How do you keep goldfish happy? (2023)

How can you tell if a goldfish is happy?

How do I keep my goldfish from getting bored?

What do goldfish like to play with?

Goldfish need mental stimulation. Decorate the tank with colorful gravel, plants, a sunken ship, anything that will make the goldfish curious or provide an excellent hiding spot. Make sure the decorations don't have sharp edges, though.

How often do you feed goldfish?

Feed 2-3 times daily. It is important to avoid overfeeding goldfish as this can cause indigestion and/or contaminate the tank. In terms of the amount to feed, a good rule of thumb is to only feed an amount that the goldfish can consume in under two minutes or only feed as much as the size of the goldfish's eye.

Do goldfish like light?

While it is important to make sure that your fish gets enough light, you should also make sure they don't get too much! For instance, you should never place a goldfish tank in direct sunlight. The heat from the sun will cause the water to heat up and the strong light will encourage the growth of algae.

Do goldfish like tap water?

Goldfish can only live in tap water when it has been properly treated to remove harmful chemicals. Tap water contains chemicals that will kill all of the 'good bacteria' in your tank.

What do goldfish like in their tank?

Good water quality is critical for keeping a goldfish healthy. The pH should range between 7-8.4 and temperatures should be kept in a narrow range. Water should be tested frequently and an aquarium should be cycled before adding any animals.

Can goldfish hear you?

You may be surprised to learn that the answer to this question is actually yes! Goldfish can hear sounds even though they don't have ears!

Is it OK to have only one goldfish?

Keeping at least two goldfish in an aquarium is recommended to provide companionship and promote activity. Solitary fish can exhibit depression and lethargy. Goldfish are generally not aggressive so they can be kept with most community fish provided the other fish are larger than the size of the goldfish's mouth.

How do you know if a goldfish is a boy or a girl?

The anal fin in males is closer to the tail compared to females. Male goldfish tend to have more flowing fins and tails compared to females. Male goldfish tend to have a slightly smaller and skinnier body compared to females. Females will have a larger and rounder body and their abdomen can appear soft.

How do I know if my goldfish need more oxygen?

Increased gill movement – you may see your goldfish's gills moving more than normal, as if it is breathing heavily. Decreased activity – your goldfish won't move much and may appear to be asleep. Gasping at the surface – you may spot your goldfish going to the surface and appearing to gulp for air.

What should you not do with goldfish?

Do goldfish prefer cold or warm water?

Goldfish Water Requirements

The optimum temperature for fancy goldfish is 68° to 74° F, while comets and shubunkins should be kept between 60° and 70°F. pH is not critical, but ideally should be between 7.0 and 8.4. Rapid changes in temperature or water chemistry can be harmful, if not fatal to goldfish.

What is the lifespan of a goldfish?

Goldfish have a lifespan averaging about 10-15 years, with some varieties living up to 30 years when provided with proper care. Unfortunately, many goldfish do not reach their lifespan potential due to inadequate housing conditions. Housing needs to meet both their behavioural and physiological needs.

How long can goldfish live without changing water?

Goldfish can actually live for up to an hour out of water. This could be stretched even further is there is at least some water – a small puddle for example. Some goldfish have survived up to three hours on the floor, because some water came with them when they jumped out of the tank.

How often should goldfish water be changed?

To keep your fish healthy, you should change at least half of the water in the bowl or aquarium every 3 days.

What human food can you feed a goldfish?

They can eat “human food” too, including vegetables. One of the best choices of vegetable for goldfish is peas with the shells removed. Peas are great at preventing constipation in goldfish. To feed peas to your goldfish, simply rinse the peas, heat them in a pan or microwave to soften, then remove the shells.

Where do goldfish like to sleep?

Unlike people, goldfish do not lie down when they sleep. Rather, they become less active, staying in one place and moving slowly to keep themselves stable. They look like they are hovering in the tank or pond, usually low in the water, an inch or so off the bottom, with their heads pointed slightly downward.

Do goldfish get bored and lonely?

However, we can say that it is very unlikely that goldfish get lonely. Goldfish are just not the same as humans – they're not social animals in the same way that we are, and they don't have the same capacity to get bored or long for companionship.

Are LED lights OK for goldfish?

LED lights are becoming increasingly popular and more affordable. White daytime LED lights are the best choose for fancy goldfish. They last for years before fading. They are also the least likely to grow algae and bacterial blooms that could cloud the water.

Why can't you touch a goldfish?

They need space to perform well. Goldfish also don't like being touched on their bodies, bright lights, or loud noises. Do not tap on the tank to get your goldfish's attention.

How often should you clean a fish tank for goldfish?

How often should a goldfish tank be cleaned? Once your goldfish tank is set up and fully cycled, you'll need to clean it once a week. As mentioned above, goldfish are dirty fish, and you must remove the mess they make to keep the tank environment clean and hygienic.

Do goldfish need rocks or sand?

And the answer is that goldfish don't need substrate. There's nothing essential about having a substrate and goldfish can survive quite healthily and happily without one. So, as goldfish don't require a substrate, you could choose to simply leave the bottom of your goldfish tank bare.

What size tank do I need for 2 goldfish?

A good rule of thumb is to choose a tank with at least 10 gallons of water for every goldfish. So, if you have two goldfish, you'll need a 20-gallon tank. Your goldfish will also need plenty of hiding places and places to swim around in their tank.

Do goldfish need rocks in their tank?

Goldfish don't need substrate in their tank, but having substrate can provide a ton of surface area for beneficial bacteria to grow, creating a healthier environment for your fish.

Do goldfish cry?

"Since fishes lack the parts of the brain that set us apart from the fishes — the cerebral cortex — I doubt very much that fishes engage in anything like crying," Webster told LiveScience. "And certainly they produce no tears, since their eyes are constantly bathed in a watery medium."

Do goldfish like music?

A new study finds that not only do goldfish listen to music, but the famously forgetful fish can also distinguish between Bach and Stravinsky. And they prefer the German maestro.

Can a goldfish bite your finger?

Goldfish teeth aren't sharp and they can't bite people. They're actually very flat – a bit like human molars – and are used to crush and grind food.

Do goldfish like mirrors?

Looking at themselves in a mirror is enough to scare some fish, a new study finds. Fish looking at a mirror showed increased brain activity in regions linked to fear than fish faced with an actual fish separated by glass, the study showed.

Should goldfish have a light at night?

Day and Night Cycle

Fish do not have eyelids and rely on total darkness to rest. Without at least 8 hours of darkness, your goldfish can become sleep-deprived. This means you should turn off all lights before you go to bed to ensure your goldfish can rest peacefully.

Do female goldfish get pregnant?

Because female goldfish lay eggs, rather than having live young develop inside them, there's actually no such thing as a “pregnant goldfish”.

How many babies do goldfish have?

How Many Babies Do Goldfish Have? A female can lay up to 10,000 eggs but this doesn't mean you should expect to have that many babies when breeding. Only a small amount of these eggs will be viable as not all will be fertilized by the male.

Can goldfish change sexes?

Although some fish can change sex, goldfish are not among those. Sex is fixed prior to birth. You are absolutely correct: at breeding time mature male goldfish will develop breeding tubercles that appear as white bumps on the gill covers (opercula) and the rays of their pectoral fins.

How do you keep goldfish active and healthy?

Goldfish spend lots of time exploring their tanks to entertain themselves, so set up your tank in such a way as to provide lots of stimulus for your fish. Gravel, plants, ornaments and airflows can all make life interesting for your fish.

How do I add oxygen to my goldfish bowl?

Increasing water movement is the quickest way to increase oxygen (O2) levels in a fish tank, as it allows more O2 to dissolve and carbon dioxide (CO2) to be released. This can be easily done using an air pump, performing large water changes, manually stirring the water, or placing a fan near the aquarium.

Does goldfish need heater?

Common goldfish can tolerate the cold winter months without a heater. However, fancy goldfish are more sensitive and need a heater to maintain warm conditions. Fancy goldfish get stressed and develop a weakened immune system and infections when they do not have a heated tank.

What is normal goldfish Behaviour?

Goldfish are fairly social fish, and are also credited with the ability to learn by association. Unless they are in competition with each other for food, even goldfish of different sizes and ages will rarely behave aggressively towards each other, and will come to recognize the other fish in their tank over time.

Do goldfish get excited to see you?

Goldfish are certainly smarter than you think. Some have been observed to perceive and remember well enough to distinguish between people. They often notice the person who feeds them each day, and will get excited when they see them.

Do pet goldfish recognize their owners?

Goldfish have shown that they have an ability to learn and process information. Pet goldfish can distinguish between humans, and often recognise the human that regularly feeds them.

How do you know if your goldfish is a boy or a girl?

The anal fin in males is closer to the tail compared to females. Male goldfish tend to have more flowing fins and tails compared to females. Male goldfish tend to have a slightly smaller and skinnier body compared to females. Females will have a larger and rounder body and their abdomen can appear soft.

Do goldfish need 2 or 3?

Goldfish do just fine as only children, so you can start with one, or keep two, three, or more. Keep in mind that the more fish you have, the more room they will need. When they are only a few inches long, you can get away with 20 gallons per fish. Yes, this rules out bowls, 5 gallon, and 10 gallon tanks.

Is it OK to feed goldfish once a day?

Until they are one year old, you should feed goldfish 2 or 3 times per day. Once they are older than one year, you should feed goldfish just once per day. There are, however, a number of factors that could lead you to adjust this schedule. Also, the type and amount of goldfish food you feed your goldfish is important.