Pet stores sell feeder goldfish that may have collected pathogens due to being kept in cramped environments, yet most survive and can grow into large specimens with proper care.
Before purchasing feeder goldfish, be sure to understand their specific needs. In particular, learn their gender for breeding purposes as well as ways to ensure their wellbeing and ensure healthy behavior.
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Parasites
Goldfish live for decades and make great pets if given enough room and care. Unfortunately, many sold at pet shops come pre-infected with disease; therefore they require special quarantine procedures before going home with you.
Anchor Worm is an infectious parasitic crustacean (Lernaea) which attaches itself to goldfish’s skin and scales, causing an unpleasant, itchy sensation that mimics scale film, leading them to scratch at surfaces within their aquarium to try and remove these parasites. Symptoms may be mistaken as scale film; affected fish often attempt to shed off these parasites by scratching against surfaces.
Fin rot, another common goldfish problem, can quickly kill them. Triggered by stress, lower immunity levels and open wounds, this fungus grows and can quickly take hold in their system; becoming difficult to treat once infected.
Diet
Goldfish kept in captivity can be fed a range of dietary options, including fish flakes and pellets, that are both nutrient-rich and easy to digest, without polluting aquarium or pond waters with excess ammonia/nitrite levels that lead to algae bloom.
Feeding your goldfish a diet high in protein is essential as their primary source of energy. A high protein content promotes rapid growth that could potentially outgrow their tank; to minimize liver damage and ensure longevity. Aim for no more than 30% protein content for optimal results.
Your goldfish deserves more than just flake food and pellets; add freeze dried foods such as brine shrimp, daphnia or tubifex worms for additional protein sources and closer dietary resemblance. Use them occasionally as treats; just be sure they’re included within a balanced diet of fish flakes and pellets as well.
Diseases
Goldfish are vulnerable to many diseases, including fungal infections. Look out for cotton-like growths on their bodies and fins which often occur alongside open wounds. Stress, reduced immunity or poor water quality (such as spikes in ammonia/nitrite levels) are usually the culprits behind fungal infections in goldfish; other triggers could include ammonia/nitrite spikes.
Common illnesses in goldfish include Dactylogyrus and Neobenedinia parasites, droplet disease, goldfish herpesvirus and carp pox. When these conditions arise they often manifest as swollen bellies as the fish try to rid itself of parasites that have attached themselves to its body.
Goldfish can be susceptible to parasites and illness, but with proper diet, weekly water tests, and quarantine measures in place they should remain healthier than most species of fish. When introducing new goldfish into your tank be sure to inspect them closely first before quarantining for one week to reduce risks of spreading parasites or illness across all of them. This will protect everyone involved!
Breeding
Feeder fish are designed to reproduce quickly, producing vast quantities of small fry that are sold at a low price to individuals who feed them to other fish for feeding purposes – often only lasting minutes or seconds before becoming food for predator fish.
Most commercially produced feeder fish are raised in special ponds designed for this purpose, filled with young robust fish designed to grow quickly and fatten quickly before being moved into aquarium tanks for breeding purposes. Male and female fish may even be separated for some weeks prior to breeding so as to increase breeding desire and success.
For those wishing to breed feeder goldfish at home, an aquarium or pond that can hold 10-30 gallons is an ideal environment. Cool it down to around 58 degrees Fahrenheit to simulate winter conditions that goldfish prefer for breeding; additionally, keep food intake to a minimum so as to resemble how scarce food sources tend to be during colder periods.
