Goldfish Tank Selection: 3 Tips to Guarantee Success

Proper tank selection is crucial to the health, safety, and beauty of your goldfish. Many people consider goldfish to be “dirty” fish because the water in the tank turns cloudy fairly quickly. (They are right). The normal size of a goldfish is thought by some to be one to two inches long. Others think that goldfish are healthy when they are ‘fat’ or have a large stomach.

Have you ever marveled at the fact that goldfish are so abundant that they seem to thrive in conditions that would surely kill other fish? In reality, they are not thriving in that environment.

A goldfish kept in a tank or aquarium that is too small will quickly dirty the water, making it toxic and eventually killing the fish.

Goldfish really ‘grow to tank size’. A goldfish will stop its own growth to adapt to living conditions that are too small. The skeleton and skin of the fish will stop growing but the internal organs will continue to grow. This gives the impression that the goldfish is ‘fat’. In reality, the fish is slowly dying because the internal organs are forced into unnatural positions.

Goldfish lose color or “fade” when they are not healthy.

Proper tank selection will produce thriving and healthy goldfish. Healthy goldfish will retain their vibrant color, live up to 10 years, and grow up to a foot long. There are three considerations when making a proper and educated decision on tank selection, size, surface area, and material.

Size

Believe it or not, there is controversy over the size of goldfish tanks. Enthusiasts embrace the liberal selection or the conservative selection. Then we have the midway enthusiasts who split the difference.

liberal recommendation

• 10 gallons for a goldfish
• 5 gallons for each fish added to the tank

conservative recommendation

• 20 gallons for a goldfish
• 10 gallons for each fish added to the tank

intermediate recommendation

• 20 gallons for a goldfish
• 5 gallons each fish added to the tank

When making a tank selection, know what type of goldfish will be placed in the tank. Single-tailed goldfish with narrow bodies can easily grow to be over 12 inches long. These fish need the conservative recommendation. Doubletails with a heavier body generally only grow to six to eight inches in length, and should flourish using the liberal or intermediate recommendations.

surface area

Goldfish are a kind of dirty fish and they create toxic gases in the water, the gases dissipate on the surface of the water. The larger the surface of the water, the more gases will dissipate helping to keep the water clean.

In other words, don’t buy the really cool looking tank that is 36 inches tall and 18 inches in diameter. The surface area of ​​this tank would be 18 inches. Rather buy a tank that is 18 inches tall, 18 inches wide, and 36 inches long. The surface area of ​​this tank would be 36 inches by 18 inches.

tank material

There are two types of tank material available, glass and acrylic. Acrylic is the best option. Acrylic tanks are lighter, more durable, and insulate better than glass.

You have learned the importance of tank size, surface area, and the best material for a tank. Armed with this knowledge, you are equipped with the information you need to make an intelligent selection of goldfish tanks.