CATDOLL : CATDOLL: What are the tips for feeding goldfish?

Feeding and management

2. Baiting

(1) Foraging habits: Goldfish are cold-blooded animals, and all their activities are closely related to changes in water temperature. Most of the activities of goldfish are foraging in the water. They live in peace and have no habit of occupying territory. In goldfish farms, goldfish are often seen foraging along the edge of the pond at dawn. When the breeder approaches, they will swim forward in unison, commonly known as begging for food. At this time, when bait is put in, they will immediately swarm in and grab the bait. When the water temperature is above 15 degrees Celsius, the goldfish's foraging activities are more active. When the water temperature exceeds 30 degrees, the goldfish will stop foraging. When the water temperature is below 5 degrees, the goldfish's foraging activities will significantly decrease. When the water temperature is between 18 and 25 degrees, the goldfish's appetite is the strongest and the fish's body growth and development is also the fastest.

(2) Tips for feeding: In spring and autumn, the water temperature is mostly around 15-25 degrees Celsius. It is the season when goldfish have the strongest appetite in the year. At this time, the amount of feed is large, and the fish should be fed as much as possible. If the goldfish still seeks food after one feeding, you can feed it a second time. In midsummer, the water temperature is mostly around 25-30 degrees, and sometimes the water temperature will exceed 30 degrees. At this time, the appetite of goldfish decreases, and the amount of feed should be reduced. Keep the goldfish 70-80% full. Feeding time should be advanced to around 7-8 am, so that the goldfish can eat all the feed before the water temperature rises. In winter, the water temperature is mostly below 7 degrees, and the goldfish's foraging activities are less, so the amount of feed is less. Feeding time is mostly chosen at noon when the light is strong. When the water temperature reaches 1-2 degrees, you can also stop feeding.

(3) Feeding principles: One-year-old goldfish eats about the same amount as its head size; two-year-old goldfish eats about half the amount of its head size; goldfish over three years old eat about one-third the amount of its head size. For home ornamental fish, you can feed them once a day, with an amount of food that is enough to make them 70% to 80% full. For production ornamental fish, in spring and autumn, when the water temperature is suitable, you should maintain a sufficient amount of food. When you just change the water, feed a little less in the first one or two days. When the water color turns green, feed the goldfish in a fixed amount to make sure they are full. For goldfish in the breeding season, the amount of food you feed is 1/2-1/3 less than the normal amount. For weak and sick fish, the amount of food you feed is 2/3 less than the normal amount. For fish that need to be transported long distances, change them into new water and stop feeding for 1-3 days.

3. Use water

(1) Water change method: There are only two ways to change the water of ornamental fish, namely partial water change and full water change. Partial water change means adding water. In an open-air fish pond, drain 1/3-1/2 of the old water and then add new water directly. This can stimulate the appetite of fish and partially improve the water quality. This is a method of maintaining the water quality of ornamental fish. For home aquariums, the dirt at the bottom of the tank can be sucked out with a soft plastic tube. The amount of water sucked out is equivalent to 1/3-1/2 of the original water. Then, use a soft plastic tube to slowly inject new water of the same temperature and amount. When changing the water completely, drain 2/3 of the old water, then use a net to catch the fish and replace it with new water of the same temperature. For home aquariums, when changing the water completely, first cut off the power supply of various devices in the aquarium. After draining the old water, wipe the glass tank with a soft cloth or soak it in low-concentration potassium permanganate solution. When changing the water of ornamental fish, the temperature of the new and old water should be kept balanced, and the temperature difference should be controlled at 1-2 degrees Celsius.

(2) Water change principle: The time it takes for ornamental fish to maintain stable water quality is closely related to water temperature. In spring and autumn, the water temperature is suitable, the water color is bright green, the algae in the water grow moderately, and the water quality has a long shelf life. At this time, the water is often diluted, usually once every 2-3 days, and the total water change time is about 15 days. In midsummer, the water temperature is high, and algae grow vigorously. Generally, the water color turns green in about 3 days. Green water in midsummer can easily cause goldfish to have their tails scalded, so the water for goldfish is often completely changed, and the water change time is 3-5 days. In winter, the water temperature is low, the algae in the water grows slowly, and the water color turns green for a long time. At this time, the water is often diluted. The total water change time is about once every 1-2 months. During the total water change, some green water is diluted into the new water to maintain the stability of the water quality. For home-raised goldfish, the aquarium is equipped with a water circulation filter, which is usually turned on for 5-6 hours a day to keep the water clear forever. In seasons with suitable water temperatures, you can also use the method of adding water to maintain the stability and freshness of the water quality, while stimulating the appetite of fish.

4. Stocking density

(1) Stocking density of commercial fish: The growth rate and perfect body shape of goldfish are not only related to water quality and bait, but also to the number of goldfish raised per unit area. The lower the stocking density, the better the development of goldfish and the most perfect body curve. The higher the stocking density, the smaller the goldfish, the thinner the body, the malnourished, the less beautiful the appearance, and the lower the ornamental value.

Table 1. Goldfish stocking density from May to November (fish/square meter)

<4- ]>

Fish length (CM) Commercial fish density (tail) Breeding fish density (tail)

2-3 200-250 100-150

4-6 100-150 50-80

7-9 50-100 30-40

10-12 20-30 10-15

13-15 10-15 5-8

(2) Stocking density in home aquariums: When raising ornamental fish in a home aquarium, do not keep too many of them.

Table 2. Stocking density of ornamental fish in aquarium (120*50*45) (fish/square meter)

Monthly fish length (CM) Stocking density (tails)

4-5 7-9 6-8

6-9 7-9 5-7

10-12 10-12 4-6

1-3 10-12 7-8

5. Key points for breeding in four seasons

(1) Spring: The temperature in spring is suitable, and it is the breeding season for goldfish and koi. The breeding work of goldfish mainly focuses on the spawning of broodstock and the care of fry. When the water temperature is between 18 and 22 degrees Celsius, broodstock will chase each other in breeding activities. Generally, broodstock are replaced with new water in the afternoon or evening, and spawning activities will occur at dawn the next day. Goldfish before giving birth should be kept in green water, and the sexual activity of broodstock can be controlled by the stability of water color and water quality. After spawning, broodstock should be kept in light green water, or some green water can be added to clear water to maintain the normal development of broodstock gonads. Generally, the second spawning can be carried out after 7 to 10 days. During the breeding period, broodstock should be fed with live bait as much as possible. In the Jiangnan region, there is a plum rain season around June every year. It is rainy and cloudy, and various harmful bacteria and parasites multiply in large numbers. This is the season for goldfish to get sick. Both broodstock and young fish should be raised in green water, with fewer water changes, stable water quality, and minimal stimulation. Feeding should also be reduced, especially on days with low air pressure and hot weather. Pay special attention to the amount of feeding. If you encounter sick goldfish, you should isolate them in time and use drugs to prevent them in advance.

(2) Summer: In summer, the temperature is high, and the water temperature is mostly above 25 degrees Celsius. The harmful bacteria and parasites in the water are significantly reduced, and goldfish rarely get sick. Due to the high water temperature, the algae in the water increase significantly, the water turns green faster, and the dissolved oxygen in the water decreases. At this time, the focus of feeding is to prevent goldfish from heatstroke and hypoxia. Around noon, use shade nets or reed curtains to cover 2/3 of the pond to prevent the water temperature from rising too quickly and provide a place for the fish to escape the heat. At night, pay more attention to observation, especially around 3-5 o'clock in the second half of the night, which is the time when fish are most likely to suffer from hypoxia. If you encounter a fish pond with severe hypoxia, add water or change the water in time. If there is an oxygenator, it should be turned on in time after dusk. If you find that the feeding water turns green or there are fish with scalded tails during the day, you should change the water in time. For koi raised outdoors, pay more attention to changing the water in time, and turn on the oxygenator in the evening.

(3) Autumn: In autumn, the water temperature is suitable, and the young fish produced in spring have reached the adult stage. At this time, the focus should be on increasing feeding to keep the ornamental fish plump and beautiful, so fattening is the focus of breeding in autumn. When the water temperature is between 18 and 22 degrees, harmful bacteria in the water multiply vigorously. Observation and drug prevention should be strengthened to avoid large-scale disease and death of ornamental fish. Since autumn rarely has dozens of days of continuous rainy weather like the mildew season, the disease degree of ornamental fish is relatively mild. However, due to the suitable water temperature, autumn is the season when ornamental fish are more likely to get sick. As long as active prevention is taken, they can generally get through it safely.

(4) Winter: In winter, the temperature is low, the water temperature is mostly below 10 degrees, and the morbidity of ornamental fish is low. At this time, it is difficult for the fish to grow longer, but the fish can become fatter. The ornamental fish have already developed and this is the busiest season for the purchase and sale of ornamental fish. The key point of breeding during this period is to maintain stable water quality and keep the ornamental fish healthy. When the water temperature is low, the goldfish should be moved indoors or to a greenhouse for the winter, or the water level of the fish pond should be deepened to 40-50 cm to prevent the fish from frostbite. In the north, since the temperature is often below 0 degrees, ornamental fish must be moved indoors or to a greenhouse for the winter. For goldfish that spend the winter indoors in the north, it is best to keep the room temperature above 7 degrees so that the goldfish can forage for food. Feeding can be done every other day or every three days. If the water temperature is raised to 18-22 degrees, the goldfish can reproduce in advance in the greenhouse.

6. Daily observation

(1) Observation content: Daily observation of ornamental fish is very important. It can timely detect sick individuals or fish in the early stage of disease. The main observation areas are the body surface, gills, eyes, mouth, fins, etc., which are all parts of fish that are prone to disease. Normal goldfish have a smooth and bright body surface, can sink and float freely, have a strong appetite, a straight body abdomen, and a stretched tail fin. Sick individuals swim alone, look dull, do not eat, have a dull body color, and have increased mucus on the body surface. If you look closely, you will see white spots or cotton-like hyphae on the body surface or congestion and swelling of the skin. In fish ponds with disease, fish gather in the corners of the tank or squeeze together, which are all precursors to disease.

Normal goldfish have bright red gill filaments and the gill cover can open freely. Diseased individuals have dull white gill filaments, or rot or flocculent hyphae attached, the gill cover can not open, and stagnate at the edge of the pool or in the corner. Healthy goldfish have well-developed and stretched fins, which can rise and fall freely. Diseased goldfish have fins lying prone, unable to stretch, and white spots or congestion and decay on the fins. If there are bubbles on the fins, it is a result of tail scalding, which will disappear as long as new water is replaced. Goldfish with tumors have bright and plump tumors, while diseased individuals have tumors that are shrunken, dull, or have signs of decay.

Normal goldfish have bright eyes, which can be moved freely and are full of spirit. Sick goldfish have dull eyes with a layer of white film or flocculent hyphae. Healthy goldfish have flexible mouth joints and can find food freely. Sick individuals have malfunctioning mouth joints and are red, swollen or rotten.

Normal goldfish have a strong appetite and often look for food at the bottom or edge of the pond. Sick goldfish are sluggish and do not eat. Normal goldfish have strips of feces that are gray-black. Sick goldfish have no strips of feces that are milky white or contain bubbles. Clear or green water is more suitable for goldfish growth. If the water is turbid or brown, it should be replaced in time.

(2) Observation time: The time for observing goldfish is often adjusted due to changes in external temperature. In spring, the focus is on dawn to observe the floating of goldfish, the dissolved oxygen content in the water, etc., to determine the amount of feed and water quality treatment for the day. In summer, it is very hot, and the observation time is mostly concentrated from the second half of the night to dawn. The main focus is on observing the floating of goldfish, and timely filling or changing water, or turning on the oxygenation equipment. In winter, the observation time is mostly concentrated at noon. When feeding, the main focus is on observing the foraging activities of goldfish, and timely discovering sick fish that do not eat the feed. At noon, the main focus is on observing the resting state of the goldfish, whether there is tail scalding, and whether there is any remaining bait. In the evening, the main focus is on observing the changes in water color, whether the water quality has deteriorated, and whether the goldfish has floated to the surface, so as to predict whether the goldfish will float to the surface due to lack of oxygen in the middle of the night. The choice of time to observe goldfish is very important.