We have both tropical and coldwater. Within these there is a wide range of choices. If you need something specific if you ask our friendly staff they may be able to try and order it in for you. |
It is best to keep no more than 1 inch of goldfish to 30 square inches of surface area. This equates to approximately 2.5cm to 76cm squared. Keep in mind goldfish need more oxygen than tropical fish. |
They are fish which orriginate from tropical and subtropical parts of the world. They usually require a heater to keep the water between 23°C-26°C. |
Yes, this is true for both coldwater and tropical aquriums. Good water quality is easier to maintain the larger the aquarium is. Also if problems arrise, they are usually less serious in a larger tank. Therefore if possible always try to purchase the largest tank that will suit you. |
1 inch of fish per 10 square inches of surface area. This equates to approximately 2.5cm of fish to 25cm square. |
Ammonia is the number one killer of tropical fish. Other harmful chemicals include chlorine and chloramines. Regular tests can be done to measure the chemical levels in your tank to help keep it safe and to know how to adjust these levels. |
It is the measured level of acidity and alkalinity in water. pH 7 is neutral values above 7 are alkaline and below 7 are acidic. |
Most freshwater fish like a pH somewhere between 6.8 and 7.2. The best suited pH varies depending on the type of fish. |
You need to purcase a testing kit. Several different types are avaliable; ones with only pH testing kit and ones which can test other factos too. A very simple testing kit is one which contains testing paper and pH up and pH down. You test the water by placing a testing strip in some test water, different colours appear on the strip depending on your pH leves. If your pH needs to go down you add some pH down and vice versa. |
Yes. Fish need a day/ night cycle. Try to limit artificial lighting to 8-10 hours, more than this could promote the growth of algae. A light timer can be helpful for this situation. |
You don’t need to have one, however it is reccomended as fish sometimes jump out of the tank. |
You can purcase plant food to help keep you plants alive and healthier for longer. Additonally you can use the addition of CO¬2 is a relatively new technique which can be used to help your plants flurish. The downside to this is that it is a complicated process. |
Yes. Some common causes are poor water quality, inadequate diet, too high/low water temperature. |
No, straight tap water is not ok for fish. You need to use tap water and then add water conditioner to remove harmful chemicals such as chlorine. |
Males cannot be kept together. Females will generally not fight each other. IF breeding, females and males can be kept together but the female needs a hiding place in case the male becomes aggressive. |
Goldfish gorw to about 20cm. A common misconception is that they only grow to the size of the tank they are in however this is not true. So if you buy a small tank you will eventially need to upsize it or put it in a pond so it can continue growing and living a healthy life. |
You can, however this is not recommended for a long period of time as the surface area of water to oxygen is small and it is very difficult to put a filter in one. This means that the it is easy for the water quality to drop and the oxygen levels to be insufficient. |
Between 20-25 years if taken care of well (given a proper diet, protected and given enough space and oxygen to live happily). Just FYI the oldest know gold fish to have lived is 43 years!!! |
Gold fish flakes are most appropriate for gold fish in tanks. They come in a variety of brands and sizes from which you can select the one that suits you best. You can also get graduals and pond sticks. Pond sticks are good if you have a pond, the goldfish are large and/or the flakes fly about in the wind as they are much larger than flakes and more dense.
Approximately the size of the fish's eye is enough food or give them enough food that they can consume in a few minutes. If they do not consume the food in a few minutes then you have fed them too much.
Goldfish can be put together in a tank with other goldfish. Some goldfish can be in with tropical fish however it must be kept in mind that goldfish need much more oxygen than tropical fish. It is not recommended to keep goldfish in water abover 26C or to mix them with tropical fish that are ammonia-sensitive as goldfish produce lots of waste. Also be careful not to mix with agressive tropical fish as it can lead to fin nipping. |
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Yes plants are good because they give food and oxygen for your fish and a place for them to hide. Because goldfish like to eat plants and sometimes dig at the roots it is recommended to select a sturdy tougher plant. However almost any of the plants we stock are sutable. |
It could possibly be that your goldfish is constipated. This symptom can be alleviated by feeding it cooked peas squished out of their skins. If you find they get constipated often, feed it cooked peas often too. |
This is usually due to the location of their swim bladder which is a result of line breeding. If these symptoms occur after feeding time try using sinking pellets or pre-soak their food to limit the amount of air that can become trapped inside their stomach. However if this problem is not triggered by eating, your fish may have a bladder infection. Antibiotics may be able to cure this; we recommend you see your vet if you think this is the case. |
Its best to keep the water clean and take good care of your fish. Add some PimaFix or MelaFix which will increase the healing speed and help prevent infection. Sometime the bubbles can grow back however often they are uneven. |
The female will show signs of becoming larger and the male will show white spots or bumps on his head and pectorial fins called breeding tubercles. When they actually bread the male chases the femal until he can push the eggs out of her to fertalise them. |
It is diffucult to tell the differences between the sexs. The time when the distinction is made easiest is during sporning time. The mature males will get white spots or bumbs (only on their head or pectorial fins). If you see a sporning run, the male is the fish chasing the female. An additional difference is that the famales become will become fat. |
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It is best to have a filter in your tank if the tank is large enough as it helps to keep the water clean and keep it oxygenated. We stock several types of filters for small and large aquariums as well as for ponds. The type of filter depends firstly on the size of your tank. To work out which filter you need, find out the size of your tank and then come into PETstock and we can advise you which filter will suit for your sized tank. There are also several further options to choose from such as an underground filter or an above tank filter where the clean water flows into the tank like a mini waterfall. This selection depends on your preference and the amount of money you wish to spend.
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