Fish is a very common pet as it is easy to keep and take care of. The most common pet fish is a goldfish. There are a variety of goldfish that can be kept as a pet. They have shiny fins and tail and look adorable in all colors. Each has its own individual personality and are very interesting to watch.

As compared to other fish, goldfish are very sensitive and delicate. They require specific conditions and surroundings in order to grow healthy and properly. The average life of a goldfish is about ten years but most pet goldfish die before reaching this age. With a little feeding and proper care one can have a healthy and happy goldfish.

The most important thing in order to have a healthy goldfish is to provide them with living conditions corresponding to their natural environment or habitat. If taken care properly, the goldfish will be healthy, grow fast and live more than its average life.

Picking a Goldfish Bowl:

For proper care, the first step is to choose the right goldfish bowl, tank or aquarium. There are several factors like filter pump, food, quality water, light and oxygen supply that should be well thought-out when choosing the bowl or tank.

There are some steps that you should follow when choosing the bowl

1. Determine the Type:

Before selecting a bowl you should know the type of your goldfish. Goldfish can be differentiated into fancy and common goldfish. The common goldfish does not grow really big. They are easy to keep and are even comfortable in goldfish bowls. The common goldfish include Moors Fantails, and Lionheads.

The fancy goldfish can grow larger and are fast swimmers. A goldfish bowl is not suitable for the fancy ones as they can hurt themselves by hitting the walls due to small size of goldfish bowls. The common goldfish and the fancy ones should not be put in the same bowl or tank as both have different requirements.

If you have a common type of goldfish only then you should go for a goldfish bowl otherwise you should get a tank or an aquarium.

2. Size of Bowl/Tank:

Size of the bowl depends on the number and type of goldfish you have. The bowl should be large enough to let the goldfish swim freely.

A simple way to determine the bowl size is to use the ratio: for one inch (length) of goldfish the bowl size should be two gallon. For example if you have a goldfish pair and each is three inches in length the bowl size should be twelve inches.

They need plenty of water to live and grow. There growth is fast therefore a large bowl or tank should be preferred of 20 gallon size at least.

3. Filters and Pumps:

Filters and pumps are very important as changing the water regularly is important as well as risky. The sudden change in water temperature is not good for their health. When choosing the bowl, it is important that either they come with pre-installed pumps or it has enough room to place one. The surface area of the bowl also matters a lot, greater the surface area the more oxygen they get.

4. Choose the Right Size:

Many goldfish hobbyists suggest that one should buy a large water tank instead of a bowl. The reason is that goldfish is very active and its growth is fast too so changing the bowl with the growing goldfish is not only stressful for the owner but also for the fish.