A single adult goldfish needs at least twice that much water to thrive. A dinky, single-gallon bowl is much too small, and even the 10-gallon tank you see in every pet store won't cut it. You see, as these bacteria gobble up goldfish poop, they produce some waste of their own, and if it's not sufficiently diluted, it can kill your goldfish. You can double-check with a simple water test kit.īut here's the thing, all the bacteria in the world won't keep your fish alive if the tank is too small. But then there should be enough bacteria. Depending on how much bacteria you start with, the process can take about two months. As the food breaks down, it releases ammonia for the bacteria to eat, and finally, you wait for a while. You can also buy commercially sold bacteria cultures grown in labs. Once you've created a safe space for the bacteria to grow, they'll come from all over: the air, the outside of the tank, and any rocks or plants you stick in the tank for decoration. Chlorinated tap water is fine for you to drink since it kills off germs, but it's not so great for the bacteria you want to cultivate. The process of growing bacteria takes patience.įirst, you'll need to remove chlorine from your tank water using a conditioner.
You have to introduce it, and that's where a lot of goldfish owners slip up because you can't just buy a fish the same day you get your tank. But in your home tank, there's no bacteria to be found. Freshwater lakes and ponds are home to armies of bacteria that break it down into less harmful chemicals. You see, goldfish waste contains toxins like ammonia that can burn gills and even damage the brain. The usual culprit behind your goldfish's untimely demise is, well, poop. In fact, most goldfish don't survive past their fifth birthday, and that's a major problem since they're supposed to live for about as long as your cat.
But chances are your goldfish didn't even live a quarter that long. The longest-living goldfish on record was 43 years old. Account icon An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders.
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