| Having Goldfish can be a fun and rewarding hobby. | | | | You need to add fish slowly. Fish excrete ammonia. If |
| As with any new hobby, especially one that involves | | | | you add too many fish at once to a new fish tank, |
| living creatures, always consider the maintenance that | | | | the water will not be seasoned Sufficiently to |
| will be involved. If you care for your tropical fish tank | | | | dissipate it. As the water in your Goldfish tank ages, |
| correctly, you will be sure to maintain happy and | | | | it builds up beneficial bacteria that turn hurtful |
| healthy Goldfish for many years. Goldfish have a life | | | | chemicals excreted by the fish into harmless ones. |
| expectancy of five to ten years. If you do a | | | | However, this will take some time. Begin with a single |
| first-rate job Of taking care of their fish aquarium, | | | | fish. The nitrogen cycle will not begin until you add |
| you should have fun, beautiful fish for a long time. Be | | | | the fish, so running an empty tank for several days |
| sure to feed them appropriately and keep their | | | | will not help. Since your tropical fish tank is brand |
| water fresh and clear. | | | | new, you might want to consider making partial |
| You shouldn't buy your fish until your have | | | | water changes of about 25 per cent of the total |
| everything place first. If you are going to set gravel | | | | water volume every few days for the first week or |
| on the floor, you may want to put only a slim layer. | | | | so. |
| This will make it easier to keep clean, as Goldfish | | | | Gold fish food is very easy to find and is in almost |
| tend to be messy. Make certain that you wash the | | | | every pet store. Make sure to buy some when you |
| gravel totally beforehand placing it in the floor of the | | | | purchase your first fish. Feed only a small amount. |
| aquarium. If you have some decorations, you should | | | | Especially at first. Any uneaten food will sink to the |
| add them at this point. Make sure that you clean | | | | floor and rot. Keep this to a least amount. Watch |
| them well before putting them into the tropical fish | | | | your fish the first few times that you feed them. |
| tank. Also be certain that the goldfish have ample | | | | Feed only as much as they will eat in two to three |
| room to swim, as they are active fish. Provide them | | | | minutes twice a day, or as recommended on the |
| a place or two to hide, and that ought to do nicely. | | | | Goldfish food label. Be especially cautious not to |
| Now that you have everything in place, you can add | | | | overfeed when the Goldfish aquarium is new. This will |
| in the water. You will need to use a dechlorinator, as | | | | cause surplus build up of toxic chemicals and can kill |
| the chlorine in tap water is fatal to fish. When the | | | | your fish quickly. |
| fish aquarium is filled up, you can turn on the filter. | | | | As the water in your fish aquarium cycles through |
| Exchange it as often as recommended to keep your | | | | the nitrogen cycle, you may notice that is becomes |
| fish healthy. Goldfish live at room temperature, so | | | | very murky. This is a normal process and should clear |
| you will not need a heater. They are quite | | | | up in a few days. Do not add any new fish until the |
| comfortable in temperatures from 68 to 80 degrees. | | | | water is crystal clear again. Clear water will show that |
| However, they should not be exposed to rapid | | | | the nitrogen cycle is working and that the toxic |
| temperature changes. You might wish to let the filter | | | | chemicals are being converted to good ones. |
| run in the new goldfish tank for a day or so to filter | | | | Remember as the Goldfish grow larger they will need |
| out any chemicals or dyes that might have been left | | | | a bigger space. Don't overcrowd the aquarium if you |
| on the gravel and decorations that you just added. | | | | would like to keep healthy fish. If you stick to this |
| Waiting to purchase new fish can be one of the | | | | little guideline, you will be certain to have a healthy |
| hardest things about fish keeping! | | | | goldfish fish tank. |