Goldfish Tank Ideas

Goldfish are cold water fish that can live 10 to 20 years if cared for properly. While some people put goldfish in a bowl with little else, part of proper care is providing the right sized aquarium with effective filtration, pump and lighting systems. The aquarium should contain both gravel and hiding places.

  1. Goldfish

    • Over 100 breeds of goldfish exist; they fall into three general categories based on their shapes. The dragon shape has a long tail, high fins and large eyes. The egg-shape has short, sculpted tails and no dorsal fins. The carp shape has a long body and short fins.

    Tank Size

    • The ASPCA recommends a minimum of a 20-gallon tank for keeping goldfish. Allow for 1 gallon of water per fish and place the tank on a stable surface away from direct sunlight and heating or cooling units. Goldfish, like other varieties of fish, are sensitive to temperature changes. Cover the floor of the aquarium with rinsed-off gravel.

    Decorating Inside the Tank

    • Goldfish like to have hiding places in their tanks such as live plants and overturned flower pots. Stack a large flat rock on top of two smaller rocks with a space between the small rocks to provide an alternate hiding place. Purchase commercial products such as plastic plants, logs, coral reef sections and small model buildings to provide hiding places. Thoroughly clean anything before adding it to the tank so as to not disrupt the delicate balance in the tank.

    Decorating the Back of the Tank

    • Attach full color pictures of underwater scenes to the outside of the back of the tank, facing into the tank to add flare to the goldfish aquarium. Fish swimming in a coral reef is a nice idea for a picture because of its bright colors. One picture blown up or a collage of smaller pictures are both viable options.