The goldfish is the best-known fish kept by humans. It is not expensive, beautiful in color and also very strong. In the past, goldfish were often kept in a bowl. Although it looks nice and is not so expensive, fortunately more and more people realize that a bowl is a poor habitat for the goldfish. Both the round shape, and the lack of space will give the fish a nasty life.

A good housing for goldfish

So what is a good housing for goldfish? Goldfish are true swimmers. In freedom, they travel dozens of miles every day. Therefore, the more space it has, the happier the fish will be because it can exhibit more of its natural behavior. A spacious pond or a large aquarium is therefore preferable. This is feasible for few people due to cost and lack of space.

Keeping goldfish in a spacious pond or a large aquarium is preferable.

How do I easily and affordably start an aquarium with goldfish?

Buy and keep goldfish in an affordable way. In this case, we recommend purchasing a smaller aquarium of at least 70 liters. If you keep a maximum of two goldfish in this, try these if you can release them into someone’s pond after a few years. You will have enjoyed your fish for a while and they will have had an excellent life if cared for properly. However, it is important to actually move them to a larger enclosure, otherwise they will grow too big for the space. Never leave them free in the wild. Goldfish do not belong in Dutch waters and disturb the balance here. You can buy two new young goldfish after rehoming for a few euros.

This is what you need for a simple aquarium:

In addition to the aquarium itself, you need a filter that filters and pumps the water around. It is important to filter the water from poop, plant and food debris to keep the quality of the water good longer. Circulation of the water also helps with this. In addition, you will need a bag of small stones (gravel) for the bottom. Goldfish love to root around in the bottom in search of food. Between the pebbles they can search wonderfully and it is a nice sight to see them do this.

Next is the purchase of plants. Plants look nice, sway nicely in the water and also provide extra oxygen. In the pet store they will probably advise you to buy “solid” plants and let them root in a so-called “nutrient soil” under the stones. We advise you not to do this. Because goldfish are big polluters (more on this later) you have to stir up the gravel on the bottom quite often. It is then not convenient if there is a nutrient medium under this that ‘dusts’ in the water. Moreover, your fish will probably eat the plants, so you may have to buy new ones and rooting is not necessary. We therefore advise you to buy a number of artificial plants that look nice and also to buy one real oxygen plant in a pot. You can then easily replace this real plant every few weeks.

In addition to the aquarium, filter, rocks and plants, you can think about hiding places for your fish. In the pet store you have a wide choice, which also look nice. When you also buy a jar of goldfish food, a fish net and two 10-liter buckets, you are ready to set up your aquarium.

Tap water is not good for your fish. Although goldfish are strong fish they will survive, but it is better to treat the water with a water conditioner. To every 10 liters of water you should add half a capful so that all the bad substances disappear.

Buying goldfish

Buy goldfish only when your aquarium is ready and has been ready for two weeks with the pump running. The values in the water will then have found their equilibrium. Get advice at the pet store on what kind of goldfish to buy. It is not wise to buy two different species of goldfish because this can cause stress to the species that swims slower.

What does it all cost?

Here we come to the following list:

• Aquarium;
• Filter;
• Bottom gravel;
• New plants;
• Real oxygen plant;
• Hiding place;
• 2 buckets;
• Goldfish food;
• Net;
• Water conditioner;
• Buying goldfish;

Probably the fish themselves are the cheapest of your entire shopping list, but that’s the case with more pets.

We think that if you look around a bit in several pet stores and on the Internet that you can buy a good new aquarium, filter, gravel for 150 euros. Of course you can also look on marketplace or at the thrift store and make a find here. The plants, decoration, food the fish themselves and other stuff will cost up to 70 euros. So for 220 euros you are ready to buy. The maintenance costs consist of an occasional new filter for your pump, a new bottle of water conditioner, occasional new oxygen plant and fish food, but the latter will last a very long time.

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What else should I consider?

Think about where and on what to place the aquarium. An aquarium becomes very heavy because of all the gallons of water, so needs a sturdy base that can support the weight. Each gallon of water weighs a pound. It is best that no or little direct sunlight shines into the aquarium. Sunlight affects the temperature and other values in the water, which it is best if they do not fluctuate too much.

Goldfish eat and defecate a lot, so to keep good water quality, change two-thirds of the water every week. At least every month, clean your aquarium thoroughly (including rinsing out gravel, cleaning windows et cetera). Never use detergents. Take good care of your fish when cleaning and try to do it in such a way that they feel as little stress as possible.

Here to buy goldfish near you

Buy your goldfish from a reputable store or breeder to ensure they are healthy fish. Buy the right number of fish: Consider the size of the aquarium and the amount of oxygen and food the fish need. Overloading the aquarium can lead to lower water quality and poorer health for the fish. There are different species of goldfish, such as red goldfish, orange goldfish and shubunkins. Choose a species that fits the size of your aquarium and your personal preference. Provide a good transition: For a few days, feed the fish the same food they received at the breeder so they will adjust to their new environment. Ensure proper care: Make sure the water in the aquarium is clean and feed the fish regularly with a balanced diet.