Your one-inch goldfish can potentially grow to the size of your arm--but would only likely to do that if you own a large pond or professional aquarium. Set up the aquarium first before you buy the fish.

It takes some time and cares to set up a proper goldfish habitat. As mentioned below, there are quite a few steps to make sure the water and overall living conditions are good for the fish.

Fish are sensitive creatures that get stressed from going from one environment to another. Too much change too quickly can actually kill the fish even if the environment is ideal.

Do not keep transferring your fish from one container to another. Goldfish cannot live in small temporary environments such as a plastic bag or small bowl for very long.

An hour is fine, several hours not very good, a day or so maximum for a small water container. In an emergency, a large plastic bucket, rinsed well and with water treated with water conditioner works well. Use gravel that will not get stuck in your fish's throat.

Goldfish are particularly prone to getting aquarium gravel caught in their mouths. Use either large gravel too big to swallow or very small gravel. Large gravel is better for goldfish because it will not get caught in their throat and because goldfish like to be able to dig into the gravel to search for fallen food.

Be sure to clean your gravel before you put it into the tank. Many aquarium gravels require rinsing, or your aquarium will be cloudy or dirty. Even if you have just bought it, a good rinse and soak in some water for a day will draw out some of the impurities and help ensure that your goldfish are getting the best environment to flourish in.

Make sure to not use soap. Make sure your tank has some scenery and light. Buy tank hoods with installed lights or any other aquarium specific light; normal old lightbulbs or lamps may not have the right requirements.

Goldfish are diurnal which means they are active during the day. There is also evidence that light is necessary to keep your fish's colors bright. Never put your tank in direct sunlight, either, as this could cause large temperature fluctuations and contribute to rampant algae growth.

Think about putting a rock or wood centerpiece with some artificial greenery into your aquarium. The rock or wood will give the goldfish nooks and crannies to explore and the artificial plants won't accelerate plant growth in your tank.

Goldfish thrive with minimal decoration. They are typically chubby and poor swimmers, so having fewer obstacles means they can swim more freely. Consider having one medium to large statement piece in the center of the tank and a few plastic plants located outside of the swimming pattern to give your fish the most usable space.

Real plants are beneficial because they help absorb some of the nitrates that accumulate in the aquarium because of waste and natural wear and tear. However, goldfish are omnivores and voracious eaters. Stick with artificial plants until you have the time and resources to keep real plants safe from hungry goldfish.

Be sure that any decorations you choose aren't hollow it's a breeding ground for potentially harmful bacteria and that they don't have sharp edges your fish might tear its fins. Try using fluorescent lights for your goldfish.

Halogen lights and incandescent lights will also do. Pay attention to how much light you give them — goldfish will appreciate 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness. Rig up a water filter. Goldfish need a filter. A water filter should have 3 stages: Mechanical, for removing large particles such as fish waste or excess food; chemical, for removing odors, discolorations, and other organics; and biological, to break down fish waste and ammonia with beneficial bacteria.

It should also be rated for the size of your tank. If your tank is on the borderline between two sized filters, it is usually better to go with the larger filter. Having clean water and a functional, efficient filtration device will keep your goldfish content and healthy.

There are three very popular kinds of filters: Hang on back HOB filters, which hang on the rim of your tank, and bring water in and filter water out.

They are very popular, reasonably priced, and probably give you the most bang for your buck. Canister filters sit underneath your aquarium and use a series of tubes to filter water in and out. Canister filters tend to be almost silent, are a little pricier than HOB filters, but tend to be more efficient at filtering than HOBs.

Canister filters are also typically made for tanks in excess of 50 gallons Fill the tank with water. When you get your tank, fill it with tap water that has been treated with an appropriate water conditioning solution.

Or, you could use distilled water. Untreated tap water or drinking water has chemicals and minerals that could harm the fish. Go through at least one fish-less cycle before introducing your goldfish. Expert Interview.

A fish-less cycle involves adding ammonia to a tank and keeping track of the nitrate levels to make sure the water is safe for your goldfish to live in.

Sadly, many fish die once introduced into a new tank because of ammonia and nitrate poisoning. Make sure that you add de-chlorinator, because the chlorine in tap water will kill your fish. Before you add your fish, you'll need to make sure the environment is fish-ready. Pick up a pH test kit and test the tank for the right amount of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels.

You want zero ammonia, zero nitrite, and less than 20 nitrate as your end result. Test strips can be difficult to use correctly, and tend to be more expensive, so get a liquid test kit like the API Master Test Kit. What's going to happen is you'll start adding drops of ammonia continuously.

That'll start the nit rite process going. If you keep doing what you're doing, eventually you'll see nit rates which are consumed by algae or plants. When you've done a lap, it's fish time! Part 2. Add your fish. Hopefully, if you have more than one goldfish, your goldfish are all the same type.

Unfortunately, goldfish are known to eat other, smaller fish, and can overeat, keeping food from their peers. If another fish is smaller or slower, it doesn't stand a chance. Goldfish can be decent "community tank" fish. However, good roommates need to be selected carefully. White Cloud Mountain Minnows or Zebra Danios are good choices, and so are Plecos.

However : These fish live in schools, so if you're buying extra fish, you need to at least buy an extra half dozen. So in short: Keep your goldfish with other similar goldfish. Any new fish brought into an established aquarium should be quarantined for two weeks beforehand.

If they have any diseases, you don't want those spread to your healthy fish! Keep in mind that goldfish like colder water than most community fish, so any other species you add to the tank should be hearty. You could also consider adding a goldfish to a tank with overly-productive livebearers to eat the unwanted offspring and keep your fish numbers in check.

Clean the aquarium at least once every week even if it doesn't look dirty. Goldfish produce waste that even your water filter may not be entirely able to remove. A clean tank means happy, healthy goldfish. And a happy, healthy goldfish can live for decades! Also, don't use regular tap water to put in your tank.

Drinkable water is not good for them because it takes out some of the minerals which are good for goldfish. Buy a water conditioner at a pet store and put in the amount it says on the label.

Avoid removing the fish from the tank when you clean. Using a gravel vacuum to soak up debris can be done without extracting the fish from their habitat.

If you have to remove the fish, for whatever reason, use a plastic container instead of a net, if possible. Nets can injure goldfish fins more easily than containers can. They are also scared of nets and can cause them stress.

weekly assuming you have stocked your tank properly. It can help to have a few old towels around for this messy process. Just be careful not to vacuum up any teeny fish while you're changing the water. Measure for ammonia, nitrite, and pH.

Remember that test you did before you added your precious little fish? You gotta keep that up! Ammonia and nitr ite levels should be at 0. A range of pH 6. Feed your fish times daily. Be careful not to overfeed them, only feed them what they can eat in a minute, the label on the food is wrong.

Goldfish can easily overeat and can die. Underfeeding is always preferable to overfeeding. If you use floating food, soak it in water for a few seconds before feeding so that it will sink. This reduces the amount of air the fish swallows while eating, which in turn reduces the risk of buoyancy problems.

Just like humans, goldfish want diversity of nutrition. Feed your goldfish pellet food most of the time, live foods, such as brine shrimp, some of the time, and freeze-dried foods, such as mosquito larvae or blood worms, every once in a while.

Remember to soak freeze dried food in a cup of aquarium water before you feed to your goldfish, freeze dried foods expand in a goldfish's stomach, causing to have problems swimming. Feed your fish only what they can eat in one minute.

Remove any excess food. More goldfish die from overeating than from anything else. Feed your goldfish at the same time each day once in the morning, once at night and in the same spot in the tank. Turn off the light and let them get some sleep. They don't have eyelids and they don't really stop swimming, but their bodies sort of hibernate.

You can tell when you notice a slight change in color and reduced activity they'll stick to one side of the tank. Goldfish like to "sleep" in the dark. You really only need an aquarium light if you're growing plants or if the room is particularly poorly-lit.

But even if you don't have an aquarium light, it's good environmental practice to reduce unnecessary energy use by turning off the light. Let the water temperature change as the seasons change.

Goldfish don't like temperatures over 75°F 24°C , but they appear to like seasonal changes where the temperature dips to the high 50s or 60s °C in the winter.

Understand that goldfish will not eat below °F °C. A good thermometer makes this pretty easy. There are two types to choose from: those that hang inside and those that hang outside. Goldfish are social and intelligent animals and are regularly seen interacting with each other and their human caregivers whom they can learn to recognise.

Goldfish have a lifespan averaging about years, with some varieties living up to 30 years when provided with proper care.

Unfortunately, many goldfish do not reach their lifespan potential due to inadequate housing conditions. Housing needs to meet both their behavioural and physiological needs. The following information will help to improve goldfish longevity, health and welfare.

When purchasing a goldfish first check that the seller is responsible and that their aquariums are not overcrowded. Healthy fish display clear and bright body colouration and they hold their fins erect.

Healthy fish are also alert and swim without undue effort. Indicators of poor health include fish that sink or bob to the surface; fish that have lumps, bumps, wounds, clamped fins or a trail of excreta and fish that stay in a corner of the aquarium for a prolonged period of time.

When choosing goldfish you will also need to consider how large the goldfish will become to ensure that they are provided with adequate space as they grow. You will also need to consider how large your fish will be when they reach adult size and the total number of fish you wish to keep.

Certain types of goldfish may have increased space requirements, such as slimmer goldfish that are usually more active meaning aquarium size for these varieties needs to be larger and longer than generally recommended for their body size. Traditional fish bowls are usually too small for goldfish and should be avoided.

However, there are some new modern designs that incorporate filtration and lighting which can be good alternatives. Goldfish are heavy feeders and high waste producers and require efficient filtration of a suitable size to maintain water quality and for aeration.

Good filtration will ensure all water is regularly filtered mechanically and biologically via the nitrifying bacteria in the filter media. If the filter does not create bubbles or stir the surface water, an aeration system such as air stones can also be attached to ensure that water is well oxygenated.

This is important due to the high amount of waste goldfish produce. When selecting a filter, ensure the current is adjustable. Her work appears in numerous web and print publications, including "The Atlanta Journal-Constitution," "The Tampa Bay Times," Visit Florida, "USA Today," AOL's Gadling and "Kraze Magazine.

By using the site, you agree to the uses of cookies and other technology as outlined in our Policy, and to our Terms of Use. Common Causes of Cloudiness A number of things can cause cloudy water in a goldfish tank. Clearing the Tank Water If your cloudiness is caused by bacteria, you'll need to treat the entire tank with antibiotics recommended by your veterinarian.

Keeping It Clear Keeping your goldfish tank clear requires a bit of work every day. Considerations If your tank becomes cloudy despite routine maintenance, you may have too many fish crowded into your aquarium. References Rochester Institute of Technology: The Goldfish Sanctuary - Advanced Care RSPCA Australia: How Should I Keep and Care for Goldfish?

Aquarium Info: FAQ Frequently Asked Questions Fish Tank Tutor: How to Get Rid of White Cloudy Aquarium Water. See More Animals How to Treat Fish Suffering From Chlorine Poison. How to Use an Instant Ocean Hydrometer.

What Can Excessive Phosphates Do to an Aquarium? Symptoms of High pH in an Aquarium.