Archive for Goldfish
The Basics of Pet Goldfish: Spawning and Breeding
Posted by: | CommentsThis is how it’s really done on fish farms. It’s difficult because it’s usually used for group spawning when you have fish all of the same variety. Spawning happens very naturally for pond fish, especially those kept outside year round. They winter naturally and come into spawning season raring to go.
Another reason to have partial shading in a pond is to prevent too much algae. It is thought that too much algae in a pond prevents goldfish from spawning. On the other hand, make sure to have some crystalwort in the pond around this time so that the fish have some around to place their eggs on. Make sure that this is the only place. No matter how much you’ve made the shallow end a hot bed of spawning, there’s always a pair of fish that will use the water hyacinth at the deepest part of the pond.
If you plan to raise the fry in the pond, remember to extract the adult fish – otherwise the fry will be eaten. Also, if you are raising the fry in the pond, you should be on the lookout for hydra. If there is hydra, remove as many of the fry as you can as soon as possible.
The Basics of Pet Goldfish: Pond Keeping
Posted by: | CommentsGoldfish are excellent pond or pool fish. They were originally bred from wild carp and are cold-water freshwater fish. Other than their distant cousin the Koi, goldfish are one of the hardiest and most easily kept pond fish.
There are similarities and differences between keeping an aquarium and keeping a pond. For example, in a pond there is generally not a heater.
Where to Place the Pond
This is a tricky proposition for two reasons: Fish need plenty of sunlight and fish need shade. Fish need the sunlight to keep the water relatively warm and to improve and maintain their colors, But if you place too much of the pond in the sun, your pond will be overrun by algae. As we discussed earlier, sunlight makes for a healthy fish. But they need shade, too. Some part of the pond should always be in the shade. Goldfish need a place that will be shaded to cool off from the sun when it gets too hot and goldfish need to be protected from the prying eyes of predators.
Predators are one thing aquarium enthusiasts don’t need to worry about. Depending on where you live, there are any number of wild animals that would love a nice fish dinner, including all kinds of birds (including ducks, swans and geese), a few snakes, raccoons,weasels, frogs and turtles, and many house pets, especially those cats that don’t mind getting wet If there is a lot of water hyacinths or duckweed for the fish to hide under or escape to, then you will have done well. Also, a fence is not the worst answer to keep out some of these other hungry creatures.
The Basics of Pet Goldfish: White Worms
Posted by: | CommentsAlso known as micro worms, these worms are white or beige. They can be bought in small single-serving amounts from your local pet shop. But they are also available in cultures.
If you wish to raise your own culture, follow these steps:
1. In a large tray or small shallow tub, place earth and mulched leaves.
2. Water the earth and place the worms on the dirt. Also sprinkle breadcrumbs or place slices of bread on the dirt. Some authorities recommend oatmeal.
3. Place a sheet of glass over the tub and cover the tub with a sheet or blanket Make sure the glass is touching every part of the container.
4. Place the tub in a damp place at room temperature and leave it alone for two to three weeks. Temperatures will make the maturing time vary.
5. When you unwrap the tub, the glass plate will be covered by white worms on the underside of the glass. Scrape them off and presto, a feast fit for a goldfish!
These cultures only last for approximately six weeks. If you suspect that the culture has gone bad, it is important that you dispose of the entire batch and keep none of the worms.
The Basics of Pet Goldfish: Tublfex
Posted by: | CommentsThese long, thin, red worms, also known as sludge worms, are not very pretty, but can be bought at the local pet store, where their chance of carrying disease is low. Like all live food, they are an excellent food source and will be gratefully appreciated by your fish.
Before feeding them to your fish, you must rinse them thoroughly in gently running water for at least one hour; if you can, do it for two more hours. Tubifex require a lot of work and are considered so risky that I advise you to feed them to your goldfish only once or twice a month. While it is possible to breed these in a culture at your home, it’s very difficult and is probably not worth the risk.
The Basics of Pet Goldfish: Flakes or Dried Foods
Posted by: | CommentsThere are numerous manufacturers of flake or dried foods, and these foods are available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. The most important thing to know is that goldfish do not have the same nutritional needs as tropical fish. Their body makeup and composition are substantially different from tropical, despite their both being fish. Consequently, fish food manufacturers produce flake and dried foods especially for goldfish, which address their unique requirements.
Many dried food manufacturers have begun marketing feeding kits that promise to improve growth and color. The results are mixed, but one thing is for sure. Don’t buy these kits unless they are exclusively aimed at goldfish. If a particular type of food is aimed at tropical fish in general, it is probably not a good buy for goldfish. Goldfishes’ nutritional needs differ greatly from community or incompatible tropical fish, and the results will almost surely not be there.
Dried foods can be prepared in a number of ways, including flakes, or compressed into pellets, also known as granules (which are bite-size chunks), or tablets (the largest of the consumable compressed dried foods). Some manufacturers make vitamin-enriched flake food. Breeders tend to dislike them because the vitamins break down fester this way.
The Basics of Pet Goldfish: Earthworms
Posted by: | CommentsEarthworms are rich in protein and are an interesting dietary change for your goldfish. They are particularly valuable to hobbyists and prized by goldfish during or preceding breeding season. They are also easily obtained. You can either search for them after showers in lawns and around ponds and lakes, or you can cultivate them in your back yard. This is the only live food I recommend that a hobbyist cultivate.
Earthworms can be cultivated by taking a small patch of dirt, maybe a yard or two yards square, and throwing burlap sacks over the raw, tilled soil. Then, taking the garden hose, water the burlap sacks until they are good and wet. Do this every morning of the week. On the seventh day, lift up the burlap sacks, and Bingo, worm city! I don’t recommend that you take too many to feed your fish right away, nor do I recommend that you harvest them more than once a week. The best time to harvest is usually early in the morning, before the dew has evaporated.
After you get them, rinse them off and put them in a jar with holes in the lid, and let them sit for a day or two in some dark shaded area. Rinse them each day so that they will rid their bodies of any earth they have inside of them. Rinse them off again and cut them into small bits. If you have small goldfish, say, less than four inches long, you really should dice them up. If you have goldfish that are, say, between four and six inches long, depending on their size, cut the worms into halves or thirds. Any goldfish over six inches long will be more than happy to swallow the worms whole.
Note: Make sure no herbicides or weed killers have been used in the area where you are collecting your worms. These pesticides will poison your fish.
The Basics of Pet Goldfish: Velet and Fungus
Posted by: | CommentsVelvet (also known as Oodinium; highly contagious). This is very difficult to detect initially, because the fuzzy area that grows has a yellow or golden color, and on a goldfish it is hard to find. Commercial treatments for this fungus are best. Some experts use malachite green or the old-fashioned salt bath. If your pet store doesn’t have a commercial treatment, which it should, I suggest that you use the ten-day salt-water treatment
Also, make sure to place some sort of antifungal chemical in the water in the aquarium, so as to disinfect the tank.
Fungus (also known as Saprolegnia; highly contagious) Generally a fuzzy growth, it is different from velvet because it is whiter and easier to notice; Some experts paint the affected areas with methylene blue and place the fish in a ten-day salt-water treatment.
Again, commercial treatments are usually available, either through pet stores or catalogs.
The Basics of Pet Goldfish: The Old-fashioned Salt Bath
Posted by: | CommentsThis is the most time-tested cure-all of the fish world. Sometimes called progressive salt-water treatment, it is what the hospital tank most often stands for. It is very simple and has been known to cure ich, fugues, velvet, tail rot, and other malignancies. Many experts swear by it.
Pace the fish in the hospital tank and add one teaspoon of table salt (not iodized) for each gallon of water. Add the same amount of salt that night and twice the next day, again in the morning and at night. If there is no improvement by the third or fourth day, add one more teaspoon of salt each day (just one, not eleven). On the ninth and tenth days, make progressive water changes and check for results.
The Basics of Pet Goldfish: Swim Bladder Problems (not contagious)
Posted by: | CommentsSometimes this results from constipation. A swim bladder problem is easy to diagnose: The fish can’t swim properly. They will swim on their sides or upside-down, or will somersault as they attempt to swim. Sometimes they can be found either at the bottom or at the top of the tank. If it’s a female, she might be carrying eggs. You could try hand-stripping her very gently to see if this is what has bound her up. If not, try the old-fashioned salt bath (see above).
Swim bladder problems sometimes right themselves and sometimes they don’t. Like constipation or indigestion, once your fish has developed this painful problem it is more likely to experience a recurrence.Wait for the fish to right itself.
At this time you might want to feed your fish some medicated food. Your pet store owner will be able to direct you in this instance. Regardless, feed your fish something else, as diet is one of the biggest reasons this problem develops at all.
This happens mostly to the egg-shaped-body goldfish, both with and without dorsal fins. This problem may also occur as a result of drastic or sudden changes in temperature.
The Basics of Pet Goldfish: Leeches (highly contagious)
Posted by: | CommentsThese are relatively uncommon among goldfish, but are serious once contracted. These are not the leeches that we see as free living creatures in lakes and ponds. The leeches I’m talking about are parasitic, worm-like creatures that feed on the flesh and blood of your fish. They need to be removed as quickly as possible. Don’t attempt to remove them with forceps or tweezers. The leeches are quite strong and you will do more damage to your fish than the leeches by trying to pull them off. Again, call your pet store for advice on commercially produced cures.
Another solution is this one: Prepare a salt bath consisting of eight level tablespoons of table salt for each gallon of water. Once the salt is sufficiently dissolved, add the fish for no more than ten minutes. The leeches that do not fall off can now be removed with tweezers or forceps quite easily.
Again, the aquarium needs to be treated immediately with commercial parasite-control chemicals. Check all your fish for just such a problem. Always isolate the infected fish.