What are goldfish?
Goldfish are freshwater fish. In the wild, goldfish live in still waters, such as ponds and lakes, but they can also be found in slow-flowing rivers and streams. They belong to the carp family, which is a large group of fish native to Europe and Asia.
Goldfish are freshwater fish. In the wild, goldfish live in still waters, such as ponds and lakes, but they can also be found in slow-flowing rivers and streams. They belong to the carp family, which is a large group of fish native to Europe and Asia.
What do they look like?
Goldfish are covered with scales but not their heads. Their scales have different colours. When found in the wild, they are often a shade of grey, brown, or green.
In pet stores and home aquariums, they come in a range of colours including white, yellow, orange-gold, green, brown, black and even speckled colours.
Goldfish are covered with scales but not their heads. Their scales have different colours. When found in the wild, they are often a shade of grey, brown, or green.
In pet stores and home aquariums, they come in a range of colours including white, yellow, orange-gold, green, brown, black and even speckled colours.
Goldfish have elongated and sturdy bodies. They have several fins including a long dorsal fin, an anal fin, a paired pelvic fin, a pectoral fin, and a caudal fin (tail).
They use their fins to swim. The goldfish uses its tail fin to swim forwards, and to change direction while swimming. The dorsal fin helps the goldfish swim steadily, and stops it from rolling over in the water.
Goldfish have two large eyes that can see everything around them at once. They see more colours than humans They do not have eyelids so their eyes are always open.
Goldfish breathe through gills. The gills absorb oxygen from the surrounding fresh water.
Goldfish breathe through gills. The gills absorb oxygen from the surrounding fresh water.
Goldfish have a small mouth. They don’t have teeth inside their mouths! Instead, the teeth are in their throat and are used to crush food. The mouth has taste buds that let them taste their food.
Where do goldfish live?
Goldfish are a freshwater fish and like to live in water that is 10C to 25C. Many goldfish live in aquariums and small domesticated ponds, but some do live in the wild. In the wild they live in slow moving rivers, lakes, and ponds. They like a lot of space. The more space the better as this gives them more oxygen, which comes from the water.
Goldfish are a freshwater fish and like to live in water that is 10C to 25C. Many goldfish live in aquariums and small domesticated ponds, but some do live in the wild. In the wild they live in slow moving rivers, lakes, and ponds. They like a lot of space. The more space the better as this gives them more oxygen, which comes from the water.
How long do goldfish live?
In the wild, goldfish typically live between 6–7 years, but with proper care and suitable habitat (such as a well-maintained pond or aquarium), some varieties may live as long as 25 - 40 years. In-fact, goldfish have the potential to live even longer than that — for example, the oldest goldfish on record lived to be 45 years of age!
What do they eat?
Goldfish are omnivores, which means they eat both plants and animals. They like to eat plants and insects when living in the wild, but goldfish can become the food for some birds and cats.
Pet goldfish eat a mixture of foods:
Goldfish are omnivores, which means they eat both plants and animals. They like to eat plants and insects when living in the wild, but goldfish can become the food for some birds and cats.
Pet goldfish eat a mixture of foods:
- flakes
- sinking pellets
- floating pellets
- Live foods like brine shrimp, tubifex worms or aquarium snails
- Freeze dried live food
- Vegetables like peas wth the outer shell removed and even slightly cooked broccoli (loved by most goldfish)
What do they do?
Goldfish swim.
By using their fins in different combinations, goldfish can steer around objects in the water.
Goldfish sleep.
They are sleeping or at rest when their bodies tilt a bit with their heads pointing down. Goldfish do not close their eyes when sleeping because they do not have eyelids.
How do they grow?
Spawning means releasing eggs in large numbers, for goldfish - hundreds of eggs. Goldfish spawn during summer and spring. Parent goldfish do not need to take care of the eggs. The small eggs adhere to water plants and rocks then hatch about a week later.
Spawning means releasing eggs in large numbers, for goldfish - hundreds of eggs. Goldfish spawn during summer and spring. Parent goldfish do not need to take care of the eggs. The small eggs adhere to water plants and rocks then hatch about a week later.
The eggs hatch into young goldfish called fry. The fry feed on plant material and small insects. They grow into adult goldfish. They can grow up to 10 to 20 centimetres long.
What are the different breeds of goldfish?
There are about 200 breeds of goldfish recognised in China. They have been bred for their body shape, eyes, colours, tails and fins.
Here are some examples of goldfish breeds.
There are about 200 breeds of goldfish recognised in China. They have been bred for their body shape, eyes, colours, tails and fins.
Here are some examples of goldfish breeds.
What do I do next?
Click on the picture, 'Goldfish' to download.
Print the page to the Library printer. Use the webpage about "Goldfish" to complete your note-taking. Click on the 'About Goldfish' picture to download.
Print the page to the Library printer. Use the text about "Goldfish" to help you write the missing words. |
Click on the 'Finding the Evidence' picture to download.
Print the page to the Library printer. Use the webpage about "Goldfish" to answer the 3 questions. Click on the 'Vocabulary' picture to download.
Print the page to the Library printer. Use the text about "Goldfish" to help you find the missing words. |
Click on the picture, 'Goldfish Notes' to download.
Print the page to the Library printer. Use the webpage about "Goldfish" to complete your note-taking. Click on the 'Why are goldfish considered an invasive species?' picture to download.
Print the page to the Library printer. Use the website below, 'New York Times' to find your information. It is an Australian article. Now write a short paragraph answering the question. |
Click on the 'Finding the Evidence' picture to download.
Print the page to the Library printer. Use the webpage about "Goldfish" to answer the 6 questions. Click on the 'About Goldfish' picture to download.
Print the page to the Library printer. Use the audio about 'About Goldfish' to help you write the missing words. Listen to and stop it as you need. |
Photograph Credits
In order of appearance.
https://www.petbarn.com.au/petspot/fish/guide-fancy-goldfish/
https://inlandaquatics.com/comet-goldfish-aquarium-care-guide/
https://nippyfish.net/2017/04/12/goldfish-faq/
https://knoji.com/article/3-tips-on-how-to-take-close-up-pictures-of-small-animals/
https://bit.ly/2yQfeCH
https://www.velda.com/pond-fish/types/goldfish/
https://puregoldfish.com/lifespan/
https://fishtankmaster.com/can-goldfish-eat-bread-lettuce/
https://petterritory.com/goldfish-care/
https://www.myaquariumclub.com/oranda-goldfish-sleeping-with-face-on-the-ground-925324.html
https://facts.net/nature/animals/goldfish-facts
https://www.about-goldfish.com/raising-goldfish.html
https://www.myaquariumclub.com/types-of-goldfish-the-goldie-identification-guide-5805.html
http://www.bangaloreaquarium.com/shubunkin-goldfish/
https://www.facebook.com/thefancygoldfishunion/photos/a.1259654300796829/1349716768457248/?type=1&theater
https://www.dandyorandas.com/auctions/uncategorized/redblackwhite-nacreous-wakin/
http://www.petgoldfish.net/jikin-goldfish.html
https://aquariumfish.net/catalog_pages/goldfish_and_koi/fantail_and_ryukin_table.htm
https://www.angelfishaquatics.co.uk/assorted-oranda-fantail-goldfish-2818-p.asp
https://alchetron.com/Butterfly-tail-(goldfish)
In order of appearance.
https://www.petbarn.com.au/petspot/fish/guide-fancy-goldfish/
https://inlandaquatics.com/comet-goldfish-aquarium-care-guide/
https://nippyfish.net/2017/04/12/goldfish-faq/
https://knoji.com/article/3-tips-on-how-to-take-close-up-pictures-of-small-animals/
https://bit.ly/2yQfeCH
https://www.velda.com/pond-fish/types/goldfish/
https://puregoldfish.com/lifespan/
https://fishtankmaster.com/can-goldfish-eat-bread-lettuce/
https://petterritory.com/goldfish-care/
https://www.myaquariumclub.com/oranda-goldfish-sleeping-with-face-on-the-ground-925324.html
https://facts.net/nature/animals/goldfish-facts
https://www.about-goldfish.com/raising-goldfish.html
https://www.myaquariumclub.com/types-of-goldfish-the-goldie-identification-guide-5805.html
http://www.bangaloreaquarium.com/shubunkin-goldfish/
https://www.facebook.com/thefancygoldfishunion/photos/a.1259654300796829/1349716768457248/?type=1&theater
https://www.dandyorandas.com/auctions/uncategorized/redblackwhite-nacreous-wakin/
http://www.petgoldfish.net/jikin-goldfish.html
https://aquariumfish.net/catalog_pages/goldfish_and_koi/fantail_and_ryukin_table.htm
https://www.angelfishaquatics.co.uk/assorted-oranda-fantail-goldfish-2818-p.asp
https://alchetron.com/Butterfly-tail-(goldfish)