Goldfish Info

All good goldfish keepers take the time to learn about their pets. Knowing more about goldfish helps us to take better care of them.

Why not start by learning the 12 mistakes most new goldfish-keepers make?

You can also explore diseases, like swim bladder disease, and learn how to prevent them.

Plus, do you know the difference between goldfish and koi? Where goldfish come from? And whether or not they have tongues?!

Our Goldfish Facts & Info articles are where you can learn all of this and much more about your goldfish.

Decoding goldfish behavior

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Cartoon of two goldfish chasing each other

If you keep pet goldfish, you have almost certainly spent many hours watching them go about their daily lives, interacting with their surroundings and each other, and doing all of the normal things that goldfish do!

But have you ever watched your goldfish swimming around and wondered exactly why they are doing what they are doing, or what their behavior means? Many of us have!

Goldfish are generally thought of as being fairly simple creatures, and the different behaviors that they exhibit are not difficult to interpret, if you know what you are looking for. Read on to learn about how to decode some of the most common pet goldfish behaviors.

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Are your goldfish happy?

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Cartoon of a smiling happy goldfish

Something that fish keepers often ask themselves when they watch their goldfish swimming around in their tank is “are my fish happy?”

Of course, goldfish do not purr, wag their tails or have other obvious ways of indicating their mood to us, so it’s not always easy to tell!

However, if you do everything in your power to learn about the proper care of your goldfish, provide for all of their needs and do what you can to avoid stress, your goldfish should be healthy and happy.

All responsible goldfish keepers know the basics of goldfish care, such as not keeping fish in a bowl, providing the right food, and ensuring adequate aeration and filtration in the tank. But, if you really want to go the extra mile, here are five tips and insights to help you to raise happy fish…

Takeaways:

  1. Goldfish Friendship: While not overly social like humans, goldfish can benefit from having tank mates. Just ensure your tank is large enough to avoid overcrowding and provide ample space for each fish.

  2. Gradual Lighting Adjustments: Sudden changes in light can stress goldfish. Use a dimmer switch or a timer to regulate lighting changes gradually, as goldfish can’t close their eyes to protect them from bright lights.

  3. Minimize Noise and Disturbances: Goldfish are sensitive to loud sounds and physical impacts. Keep the tank in a quiet area to prevent stress from loud music or vibrations.

  4. Varied Diet: While pellets and flakes are essential, offering a variety of foods like peas, spinach, shrimp, and Daphnia will keep your goldfish entertained and happy with their meals.

  5. Engaging Tank Setup: Goldfish enjoy exploring their environment. A well-decorated tank with plants, gravel, and ornaments provides stimulation. Regularly changing the layout keeps them entertained.

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Cotton mouth in goldfish

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Cartoon of a goldfish with cotton mouth disease

Cotton mouth is not one of the most common afflictions of goldfish, but is one of the more serious ones and one that often gets wrongly diagnosed. It can lead to a wide variety of health problems in the goldfish, and should be dealt with as soon as it is spotted, as it is very contagious and can soon go on to affect all of the goldfish within your tank.

If you want to ensure that you will be able to diagnose and treat cotton mouth if your spot it, read on to learn more.

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Goldfish and flukes

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Cartoon of a goldfish with flukes

“Flukes” in goldfish doesn’t refer to an actual disease, but rather a parasite, which comes in two different varieties depending on whether it affects the body or the gills of the fish. Flukes are one of the most common types of aquarium and pond parasites, and one of the largest too, which can be seen with a very low magnification but still, not with the naked eye.

While there are two different types of fluke parasite- gill flukes and body flukes- treating them and eradicating them is undertaken in the same way.

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Goldfish and velvet

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Cartoon of a goldfish suffering from velvet

The condition of “velvet” in goldfish might sound rather prettily named, but in reality it is anything but! Velvet, or to give it its correct name, “Oodinium,” can soon take over a whole tank of fish, and have a significant effect on the health and wellbeing of your goldfish within a short space of time.

Read on to learn more about velvet, how it is caused, and what to do about it.

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Goldfish and hole in the head

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Cartoon of a goldfish with a hole in its head

The rather alarmingly named condition “hole in the head” is a disease that can affect both goldfish and tropical fish, and is often the result of keeping your goldfish in poor-quality water over a prolonged period of time, either due to an overcrowded tank, insufficient cleaning, or water changes that are too infrequent.

Read on to learn more about hole in the head, plus what you can do to help your goldfish if they are afflicted with this condition.

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Pop eye in goldfish: Do you have a goldfish with big eyes?

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Cartoon of a goldfish with a swollen eye

Have you got a goldfish with big eyes? Have you suddenly noticed your fish’s eyes look bigger than normal? You may be seeing a condition called “Pop Eye”.

Pop eye, also sometimes known as “exophthalmia” isn’t strictly a disease in and of itself, but rather, it is the result of another underlying issue or infection. It causes one or both of the eyes of the goldfish to protrude from the socket to some degree, ranging from a slight bulge to quite pronounced, depending on the severity of the condition.

The eye may also appear cloudy, but this is not always the case. If you notice your goldfish has big eyes, you should address the issue sooner rather than later, as it can lead to blindness.

Don’t forget though – some types of fancy goldfish are supposed to have big eyes. Goldfish like the Black Moor have telescope-style eyes, which is perfectly normal and not a sign that something is wrong.

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