How to Get a Goldfish to Eat

Goldfish, the Carassius auratus, belong to the minnow or carp family, and the origins of the goldfish have been traced back to East Asia. Since then, goldfish have been bred in captivity and developed into many different breeds and sizes, and they have adapted to home aquariums, as well as water ponds and gardens. Normally a healthy and voracious eater, goldfish can lose their appetites for a number of reasons, which often befuddles the owner. A goldfish owner can improve the eating habits of her goldfish by observing fish behavior, by properly selecting adequate fish food and maintaining a healthy tank environment.

Things You'll Need

  • Thermometer (if applicable)
  • Net
  • Medicine (if applicable)
  • Flake food
  • Teaspoon
  • Brine shrimp
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Instructions

    • 1

      Obtain a thermometer, if you do not have one, and test the water temperature of your tank or pond. Goldfish need a temperature between 68 and 73.5 degrees Fahrenheit to remain healthy and active. If you do not have a tank heater, obtain one and turn it on to raise the tank or pond temperature. Remove the tank from direct sunlight or from any heat-producing appliance or device near the tank, to reduce the temperature. A goldfish will not eat regularly if its metabolism has been directly affected by the water temperature.

    • 2

      Remove your goldfish from the tank or pond and physically examine them for external injuries, such as small cuts and abrasions. Sick or injured fish will not feed well, and usually remain inactive, tucked away in the the corner of the tank. Look for small puffy spots or lesions on the body of the fish -- this could be the most common fungus disease known to goldfish.

    • 3

      Transport any ill-looking fishes to a separate tank and consult your pet store expert for the proper application of medicine to add to the tank. Administer the anti-fungal treatment and wait the prescribed number of days before reintroduction into the main tank.

    • 4

      Clean the tank and change the water, if it has filled with algae and excrement sludge. Fish waste in the gravel can be eaten accidentally if it allowed to build up, and this can cause illness and loss of appetite. Check the water for proper temperature. Clean the filter when it shows signs of silting up. Extract a few pans of old tank water, or 15 to 25 percent of the volume and replace it with fresh tap water very two weeks, to keep a recycling regime in place.

    • 5

      Examine the tank bottom for small egg clutches, which might inhabit hidden crevices or depressions. The possibility exists that a pair of goldfish have mated recently without your knowledge. The fish will instinctively eat the eggs before eating any domestic fish food. Carefully remove and transport the eggs to a separate tank, for safety and successful hatching purposes. If the water appears continually murky, consider thinning out the population of the tank, thus reducing competition for available food. As an estimate, you will require gallons per goldfish, so have a tank large enough for the specific numbers you want.

    • 6

      Administer a small pinch of flake food, or pellets into the fish tank. After the first initial feeding, wait 5 to 10 minutes until the flakes or pellets have disappeared, and do not add any more. It is better to underfeed the fish than load up the tank with food that will settle on the bottom and become sludge and sediment.

    • 7

      Feed the goldfish tiny brine shrimp if they are rejecting the grain, flake or pellet-type foods. Timid eaters will actively seek out the swimming brine shrimp and consume them. Brine shrimp offer, as well as a change of taste and consistency, a higher protein supplement than the standard dry food.