appropriate housing for goldfish.

Like most carp, goldfish produce a large amount of waste both in their feces and through their gills, releasing harmful chemicals into the water.Build-up of this waste to toxic levels can occur in a relatively short period of time, which is often the cause of a goldfish's sudden death. Because of this, goldfish need a large volume of water in which to live. For common and comet varieties, each goldfish should have about 20 gallons(US) or 75 liters of water. Fancy goldfish (which are smaller) should have about 10 gallons(US) or 37.5 liters per goldfish. The amount of 'water surface area' is also important in determining how many goldfish may live in a container, as water surface area determines how much oxygen diffuses and dissolves from the air into the water. A general rule is have one square foot of water surface area for every inch of goldfish length (370 cm²/cm). If the water is being actively aerated by way of a water pump, filter or fountain, a smaller volume of water is needed.

The goldfish is classified as a coldwater fish, and can live in unheated aquariums at a room temperature comfortable for humans. However, goldfish cannot tolerate rapid changes in temperature (for example in an office building in winter when the heat is turned off at night). The sudden shift in temperature could kill them, especially if the goldfish are kept in a small tank. Care must also be taken when adding water, as the water added may be a different temperature than the water in the tank. Temperatures under about 10°C/50°F are dangerous to fancy varieties of goldfish, though commons and comets can be exposed to slightly lower temperatures without a problem. Extremely high temperatures (over 30°C/86°F) can also be harmful to goldfish. However, higher temperatures may be helpful for fighting protozoan infestations by accelerating the parasite's life-cycle — thus eliminating it more quickly[citation needed]. The optimum temperature for goldfish is around 25°C/77°F.

....The supposed reputation of goldfish dying quickly is often due to poor care amongst uninformed buyers looking for a cheap pet. The true lifespan of a well-cared-for goldfish in captivity can extend beyond 10 years.

Good luck.

[dudeness86.livejournal.com]

.

Tany is goings to win you a Kaito.

[sagesaria.livejournal.com]

I actually realised now that I think about it that the best name for a goldfish would be Ponyo XDD and I'll be trying to win be one too; we're allowed to get things for ourselves too, right?

[sushiboy.livejournal.com]

I keep a lot of fish, and have had a goldfish for about 13 years. The catch? It was kept in a pond. Let me reply to each of your concerns.

"I'm assuming I'll have to wipe out the old bowl before putting a new fish in it. Should I replace the used gravel in it too or would that still be good?"

- The gravel will be fine, just rinse it. Clean the bowl with a damp cloth. Oh and whenever you do a water change, plan it the night before and let the water sit for at least 8 hours before adding it to your fish tank. This allows the water to diffuse the chlorine and other man-made chemicals that are put in the water (but are bad for fish). Water cleaners work, but this should also be done for your fish's health.

"is ten-year-old fish food, unused gravel, and water cleanser still good?"
- Gravel yes. Everything else? No.

"I think I need to replace the bubble machine, or at least whatever it was that connected it to the pipe that shot the air upward. How long would the fish be ok without it?"
- All members of the cyprinidae(sp)/carp family are surprisingly tolerant of low oxygen levels. Keyword, *tolerant* they won't thrive, won't be healthy, and are at risk of getting infections/stress illnesses. A day or two will be fine, but the sooner the better.

"the bowl I have is 10" in diameter and about 5.5" deep. It's too late to do math so I have no idea what it makes the volume. I remember Goldeen (I was a Pokemon fan at the time, shut up) fitting in it just fine, but would a second fish be too crowded?"
- Not to be too hard, but you shouldn't even consider getting a goldfish with even that one. Goldfish grow regardless of the size of the container, a second fish in that size container is out of the question. Remember, though it doesn't look like it, a goldfish bowl has to be an ecosystem. You don't just have a goldfish you're also creating a habitat for bacteria and microbes that are necessary for water filtration and aiding the nitrogen cycle. The problem with a small bowl like yours is that any time the fish makes waste, or leftover food, or too much sun, or an algae bloom, the system will be thrown out of balance. A larger bowl (which will be quite cheap) will ensure the system isn't thrown out of whack easily, and besides, means less changing. I don't know the ratios, but an online source can tell you the appropriate size per goldfish. You do have the right idea to have a wide lipped and broad bowl in relationship to a more vertical one.

"I remember going to the pet store sometimes to get a snail to help keep the tank clean. Is there a specific kind of snail I should get? The most I remember was that I liked the ones with orange shells XD Also I remember the snails I owned crawling to the top a lot; should I get some sort of lid so they don't escape and dry out while I'm at work or something?"

- Ramshorn snails are a popular choice, and snails go to the topbecause there's not enough of oxygen in the water (see the previous response of bowl size). If the snail is also in its shell alot that's a sign that the water quality isn't healthy. Don't worry about a lid, they're totally dependent and need water, they won't stray too far. Snails are great, they filter water and you can use them as an indicator of how healthy the water truly is. A word of caution: they are hermaphroditic, so keep an eye on eggs.

"anything else I should be reminded of?"

- Goldfish are awesome, and come in a ton of different varieties (I love ranchus, but they are expensive). They are robust and are long lived if in the right environment. The bigger the space, the better. The more filtration, the better. I suggest a good quality goldfish flake food is quite well, along with occasional feedings of brine shrimp. I'm sure you know, but just in case, never leave food floating when the fish is done. Avoid putting the bowl in direct sunlight, it will overheat the water, and cause algal blooms. And again, get a bigger bowl. The bubble filter you got should be quite alright, and if you do get the bigger bowl (or really even a small fish tank) you can get away with a water change every 3 days. If you get a 10 gallon fish tank, you can probably get another goldfish or two in it.

Best of luck.

[sushiboy.livejournal.com]

Oh and one more thing, if you buy a goldfish, be sure to properly acclimate it. Most goldfish die because they are not properly introduced to their new surroundings.

- Set the fish tank, with the clean water, and the pump at least a day before you buy the fish. That way you can see what is working or isn't working, and you can see if there's any kind of water issues you should be aware of.
- When you buy the fish, keep it in the bag, and lower the bag into the water. Give it at least an hour - you want the fish's bag water to be the same temperature as the water in the tank/bowl. If you don't do this properly, the fish gets stressed and even in some extreme cases, dies.
- Slowly open the bag and let more of the tank water in. Eventually after another few minutes, you can let the fish go fully into the tank.

[rawr-indie.livejournal.com]

Now, I would go into a full blown explanation of how to look after goldfish and what you should and should not do but I won't. My reason being that my attitude toward goldfish has considerably changed since my last two fish and the amount of effort we put into caring for them.

We had a 14 litre tank with 2 small goldfish. We had room temperature water and special chemicals in it for 7 days before we went to get our fish (like advised). Once having them we cleaned the tank every few weeks and did partial water changes, etc. Despite having a pump, all the chemicals to keep them thriving and a great attitude toward their care they died shortly after getting them. Maybe, a month? Now, the thing that confused me was that my mum has had a good bunch of fish over the years (a percentage of them from the fair) and she'll literally just dropped them in a bowl of water, cleaned them out on occasion and just let them be. They've all been such healthy fish and have lasted years at a time!

Now, it leads me to wonder if all the pumps, chemicals and special treatment is really worth it when it comes down to mere goldfish? I actually don't think so. They seem to be fine just in a bowl with some gravel and ordinary treatment.