goldfish are undoubtedly the most common and rewarding of all pets and for budding fish enthusiasts or children. Visually appealing and available in a palette of bright colors, goldfish are easy to care for and raise, provided they are encased in an environment in a safe, healthy and comfortable environment. What people don’t realize is that goldfish should not be housed in a bowl and that picking an aptly sized bowl is the key to proper and well delivered goldfish care.

Water Aging and Conditioning Age new water for at least two days, so chlorine and other gases in solution are released, and so that the temperature is the same as that in the tank. If you need to treat for chloramines, follow the instructions you get carefully. In general, goldfish can adapt to almost any tap water hardness or pH, as long as changes are made slowly, over a few days. Your life will be easier if you just get your fish used to your normal conditions.

All of those issues can be addressed by treating your water and aging it overnight. The process is a simple one; fill a clean bucket with water, add a water treatment product, then let it sit until the next day before using it. If you have a pet such a dog, or small children in the household, put the bucket in a closet to ensure it’s not disturbed.

Cleaning Use the syphon to clean the poop out of the tank once or twice a week. If you have gravel, make sure you use a syphon with a gravel vacuuming attachment and follow the instructions. If you have algae, clean it off the front glass but leave it elsewhere (the fish will nibble on it). Also use the syphon for water changing; change twenty five percent of the water each week. Finally, clean out the filter element every couple of weeks, rinsing it in used tank water (tap water could kill the good bacteria!). Usually, doing all these things at the same time is most efficient.

Remove the Fish

Use clean container that is soap-fee Use aged water for temporary container Cover container to prevent fish from jumping out Reduce lighting where fish is kept Once the replacement water has been aged overnight, the next step is to move the fish out of the bowl. Take some of the aged water and fill a small, clean container that has never been washed with soap

Additional Cleaning Tips

Clean bowl weekly Feed fish sparingly Keep aged water in jugs Use vinegar for lime buildup Use 10 percent bleach for algae buildup.