My ten commandments of goldfish keeping Options

[goldrush]

Good morning Bros,

Today I decide to post something more serious and subtle compared to the usual dose of updates and replies. I would like to share my Goldfish commandments with you. So if any of you die-hard fans of goldfish have similar thoughts please contribute unconditionally.

MY TEN COMMANDMENTS OF GOLDFISH KEEPING

1) LEARN ALL ABOUT FILTRATION: There is no such thing as a perfect filter system. You can never achieved the unattainable. There are too many variables to worry so don’t waste time chasing shadows.

2) TO QUARANTINE OR NOT TO QUARANTINE: If you don’t quarantine or don’t intend to, please don’t keep. fish You are flushing your money into the toilet together with your fish. Please assume all new fish are infected.

3) TEST, TEST, TEST: Always test all water parameters before you reach out for that medication. Far too often you kill your fish through your negligence rather than they die off any disease. So test first, you can medicate later.

4) CONTROL YOUR FEEDING: We tend to overfeed intentionally or unintentionally. Fish don’t die of underfeeding but they are often killed by our overfeeding.

5) BEST FISH IS NOT IN YOUR POSSESSION: Don’t assume you have the best fish in your possession. The best fish is being held by someone else other than you. There should be a sense of humility in your keeping.

6) OVERCROWDING: Never overcrowd at all cost. You need to be a real master in water management in order to overcome overcrowding.

7) PRODUCTS AND SUPPLIES: There are more than a thousand products in the market to help you in your keeping but there are equally a few thousands of product that will spoil your keeping. So be prudent. Never trust and buy on advice of LFS seller. They don’t understand your needs but understand theirs only. Buy your products and supplies after careful studies and consultation with well-informed, impartial and experienced hobbyists, like RAFFLESGOLD MEMBERS. (Ha)

8) CHANGE WATER: The key word is CHANGE, CHANGE, CHANGE. If you are not prepared to make drastic water changes, forget this hobby and keep something else. Clear water does not equate clean water. Be a mastet of water management and the water will manage your fish. Trust me.

9) LEARN ABOUT YOUR FISH: There are few hundred varieties to choose from after much cross breeding. Subscribe to a local or foreign society and get active in forums and chats through the internet(do I smell a rat RG members) Even though you don’t show your fish, show up yourself to learn first hand from experienced hobbyists the show standards and the criterion of your particular interest.

10) LOVE: The panacea taught by all major spiritual practice. Goldfish keeping is no difference. With love comes responsibility, the drive to seek the optimum for your beloved pets. Like us they are subjected to the wrath of sickness, degeneration and death. Learn to cope with these, overcome them with zeal and graduate to become a die-hard fan so that you live to impart your knowledge and skill to those that remain ignorant and naïve of its keeping.

I am no Goldfish GOD but if there is ONE, I would like to be HIS ambassador. The above are my personal guidelines which I try to abide. I’m sure there are many of you out there which may not agree to or may have some reservations of the above commandments. Please share your thoughts and opinion. Remember we are all here to learn and teach as well. Sorry for the lengthy script for I find it hard to concise it further.


Regards Goldrush

[HappyBuddha]

This is so good I'm pinning it for the benefit of everyone!

[supertop]

Utmost support.

We should print brochures to give to all the LFS. They simply treat fishes like a piece of paper, simply throw whenever they feel like it.

The idea is just treat all fishes like a real life baby and we will do well.

[goldrush]

Utmost support.

We should print brochures to give to all the LFS.    They simply treat fishes like a piece of paper, simply throw whenever they feel like it.

The idea is just treat all fishes like a real life baby and we will do well. 

Thxs for your support,pls don't quote me

[goldrush]

This is so good I'm pinning it for the benefit of everyone!

HB

I'll flattered by your response and willing to pin this up for future reference
I did not ask to be recognised.

Remember:A sense of humility?

Regards

Goldrush

[raymondmok]

well said bro, think most of us do not consider this rules, we kept them just 'cos they fancy us and do not regard them as a life.

from now on, will give them more tlc.

[nong toom]

hi ! i am a beginner of goldfish keepin .. i agree with u n i will learn it from u .. thanks for ur words!!

[chochiss]

New here. Agree to these commandments. The ground basics of healthy fish-keeping.

[JohnF]

Furthermore, my 11th Commandament states:

"KEEP GOLDFISH WITH GOLDFISH"

[nv85]

excellent ground rules for all to follow (experienced hobbyists and novices). i have noticed that sometimes even those of us who have been keeping goldfish for many years make some basic errors in judgement in our enthusiasm to help our fish, thus losing them (i lost a beautiful batch of 12 goldfish some years back due to silly errors in healthcare *May their souls RIP*) i also completely agree with John's 11th Commandment. often beginners in their zeal, buy fish of many varieties (possibly because they like a colourful tank), not realising that many agressive varieties like Gourami, barbs, tetras, etc. will harm and sometimes even kill Goldfish. im currently educating my 12 year old cousin brother about all these aspects of fish-keeping. he has just got his first tank, and im glad to say he's doing pretty well. i learnt the hard way when i began, because there was no internet then, and nobody to guide me either. Man afterall learns from his mistakes

cheers
Navaneet Krishnan

This post has been edited by nv85: Tue, 22 Apr 2008 3:41 pm

[churico4ever]

Doc,

I definitely agree to your 10 Commandments, especially the water management...

I've experienced that when I'm new in the goldfish caring... I made a couple of mistakes though,

its causes lives...

[tourmaline]

Thoughtfully stated and so concise Thank you Goldrush.My fish are Walmart rescues.Two Ranchus that were in need of a good home.The first ,an orange and white ,was in a tank with comets.the comets were picking and bullying.He did his shimmy to escape but it was like a race between a Dump truck and a Jaguar.My heart went out to him.I don't think they even knew what they had ,to put him in there.Their error was my gain.The second,just acquired,is a very young fish.Almost 1 1/2 inches.This one too ,at a Walmart ,alone in a tank.I've never seen a skinny Ranchu until now.He was all head with a body like a minnow.I've brought him home and already he has started to fill out.They are such friendly fish.Having had a blue calico oranda as a child.Later,lionheads as a young woman.My heart is with the fancies.Having rescued these fish from what could have been a sad life.Has done my heart good.They make me happy.While neither of them are show quality.I plan to love them and keep them to the best of my ability.My profound respect and support of the responsible breeders and sellers globally that understand these 10 commandments and practice them daily. Warm Regards-Donielle

[goldrush]

Hi Donielle

Glad that you support our quest for better goldfishing and upkeeping .It has been more than 4 years since I wrote this commandments and I hope it is still very much applicable in our fast changing world today


goldrush

[tourmaline]

Timeless advice.In our fast changing world the sage advice and wisdom of experience is more precious than ever.I'm just awestruck at the photos members have provided of beautiful fish.It is truly like opening a gift package every time I visit.I am honored to be here.Thank you so much.-Donielle

[GoldfishGirl11]

It really is a shame, the ignorance that gets spread around when it comes to keeping fish. When I first started many years ago I was told things like "Fish will only grow as big as the tank you keep them in..." and other such lies by the LFS sellers to keep my spending my money on cheap lil tanks and waaay too many fish to put in them.

If only all fish could be sold with proper instructions, or "commandments" so that people would buy them and truly be concerned of their welfare, and not look at them as replaceable decorations or commodities. As someone who is returning to the hobby and continuously working on educating myself about these incredible animals and their care, I thank you for these commandments. Keep on saying what needs to be said.

~ Amarise.