Truth behind goldfish?

[Yoimbrian]

I think a lot of people call goldfish really messy because they have this conception of being a "beginner fish" that stays small, cute, clean, and easy. You can just put them in a 1 gallon glass bowl with no filtration and add a few drops of water conditioner and be good.

Obviously that is far from true, but if you start with that conception than anything is messy from there.

And, they are fat and eat a lot.

 

[J. H.]

It also comes down to diet. A good goldfish diet is mostly plant matter, which doesn't damage your water quality so much, while most fish (neon tetra, jardini) are primarily carnivorous, and the animal foods they eat really kill water quality as they break down. Serious goldfish keepers often like to keep their goldfish in green water for nitrite reduction as well as added food source, which may contribute to the myth. Also, goldfish will tolerate much dirtier water than many other fish in the hobby.

 

[Warborg]

Or am I feeding them too little?

I would say too much. Feeding fish everyday is mainly done for putting size on them. I feed my fish/goldfish every 3-4 days and they are just fine. I've been doing this for over 10 years now.

 

[TheKingOfDaFishes]

I want information on how to keep arowana off of experience. what temperature is it?

I keep the temperature around 75-80 degrees because the time of year slightly affects the water temperature.

 

[Smungung]

I keep the temperature around 75-80 degrees because the time of year slightly affects the water temperature.

Is it an outdoor pond?

 

[J. H.]

I would say too much. Feeding fish everyday is mainly done for putting size on them. I feed my fish/goldfish every 3-4 days and they are just fine. I've been doing this for over 10 years now.

You must keep your goldfish cold. The warmer the water, the more they swim, breed and grow, and the more you need to feed them and change their water. They grow mostly during their first two years of life, though. I like my goldfish warm, makes them more interesting to watch, but you do need to feed them 1-2, some people even say 3, times a day.

 

[TheKingOfDaFishes]

Is it an outdoor pond?

I keep him in my greenhouse in a 15' metal frame pool (I replace it every year) The greenhouse is fairly stable in temperature but does let a little cold/heat leak in.

 

[Warborg]

You must keep your goldfish cold. The warmer the water, the more they swim, breed and grow, and the more you need to feed them and change their water. They grow mostly during their first two years of life, though. I like my goldfish warm, makes them more interesting to watch, but you do need to feed them 1-2, some people even say 3, times a day.

I'm sorry but that is not true. Goldfish, like other fish are not warm blooded and do not require extra food to heat their body. Sure mine swim around but they are no where as active as tetras, danios or corys and they do perfectly fine with feeding every 3 or 4 days.

I've heard people on here saying fish can go weeks without feeding.

 

[J. H.]

I'm sorry but that is not true. Goldfish, like other fish are not warm blooded and do not require extra food to heat their body. Sure mine swim around but they are no where as active as tetras, danios or corys and they do perfectly fine with feeding every 3 or 4 days.

I've heard people on here saying fish can go weeks without feeding.

I think we have a misunderstanding. Because Goldfish, like most other fish (except tuna and some other oceanic pelagic fishes) are cold-blooded, they are more active when the water is warmer. More active = more food. They may never move around as fast as tetras or rainbows with a good current, but they explore their tank, constantly combing it for food in a way that is far more interesting to watch then the regular back and forth action of tetras. Yes, you can feed them very infrequently, in the winter many people who keep goldfish outdoors feed them as little as once a month, but if you want the most activity, growth and spawning out of them, you need to give them warm water and plenty of high quality food.