Coldwater
This section is aimed primarily at the Exotic Goldfish fancier who
keeps their pets in tanks. as opposed to the outdoor pond enthusiasts.
It has always been a misnomer to describe any fish as "Coldwater", a
more accurate description would be "Sub-tropical" with typical
temperatures below 18C/68F. This does not mean however that
such species can survive at any temperature. Fancy Goldfish
varieties are best kept in temperatures in the range 15C - 25C although
they get quite sluggish at the lower end of that range and are unlikely
to survive below 10C - 12C. Some outdoor varieties can
survive lower temperatures, but below 10C - 12C all their bodily
functions, including their immune system, progressively shut down.
Another common misconception is "Goldfish live in Tap-water and don't
need filters". True, there are thousands of sad goldfish
which know nothing else and survive for months or even years in such
primitive conditions. None however will ever thrive and achieve their
full life expectancy of many decades. Goldfish and other related
species need exactly the same conditions as any other fish, clean fresh
water, free from chlorine, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, and with a
neutral pH. They also require sufficient space, more so than many
'Tropical' varieties, with around 30 sq inches of surface area needed
for each inch of fish body. Similarly, as heavy bodied fish, they
also produce heavy waste and require a suitably sized filter system.
Given the right conditions they thrive even in a tropical tank and can
grow to more than 10 inches. Well cared for they give many years of
pleasure.
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