Good Goldfish Care
Because goldfish are hardy, goldfish care is much easier than for many other types of fish. Don’t let the goldfish’s strength make you lazy about your tank water’s chemistry. Check your water’s pH level and treat the water to keep the level stable. pH is an indicator of the acidity or alkalinity of your tank’s water. Goldfish live happily in a pH range between 7.2 and 7.6. If your pH is too high (alkaline) or too low (acidic), death of your goldfish is a real possibility. With high pH, your fish may show physical symptoms like excess slime or behavioral symptoms like gasping for air at the water’s surface or even jumping out of the tank. With low pH, your the physical symptoms include excess slime, or blood-streaked fins, anorexia, while behavioral symptoms include isolation, hiding, and lying at the bottom of the tank. Partial water changes and water treatment will help keep your tank’s pH stable and your goldfish healthy.