Q&A for How to Care for a Fantail Goldfish

If your fish goes to the bottom of the tank only for a few seconds, it may be scavenging for food. If your fish does this for longer periods of time, it may have a swim bladder disorder. Visit your local fish tank store and pet store, and see if you can find medication for it. Some fish tank stores may also offer to treat your fish for you.

It really depends. Some goldfish live only a few years, while others can live up to 10 years.

The female will look plumper, and the male often will try to chase the female, or he will push his head against the female's head.

I have found that the comets swim faster than the fantails and tend to chase the fantails around the tank, making them exhausted. Also, the comets tend to nip the tails of the fantails.

Yes, but you should not have too many. Most people go by the rule of "one inch of fish needs one gallon of water." The more fish you plan on having, the larger tank you will need. This is especially important for goldfish, who generate a lot of waste.

Tropical fish require warm water, whereas Fantail goldfish are fine with room temperature water.

Yes, eventually as the bacteria will harm the fish. Do not let the water get to this state!

Normally this is not true. A young goldfish can eat up to three times a day for a maximum one minute per feeding. It is good to observe the feeding to make sure all is eaten. However, even if you skip feeding for three days, the fish should be fine, provided you do not overfeed to compensate (they have no bellies and get easily constipated or bloated if they eat too much at one meal). Don't make skipping feedings a habit.

No, this is just the normal way that they poop. If the poop is stuck, you might want to remove it from your fish.

She might be sleeping. If you're concerned, call your vet.

If it is gasping, that means there is not enough oxygen and/or too much ammonia in the tank. Change 50 percent of the water frequently, but never 100 percent! Research ammonia poisoning/stress and invest in an air pump. The key to saving fish from ammonia poisoning is early diagnosis.

This depends on whether or not the filter came with air tubing. If it didn't, try investing in an air stone, air pump and tubing, as goldfish need water rich in oxygen.

Your goldfish may be sick. Remove it from the tank so it does not infect the other goldfish. Then, talk to your veterinarian.

Fish will hang at the bottom of the tank if they are sick or stressed or sleeping. The most common problem is unclean or acidic water. Check again later in the day to see if they are still there. Check to make sure your filter is running properly (and that the water coming out of it is producing some bubbles). Get a pH test kit and see if the water is basic or acidic. If it is either, do a water change, and buy a pH neutralizer (go to a pet store and tell them you need something to balance the pH in your aquarium). The pH should be as close to 7 as possible. Finally, observe the fish. If they have fought, it will be noticeable (it's rare for goldfish to fight).

Your goldfish will lay eggs if they're pregnant. The eggs will hatch within 2 to 7 days.

Yes. Pellets are recommended over flakes as they stay in tact in the tank longer.

Your fish might have a bladder infection. Ask your vet to be sure.

Your fish may simply be playing. It also may be becoming territorial with the new fish. If the behavior continues, you should consider separate tanks or a tank divider.

Yes, they can crossbreed with other goldfish, since they are still the same species.

Most fish have a thin layer of slime that protects them from illness, and if you touch them you can remove the slime. Check out some of the articles on wikiHow about training your fish. This could be a good bonding experience for the two of you. Try this one on How to Train Your Fish to Do Tricks .

You can try but too much movement can stress your goldfish out and result in sickness just like people with car or plane sickness.

Ask at the pet store. It can be hard to determine sex on your own.

Your fish may be sick if its now swimming around the bowl. Take it to a vet.

Black spots or smudges can often be indicative of disease or illness in the goldfish, and many goldfish will display blackening across part of the body or the fins and tails over a long period of time without the condition worsening greatly or appearing to have a massive impact upon the health of the goldfish.

It may be looking for food, exploring, or sleeping. Black Moors are usually very active, but can become tired quite quickly from swimming. Being a fancy tail variety, they are considerably slower than common or single tail goldfish.

If your fish's eyes appear to be a milky white, it may be a sign of cataracts or a bacterial problem. If this is a new fish and the cloudiness has not decreased, it most likely is cataracts. Cataracts can impair an organism's vision and cause it to run into things. Make sure you have nothing sharp in your fish's tank to reduce the risk of injury.

They are either breeding or fighting for territory. I recommend getting a divider for your tank.

Yes, that is a bit too crowded. You can only put about 3-4 fantail goldfish in a 36 gallon tank. You can buy another one and have four in one tank, and three in another.

Not necessarily, but it is recommended. After all, they are very social animals.

A floating fish has probably passed away. Unfortunately, there's little you can do at this point. Remove the fish from the tank and dispose of its body right away.