A goldfish’s 10th birthday is something they rarely get to celebrate. For many others, this isn’t even half way through their lifetimes! The world record holder for oldest goldfish lived to be 43! How can you ensure your goldfish lives a long and happy life, possibly surpassing this milestone birthday? If you’re thinking, ‘why would …
Many clients call our office with concerns about “bumps on goldfish.” Most of these growths are benign cutaneous tumors within the layers of the fish’s skin. (Technically nerve sheath tumors aka neurofibromas or shwannomas.) It is very common to have goldfish with a few lumps, bumps, nodules or growths; whatever you want to call it. …
First, let’s get one thing straight: not all quarantine protocols are legitimate. You may have been told your fish has been “quarantined,” but what does that really mean? How long was the quarantine? Were they mixed with fish from other dealers? Were they prophylacticly treated with anything? The best way to protect your fish is …
How to tell the gender of a fish? There are some situations in fish keeping where you will need to know which are boys and which are girls. For example: trying to set up a single sex population can help keep spawning practices from hurting your fish, but determining males from females can sometimes be …
If you’ve owned your goldfish/betta/koi for a few years, you may have noticed that they might not look the same as when you first brought them home. It is NORMAL for many fish species to change color as they get older, with some orange goldfish turning white, white bettas turning blue, and black and red …
Not all goldfish are created equally, especially fancy goldfish. Fancy goldfish buoyancy disorders are very common due to their manipulated anatomy. Many of these varieties have sacrificed internal function for hunched bodies, long, decorative fins and bulging body parts. Most comet and other long-body goldfish varieties will look like this on the inside (minus the …
Some of our callers will tell us their fish has died and say, “well, he was already 3 years old; he lived a good long life.” Sorry to say, but for most common goldfish, he was barely out of their “teenage years.” Unless they were an inbred fancy goldfish, 3-year old is a very young …
Floating goldfish, especially post-eating, is a common issue that results in an internet wormhole. Let’s get some facts straight: Goldfish are Physostomous Fish Yes, it’s a big word. What is means is that goldfish, like many other carp, have a pneumatic duct between their swim bladder and esophagus. It connects in between the cranial and …
One of the most common pet fish do not come with many instructions. Goldfish are not the most efficient feed to mass converters, so they tend to produce more waste than many other species. So what do you feed goldfish? Keep in mind, it is recommended that goldfish start with 20-gallons per fish and have …
One of the internets favorite fish “diagnoses” is a “constipated goldfish.” What is “constipation?” It is the inability to pass fecal material usually due to dehydration or lack of fiber in the diet. Thankfully, goldfish are physiologically built to never be constipated. Freshwater fish physiology prevents constipated goldfish Why is my goldfish NOT constipated? Imagine …
We commonly hear this question and it’s a little bit of a headscratcher. Let’s look into the similarities and differences of koi and goldfish and what diseases you should consider between the two. The Goldfish – Carassus auratus Among the many variations of goldfish is a common ancestor. Thought to be a distant descendant of …
The simple answer: yes. But what is the best method on how to train a fish? Many fish keepers do not give their fish enough credit for being smart. Most pet fish are above average intelligence and can be easily trained given their food-motivated behavior. How do I train my fish? Many aquariums use training …
When you live in a toilet, like fish do, it’s critical to have a well-functioning immune system. Being ectotherms, fish immune functions rely on the temperature of their surrounding environment to dictate their metabolism and immune function. Cold water = limited activity. Warm water = more activity. Hot water = poached. All things considered, a …
Some fancy goldfish can lead long, healthy, normal lives. Others, like their over-bred cat and dog compatriots, can develop genetic disorders that have no ideal treatment. Meet our little buddy, Rusty (top): Back when he was little, he had no issues. Swimming and eating normally, being a happy little fish with his tankmates, Cupcake (bottom …
For those of you who missed our post this weekend, our little goldfish friend, Lemon, who underwent oral surgery two weeks ago to fish a semi-prolapsed mouth, got her stitches out this Saturday. Here she is: Congratulations to Lemon, her family and the veterinary staff at Aquatic Veterinary Services!