· Goldfish should NEVER be kept in a goldfish bowl or small containers
· They get their oxygen from the surface so you will need a tank with a large surface area. For every inch of fish length you should have 30 square inches of surface area but remember the fish will grow, so this should be taken into account

Water

· Usually it is fine to use tap water, check with your petshop to make sure this is the case in your area
· Let the tap run for about one minute before taking any water and before adding to your tank, let it stand over night. This will allow the chlorine to evaporate and the water to reach room temperature
· It is vital that the water in the tank is kept clean, dirty water can make the fish sick and can even kill them

Siphon

· A partial water change weekly will help to keep your fish healthy and the best way to do this is with an aquarium siphon hose. This will suck the water out of the tank and remove leftover food and fish waste.

Filters

· A filter works 24 hours a day and purifies the water in the tank by removing harmful chemicals and debris.
Pump

· This sends tiny bubbles into the water, these bubbles agitate the water's surface which will keep the water oxygenated

Gravel

· Thoroughly rinse before adding to the tank, when the water runs clean it is then ready for use
· Make sure that the gravel is not too sharp and that it has no added dye as this can pollute the water
· A good size of gravel is around 1/8 of an inch thick
Hood

· A hood on the tank will stop the fish from jumping out and it also prevents dust etc from falling into the tank

Ornaments

· Fish like places to hide
· When choosing decorations make sure they are specially made for fish tanks, avoiding anything with sharp edges
· Do not overcrowd the tank with ornaments

Feed

· Always feed your fish pre-packaged food specifically made for goldfish
· Never give your fish more food than they can eat in a few minutes as leftover food pollutes the tank. If food remains uneaten, remove it