Tips for a Goldfish Tank

A genetic mutation during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) caused silver pond carps to turn a gold or orange color. People began breeding these golden fish for their unique color and placed them in bowls for display on special occasions, giving rise to the popular pet goldfish. These fish don't fare well in fishbowls due to the bowl's small size, lack of a filtering system and difficulty to clean. Goldfish prefer large, well-kept tanks.

  1. Tank Supplies

    • Setting up a tank can be time consuming so get the chore done before purchasing a goldfish. Invest in a 20 gallon tank for one fish. If you want more than one fish, you need at least ten additional gallons per fish. You also need a hood with fluorescent lighting, filtration system, air pump, airline tubing, gravel, thermometer, water treatments and gravel siphon. While you don't have to have a heater, it will help reduce temperature fluctuations, which can kill goldfish.

      Keep in mind a 55 gallon tank that holds three to four goldfish weights approximately 550 pounds. You need a sturdy piece of furniture or tank stand to support this kind of weight.

    Placement

    • Give thought to where you place the goldfish tank. Avoid setting the tank in direct sunlight, which encourages excess algae growth and can heat the water in the tank. If the water gets too hot, it will kill the fish. Also, avoid drafts; they cool the water, which can kill the fish if the temperature gets too low. Station the tank near a power outlet so you can plug in the heater, light and other parts of the tank. Take storage into consideration as well. You will need a place near the tank to store filters, food and other supplies. Place the tank in a low traffic area to avoid the tank accidentally being bumped or knocked over. Vibrations from children running by will stress the goldfish and can kill the fish.

    Transfer

    • Once the tank is set up, you need to transfer your new pet goldfish to the tank. On the drive home from the pet store, place the goldfish in a brown bag to protect it from sunlight, which can quickly warm the water in the transfer bag. Walk smoothly, since vibrations disturb the fish. Before placing the goldfish in its new home, dim the lights and place the bag in the tank for 15 or 20 minutes to equalize the temperature between the water in the bag and the water in the tank and for the fish to adjust to its new environment. Then let the goldfish out of the bag. Avoid spilling the water in the bag into the tank so you don't transfer fish waste into the clean tank.

    Tank Mates

    • Goldfish survive fine without other fish. However, they often become more animated when they have tank mates. But be careful when adding other species of fish to your goldfish tank. Since goldfish are a temperate species of fish, tropical fish generally don't fare well in the lower temperatures that goldfish require. You can safely place a small channel catfish in your tank, but catfish can easily outgrow the fish tank. To add variation to your aquarium, place different breeds of goldfish in the tank.