Goldfish Facts

Myths Spread By Cartoons

Somewhere along the line, the idea surfaced that a goldfish could do quite well in a small bowl. It needed nothing to entertain itself, after all it was just a dumb fish, didn’t seem to mind cramped living quarters, and as far as swimming round and round was concerned, could only remember something for three seconds, so every trip around the bowl was a new experience. The fact is, such a goldfish would not have a particularly pleasant life, and probably not a very long one.

Being called dumb is a somewhat relative term. While its tiny brain would limit its intellectual capacity, plus the fact that a goldfish probably doesn’t have to know much anyway, beyond how to survive, considering the goldfish to be with out any thinking capacity at all would not be a true fact. It is claimed by many, that over a period of time a pet goldfish will come to recognize its owner.

That would be difficult to do if one only had a 3-second memory span. Goldfish also seem to know when it’s feeding time, and tend to stick together in groups if given the chance. So, there’s something going on in that little brain, including the ability to remember things and make certain associations.

Give It Plenty Of Room

As far as the small goldfish bowl is concerned, a small bowl being OK for a fish is one of the cruelest of goldfish “facts”. In terms of personal hygiene, the goldfish is not much for clean living, and will rapidly foul the water in a small enclosure. Even a 10-gallon tank is barely large enough for a single, small goldfish, and not large enough if the fish is allowed to grow to its normal length of about 6 inches, or for some species, two or three times that length.

Whether the fish lives in a 10-gallon tank, or a 50-gallon tank, the water is going to have to be recycled, filtered, or in some matter cleaned up fairly often. A goldfish swimming around in its own waste, will not remain a healthy goldfish for long. And that’s a goldfish fact worth remembering.

Breeding And Life Span

Given the chance, goldfish will breed rapidly, not as rapidly as guppies perhaps, but they certainly will give rabbits a run for the money. The mother will lay a vast quantity of eggs at one time, the eggs will be fertilized, and then the eggs and the young goldfish who are fortunate enough to emerge, are on their own. A few fish tend their young at first, most species do not, and the goldfish is one of those that does not.

A goldfish will mature sexually in about 2 years time, but goldfish facts regarding longevity can be at times confusing. Some will tell you that a goldfish in captivity will live for around 5 years, though many goldfish owners will say that a 10 year life span is not all that uncommon. The record life span for a gold fish is reported to be just beyond 40 years. There have been occasional reports of goldfish living close to 100 years, but these have been cases where a koi, which can live that long, is mistaken as being a goldfish, which is not the case. The goldfish is a member of the carp family.

Categorizing goldfish as tropical fish is one of those goldfish facts that have some truth, to the extent that a goldfish will do well in water at room temperature, or even warmer. They can exist in colder water however, even in outdoor ponds where the surface has frozen over. The goldfish will go into a semi-dormant stage under such conditions, usually emerging from that state in full health once things warm up. If you’re going to have goldfish as pets, it’s important to separate goldfish facts from goldfish myths. Give them plenty or room, clean water, good food, and at least a little credit for smarts.