How long do goldfish live and what does it depend on?

For a long time, an aquarium with a goldfish could be found in almost every home. This freshwater subspecies of the genus crucian carp was one of the first domesticated in the 7th century, therefore it has been a human pet for a long time. But if in ancient times only very rich people could afford to have a goldfish, now its cost is not too high and is available to anyone. There are several types of goldfish, differing in color (from bright red to red-white) and minor structural features.

Any owner of such a pet wants to know how to properly care for it, in what conditions it should be kept in order to prolong its life. In this article we will tell you about all this, as well as find out a very important question about the lifespan of goldfish.

There are certain factors that affect how long the “precious” inhabitant of the aquarium will please its owner.

The goldfish is a cold-blooded animal. If the water in the aquarium is warm, then the body temperature of its inhabitant will rise.

Care must be taken to ensure that the water in the aquarium remains cold at all times. The most comfortable temperature will be 18-23 ° C, in winter it will be a couple of degrees less.

Food is probably one of the main factors that affects life expectancy.

But often it is strongly discouraged to feed her. Experts have found that two meals a day are quite enough. Each serving should be small. As for the diet, it must contain plants and special foods.

The latter is sold frozen in specialized stores. The first one can be bought there, but it must be soaked before use.

If there is no special food or it has run out, you can feed the goldfish with crumbly porridge cooked in water. But whatever the food, be sure to adhere to the dosage.

It is very important to consider the size of the fish tank, as well as its population by other individuals. Experts say that 50 liters of water is enough for one goldfish... A goldfish will feel comfortable in an ordinary aquarium of 150-200 liters with three "neighbors".

In addition to these factors that affect the lifespan of a fish, there are others. For example, it is important to keep the aquarium clean and not forget that you need to change the water in it from time to time, otherwise the fish may simply suffocate in stagnant water.

For a long time, scientists and private breeders carried out various studies, among the goals of which was the task of determining how long a goldfish can live both in an aquarium and in its natural habitat.

After conducting experiments and observing the animals for a certain period, it was found that the average life span of these individuals is 4-5 years.

In the world, there have been cases when a goldfish lived in an aquarium for 34 and 43 years - these are real long-lived record holders.

When a person decides to set up an aquarium at home and have a goldfish in it, the first thing he does is go to the pet store to buy a pet. And in this case, it would be nice to be able to determine the age of the fish, so as not to buy the one that will need to be mourned in a month.

Learning to determine the age of a goldfish is not at all difficult, you just need to pay attention to the following factors.

Looking at the size of the fish, you can immediately determine its age. The adults are larger and weighty, the fry are small.

This is the factor that makes it possible to visually determine age almost unmistakably. If a goldfish has a pronounced and saturated color, then it can be attributed to an already formed adult. Malek practically does not have a bright color, it is pale in color.

They form gradually in fish. Already in adult males, a fat lump is formed on the forehead, fins are sharpened.

Most pet stores today sell teenage fish that are between 2 and 5 months old. But it is best to take into account the physiological signs, visually inspect the fish and make sure that the age matches what the seller says.

Saying goodbye to your beloved pet is always very difficult, so I want to push this minute as far as possible. Many of those who have such a pet resort to various methods and techniques to prolong its life.

In order for the goldfish to live as long as possible, the following requirements for the care and maintenance of the fish must be observed, trying not to deviate from the recommendations of experienced breeders.

• It is necessary to take into account and observe the norms of all factorsthat affect the lifespan of goldfish - diet, condition and quality of water in the aquarium, the number of neighbors - inhabitants of the aquarium.
• Regularly carry out disease prevention. Goldfish, like any other living creature, can get sick. So that she does not get sick, you need to monitor the microclimate in the aquarium - clean it, change the water, wash well all the pebbles, algae and other decorative elements that are located in it.
• Relieve fish from stressful situations: feed on time, for example, do not overcool or overheat the water, protect from noise, and so on.

Adhering to all the listed tips and tricks, you can best organize the environment for the habitat of the goldfish, which will certainly affect its longevity.

For the care and maintenance of goldfish, see below.