The Most Common Questions I Receive

A lot of people send me notes asking for information, clarification, or guidance. This list covers at least fifty percent of the questions I have received. Please read through this and see if your question or something close is covered here. Then make sure you look at the additional information elsewhere on this site, for added depth.

Basic Goldfish Facts

1. What kind of goldfish do I have?

2. How long do goldfish live?

3. How big do goldfish get?

Goldfish Care

4. Why is the water in my tank cloudy?

5. How do I know when I need to change the water?

6. How do I change the water?

7. Should I try to adjust the pH of my water?

8. I read about the size of tank and filter that you say goldfish need, but I can only afford/only have room for the bowl I got. Is this okay?

9. Can I keep my goldfish small by keeping them in a small tank?

10. Why don't you like charcoal in your filters?

11. Why don't you like canister filters?

12. My goldfish tank in my house gets too warm in the summer; what can I do?

13. What other fish or animals can I keep with my goldfish?

14. Why would the pet shop sell me a bowl if it weren't the right thing to keep goldfish in?

15. Why would the pet shop sell me 10 goldfish if that were too many for the tank they sold me?

16. Your web page says to do (something), but the pet shop says this is wrong and I should do (something else). Who should I believe?

17. I've read through your web site and recommendations, but I have had twelve fish in a 20 gallon tank for 3 months with no problems (variant: I have had a fish in a 2 gallon bowl for 3 years). So I think you are nutty. Are you?

Goldfish Health

18. Why is my fish floating?

19. Why can't my fish get off the bottom?

20. Why is my fish listless and not eating?

21. My fish has white spots on it. Is it sick?

22. My fish has just developed red streaks in its fins or red veiny areas on its body or black areas on its fins. What is wrong?

23. You say to use salt to treat just about everything. What kind of salt? How much?

Goldfish Biology

24. How do I tell what sex my goldfish are?

25. How do I breed my goldfish?

26. Are these eggs/babies in my tank?

27. Why is my goldfish changing color? How do I stop it?

Organization/Hobby Information

28. I sent a note to the Goldfish Society of America address on your web site, and I haven't heard from them. What gives?

29. Where can I get goldfish variety ________ (fill in the blank) that none of the pet shops have?

30. How much do really good goldfish cost?

31. Where is a goldfish show near where I live?

Material on this Web Site

32. I have a school report due in the morning. Can you send me everything you know about goldfish?

33. Can I use your pictures and some of your info on the web site I am creating?

34. I am a professional author and was wondering if I can use your articles and pictures for free in my current project?

35. Could you add a link to my web site, join my web ring, can I link to you?

36. Why haven't you replied to my email? (Better question: How can I make it more probable you will reply to my email?)