Sooner or later, a person is faced with the question of what kind of pet can be got in the apartment? The most popular option, of course, is a cat. But it may well be such that in young children there will be an allergy to wool or epithelium. Therefore, it is better not to risk it again and give preference to more harmless and calm creatures - aquarium fish. Moreover, the choice of colors and varieties is simply amazing, you can choose a favorite for every taste. Experienced aquarists are advised to start with one of the most common species - goldfish. They will become a real decoration of the aquarium and will delight the eye with their beauty.
All About Aquarium Goldfish
- The golden beauty belongs to the family of crucian carp and has close habits.
- Cold water is not suitable for keeping fish. The temperature should range from 18 to 23 0 C.
- They are completely non-aggressive, so you should not be afraid for the other inhabitants of the aquarium.
- You can keep a goldfish with any other peaceful species. But ideally, it is better to separate them from the rest.
- The goldfish is also called "Chinese" because of its habitat - China, Japan and Korea.
- Currently, a huge number of varieties can be distinguished.
- Most often they have a red-golden hue, while the back is many times darker than the abdominal cavity. Depending on the species, there are other colors. The body of the fish is elongated, slightly compressed on the sides.
- Distinguishing a male from a female in a normal period is very problematic. This can be done only at the time of spawning: the female’s abdomen is noticeably rounded, and the males are covered with a white “rash”.
Thanks to this brief description, you can get an initial idea of the "Chinese" fish. But to understand all the charm, it is worth seeing the beauty with your own eyes, and even better to purchase for your aquarium.
Main varieties
If the task is not just the purchase of an aquarium inhabitant, but the choice of a specific color, you will have to familiarize yourself with the list of varieties of goldfish.
- Astrologer. Also called the Sky of the Eye. This fish is very remarkable for the shape of its body - it is something like an egg. The eyes are very large and rounded, pointing up. Despite the specific description, live stargazer looks very beautiful. Its golden-orange color glare in the sun, justifying the name of the "golden" fish.
- Water eyes. This variety looks quite specific. The size of the fish is about 20 cm. Its head flows smoothly into the back and has an ovoid shape. By color, orange, silver or brown are most often found.
- Fan tail. It is also called "Vualehvost". This name is fully justified. A fan tail can be a real decoration for any aquarium. They have a big enough head. A remarkable tail, which during movement is very similar to a veil or fan. Color can be found for every taste - from standard golden to black or bright red.
- Pearl. If the aquarium lacks some small, unusual and bright fish, then the Pearl is ideal for this role. It has a golden color and small size.
- Comet. Here you can also judge the appearance of the fish by name. Her body is very similar to a flying comet: an elongated body, a large head, a forked tail.
- Shubunkin. This is another selection of fish from Japan. She needs a lot of space for life - from a spacious aquarium to a city pond. Therefore, if a considerable number of inhabitants are already in the reservoir, it is better to abandon the idea of the content of this variety.
- Telescope. Another very unusual variety. Her eyes are large and convex in shape making the fish specific. In size, they reach 12 cm.
Compatibility
- Compatible with aquarium vegetation.
Any experienced aquarist will immediately say: "The goldfish is a big lover of different vegetation." But such love is not without reason for them. In fact, they feed on this very vegetation. Therefore, for a good healthy state of the "Chinese" beauty, it is necessary to place only algae in the aquarium that will be too tough for the fish. These are cryptocorins or anubias.
- Compatibility with other species of aquatic inhabitants.
As mentioned above - goldfish themselves are very peaceful, so they can well coexist with non-predatory species. But, as always, there is one big "but." They require a lot of attention and care, therefore it is recommended to keep them separately. Moreover, the cost of the "Chinese" fish is high, and it will be uncomfortable if it suffers due to some cheap look.
Let us further consider the content of the goldfish, care, reviews.
Conditions of detention
It is best to keep golden beauties separately from other varieties of aquarium fish, especially small and very fast ones, capable of capturing the bulk of the feed, and pugnacious (for example, macropods, cichlases and barbs), which can damage the fins and eyes of their harmless and clumsy neighbors.
Aquarium
For goldfish (species, the contents we consider in the article), you need to choose a spacious aquarium. The water temperature for long-bodied species is 17-26 ° C, for short-bodied 21-29 ° C. Hardness not lower than 8 °, acidity does not matter much.
Filtration and natural light should be installed in the aquarium.
If the pets are not feeling very well, you can add 5-7 g / l of salt to the water.
Plants in the aquarium should be planted with hard leaves and a good root system.
Water
As for water, you need to be very careful, as the "Chinese" fish comfortably live only in very clean water. Filtration should be at a maximum level - 30 volumes per hour ideally. But if you need to grow fry, then this is just the opposite situation. The water should be completely green and contain chlorella algae.
Priming
Aquarists who have been breeding fish for a long time have already learned through bitter experience that soil is the main enemy of a clean aquarium. Leftovers, stool and other unnecessary garbage are always stuck in it. And as noted above, the maintenance of golden beauties requires nothing more than complete sterility.
What to feed?
Watching goldfish is never boring - they love to play. Consequently, they spend a lot of energy and therefore rather gluttonous inhabitants. Unlike many other species, they quickly get used to the person who feeds them, and, after some time, having noticed him from afar, they begin to jump out of the aquarium quickly and demand food. This can continue throughout the day, but they cannot be conducted on their provocation. Pet food should be no more than twice a day.
There must be a balance of substances in the diet itself. To feed the fish you need to use a little live food - bloodworms, daphnia, etc. In general, such a diet should not exceed 30% of the total. The remaining 70% comes from vegetation and dry feed. It is also recommended to choose only natural ones as plant substances, and for this you will have to grow them yourself, for example, it can be duckweed.
As for the reviews, almost all aquarists love the goldfish and appreciate it for its beautiful appearance, a wide variety of species, and unpretentiousness in the care and food.
With careful handling and good care, these beautiful creatures will bring a lot of joy and pleasure.