Furnishing your goldfish tanks is important to work that cannot be left to the last minute. Regardless of whether you’re getting discount fish tanks, saltwater fish tanks, or cheap fish tanks, there are certain common steps to getting it ready for your goldfish. Your goldfish tank must be attractive to look at, and also provide your goldfish with more natural surroundings, even some cover. Goldfish feel more secure and comfortable when they have a few places to hide.
Floor covering for Your Goldfish Tank
The first thing to look at is covering the floor of your goldfish tank. Aquarium gravel is most suitable for small fish tanks. If the gravel you use is too coarse, uneaten food will lodge in spaces between the stones and putrify the water.
Before you use gravel, make sure you clean it by rinsing out the gravel with water. This is just in case there is any dirt or germs that could harm your goldfish, especially in corner fish tanks.
When the gravel has been prepared, place it in the goldfish tank and slope it upwards from the front of the tank to the back, around an inch upwards. This slope will permit heavy debris to sink to the front of the tank, where you can easily see it and remove the impurity before it causes the goldfish water to become dirty or unclear.
Landscaping Your Goldfish Tank
Rocks that provide cover for your fancy goldfish and water plants like Vallisneria or hornwort can make your goldfish tank even more attractive and ‘natural’.
Rocks are available in pet stores like Petco, Petsmart, and Petland or ordered online from Craig’s list. They may be placed inside the goldfish tank to provide cover for fancy goldfish while creating more natural-looking surroundings. It is safest to sterilize them (by boiling them) before placing the rocks inside the tank to avoid goldfish diseases and infections.
Care should be taken in choosing the kind of rocks as some of them contain soluble substances that can be toxic to the tank’s inhabitants, especially if they are tropical fish or freshwater fish. As a general rule, don’t use limestone and crystalline structures in fish bowls.
You may use sandstone, flint, or granite safely as lining for goldfish tanks. The rocks, which should not be too voluminous, are placed in position on the gravel that lines the bottom of your goldfish tank. Where they are placed, and how they are arranged is up to you. With the correct choice of materials, you can produce a natural-looking landscape, complete with miniature terraces, and valleys.
Adding Water To Your Goldfish Tank
Now, after creating a floor and adding rocks for landscaping, before you go rushing to find fish for sale, you must add water to your goldfish tank and wait for it to mature. Ordinary tap water is suitable as the small quantity of chlorine it contains will disperse within 24 hours.
However, if you live in a place where the mineral content of your tap water is different, make sure you check with someone in your locality about which is the best option.
In order to avoid disturbing the gravel lining the bottom of your tank, place a saucer on it and pour the water gently into the saucer. As soon as the tank is one-fourth full, the rest of the water may be poured directly, slowly, without causing much disturbance.
Plant Selection For Your Fish Tank
The ultimate decoration in your goldfish tank or goldfish aquarium is living plants. Plants not only beautify the display but also keep the water clear, provide extra oxygen and absorb some of the carbon dioxide produced by the goldfish. It is not advisable to collect your own specimens from ponds and rivers, as they may harbor parasites and disease germs.
Various types of plants are available from many tropical fish shops at a moderate price, but there is room here to mention only a few of the many varieties.
For your goldfish bowl, the best plants to select would be:
- Vallisneria – it is a grass-like plant, usually sold complete with roots for planting directly into the gravel. Most other plants are supplied as cuttings which will soon take root if given proper treatment.
- Fontinalis or Willow Moss is a pretty plant with tiny, dark green leaves, ideal for providing your goldfish cover.
- Myriophyllum or Milfoil is also an ideal aquarium plant but is often eaten by goldfish unless they are uncrowded and well-fed.
- Elodea is one of the fastest growers, ideal for a cold-water goldfish aquarium.
Before installing the plants in your goldfish tank, they should be thoroughly washed under cold running tap water to remove any insects.
See More: Goldfish Diseases