Goldfish | Gold fish

Goldfish are small freshwater ornamental fish that are commonly kept in aquariums and ponds. The goldfish (Carassius auratus auratus) is a freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae of order Cypriniformes. The fish was one of the earliest fish to be domesticated.

A relatively small member of the carp family, the goldfish is a domesticated version of a less-colorful carp (Carassius auratus) native to East Asia. The fish was first domesticated in China more than a thousand years ago, and several distinct breeds have since been developed. Goldfish breeds vary greatly in size, body shape, fin configuration and coloration (various combinations of white, yellow, orange, red, brown, and black are known).

Goldfish are rewarding pets to have. Their proper care, however, is not always taken into consideration, and here I have only just begun to understand the best ways to make these beautiful fish thrive. If you're looking to breed goldfish, have one as a pet, or are simply curious about what it might be like, I describe here how to make this pet fish happy and healthy! Keep in touch and follow the advice…

1. Tank Requirements and Care:
1. Get a large enough tank: The minimal tank size for one goldfish is 30 US gallons and you will need to add 10 U.S. gallons onto that for each additional goldfish.
2. Use gravel that won't get stuck in your fish's throat: Use either large rocks or very small gravel for this lovely pet.
3. Make sure your tank has some scenery and light: Goldfish don't require light, light is only for seeing the fish better and making its colors "pop". Like Keep your aquarium lit for around 8-12 hours each day.
4. Rig up a water filter: Goldfish need a filter. A water filter should take care of the breaking down of the fish’s waste by beneficial bacteria; the trapping of larger particles such as fish waste or excess fish food; and the removal of odors, discolorations and other organics by carbon or mineral absorption.
5. Go through at least one fish-less cycle before introducing your goldfish: A fish-less cycle involves adding ammonia to a tank and keeping track of the nitrate levels to make sure the water is safe for your goldfish to live in.
2. Upkeep and Feeding:
1. Add your fish: Hopefully, if you have more than one goldfish in your tank, your goldfish are all the same type. Unfortunately, goldfish are known to eat other, smaller fish, and can overeat, keeping food from their peers.
2. Add your fish: Perform a 25% up to 90% water change weekly assuming you have stocked your tank properly.
3. Clean the aquarium at least once every week, even if it doesn't look dirty: Goldfish produce waste that even your water filter won't be able to zap. A clean tank means happy, healthy goldfish. And a happy, healthy goldfish can live for decades!
4. Measure for ammonia, nitrite, and pH: Dear fish lover remember that, test you did before you added your precious little fishes? You gotta keep that up already! Ammonia and nitrite levels should be at 0. A range of pH 6.5-8.25 is fine.
5. Feed your fish 1-2 times daily: My friends be careful not to overfeed them, only feed them what they can eat in a minute, the label on the food is wrong. Goldfish can easily overeat and can die. Underfeeding is always preferable to overfeeding.
6. Turn off the light and let them get some sleep: They don't have eyelids and they don't really stop swimming, but their bodies sort of hibernate. You can tell when you notice a slight change in color and reduced activity.
7. Let the water temperature change as the seasons change: Goldfish don't like temperatures over 75°F (24°C), but they appear to like seasonal changes where the temperature dips to the high 50s or 60s (15-20°C) in the winter.
3. Dealing with Potential Problems:
1. Monitor the oxygen level in the tank: If you notice your goldfish are congregating to the surface, odds are there isn't enough in the water. But good news! Oxygen levels will rise with a temperature reduction. So lower the temperature or get your aquarium out of the sun.
2. Fix cloudy aquarium water: Sometimes even when we put forth our best efforts, things still go a bit awry. Water can turn yellow, green, or even white. If you notice it straight away, it's not a big deal. But do get to clean your tank!
3. Watch for goldfish disease ich: One of the most common goldfish diseases is Ich -- where the fish get little white spots on their bodies and fins and have difficulty breathing. It's a parasite that's totally curable.
4. Monitor for Flukes: Another parasite that's a common culprit is Flukes. If infected, your fish will scratch against surfaces, develop outer mucus, redden slightly, and possibly get a swollen belly.
5. Look for swim bladder disease: This one's pretty easy to identify, as your fish will be swimming sideways or even upside-down. You'd think he was up in fishy heaven, but no such luck. But there is luck in that it's not contagious and it can be readily fixed.
6. If a fish has died, take the proper measures: First things first, dispose of your fish in a way that won't stink up the house. You can bury it, or, if you feel so inclined, throw it in the compost heap. Do not flush the fish down the toilet! Grab it from the tank with a plastic bag around your hands, invert the bag, and tie it up. How you clean your aquarium depends on your situation.

Varieties of domesticated goldfish: Selective breeding over centuries has produced several color variations, some of them far removed from the "golden" color of the originally domesticated fish. There are also different body shapes, fin and eye configurations. Currently, there are about 300 breeds recognized in China. The vast majority of goldfish breeds today originated from China. Some of the main varieties are given bellow: 

• Common goldfish
• Black Moor
• Bubble Eye
• Celestial Eye
• Comet (goldfish)
• Fantail (goldfish)
• Lionhead (goldfish)
• Oranda
• Pearlscale
• Pompom (goldfish)
• Ryukin
• Shubunkin
• Telescope eye
• Ranchu
• Panda Moor
• Veiltail
• Butterfly tail (goldfish)
• Meteor goldfish
• Lionchu
• Egg-fish goldfish
• Shukin
• Curled-gill goldfish
• Tamasaba        
• Tosakin 

Information sources:

• http://www.wikihow.com/Take-Care-of-Goldfish
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldfish