How long do goldfish live for?

Goldfish have a lifespan averaging about 10-15 years, with some varieties living up to 30 years when provided with proper care. Unfortunately, many goldfish do not reach their lifespan potential due to inadequate housing conditions. Housing needs to meet both their behavioural and physiological needs.
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How long goldfish live in a bowl?

Author Note: A Goldfish living in a bowl is lucky to make it to one year. Even if you do things right and perform frequent water changes, the average lifespan in a bowl is only two to three years.
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Can a goldfish live for 6 years?

On average, goldfish live for 5 to 10 years. However, their lifespan varies massively depending on how well they are looked after and the conditions they live in. A goldfish kept in poor conditions will die within days or weeks. Whereas a goldfish that is well looked after can live for more than 10 years.
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Can goldfish live 20 years?

So, a lot of it comes down to the care and living conditions of the goldfish. If you can ensure healthy living conditions and tank or pond water quality for your goldfish, you can expect them to live out their expected lifespan of 15-20 years.
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Do goldfish get lonely?

However, we can say that it is very unlikely that goldfish get lonely. What is this? Goldfish are just not the same as humans – they're not social animals in the same way that we are, and they don't have the same capacity to get bored or long for companionship.
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How Long Do Goldfish Live? What Is The Average Lifespan Goldfish



How can you tell a goldfish's age?

The scales are made up of concentric rings which are formed closer together during cold weather when there is little fish growth, and further apart in warm conditions when the goldfish are growing more quickly. By counting the bands of closely spaced rings, the age of the fish can be determined.
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Is it OK to have just one goldfish?

Goldfish (Carassius auratus) are social animals and when kept in groups can be seen regularly interacting with other goldfish. Keeping at least two goldfish in an aquarium is recommended to provide companionship and promote activity. Solitary fish can exhibit depression and lethargy.
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Why is my goldfish turning white?

Did you know that goldfish have pigment in their skin? This pigment can react to UV light in some fish. So, your goldfish could turn white due to both a lack of sunlight or too much sunlight. In the case of too much light, fish usually respond to the dramatic change.
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Why is my goldfish turning black?

Ammonia changes are, by far, the most common reason why goldfish turn black. Generally, the color change starts on the fins. Over time, it can get progressively worse and spread to the body. There, it'll appear as small batches of black skin that look burnt.
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How do you know if a goldfish is happy?

Signs of a Happy Goldfish

Your goldfish should be swimming constantly and not floating, bobbing or sinking. They should eat regularly and eliminate their waste frequently. Provide some variety in your fish's diet. Pellets everyday can become boring.
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How do I know my goldfish is dying?

Loss of appetite. Weakness or listlessness. Loss of balance or buoyancy control, floating upside down, or 'sitting' on the tank floor (most fish are normally only slightly negatively-buoyant and it takes little effort to maintain position in the water column) Erratic/spiral swimming or shimmying.
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What is the oldest goldfish?

Goldfish 43 years

A goldfish named Tish, owned by Hilda and Gordon Hand of Carlton Miniott, North Yorkshire, UK, lived for 43 years.
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How big can a goldfish get?

According to National Geographic, goldfish are usually around 7 to 16.1 inches long and weigh 0.2 to 0.6 pounds, but can top 5 pounds in the wild.
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Can a goldfish live in tap water?

Goldfish can only live in tap water when it has been properly treated to remove harmful chemicals. What is this? Tap water contains chemicals that will kill all of the 'good bacteria' in your tank. Good bacteria develops through a process called cycling, which we talk about in more detail here.
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Is it cruel to keep goldfish in a bowl?

The Problem with Goldfish Bowls

Unfortunately, despite traditions, experts generally agree that most goldfish bowls are unsuitable for goldfish – keeping goldfish in one can be considered inhumane.
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How often do you feed goldfish?

Feed 2-3 times daily. It is important to avoid overfeeding goldfish as this can cause indigestion and/or contaminate the tank. In terms of the amount to feed, a good rule of thumb is to only feed an amount that the goldfish can consume in under two minutes or only feed as much as the size of the goldfish's eye.
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How often should you clean goldfish tank?

A goldfish bowl without a filter should be cleaned twice a week. With a filter you can clean it every 7-10 days.
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Why goldfish turn upside-down?

A upside-down swimming is a common problem in goldfish and the cause is a disorder of the swim bladder. This specialised organ enables a fish to modify its buoyancy so it can dive or surface according to its needs. Fat-bodied goldfish are at risk because their swim bladder can become compressed.
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Why is my goldfish laying on the bottom of the tank?

Usually goldfish sit at the bottom of the tank due to not feeling well for some reason. Improper water conditions, parasites, stress, GI problems, and swim bladder problems can all cause a fish to sit at the bottom of the tank.
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Is it OK to feed goldfish once a day?

Until they are one year old, you should feed goldfish 2 or 3 times per day. Once they are older than one year, you should feed goldfish just once per day. There are, however, a number of factors that could lead you to adjust this schedule. Also, the type and amount of goldfish food you feed your goldfish is important.
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Do goldfish need sunlight?

Yes, goldfish need light and they also need nightly periods of darkness. What is this? Using lights to illuminate your tank and simulate a day / night cycle is beneficial to your goldfish, the overall health of your tank and is an important aspect of successful goldfish care.
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Is it true that if you keep a goldfish in a dark room it will turn white?

goldfish will lose its color if kept in the dark because the pigment production of this fish depends on light. When deprived of light, the goldfish's skin stops producing pigment. Cells called chromatophores produce these pigments, which reflect light and produce color.
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Do goldfish get sad?

According to researchers, fish can get depressed, too, and studies are being done on the aquatic animals in an effort to find treatments for humans suffering from the disorder.
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What size tank do I need for 2 goldfish?

Based on the rules above, the goldfish tank size we recommend for two goldfish is: 42 gallons for two Common goldfish. That's 30 gallons for the first fish and 12 additional gallons for the second fish.
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Do fish ever get tired of swimming?

Let's answer the question, Do fish ever get tired of swimming? The short answer is Yes, they do, Hence the reason they need to rest to regain strength. The creatures that live in the pelagic environment never stop swimming. It's the same with fish.
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