Things can be overwhelming for a beginner first learning the ins and outs of keeping an aquarium healthy. There is so much new terminology and equipment; it is enough to make your head spin. Learning it in small bites is best. Patience is a virtue, especially in things relating to keeping aquariums. Goldfish are often recommended to beginners. They are commonly available, and quite pretty when healthy, Goldfish are one of the easier fish to keep healthy and happy. Be prepared to do some reading, however. There is new terminology and new procedures to become familiar with.
The proper aquarium is absolutely critical to keeping your fish healthy. No matter what kind of fish you keep, proper care and maintenance of your aquarium is necessary. There are daily and weekly procedures that absolutely must be followed. The first step in keeping goldfish is choosing the aquarium. While you may see goldfish in bowls and other small containers, this is really a bad idea. While a goldfish can live for a while in a small bowl, they will never thrive. They will also be more susceptible to disease and death. A 10 gallon aquarium with filtration should be the minimum you consider for keeping goldfish. The filter running into the aquarium agitates the surface of the water and provides oxygen to the water, which in turn supplies the fish with plenty of oxygen and is healthier. More room to swim, and even some currents from the filtration. This makes sure that the goldfish stays happy and in shape. Don’t forget to take the number of goldfish into account! More than one goldfish will require more space.
Inquire at your local pet store or aquarium shop. See what they recommend. Don’t buy too much tank at first. Keep it small and simple. Tell them how many fish you intend to keep, and whether you would like to add fish later. Do some research before buying a product you are not familiar with. There are many accessories and products associated with aquariums and fish. Doing some research beforehand can keep you from buying products you don’t need.
In most places, your tap water will probably contain chlorine or ammonia. These chemicals are very harmful to goldfish, and can even kill them if your water contains too much chlorine. There are products available that you simply mix with your tap water after filling the aquarium. They remove chlorine as well as adding things to the water to help your fish form its slime coat and fight off ick (a small parasite that is extremely common on fish that are stressed). If you would rather use distilled or reverse osmosis purified water, there are other additives that restore needed minerals into these sterile waters.
Make sure you check the filters at least once a week, and rinse them out with dechlorinated water. It is okay to use distilled water for this. It is common to get snails on your filters. Try not to crush them, and remove them during your weekly cleaning. Do not put these types of snails back into your aquarium, because they tend to over-breed and eat all of plant matter in your aquarium.
An aquarium heater should be used to keep the aquarium at a fairly constant temperature. The temperature needs to be kept fairly constant. You should also have an aquarium thermometer to monitor the water temperature.