The Life Span Of A Goldfish
If treated correctly and looked after properly goldfish can survive for a very long time, despite everything people say about them not surviving for long. The average lifespan of a pet goldfish is 15 years, which is actually longer than the average life span of a dog. In the wild the goldfish can survive for more than 25 years if the conditions are right.
Goldfish Can Be High-Maintenance
Goldfish are quite high-maintenance compared to other pets and require a lot of upkeep to ensure they're healthy and stay alive for a long time. They will need to be a fed a couple of times a week, only enough that they will eat because they tend to overeat, which can cause death. Their water tank, or pond water should be changed as frequently as possible.
The Costs Of a Goldfish
Goldfish can be expensive to buy and keep. You can win goldfish at fairs but they are very likely to die quickly because of the previous environment they were kept in. You can expect to pay anywhere from £2 to £30 per fish. Besides this you will need a tank or clean pond to keep them in, a water filter, some plants and food. Reoccurring expenses come in the form of food and the equipment within the tank itself, as well as cleaning products.
Choosing A Goldfish Tank
The following are a few points to consider when you are looking at which tank to buy for your new goldfish:
Consider how much room you have available for the tank to go before you even think about which fish, and how many you want to get. Tanks can vary in sizes so it will depend how much room you have as to what size tank you can get, and therefore how many fish you can accommodate.- Getting a larger tank than you really need will help keep your goldfish healthy because larger tanks have larger volumes of water than smaller tanks, which allows for a longer period in which problems may start to occur with the hygiene of the tank.
- Goldfish are cool water fish, which means they'll need more oxygen in the water than many other types of fish. A larger cubic area of water will provide more oxygen than a stuffy atmosphere in a smaller tank
- You will need plenty of extra space for your air filters and any ornaments/toys you wish to put into your tank
- Preferably you would want to get a tank that is longer rather than taller as this gives a higher oxygen to water ratio, which is very good for the fish. The larger surface area of the water will allow for a greater gas exchange.