Chip Chick
When you were a kid, did you ever win a goldfish at a carnival?
So many people have had this experience, but for most of them, it doesn’t end well. Those poor little carnival goldfish have been known to die very quickly, traumatizing many kids.
Well, this doesn’t necessarily have to be the case, and if you follow some of these tips on how to keep your carnival goldfish alive and healthy, you may just end up with a happy pet fish that sticks around a while longer.
First things first, keep that goldfish secure as soon as you get it. Remember Darla from Pixar’s “Finding Nemo,” who had a horrid reputation for shaking fish in their plastic bag until they died? Don’t let your kids be Darla.
Be very cautious with the pet fish on the ride home, try and get it in a place where it won’t shake around too much, and be as smooth as possible on the road.
You’ll want to get to a pet supply store as soon as possible to get everything you need to give your fish a suitable home. Many people simply plop their fish directly from the bag into a tap water bowl. This will only shock the fish and can end up disastrous.
While goldfish are usually portrayed in small bowls in cartoons and pictures, they actually need to be kept in tanks. Purchase your goldfish a tank that holds at least two to five gallons of water, although even more is preferable.
You’ll also want to get your goldfish a proper filtration system and an air pump.
Filling your tank with straight-up tap water can harm your fish as it may contain too many minerals or too much chlorine. Grab some fish water test strips to test out your tap water at home and see if it will be suitable for your fish. If not, pet stores also offer goldfish water conditioners that will even things out.
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