A Beginner's Guide to Goldfish Water Changes

Goldfish Breeds, Goldfish Care
February 28, 2024

Keeping your goldfish happy and healthy requires sparkling clean water, and regular water changes are essential for achieving this. But don't worry, water changes don't have to be complicated! This Jimmy step-by-step guide will have you changing your goldfish's water like a pro in no time.

Gather your supplies:

API Water Test Kit
Bucket
Siphon (optional, but recommended)
Water conditioner (removes chlorine and chloramines from tap water)
Thermometer

Before the water, making sure that you test the water chemistry with water test tool such as API Water Test Kit for important params such as PH, Ammonia, Nitrate, etc. By understand your tank, you would have the best idea of how much water you should change.

Step 1: Prepare the new water:

Fill a bucket with enough tap water to replace from 25-50% of your tank's water. To determine the good amount of water changes, please consider the following. The volume of % may varied depends on how often you do water changes how the the condition of your tank's water. But, never do more than 50% (if you don't have to, only when such a spike of ammonia or nitrate). I would suggest best to do frequent water changes for a small amount around 25%. Additionally, the volume of water changes could also depends on how effective your filter, and the condition of your water.
Treat the tap water with a water conditioner according to the product instructions. This removes harmful chlorine and chloramines, which can be toxic to fish. Product such as Seachem Prime does pretty well for this.
Heat or cool the water: Use your thermometer to ensure the new water is within 2 degrees Fahrenheit of the existing tank temperature. Sudden temperature changes can shock your fish.
Avoid PH shock: Some town may have different level of PH in tap water, so be careful with this as a sudden jump of PH level would cause problem for the fish as well.

Step 2: Remove some of the old water:

Use a siphon (a handy tool that pumps water and gravel debris) or a clean bucket to gently remove the old water. Now, be-careful as fancy goldfish is clumsy, don't leave the siphon and the goldfish alone while sucking out the water. Siphon could sucks them and cause external damage to the fish.
While removing water, you can also clean the gravel: Gently stir the gravel with the siphon to loosen debris, allowing the siphon to suck it up. That would helps reduce risk of ammonia spike.
Be careful not to remove too much water or disturb your fish excessively. You may see video on internet that some people do very high volume of water changes, but it is risky especially using tap water. Consider use aged or pre-treated water if you plan to do high volume water changes.

Step 3: Add the new water:

Slowly pour the treated and temperature-matched water back into the tank. Aim for a gentle stream to avoid uprooting plants or stressing your fish.

Step 4 : Final touches:

Check the water temperature one last time to ensure it's within the recommended range for goldfish from us (around 84-86 degrees Fahrenheit).
Monitor your fish for a few minutes upto hours after the water change to ensure they are behaving normally.

Bonus tips:

Perform water changes regularly: Aim for every 1-2 weeks, depending on your tank size, filter setup and stocking level.
Don't use soap or detergents to clean your tank or decorations, as these can harm your fish and destroy the tank's established biological system.
Consider using a gravel vacuum: This combines water removal and gravel cleaning in one step. Though, i highly recommend to keep a bottomless (empty gravel) tank for fancy goldfish.

By following these simple steps, you can keep your goldfish thriving in a clean and healthy environment. Remember, consistent water changes are key to maintaining good water quality and preventing problems in your goldfish tank.

At Jimmy Goldfish, we're passionate about providing goldfish with the best possible care. We hope this guide has helped you understand the importance of water changes and given you the confidence to perform them yourself.

Want to learn more about caring for goldfish?

Check out our selection of goldfish here: https://jimmygoldfish.com/
Visit our website blog for more tips and tricks on caring for your goldfish

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Disclaimer: While this guide provides general recommendations for water changes, it's important to do your own research and consult with experienced goldfish keepers to tailor your care routine to your specific setup and goldfish species.

References:

Jimmy Goldfish Team