comet goldfish diseases

Why Are Goldfish Bad Feeder Fish?

All The Reasons Why Goldfish Is Considered To Be Bad Feeder Fish

Goldfish are one of the most famous pet fish in the world. Most people bought them as feeder fish for other fish tanks or to just keep as pets. Goldfish are beautiful and majestic creatures, but I’m not here today to talk about how great they are — today I’m going to tell you why goldfish is a bad feeder fish. So let’s get started.

1- Goldfish Are Expensive

Goldfish are very expensive fish to keep. They are not cheap, and they will not save you money in the long run. They need a lot of space, food, and care. Not only that, but they also have a reputation for being messy and stinky!

2- Goldfish Eat Almost Anything

If you have goldfish in your tank, they will eat everything that falls into their tank – including plants and other fish! If you’re looking for an easy-going species that won’t eat your plants or other fish, then a goldfish is not for you!

3- Difficult To Breed

Goldfish are generally bad feeder fish. They are not typically used as feeder fish because they are hard to breed in large numbers and do not reach market size in a very short period of time. The main reason is that they require clean water with good oxygen levels, which is hard to maintain when you have many goldfish in the tank. 

Goldfish also grow very slowly compared with other species of fish that are commonly used as feeders. It takes about three years for them to reach 1 pound (0.45 kilograms) each, which means that you would need a lot of space if you wanted to raise enough goldfish for an aquarium or pond full of feeders.

4- They Grow Too Big

Goldfish can grow very large, very quickly! The average goldfish will reach 4 inches long in its first year alone! A lot of people don’t realize how big their fish will get until it’s too late and they have an overgrown pet on their hands! If you plan on keeping goldfish in your pond for more than a year or two, make sure you have enough room for them to grow into their full size without swimming into each other.

5- Can Introduce Diseases

 Goldfish are bad feeder fish because they can introduce diseases and parasites into your tank or pond. They are also not indigenous to North America, so their presence in the wild is detrimental to native fish populations.

Why Do Feeder Goldfish Die Easily?

Here are a few of the reasons why feeder goldfish die easily:

1- Feeder goldfish aren’t exactly the healthiest specimens. They’re often bred in horrible conditions and are either shipped to feed stores or live food suppliers or sold to pet stores.

2- Feeder fish are also prone to internal parasites and bacterial infections that are transmitted by other fish or passed down from the parent.

3- When feeder fish arrive at the pet store, they’re often kept in a holding tank – sometimes with other fish species – until they can be sold to customers. Sometimes these fish will be sick or injured.

4- They are also inbred, which makes them prone to illness and early death.

To solve this issue once you bring your new goldfish home, you need to acclimate it slowly to your water parameters. Put the fish back in its bag and float it on the surface of the water in your aquarium for 10 minutes. Add some water from your aquarium into the bag every 10 minutes during this period. This allows your goldfish time to adjust its body chemistry without being shocked by the sudden change in temperature and water parameters.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How To Keep Feeder Goldfish Alive?

If you want to keep your feeder fish alive thank make sure you follow these tips:

  1. Be sure to feed them at least 2-3 times a day.
  2. Get them a nice tank!
  3. Keep them completely covered with water.
  4. Change the water every day.
  5. Get a heater if it is winter.
  6. Use clean water when you change theirs.
  7. Have a filter to clean the water for them.

What Fish Can Live With Feeder Goldfish?

You can keep the following fish with your feeder goldfish:

  • Tetras
  • Barbs
  • Danios
  • White cloud mountain minnows
  • Rosy reds
  • Comets
  • Guppies

What Fish Eat Feeder Goldfish?

All the aggressive fish such as cichlids can eat your feeder goldfish. So be aware of them.

Conclusion

As you can see above, there are multiple things to take into consideration when choosing your next feeder fish. If you don’t pay attention, you can wind up with a tank of diseased fish that breed like rabbits and require the manpower of a small army to control. It makes more sense to choose a fish that grows slowly and won’t outgrow its tank quite so fast (while also being relatively easy to care for). There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to feeder fish, but there are certain species that’ll fit the bill better than others.