Would you like some unsolicited advice? OK cool. I would like to tell you some of my tricks at keeping a goldfish alive for five years. That is how old mine is and I'm not going to tell you how to keep him alive forever because this is an experiment in progress. If you do not have a goldfish and never wish to own one, then skip this post. If you wish perhaps to one day own a goldfish I encourage you to read on. Just keep swimming.
1. When switching out water or filling up the water for the first time, leave the water in a separate container on a counter for 1-2 days. I don't know why, maybe it's the chlorine, maybe it's the air bubbles, I don't know, just do it. I fill huge go-cups and set it by the fish bowl so my main-man human style does not empty it in a random fit of "I'm doing the dishes this one time to fill my monthly quota". I also keep a half to a third of the old water and add it to the new. Just cuz. Also when you get that fish for the first time he will come in a bag, set that bag in the bowl of new water and let that fish in the bag of water chillax in the new water. This is to get the two sets of water at the same temp. Temperature is very important to your fish's life and it needs to remain quite constant, shifting only a few degrees during a day's time. Rapid changes in temp stress the fish. Gold fish are quite hardy but if you had a saltwater fish/aquarium then it is something you need to check on frequently. I basically keep my house the same temp all year and keep the bowl from windows during the hot summer and cold winters.
2. Cover the bowl top with an unscrewed lid or top of some kind. No, this does not suffocate the fish. You live in a home with all the doors and windows shut and somehow you still breath. this is a broad comparison but roll with me here. It's because it is not air tight.This cover over the water is to keep dust out. Dust carry germies and germies in fish bowl water makes it rank. Rank is bad. Fish may also jump out of the bowl entirely ...and kids get handsy.
3. Take your fish on vacay with you. If you are going to be gone a week, get a fish sitter or take him with you. My fish is small enough he fits in a fish bowl from the pet store that has a screw on lid. He was literally present at Spring Break '08 in Gulf Shores, AL. Though I kept him in my room for fear some drunk would knock him over and you always have to have your "mom hat on" and think of the scary problems that may arise for your "children".
He has spent weeks with my parents and friends when I needed a sitter. He is house broken so all parties had a great time. OH!...When he is traveling in the car in his bowl with the screw lid I fill the water up closer to the top, not all the way, so there is less sloshing from bumps in the road and less than perfect driving. I also put a towel around the bowl and seat belt him in, essentially making his journey dark, like vets do with animals to keep their stress level down.
4. Put the bowl in a place in your home where you are active. I put mine by my sink so he can watch TV, greet visitors, and see me cook and clean dishes.
5. Sing and dance for your fish. I love talking to my guy. He literally swims to me when I put my face close to his bowl and I sing him songs and tell him stories.
6. Make a feeding routine. I always shake his food can and then feed him. He knows when the can is shaking he is getting fed. He loves it, I think. When he was younger I would give him say...6 pellets every other day to eat...he would only eat 2 right away and I would see the rest fall to the bottom of his bowl. Now I only feed him 4 max every other day and that seems to be a happy deal. He still eats two right away and saves the other to eat off the bottom between the two days he does not get fed again. I got this idea from a psyc class I took where they had pigeons on an 80% feeding schedule. It's something like, the researchers let the pigeons pig out on food that food amount equaled 'x"...and they cut it back to 80% of "x". That amount never left them wanting and it was healthy enough to even extend the life of the pigeon compared to the ones that always got to pig out. No pun intended.
7. After a year or two, upgrade the size of his bowl, he will growl and adjust to the change, this can improve his quality of life. My fish is in a jar just like this from Walmart I washed it with water and put him in there, after the new water sat for two days, of course, and I added all of his old water in to the mix.
8. Be weary of introducing a new fish friend. The extra poop (chemicals) are bad and the new company may be too stressful for him...he may have an eye blow up big and then die. Also a turf war happen. I'm not down for some new guy messing with my fish love.
I must say having a fish is quite awesome. He does his thing, I do mine, and at times we meet in the kitchen for a dance party for two. I hope you enjoyed my goofy fish advice. Now go out there and get you a goldfish!!
