How To Keep The Goldfish|Goldfish Native environment

How To Keep The Goldfish

Goldfish natively live in ponds, and other still or slow moving bodies of water in depths up to 20 m (65 ft). Their native climate is subtropical to tropical and they live in freshwater with a pH of 6.0–8.0,preferably a pH of 7.5, a water hardness of 5.0–19.0 dGH, and a temperature range of 40 to 90* F (4 to 41 °C) although they will not survive long at the higher temperatures. They are considered ill-suited even to live in a heated tropical fish tank, as they are used to the greater amount of oxygen in unheated tanks, and some believe that the heat burns them. However, goldfish have been observed living for centuries in outdoor ponds in which the temperature often spikes above 86 °F (30 °C). When found in nature, the goldfish are actually an olive green color.

In the wild, the diet consists of crustaceans, insects, and various plants.

While it is true that goldfish can survive in a fairly wide temperature range, the optimal range for indoor fish is 68 to 75 °F (20 to 23 °C). Pet goldfish, as with many other fish, will usually eat more food than it needs if given, which can lead to fatal intestinal blockage. They are omnivorous and do best with a wide variety of fresh vegetables and fruit to supplement a flake or pellet diet staple.

Sudden changes in water temperature can be fatal to any fish, including the goldfish. When transferring a store-bought goldfish to a pond or a tank, the temperature in the storage container should be equalized by leaving it in the destination container for at least 30 minutes before releasing the goldfish. In addition, some temperature changes might simply be too great for even the hardy goldfish to adjust to. For example, buying a goldfish in a store, where the water might be 70 °F (approximately 21 °C), and hoping to release it into your garden pond at 40 °F (4 °C) will probably result in the death of the goldfish, even if you use the slow immersion method just described. A goldfish will need a lot more time, perhaps days or weeks, to adjust to such a different temperature.

Because goldfish like to eat live plants, the presence of goldfish in a planted aquarium can be quite a problem.Only a few aquarium plant species can survive in a tank with goldfish, for example the Cryptocoryne and Anubias species, but they require special attention to ensure they are not uprooted. Artificial plants made of plastic are often more durable, but might irritate or harm a fish's skin if it comes in contact with the plants.^{[citation needed]} Artificial plants made of silk are a reasonable alternative.