how do you take care of fantail goldfish??

Answer 1

The number one reason Goldies end up dead is overcrowding or too small of a tank. (I take that back -it's probably bowls. They only last a year or so in a bowl) Goldfish need at least 10 gallons per fish, you can take a stroll around the internet- everyone will tell you the same thing, some might even suggest more room. The reason for this is they produce a lot of waste and they grow very quickly. If you keep them in nything smaller then you will stunt their growth= dead fish. (Goldfish do not "grow to the size of the container" they are slowly killed by improper conditions)

If you have two then your tank should be a twenty gallon. You should buy a filter for a forty gallon- this will keep the water crystal clear. This may seem like overkill now but imagine your fish 7" -that's how big they will be. My baby is about 9" long- she's beautiful.

Your tank will have to go through the Nitrogen cycle also referred to as simply Cycling. This means that you have a sterile environment that is not suitable to maintain life. The fish need bacteria- you have very little. As your tank grows this bacteria the chemicals in your water are going to fluctuate a lot. The chemicals in the water are what kills fish. You should do 25% water changes every 3-5 days. If you can afford a testing kit then get one.

Proper water changes: You know the bacteria I mentioned- whenever you do a water change you have to preserve that bacteria. You should never remove more than 1/3 of the water. You can rinse plants, but use the same temp water- not hot. For gravel get a siphon or simply stir it up when you are changing the water. This will remove the large debris. If you drink your tap water then you don't have to add chemicals- your fish will be fine (when the water is pushed through the tap O2 nuetralizes the chlorine). They sell water conditioner, it also removes chlorine and adds aloe for their slime coat- it is an option. Do not use spring water- this stuff is missing the metals to help maintain a healthy tank. People who use spring water see a lot more fluctuation in water chemistry.

You only need to feed your fish once a day. If you are feeding flakes then feed them below the surface. This will prevent them from gulping air at the surface. (this behavior leads to swimbladder problems)

After the tank has cycled you can reduce water changes to once a week or two.

Goldfish are cold water. You can not add tropical fish. This includes algae eaters. Your goldies will eat the algae- they need to eat the algae. If you don't have a lot of growth in your tank then you should supplement their diet once or twice a week with shelled peas.

Goldfish will dig up and eat live plants- it is very high maintenance. I would suggest starting with fake plants. Get a beautiful piece of drift wood to add design elements. Your fish will seem very small at first in their big home. Be pateient- give them time.They will grow and fill the tank nicely. If you are impatient, you can always buy large goldies. Normally a dealer in the area will carry them- the asian restaurants always need big beautiful fish- I'm not joking that is really their marget segment in most areas. They normally cost 25-75 dollars for a large fish.

Hope all this helps. enjoy your new babies.

Answer 2

Goldfish can be very easy to take care of as long as you follow some basic rules (these go for most other fish too):

-Get the biggest tank you can afford and have space for. Larger tanks are easier to regulate, plus it gives the fish plenty of room for swimming and all that fun stuff.

-Don't overfeed. This lowers the quality of the water dramatically and can cause lots of problems. The smaller your tank, the more important this is. Goldfish are always hungry, but for the most part a hungry goldfish is a healthy goldfish. Feed it once or twice a day at most.

-Make sure to have a filter that suits your tank, and also do regular water changes. Not a complete water change, just 10-20% every week or so. This is really easy if you buy a siphon, they're inexpensive and can be found at most pet stores.

-Goldfish should only be kept with goldfish. Most types can be put together (make sure before you buy though), but don't mix them with tropical community, or aggressive, fish.

Goldfish also like and get nutrition from an occasional slice of orange or a couple peas :D These are fun to watch them eat too, just make sure the fish is big enough for peas so it doesn't get stuck in it's mouth.

Answer 3

I have 2 fantail goldfish, Melvin and Moe
They are very easy to care for, in my experience
I have them in a properly set up 10 gallon tank (aeration, filter, etc...) The bigger the tank the better (rule of thumb is for every 1 inch of fish you should have 1 gallong of water)...though most goldfish can grow to size depending on the size of their environment...but I wouldn't go under 10 gallons, and keep the water very clean! Get a thermometer, I have one with a green (good) range, yellow range, and as long as the temperature has been in the green range (about 72 degrees) they have done fine...though cooler temperatures are preferred (about 68 degrees or less)...

Goldfish are pigs, and will eat and eat and eat...so don't overfeed them, they get really fat. I just give mine tetrafin goldfish flakes, with a pea once in a while (see below)

Other than that...keep the water clean, feed them regularly, and mine have prospered, I've had Melvin for about 5 or 6 years

One problem with some fantail goldfish is the way the body is set up on some...the round plump ones can act like weeble wobbles and get buoyancy problems. I would often find Melvin floating and swimming upside down (though he was still healthy). I found an interesting solution, if you give them a pea once in a while (shell off) it seems to do the trick!

Answer 4

The best thing I can tell you is to go to a pet shop and ask, or go look it up in a book.

Answer 5

leave it in pet store. you don't know how to care for goldfish.

Answer 6

feed it and make sure to change the water every so often.