Healthy aquarium vital when going for goldfish

Goldfish, once the top freshwater pet fish of choice, are still as popular as ever, according to veterinarian Dr James Blanshard. "They are attractive, potentially easy to keep, and do not occupy lots of space," he says. Other favoured options include cichlids of all varieties, including the flowerhorn cichlid, arowana and koi carp.

When keeping fish as pets, one of the most important health factors is water quality.

"Fish live, eat, defecate and respire in the same water, and that environment needs to be maintained to a high level. Temperature, oxygen levels, waste-product levels, pH, all need to be kept in close check. It is often when water quality falls out with the ranges of tolerance that fish die," Blanshard says.

If adding a new fish to a collection, Blanshard has this advice: "Don't add it to your existing collection immediately, but quarantine it for two weeks to monitor for signs of ill health and make sure that you are keeping appropriate species together. Some fish will attack and eat others."

Another important factor is that fish have a wide range of individual dietary needs, so researching the appropriate diet for fish types is necessary.

Like all animal species, fish can develop health problems, although the vet says he does not see a lot of goldfish. "There are many goldfish keepers in Hong Kong but, owing to the availability of home remedies from most fish shops, a lot of keepers elect to treat goldfish themselves at home. Also, cost is an issue. With goldfish being so cheap to buy, in many cases, owners are reluctant to spend money on diagnostic tests and treatments required."