Goldfish (Carassius auratus auratus)
Goldfish are one of the most popular home aquarium fish. The live in freshwater and have been bred to have many different physical characteristics. Some have been bred to have a long, fancy tail. Others have a mass of bubbles on their head or large eyes that look upwards instead of ahead. There are even those who are different shades of the traditional orange-gold, from a deep orange to almost white, and even some are black! Goldfish like nibbling on plants, so any plants kept in the tank with them will be munched.
They are members of the carp family and related to koi, a popular pond fish. Goldfish also do well as a pond fish. Goldfish require a lot of oxygen in their water and put out a lot of waste, so it is not a good idea to keep them in a traditional “goldfish bowl.” This kind of tank, with no circulation pump, leads to severely decreased oxygen and high ammonia very rapidly, causing the fish to die. Some countries have banned the use of goldfish bowls and presenting them as carnival prizes. If you plan on purchasing a goldfish, make sure that they have a good home. If you are interested in learning about how to set up a tank, check out our class entitled “Your First Fish Tank.” Please check our website for our class schedule or e-mail ncfishvet@gmail.com to set one up.
Check out your local pet store to see all the amazing variations in goldfish!
