Do goldfish need a filter?

Rachel

I am thinking about getting a Goldfish for my room. I always see Goldfish bowls without any kind of filter, but I know that every fish tank I see has a filter. Do Goldfish not need filters? Why not? Would a Goldfish live longer if there is a filter in his tank or bowl? Thx, Rach

dasmall1

You can put Goldfish in a bowl without a filter, but where most people go wrong is that they overfeed their fish and don't change it's water. If I put a Goldfish in a bowl, I would change 50% of it's water at least once a week and make sure it eats ALL of its food.

dasmall1

Also, let the new water you're putting in stand for about 1 day to let the chlorine in the water disipate.

Adam

I thought that Goldfish are notorious for eating themselves to death and their food intake should be limited?

Michael

Maybe that's only in cartoons!

dasmall1

Exactly. Feeding is very important. If feeding it flakes, only feed about what it can eat in 1 1/2 minutes. You will eventually figure out exactly how much it can handle. Just make sure food doesn't sit on the bottom. The water changes take care of the fecal sitting on the bottom. Food creates ammonia and softer water, and fecal creates ammonia. Feed it 6 days a week. The one day of no feeding helps clear it's digestive system and prevents constipation which is very common in Goldfish.

Brian

Dasmall1, is there any type of fish that can clean waste off the bottom for you like how an algea eater cleans algea off the glass? I can't help but smirk just thinking of what such a fish would be called. I doubt it exists, but you never know.

dasmall1

I have never heard of one, but I haven't looked too much into those kinds of fish.

Cichlid lover

you could always get a snail

mjcolenc

I have my Goldfish in a five gallon tank with a filter. It seems to be able to keep the tank cleaner.