Why does your goldfish die even when you look after them?

1. 93

   sangreposted 10 years ago

   Why does your goldfish die even when you look after them?
   
   Is it possible that the pet store could be selling sick fish and not know it.

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2. 96

   Melissa A Smithposted 10 years ago

   Most people don't care for them properly, the biggest issue being that they are kept in small aquariums or 'fish bowls' that are suitable for almost no aquarium fish. Goldfish have very long life spans. They really need huge aquariums or ponds.

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      sangreposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      That is so interesting. I never thought of that. I suppose if they do have a good environment, then it's a lot more healthy.

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3. 0

   sheilamyersposted 10 years ago

   There is a possibility a store is selling sick fish. I've bought some tropical fish over the years that looked completely healthy at the store yet they developed problems within just a few days of getting them home. But as Melissa pointed out, a short lifespan for a goldfish is usually because of the way it's being cared for - not saying you do it intentionally. The biggest culprit of an early death is the water quality. If you keep a goldfish in a fish bowl without filtration, you have to change the water once a week to keep the water in good condition. You can ask the sales person at the pet store for directions. My suggestion for keeping goldfish is to have at least a ten gallon aquarium and make sure you buy a good filter system.

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      sangreposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      It's hard to know. I know a few people who have got bad goldfish and they now quarantine any new ones before adding them to their own tank just in case of a virus.  They never told me about the water factor in the pet store. Thanks for the tip.

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4. 86

   Alphadogg16posted 10 years ago

   Another thing that could happen outside of Melissa and Sheila's comments are that goldfish are not very bright. I gold fish will gorge itself and continue to eat until it literally implodes. So you have to be very careful as to not feed them too much.

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   1. 93

      sangreposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, you're right, they seem to be greedy little things, and eat everything that they get.

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5. 0

   cjaroszposted 10 years ago

   While, fish are easy to take care of. There are  a lot of factors for you to understand when it comes to them dying.
   1. Yes, you can feed your fish to much.
   2. Goldfish tend to gorge themselves, eating more than they can take. Causing them to die.
   3. Temperatures in the water can affect them.
   4. You never know how old a goldfish is in the first place.
   5. Fish can get stressed out by little things, causing them to have a heart attack.
   6. Things like constant light change can also affect them.
   7. It could be something wrong with your water.
   8. The water may not be filtered just enough
   9. There could be other imbalances in the tank itself and the water.

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   1. 93

      sangreposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I heard that thing about the food, that they're greedy. This list is fantastic. So keeping it for the future. Didn't know any of these things. Thanks for sharing it with me.

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6. 88

   ChitrangadaSharanposted 10 years ago

   I agree with the other answers to your question.
   I have an aquarium in my home, since the last 15 years. I have observed that Goldfish is a little more delicate compared to other aquarium fish.
   Whenever there is a change in season, or extreme hot or extreme cold, they need special care. Which means maintaining the normal temperature inside the aquarium. For example, it is extremely cold here in India these days and I have installed a mini heater(available at the aquarium shop), inside the aquarium, so that the water does not become too cold.
   Similarly in extremely hot season, I add refrigerated water occasionally.
   Cleaning of the tank once a week or fortnight is important. When you change the water, add Anti-chlorine and Anti-Iching liquids to the tank as prescribed.
   If a fish dies, remove it immediately or it may affect other fishes too.
   It is very important to ascertain the compatibility of which fish can live with Goldfish and keep only those fishes along with them.

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      sangreposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      That is such a good idea. I didn't think that the conditions of the environment would have any affect on them. You never really think about these things at the time.

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   peachpurpleposted 10 years ago

   i remembered the pet shop vendor said that each time you change the fish tank water, keep 1 portion of the dirty water and put it back into the clean water. Fishes can't live in "clean" water due to chemical substance added into it.

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   1. 93

      sangreposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      That interesting to hear too, I think a lot of people don't remember that tip.

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8. 85

   wychicposted 10 years ago

   Yes, it is possible that they're coming in sick, as many fish farm fish do have parasites. That's one of the main reasons to quarantine fish for a period of time before adding them to a main tank. If possible, feed them an antibiotic for a couple of weeks and then a probiotic (I use Medi-Gold and Jump Start from The Goldfish Connection) to make sure they're not bringing anything into the tank.
   
   Beyond that, "looking after them" is a subjective term. Unfortunately, there's a ton of misinformation out there about goldfish, and they are often inadvertently abused. I cover basic care a bit in this hub, but may be able to help with specific questions too. Sorry about the writing style on it, I haven't updated it in a while, but the information is still good http://wychic.hubpages.com/hub/Goldfish … -of-Comets

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      sangreposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Hi wychic, thanks that great. Read your hub too, lots of great information.

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