Six Simple Tips for Keeping Goldfish Pets Healthy, Happy and Alive

If there's one being on this planet who thinks I'm a deity, it would definitely be my goldfish. He bows down before me each morning right around breakfast time. He gazes lovingly at me through googly fish-eyes.

I rescued my goldfish from near-death at least half a dozen times by now. I must admit, each illness likely resulted from my failure to maintain proper living conditions in his tank. Since then, I have learned exactly what it takes to keep my goldfish swimming around contentedly. It takes some work and equipment, but routine maintenance of the tank and avoiding overfeeding are essential to your fish's health and longevity. You can also intervene in a crisis with my tips for reviving a dying goldfish.

Tip #1: Change Tank Filter Often. Unless you want to clean your tank out weekly, purchase an inexpensive filter system and change the filters about once per month. I use the Tetra Whisper system which keeps my water crystal-clear. However, if you don't change the filter often enough, water quality in your tank will deteriorate and the filter system motor may burn out (that happened to my first system). Don't bother buying economy filter cartridges to save money because removing the plastic insert from a dirty filter is a disgusting task (I learned that lesson the hard way, too).

Tip #2: Don't Clean the Tank with Soap or other products. Cleaning products can leave harmful residue in your aquarium. Simply remove your fish to another container with treated water, and clean the aquarium with hot water and an aquarium scrubbing pad. If you have algae growth, be careful using algae removal products. I tried using Tetra Algae Control in my tank one time, and dead algae quickly clogged my filter system, so beware of that potential hazard.

(See next page for how to treat a sick goldfish)

Tip #3: Always Condition Tap Water. I treat aquarium water with Stress Coat, and Aloe-based water purifier and conditioner. Stress Coat removes chlorine, neutralizes metals and maintains your fish's protective slime coating. Untreated tap water is a serious hazard for any fish, so don't skip this vital step! Make sure that if a pet-sitter takes care of your fish, remind him or her to treat any water before adding it to fish's tank while you're away.

Tip #4: Pop-Eyes or Fin Rot? If your goldfish's eyes seem to be popping out of their sockets, or its fins are deteriorating or showing dark spots or decay, you should also treat this condition with specially formulated medication. I use a tea-tree based antiseptic called Melafix and have witnessed my fish regenerate fins and his eyes return to normal. Make sure to dose the tank carefully according to directions because you don't want to poison your fish by using it improperly.

Tip #5: Fish Swimming Upside Down? When my fish started swimming upside-down one day, at first I thought he was practicing tricks. Then, I Googled his behavior and discovered he had a problem with his swim bladder. The swim bladder is an internal organ that helps the fish regulate his depth or buoyancy in the water. Definitely treat the tank for several days with the proper dose of a specially formulated medication. I also reated the tank with Melafix when he was swimming upside-down, and after about a week he began to swim normally again.

Tip #6: Don't Crowd or Overfeed! At first, I had three goldfishes swimming around my three gallon tank. Soon, two of the fish died prematurely and I was left with Goldy. Goldy has lived at least four years by now, and is a hardy fish when I take care of his tank properly. Fish need enough oxygen to breathe, so make sure your tank is large enough to handle the number of fish you are keeping. Also, curb the temptation to feed more than a few fish flakes per day ~ your fish will eat all you give it, and can become bloated and over-sized quickly. Finally, if you have an automatic or vacation feeder, make sure to check the amount it dispenses regularly to avoid it overfeeding your fish.

I hope my simple tips help you maintain your goldfish and possibly even save it from premature death. I also recommend asking advice from the local pet store ~ they have helped me pick the right products for treating my fish and keeping it healthy.