Goldfish Quiz

Goldfish: A Summary

• Goldfish are freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae of order Cypriniformes and are commonly kept as pets in indoor aquariums.

• Native to China, goldfish have been selectively bred for color for over 1,000 years, resulting in various breeds with different sizes, shapes, fin configurations, and colorations.

• Goldfish are differentiated from other Carassius species by several characteristics, including having a more pointed snout, fewer than 31 scales along the lateral line, and no tail spot.

• Goldfish can grow up to 14 inches (36 cm) in outdoor ponds and up to 19 inches (48 cm) in captivity.

• Goldfish have strong associative learning abilities, social learning skills, and can distinguish between individual humans. They can be trained to recognize light signals of different colors or to perform tricks.

• Goldfish are gregarious, displaying schooling behavior, and are generally friendly towards each other, although they may compete for food.

• Goldfish are egg-layers and breed in captivity, typically in pond settings, after a significant temperature change, often in spring.

• Goldfish are a coldwater fish and can live in unheated aquaria at a temperature comfortable for humans. They require 20 US gallons (76 l; 17 imp gal) of water per common and comet goldfish and 10 US gallons (38 l; 8.3 imp gal) per fancy goldfish.

• Goldfish have learned behaviors, both as groups and as individuals, that stem from native carp behavior, such as varied feeding, breeding, and predator avoidance behaviors.

• Goldfish produce a large amount of waste, releasing harmful chemicals into the water, and require active aeration by way of a water pump, filter, or fountain to effectively increase the surface area.

• Goldfish can survive short periods of entirely anoxic conditions, and researchers speculate that this is specifically an adaptation to survival in frozen water bodies over winter.

• Goldfish can hybridize with some other Carassius species of carp, and some highly selectively bred goldfish can no longer breed naturally due to their altered shape.Keeping and Caring for Goldfish Summary

• Certain types of goldfish can survive in outdoor ponds all year round in temperate and subtropical climates, while others can only survive in more tropical climates and only in summer elsewhere.

• Compatible fish include rudd, tench, orfe, and koi, but the last requires specialized care.

• Ramshorn snails are helpful in eating any algae that grows in the pond, but without animal population control, goldfish ponds can become overstocked.

• In frosty climates, the depth of the pond should be at least 80 centimeters to preclude freezing.

• A filter is important to clear waste and keep the pond clean unless the pond is large enough to maintain its own ecosystem without human interference. Plants are essential as they act as part of the filtration system and raise oxygen levels in the water.

• Goldfish are unlikely to survive in the wild due to their bright colors and long fins making them easy prey.

• Overfeeding is deleterious to the health of goldfish, typically by blocking the intestines, and goldfish-specific food has less protein and more carbohydrate than conventional fish food.

• Goldfish and other carp are frequently added to stagnant bodies of water to reduce mosquito populations.

• Fishbowls are detrimental to the health of goldfish and are prohibited by animal welfare legislation in several municipalities.

• Goldfish have high oxygen needs and produce a large amount of waste due to the fact they lack a stomach; therefore, they require a substantial volume of well-filtered water to thrive.

• Goldfish are sometimes given away in plastic bags as prizes at carnivals and fairs, which has been banned in some countries due to animal cruelty concerns.

• Goldfish is seen as a symbol of luck and fortune in Chinese history, and it is a traditional part of Nowruz celebrations in Iran and among the international Iranian diaspora.