Beginner Guide - Requirement for Goldfish Tank

This document is for those of us who are new to goldfish keeping and want to keep goldfish in a proven method by experienced breeders. It might be different from the advice from your local fish store or another internet site. Our intention is not to keep fish merely a live in the tank but to make our beloved fish strong and healthy. Let’s try our best for our babies….

What is required

• Tank(required) – 40 G breeder tank for 3 fish maximum. Goldfish prefer a large surface area and a 40 g breeder tank has a good surface area compared to other aquariums at the same size. It is recommended to have 15 – 20 gallon per fish.

We recommend 40G Breeder tank Or Laguna Tubs

• Air Pump(required)- A good air pump is required to give surface agitation which helps for gas exchange. We recommend Tetra Whisper (space ship shape) air pump. It is quiet and gives a lot of air for the tank.

• Air Stone(required)- We prefer ceramic ball air stone which gives a lot of air and less maintenance.

•Digital Thermometer(required) – It is necessary to know the temperature of your tank especially while doing water changes.

• Sponge Filter(required) – For our beloved goldfish, a simple sponge filter is the best choice of filter type. It is easy to maintain and efficient to run.

• Water Conditioner(required) - Most of us live in the area where the municipal water is treated with a lot of chemicals such as Chlorine and Chloramines. Water conditioners will remove all of those chemicals for our beloved goldfish. We recommend Seachem Prime.

• Water Changer(required) – Water changer is another good investment for us. It makes our life so easy as a result we can do a lot of water changing and it is beneficial for our little fish friends.

• Small Plastic Bowl (required) – It is recommended to have a plastic bowl about 24” in diameter to hold fish temporarily while doing water changes.

• Mechanical Filter (optional) – Mechanical filter will make the water super clean and also will need the Nitrogen cycle. Our approach will not depend on a mechanical filter. If you really want to use a mechanical filter, we recommend Aquaclear power filter. The flow rate should be 5 to 7 times the size of the tank. For example, if you have 40 g tank, the filter should have 200 to 280 gallons per hours.

• Heater (Optional) – If you put your fish indoors where the temperature range is from (60F – 85F), it is not necessary to have a heater. But you might keep one for medication purposes. The recommendation for a heater is controversial and it is recommended to buy a submersible one.

• Lighting (Optional) – Lighting is optional for goldfish keepers unless the fish room is completely dark 24/7. LED light is a good option for the long run although the start up cost is a bit higher at the moment.