This is actually how big these guys are supposed to get, for anyone not aware. The top looks like one of the larger fancy breeds, the bottom is a very fat common goldfish. Goldfish are domesticated carp with shiny scales.
This is a really good idea because it gives the goldfish an area of sand to play in, without the sand being all over the place to interfere with potential cleaning efforts.
Goldfish (Carasius auratus auratus) are one of the most popular aquarium fish. Unfortunately, this is because people are lead to believe that they can be kept in small aquariums or, even more popular, fish bowls. These bowls are unsuitable for almost all fish. Keeping a goldfish in one will result in it’s premature death. There are many varieties of goldfish, but they can be split up into two different groups. Fancy goldfish and common goldfish. Fancy goldfish do not get as large as commons, therefore they are more suitable for tanks. Goldfish also do not make good children’s pets because of the large amount of space and maintenance they require. So here are some myths about them and their care that are dangerous to the life of your fish.
Myth #1: Goldfish will only grow to the size of their bowl.
Truth #1: Goldfish will grow to the size of their tank, becoming stunted and unhealthy.
Stunted fish live short, unhealthy lives. You never want to stunt your fish. So this myth has a little but of truth to it. When a goldfish is put into a bowl, it is creating too much waste for any water change schedule to keep up with. There are a few theories around goldfish and why some are stunted when kept in small bowls and tanks. One theory says that because it has no room to grow, it releases hormones that make it grow slower, stunting it’s growth. Another is that a build up of nitrates are the cause. Either way, the fish will die either due to being exposed to deadly amounts of it’s own waste before it can reach a certain size, or is stunted living a shortened lifespan. Both of those deaths are easily preventable with proper care.
Truth #2: Goldfish have a 2 month memory span, possibly even longer.
This myth has no scientific backing. There have been countless studies involving goldfish and their memory. Goldfish have a normal memory span, they can remember their way through a maze for months; and if the maze is changed they can find their way through with minimal problems.They also associate objects or actions with events like feeding, and can even be taught tricks!
Myth #3: Goldfish do not make a lot of waste, and do not get very large so they are suitable for a small tank.
Truth #3: Goldfish make a lot of waste for their size, and some get around a foot long! They are only suitable for large, well filtered aquariums.
This could not be further from the truth. A full grown common goldfish is around 12-20 inches long. A full grown fancy goldfish is 5-12 inches. These are not small fish. If they do not reach their adult size, as with all animals, something went wrong. Goldfish make a lot of waste for their size, therefore they require large volumes of water and frequent water changes with a strong filter. A single common goldfish should be kept in a minimum of a 100 gallon tank as an adult. A single fancy goldfish should be kept in a minimum of 20 gallons. Sometimes it is hard to get people to believe that they reach such lengths, but when kept properly they can and should get to be quite large. Therefore, keeping them in a bowl is unacceptable if you value their life. It is extremely unfortunate that this myth is so well known- and believed.
Truth #4: Goldfish are long lived animals, they should live to be 15-25 years old.
This myth also has no truth to it. It’s the exact opposite of what is true. The longest lived goldfish on record died at the age of 43! Now, that doesn’t mean your goldfish will live that long, but they still live for quite a while. The average goldfish lives for 15-20+ years. That is about as long as a dog or cat. Therefore, when purchasing a goldfish, you must think about whether or not you will be able to care for it during it’s whole life. It’s not something to be taken lightly. A lot of people complain about their goldfish only living for a few weeks or months. This usually happens because the goldfish is kept in a bowl.
It is recommended to use a filter for twice the volume of water the fish is actually in. Goldfish are notorious for making waste. When dealing with goldfish, you want to get a filter for a tank twice the size of the tank the goldfish are in. Anything less and you will have problems keeping waste levels down. When a goldfish is alive, it creates waste 24/7. As a fish exhales, they exhale ammonia. They also release waste into the water. This ammonia builds up pretty quickly, and it is your job as the owner to make sure it does not get to dangerous levels. A goldfish in a bowl can create enough waste to make the water dangerous to live in within a day! After being exposed to this dirty water, the fish becomes stressed and ill. It will then die if the water is not cleaned. It is impossible to keep a small tank clean enough for a goldfish to live in it and be healthy for 20 years. Therefore making bowls not even an option.
Truth #6: Goldfish are cold water fish, preferring temperatures of 65-70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Goldfish are descended from Prussian Carp, a cold water carp living in parts of Asia. While goldfish can tolerate a wide range of temperatures, keeping them in warmer water can speed up their metabolism and stress them, making it a poor temperature to be kept at. Goldfish thrive at 65-70 degrees Fahrenheit (18-21 degrees Celsius). Common goldfish can be kept in cooler temperatures during the winter like koi, but fancy goldfish do not tolerate it well.
In conclusion, goldfish should never be kept in bowls. They get too large, they need strong filtration, and they make too much waste to be kept in something small. Keeping a goldfish in a bowl will kill it. Keep in mind that even if a goldfish lives for 5 years in a bowl, it still didn’t live to half of it’s expected lifespan. If you truely value the life of these living, feeling creatures you will do research before purchasing them and give them an acceptable place to live and level of care.
General goldfish information sources and good reads:
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