So we just got two fish... I think they're goldfish, but am not sure. So I had a few questions:
How do you tell girl fishies from the menfolk?
Can I put them in tap water? If not, what water is advisable?
How often should I change the water %26 clean the tank? We don't have one of those fancy aquariums, just a little round bowl.
Should we decorate the bowl? If so, what do the fish enjoy that is cheap?
How can I best help them live a long, happy, prosperous life?
And finally.
Is there any way to keep them from stinking? My mother is against the fish because they think that no matter what they are always stinky, slimy and disgusting.
Answers:
Get them out of a bowl and into a proper aquarium with filtration immediately. Juvenile gold fish need at least 10 gallons each. Adults need at least 20 gallons each. In other words, two gold fish in a 29 gallon aquarium is a tight fit.
This will solve your problems of:
How can I best help them live a long, happy, prosperous life?
And finally.
Is there any way to keep them from stinking? My mother is against the fish because they think that no matter what they are always stinky, slimy and disgusting.
The fish will die in a bowl. The reason they stink is because ammonia builds up in the bowl quickly. The ammonia is toxic and kills the fish eventually. You'd have to change the bowl and add dechlorinated water daily. Even after doing daily 100% changes, the fish would probably get sick and die because this is not good for their immune systems. You need a cycled tank of at least 20 gallons to start out with two goldfish.
First of all a bowl is no good. Goldfish grow very big. You need a proper tank, about 75 litres minimum with a filter to keep the water clean and a light.
Do a 25% water change once a week or so. Let tap water stand in a bucket for a couple of days so the chlorine in it disappears then scrub the tank's sides with a sponge scourer to remove algae before changing the water.
Live plants are best for a tank and they help oxygenate the water too. Buy a good goldfish flake and supplement with live food such as bloodworm but don't overfeed as this can contribute to poor water quality.
Get a good test kit and test the water every couple of weeks to make sure it is safe with not too much ammonia and other nasties that can kill the fish. The instructions that come with them are really easy to follow and tell you what levels are dangerous.Normally you would cycle a tank before adding fish, but since you already have some you will have to plough on regardless. Don't worry, goldfish are pretty hardy and will probably not die if you change the water regularly, just don't get any more fish until all your nitrate, nitrite and ammonia readings are at safe levels.
A well kept tank will not smell at all.
Remember goldfish can live for up to 50 years so treat them well.
Good Luck!
I have a goldfish in a bowl, its two years old. Change the water twice a week and you'll be fine! Have fun!! Also I have a 160 gal reef tank, so I know what im talking about. Email me if you have anymore questions
Last first. Fish are only stinky because their water hasn't been properly taken care of. Next, you need to know what fish you have. It makes all the difference in the world in how you take care of them, feed them and what type of environment you provide to them. Assuming they are goldfish, it's virtually impossible to sex goldfish except during breeding season, and even then it's difficult, so worrying about their sex really can't be an issue. Next, no bowls. No bowls. Goldfish cannot be in bowls. This is part of why they stink. Because of their internal organ structure, they produce more waste than any other fish and, accordingly, require more water and filtration than any other fish. The rule for goldfish is a minimum, minimum of 10 gallons of water per fish. So, for 2 goldfish, you must have a minimum of a 20 gallon tank. If you choose to disregard this, you will have stink and sick and dead fish. You can use tap water, but you must treat it with a detoxifier, such as Amquel. This eliminates chlorine, chloramine, and while it doesn't get rid of ammonia, converts it to a less deadly form of nitrites or nitrates. Goldfish don't really care about decorations. Decorations are for the humans. That said, they do like caves to hide in. You have to cycle the water, preferably, before you get fish, but since you already have them, you are going to need to do a fish cycle. There is a chance that the fish will die with this method, but this is what you'll have to deal with. You need to get a test kit that tests for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. You need to do 25% daily water changes and test the water every day. You'll have ammonia to start with and after a couple of weeks or so, you'll see a nitrite spike. You keep doing the water changes and you'll see your nitrites going down and then get a nitrates spike. When you finally get a 0 ppm reading on your nitrates, your water is cycled. It takes 4-6 weeks for a tank to cycle, oftentimes longer when cycling with fish. After that, you have to do weekly water changes of 25%, siphon the gravel, rinse the filter and wipe down the glass and accessories. Never, ever do a super squeaky clean cleaning. This destroys all of the beneficial bacteria that is necessary for a healthy tank. For goldfish, you need filtration that pumps 10 times the water per hour as the size of the tank. So, for a 20 gallon tank, you need a 200 gph filter. You cannot go without a filter for goldfish. Goldfish love a variety of fruits and vegetables as well to supplement their diet, so give them a lot of different things of these. Also, read up on diseases. Learn how to identify them and treat them. Please read up on as many different articles as you can from the best site on the net for goldfish. The more you know, the healthier and longer your goldfish will live. Good luck!
as the one answerer said, Goldfish can be kept in a bowl, they have had theirs in one for 2 years now - so contact them for help.
But - keeping goldfish in a bowl is chancy. If you do have a tank and a filter, your goldfish will do much better.
Also, when kept in a bowl, they won't get big no matter what people say. Their growth hormones tell them to stop growing when they reach a certain size for their environment. This is so they won't overgrow their area. But put that same fish in a big pond - and boom - it'll have a growth spurt!
As to telling a boy goldfish from a female goldfish - that's kind of hard to do. However it can be done, but only when they are about to spawn in the spring - usually in April. The Female will be filled with eggs - she'll look chunky and round. the male will look sleek - since he's going to be chasing that femail around.
Good luck with your Goldfish -
Ken
