Ensure that the inhabitants of your tank, including the goldfish, have enough room to feel secure and at ease as well as fair access to resources like food.
2. Not Cycling the Tank
A tank cycle is the process of establishing beneficial bacteria colonies within the tank. These colonies live in the filter, substrate, and multiple other surfaces within the tank where water flows.
3. Improper Tank Maintenance
A normal, cycled tank will have some nitrates, with up to 20ppm generally being considered safe but with some people feeling that up to 40ppm is safe.
4. Under-filtering the Tank
If you keep one or two goldfish in a tank, the filter should be sized appropriately for the tank. A filter that is rated for a tank larger than the one you have is necessary if your tank is overstocked.
5. Not Researching the Needs of Goldfish
Goldfish kept in heated surroundings may live shorter lives, sometimes by years or even decades. A key element in ensuring your goldfish live a long life is maintaining the right tank temperature.
6. Poor Dietary Decisions
Ideally, your goldfish’s food base should be pellets. Flakes are a decent alternative but tend to contain more fillers and fewer nutrients than pellets.
7. Choosing Inappropriate Tank Mates
There are appropriate tank mates for goldfish, including large snails, like mystery snails, and other cool-water fish, like dojo loaches. However, care should be taken when choosing tank mates for your goldfish.