goldfish reference of old Q on 2nd,4th,12th,14th,15th of feb ,

Question
QUESTION: hello Renee,

Renee thank you for your yesterdays answer. when I set up tank at first time the fish store dealer suggest us to buy goldfish. he told us only thing is do not overfeed them otherwise they will die.just feed them 2 or three times per day of 3 pinch of food(for 5 pair of goldfish,2 angels,1 carp)

But lot of people said me  that I m overfeeding my fishes. In this 3-4 months their size has increased more than the shopkeepers expectation but, within 2 months after buying tank at home, we found that tank is getting dirty frequently. I told this thing to fish shopkeeper. he just told me reduce their food or do increase the water cleaning period. then we reduce the food from 3 times to 2 times per day.

You very well know all history about my tank (fin rot to older goldfish, died new fishes because of nitrate and ammonia.now their fin rot is stopped etc.)

Now people giving me suggestion that again i should reduce their food from 2 time to 1 time only. what is best for them? because whenever I feed for e.g. 3 times per day. they are ready to consume all three pinches 3 times per day. i have two type of ocean free food tins for them one is super goldfish which is veg and in pilot form and another is blood worms which is proper dry worms

Now i have 7 goldfish and 1 carp only(size 3-4 inches). for how many times per day i should feed them and how much pinches? tank is only 18 gallon.

also one question i want to ask you when i switched of my tanks tube light that time they generally prefer to go to bottom of tank and try stopped at one place like they are sleeping there and when i go near the tank they come up immediately upward side and taking their mouth little bit out of water and trying to show me like that, they know i m there or they want food. i don't know what is in their mind? just want to ask you why they do like that? do they sleep there or take rest? or anything else.

Thank you so much for your continuous guidance. slowly slowly i am understanding lot of small small things about them from your suggestions and answers.

ANSWER: Hello Pooja,

I do agree that the fish should not be fed more than one time per day.  Only feed enough food that they eat it within 1 minute's time.  If any food hits the bottom of the tank, then it is too much food.

Goldfish are like puppies in the way that they eat.  A puppy will eat itself to death, and it will eat all the food you feed it, until its stomach pops.

Goldfish don't eat quite that much (thank goodness), however they will eat 3 times a day if you feed them 3 times, and 2 times if you feed them two times, but if you feed them 10 times, they will still act hungry 10 times.

The truth is that they only need 1 feeding per day.  :)

Sometimes we mistake them looking at us for begging for food.  Sometimes they are just examining us, like we examine them.  Or, sometimes they are just friendly.  I have a client who I have helped who has a fish who eats from his hand.  He is the kind of fish who isn't usually tame, but he loves his owner.  To people who think fish have no feelings or emotions, I say they are wrong.  Fish do love their owners.  

These fish know you are their person.  They know that you feed them and care for them and they are attached to you.  Not only to the food.

They will still come to visit you and if they look hungry, ignore it.  Feed one time daily.

Fish do sometimes rest, yes.  When the lights go out, they rest their bodies.  There is minimal movement, and they do not close their eyes.

Let's imagine that a fish was developed with eyelids, and he could close his eyes.  In the wild, there are many predators who would prey on a sleeping fish, with his eyes closed.  Much like a soldier sometimes taught to sleep with one eye open, fish have developed without eyelids.  They can see predators, but they can also see food and mates because their eyes stay open.

They do rest their bodies, however.  This morning, I went to my aquarium and my Betta was laying on a plant.  He was upright, but he was resting.  I turned on the light, and he came up to greet me, wiggling.  So, yes, fish do rest. :)  I would not call it "sleep".  It's rest.

You are welcome and I enjoy helping you.  By the time we are done, you will be an expert too. :)

Happy fish-keeping.

Renee

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: hello Renee

i want to ask you if i am not able to give my goldfish big home then can is it possible that i will buy storing water drum (which we generally used to store big amount of water) which height and width according to their needs.
i will place in my home or in my lawn garden which have good fencing & nobody dare to enter there.

means i thought till they become good and healthy i will keep it with me. after their fin and health recovery i will give them to a person who will take care of them. because i am not able to take them with me after my husbands posting. because we are not sure about the situation how much it will be worst for them. his next posting will be tough.
i will place good quality filter in that. just tell me is it possible.?

another question is how to take care of them when the temperature is very high means 40c. because here in pune india summer days are coming.

thank you.

Answer
Dear Pooja,

You have an excellent idea.  This is a wonderful idea.

Please make certain that the placement of the drum is not in the sun.  Algae can form and harm the fish if it is in direct sunlight.

Other than that, I could not agree with the idea of the drum more. :)

Temperature of 40c will kill the fish.  There is no doubt.  Goldfish are cold-water fish.  Is there perhaps a place to keep them under a fan or is there a pond nearby they could live free in?

Renee