How often should 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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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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How long can a goldfish last without food?

Goldfish can go without food for 8 to 14 days. During this time, they scavenge their aquarium and feed off algae. In ponds, depending on the size and available algae (sometimes goldfish also eat plants, check out this list here) and insects, goldfish can go without feeding indefinitely.
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How do you know when goldfish are hungry?

How To Tell If Your Fish Is Hungry
  1. Your fish is digging around the substrate (searching for food).
  2. Waiting and the top of the aquarium (for feeding time).
  3. Behavior changes (aggression).
  4. Noticeable weight/size changes.
  5. Slow or sluggish behavior.
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Do goldfish recognize you?

Pet goldfish can distinguish between humans, and often recognise the human that regularly feeds them. Pet goldfish can also seem quite scared of new people, but become more comfortable with their owners over time as they realise they aren't a threat.
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How Often Should You Feed Your Goldfish?



Do goldfish need darkness to sleep?

Goldfish don't naturally sleep at night, like people do. They do sleep better when it's dark and quiet, so many fish will sleep at night. If you make noise around a sleeping fish, it will startle awake. Thus, it's best to keep the noise level down when your fish wants to sleep.
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How long can goldfish live in tap water?

Goldfish cannot survive longer than a few minutes in untreated tap water. It will kill them almost instantly as it burns their lungs. If the pH level of your tap water is fine for a goldfish to survive (7.2-7.6), then it is safe.
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How old do goldfish live?

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 do goldfish sleep per day?

Conclusion. While goldfish can't close their eyes, they do sleep at night and take naps during the day. It's normal for them to sleep around 8 to 12 hours out of 24 in short bursts, and most fish learn to sleep when you're not interacting with them.
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How do I know if I'm feeding my fish enough?

The rule with fish feeding is to not feed them more than what they can consume in half a minute. If you are feeding the fish more than they can consume in half a minute causing the food to sink and mix with the substrate then you are probably feeding your fish a little bit too much.
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Should I add salt to my goldfish tank?

Aquarium Salt as Prevention

Your goldfish will always have a well-maintained slime coat, reduced stress, and it will eliminate harmful bacteria and pathogens before they latch on to your fish. You should add ½ teaspoon or less (never more!) for every 1 gallon of water(almost 4 liters) in your tank.
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How often should you change goldfish water?

A goldfish bowl without a filter should be cleaned twice a week. With a filter you can clean it every 7-10 days. How do I clean my bowl? Remove 1/3 of the water and put it in a different container.
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Do goldfish get lonely?

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. In fact, many of the longest living goldfish have been kept alone, with no obvious harm to their well being.
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Do goldfish like flowing water?

In your tank, your goldfish will be happiest with a slow-moving current, just like they would experience in nature. This doesn't necessarily translate to providing no current, though! Many goldfish seem to enjoy areas of faster moving water that they can play in.
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How can you tell if goldfish are male or female?

The anal fin in males is closer to the tail compared to females. Male goldfish tend to have more flowing fins and tails compared to females. Male goldfish tend to have a slightly smaller and skinnier body compared to females. Females will have a larger and rounder body and their abdomen can appear soft.
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Do goldfish need light?

Allowing your goldfish to experience more than 6 hours of darkness will have a positive effect on their health. A well-rested goldfish is healthier and more active. Aside from a period of darkness, goldfish also need moderate lighting in the day to mimic the daylight they will receive in the wild.
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Why are goldfish so cheap?

They're mainly so cheap because they're mass bred as feeder fish. If you don't want to have a large tank or pond in the near future, I would recommend returning them to the store as soon as possible. Comet/Common goldfish are indeed sold pretty darn cheap.
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What do goldfish like in their tank?

Goldfish like plants, variety in their food, a large, clean tank with a stress-free environment, lots of oxygen in their tank, nice cold soft water, other Goldfish as mates and some decorations in their tank.
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Can goldfish live without air pump?

(1)Not having an air pump: Goldfish use their gills to get oxygen out of the water, they cannot breathe air. If you do not have a pump or *extremely heavily planted tank* your goldfish will be suffocating. If you see them gasping at the surface, that means you are killing them because of lack of oxygen in their water.
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How should I change my goldfish water?

The 6 Steps for Goldfish Nano and Small Tank Water Changes are:
  1. Shut it down. Turn off the heater, filter, and other tank electronics. ...
  2. Vacuum/siphon. Using the gravel vacuum, create suction. ...
  3. Prepare clean water. ...
  4. Toss the old water. ...
  5. Add clean water. ...
  6. Restart. ...
  7. Shut it down. ...
  8. Connect the tubing.
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Can goldfish live without filters?

The belief that goldfish need a filter is incorrect. Goldfish don't actually need filtration and can live long lives, as you may have seen, without filtration. The longest-lived goldfish, Tish, lived to 42 years old in a regular fishbowl.
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What is the best time to feed goldfish?

When planning how many times you should feed a goldfish, it's common to wonder if there are specific times of the day that work better than others. Fortunately, this isn't something you need to worry about. As long as you're feeding them 2-3 times during the day on a consistent basis they will be just fine.
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How many flakes should I feed my 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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Do goldfish talk to each other?

Goldfish are not able to talk to each other. Goldfish use body language to communicate.
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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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