Re: Goldfish

Chris Walster — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 01:24:25 GMT

Send your friend to www.ornamentalfish.org where they can watch videos on setting up aquaria, care of fish and also download information sheets. It is an excellent resource to obtain basic information on fish care suitable to hand out to clients.

The BVA AWF also have produced a leaflet on fish welfare available at www.bva-awf.org.uk/resources/leaflets/

If you wish to find out more about fish health/treatments/surgery etc try www.fishvetsociety.org.uk for fish vets in the UK or for an international flavour go to www.wavma.org. Another two excellent resources are www.thefishvet.com.au - Dr Richmond Loh has written a superb book Fish Vet Essentials or if you prefer a webinar based course try www.theaquariumvet.com.au - Dr Rob Jones has put together a fairly impressive online course although I have to say I think it is slightly expensive.

Another good and free resource can be found at the University of Florida extension services http://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/agriculture/aquaculture.html

To answer your questions:

Space - as much as possible not only to provide the goldfish with an enriched environment (fish are now considered to be intelligent and feel pain) but more importantly to ensure stable water quality as the larger the volume the more stable.

Goldfish Bowls are too small

Food - flakes fine but supplement with suitable live food etc (as with any animal they like variety)

Filter (matched to stocking density and volume) is essential. Any tank without a filter would probably leave you open to breach of the Welfare Act. Any pet shop will sell a suitable one (even Pets at Home despite tonights drubbing on Watchdog - last time they were on it cost them £20 million in decreased share price). Whilst at the shop make sure they also purchase test kits for minimally NH3, NO2, NO3 and pH with additionally DO2 ,hardness and possibly phosphates, copper etc

Goldfish are sociable so better a pair etc. However you should try and match size otherwise they may bully each other. I do have one kept on its own as it appears to be a carrier of mycobacteria and it seems happy enough.

Yes they can be quite due to transportation stress but you need to keep a good eye on water quality and any obvious signs of illness developing (loss of appetite, dullness of colour, lying on the bottom, flashing (kind of like scratching) etc). Most fish die when first purchased due to inexperience of the owner and not realising the need to monitor water quality. As with other animals they can become stressed with travel leading to an explosion of parasites such as Ich (white spot - looks like salt grains) and fluke. Damage to scales can cause opportunistic bacterial infections with aeromonads etc.

Regards

Chris

Re: Goldfish

Hannah Wynne Richards — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 14:04:49 GMT

Specific answers

As large an aquarium as possible, with plants filter and oxygenation apparatus

Yes Nomental stimulation/hiding places and too smalla surface area-together with bowlcurving in above water level for sufficient oxygenation

Flakes

See q2

Pairs

Wynne