Goldfish are one of the most popular forms of pet keeping in the world.
Most people by the time they reach adulthood have had some form of experience either keeping a fish as a hobby or through another family member, or friend. Redcap-OrandaWhen we look at whatís involved in keeping a Goldfish itís easy to understand the reasons for their popularity. Goldfish are such an easy, low maintenance, fun and educational pet. For those of us in high stress situations they are a great pet to sit back and relax by. Another aspect that certainly contributes to the Goldfishís appeal is the low entry price into the hobby, prices that make it accessible to children with just a handful of pocket money. Here at Manly Aquarium World we have complete Goldfish starter kits priced from just A$12.95, of course for the more serious aquarist they are only limited by their imagination and budget.
Goldfish are ideally suited to life both indoors and out, they are equally at home in an Aquarium or garden pond. Goldfish can also tolerate great extremes in temperatures, anywhere from temperatures in the low 30ís (Celsius) down to ponds that actually ice over in winter. A Goldfish in a bowl or an Aquarium for that matter, is a "must" accessory and complements most interior designs, and does much to add to a roomís aesthetic appeal not to mention the benefits for those that believe in the Chinese Feng shui (more details on Feng shui can be obtained by phoning us).
Often people come into our shop and are surprised to learn that there are many more varieties of Goldfish than just the common, Comet (which is the fish most commonly though of as the standard Goldfish). Some of the many varieties we stock are listed below, and these include:
All our staff are highly trained on all aspects of Goldfish care, be it in relation to setting up a bowl or Aquarium, proper feeding, correct maintenance, fish selection or any other related issues. We also have on staff our own Koi expert with many years breeding experience, he selectively raises his Koi and exhibits often winning prizes for the quality and perfect markings of his fish. We have a selection of these and other Koi available for purchase from our store.
This Goldfish display centre consiting of 18 seperate tanks forms part of our extensive Goldfish and Koi selection
Goldfish Tanks
A Word From Our Koi Expert
During the 20 something years dealing with Koi Carp, our Koi expert has been asked almost every conceivable question in relation to the successful keeping of Koi. Here are a few of the most commonly asked questions and there answers.
Q1) how big should my filter be in relation to my pond size? And what important issues must be noted in function and usage of my filter?
A1) Ideally when designing a pond and filter system, a filter with a media area equivalent to around 20% of your water volume is suitable however this also depends on the type of biological media being used. An important functional feature to build into a pond would be to have a bottom drain and sediment Koi Carpchamber. The sediment chamber does not have any filtering material placed in it. Its function is simply for larger particles of sedimentary waste to settle in it. (When cleaning this can be sucked out through your drain or by syphoning off using a hose) The pick up for your filter (Which often incorporates the pump) should be located above this chamber so that the water, free of large particles can move on to the next stage of filtration. During the next stage of filtration the water is pumped into the filter chamber where the water rises through the media, spilling over at the top and running back into the pond either via a cascade, waterfall or hose. Many variations on this theme abound and what shape your filter ultimately takes will be determined by your budget, location and pond design.
Q2) how do I know if there is enough oxygen in the water? And if not what type of aeration should I use? Also how much water should I have flowing through my filter?
A2) Firstly on the issue of water flow through your filter; it is wise to at least turn your water over once per hour, more is recommended. CometSecondly, a good indicator of a lack of oxygen would be fish gasping at the surface and general lethargy, also in relation to oxygen, you will probably find that a once per hour flow rate is not enough to provide optimum levels of oxygen for your fish, especially given that Koi are such large user of oxygen. An aerator providing you with a number of vigorously flowing outlets diffused through air stones and placed throughout your pond will help to give an ideal environment for maximum growth, colour and activity. Large capacity aerators are available from our store.
Q3) how much do I feed my Koi? And what types of food should I use?
A3) At temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius no feeding is required, temperatures 12-15C A food high in Wheat germ, once a day. Temperatures 16-19C a good quality pellet twice a day. Temperatures 20-25C feed three to four times a day, again on a quality pellet low in Wheat germ. At temperatures 26-29C Koi CarpHigh protein food up to 5 times a day. Above these temps little or no food should be given. It must be stressed that in feeding fish at any time no more food than they can completely consume within a few minutes should be given
Koi also enjoy treats like; Lettuce, Cabbage, Watermelon (remove seeds) Peas, Pasta, Rice, Brown bread amongst other things. Please NOTE; Your filter and its bacterial colonies are under greater load in summer due to heavier feeding, so care must be taken not to exacerbate this problem with careless over feeding!
Q4) during the four seasons how will my Koi act? And what behaviour should I expect in Australian climate?
A4) Summer: This is the growing season for Koi and as we mentioned earlier it is important to feed high protein foods. It is also the breeding season. Males will chase and bump into Females, this is normal behaviour when breeding commences.
Note: It is not wise to try and breed your Koi in your main pond with other fish present. If your serious about breeding take the Male and Female out and place them in another pond on their own. You may notice froth starting to appear on the surface of the breeding pond, donít worry this is normal and it is an indicator that the male is getting ready to breed.
Partial water changes every 2 weeks is also recommended in summer to maintain healthy water.
Autumn: With the cooler weather coming your Koi will be eating less and taking things easier as they recover from the breeding season.
Winter: During this season the Koi are at their least active. They donít eat much, donít swim much or look all that alert, donít panic they are still quite healthy, even if you donít see them swimming. Part of the reason for this is that they will stay deeper in the pond where the water is actually warmer.
Spring: During this season the Females will start to become fat as they develop eggs inside them, in preparation for the coming breeding season.
Q5) what should I look for on a daily basis to ensure my Koi are happy and healthy?
A5) Schooling together, alert and looking for food.
Q6) What are a few important tips about keeping Koi in Australia?
A6) Number one: Water quality! Again this relates to filter size, oxygen levels, PH levels which should be around 7.4 and carbonate hardness which should be 150-200ppm.
Q7) Why did my PH suddenly drop from 7.4 to 6 overnight?
A7) This is what I call PH crash. If it has rained heavily the night before, the rain water which has a PH of between 6.0 and 6.8 (depending on Pollution levels) can cause this situation to happen especially if combined with a low KH level (carbonate hardness) Correct KH is what will give the water the buffering ability to maintain a constant PH. We have KH buffering solutions in store.
