Surprise Goldfish: How to Keep Your Child’s New Pet From Dying
Your kid just walked into the house holding a goldfish in a plastic bag. Unless you act quickly, that fish has just 48 hours to live. What do you do?
First, congratulate your child on winning the sack race / flinging the ping pong ball into the cup / tossing the ring onto the end of the soda bottle.
Well done, kid! Somehow you’ve earned yourself a goldfish.
This rarely happens with other pets. Nobody would give your kid a dog without asking you first. The gym teacher doesn’t hand out iguanas at the end of the school day. Hardly anyone gets a kangaroo without really asking for one.
A goldfish needs a very specific place to live.
If someone gives you a dog, it can sleep at the foot of your bed. Iguanas enjoy the warm glow of a television set. A kangaroo will happily jump around your backyard. Goldfish need a glass box filled with water.
Your child’s new pet is swimming around in a plastic bag.
The clock is ticking.
You suddenly need a bunch of things if you want your new goldfish to live:
- a fishtank
- fish food
- water conditioning drops
- a filter
- some sand or gravel
- lights and / or a top if they didn’t come with your tank
That free goldfish is going to cost you at least fifty bucks.
Goldfish are messy fish. (They pee a lot.)
They need a lot of fresh, clean water. The recommended size for a goldfish tank is 20 gallons and it should be 30 or more if you’re planning to have more than one. (Is your child really good at sack races?) Goldfish are hardy and can technically survive in a bowl, but you’re going to have to change the water almost every day. Honestly, it will be a lot easier (and your goldfish will be a lot happier) if you get a big tank. If you don’t have one handy, though, a bowl (or a bucket) will do for now.
The water conditioning drops are also very important.
Your tap water has chlorine in it, which will hurt your fish’s gills. If you leave a bucket of water for 24 hours, the chlorine will evaporate on its own. But, if somebody just handed you a bag of goldfish, you don’t have that kind of time. Also, it will be easier to do future water changes with the drops.
The filter will help clean and circulate the water. The top is to keep the fish from jumping out. (It can happen.) The lights are for you and any plants you decide to stick in there. The fish doesn’t need them, but your child will to want to see what’s happening inside the new aquarium. Kids really do like aquariums.
One thing you probably don’t need:
- a heater
Unlike most aquarium fish, goldfish like colder water so you shouldn’t need one if you’re keeping it in your house and your house is not an igloo.
You’re done now, right? Nope.
The tank needs to cycle before it’s safe for your fish. This means that the healthy bacteria needs to grow in your filter (and also in the sand or gravel — it’s not just there to make the tank look nice) so that it can process the ammonia (which is created by fish pee, poop, and uneaten food) in your aquarium.
If you’re reading this and you don’t have a dripping wet bag of fish in your hand:
Relax and take your time. Set up the tank how you like it and then wait a week before you start adding fish. However, be aware that the actual cycle won’t start until you get some ammonia in there to kick off the process. One easy way to do this is to add a plant or some gravel from a friend’s tank. Or, you can buy starter drops from the pet store. I have even heard of people using a little bit of their own pee. Please don’t do that. I’m sure it works but it’s gross.
The other option:
(I’m talking to the guy reading this with a plastic bag filled with fish on his lap.) Start the cycle with a live fish. This is what usually happens with a surprise goldfish. This is also why most of them die in the first week. It can work, but it’s going to take some effort.
First, set up the tank.
Add your gravel, fill it with water, add the dechlorinating drops and get the filter running. Let the tank water sit until it’s room temperature. Then, keep the fish in the bag and float the whole thing on top for 20 minutes. Once your fish has had a chance to acclimate to the new temperature, it’s safe to add him to the aquarium.
During the cycling process, there will be a bacteria bloom. The water will get cloudy and the ecosystem of your new tank will begin to find the balance between the ammonia and the bacteria that will break it down. While this is happening, you will need to do frequent water changes to ensure that your fish is safe.
For the first few days, change half the water twice a day or any time the water gets too cloudy. If your fish seems sluggish or unhealthy, do another one. The good bacteria is growing on the gravel and the filter, so it’s okay (and in fact quite helpful) to change the water itself. Don’t forget to use the dechlorinator drops each time you add water.
It will take a week or so for your tank to cycle completely.
The bacteria is breaking down the ammonia into nitrites and then into nitrates. These will still need to be removed (that’s why you’ll continue to do water changes) but they’re less harmful than the original ammonia. There are test kits you can buy to test the levels. Some pet stores will even check the water for free if you bring in a sample.
Once your tank is established you’ll only need to change the water once a week. Change 20–50% of it, depending on how big the tank is and how many fish live there. Don’t forget the drops.
Congratulations, you now have a friend that is orange.
A surprise goldfish has been saved from a tragic fate. You and your child are heroes. (If you don’t believe me, ask how the other classmates’ fish are doing a week from now.) Enjoy your new pet.
Good luck, fellow fishkeeper! And next time someone tries to hand your kid a goldfish, see if they have a kangaroo instead.
