Breeding Your Goldfish

If you are keen on breeding Goldfish, you should know that it's not an easy task. It will take a lot of patience, a lot of space in the tank and quite a bit of money too. Don't get into breeding if you think it's going to be profitable, because it isn't! Breeding goldfish is best left to a professional but if you still want to breed them, here's how to begin:

Decide on the breed: You also must decide before hand what variety of goldfish you want to breed. Ideally, if you are a beginner you should decide on breeding a good quality single tail type fish like the comet.

Pair and choose the breeds: You must choose high quality goldfish to breed high quality goldfish. The goldfish you choose should be two-four years. A good quality goldfish would be assessed according to its finnage, body shape, size and color. They should be at least 4-6 inches or larger and very healthy. It's better to breed with younger fish as the older ones might produce eggs that are deformed and infertile.

* The ideal female goldfish would be heavy at the rear, protruding on the left part of her body and her anal area would be soft.

* The ideal male goldfish would be a great chaser and there should be signs of his breeding tubercles on his gills and pectoral fins. Begin with two females and three males. The idea is to have two males for every female.

Time to breed Here's the time plan to breed goldfish ?

* You would need to plan a year ahead in the months of July or August. This is when most breeders sell their surplus fish at cheaper rates. If you skip this period than would find it hard to find a good breeding quality pair of goldfish.

* During the winter you must feed the fish and help them build enough body mass to last the winter and be ready for spawning in the early spring. By October or November, your fish would need less food and this is the time to not only clean the fish but also separate the males from the females.

Cleaning the fish: The solution you need to clean the fish is one measure of Terramycin, 80 drops of Formaldehyde and 6 drops of copper sulphate in four gallons of water. The solution should be at the right temperature and the fish should get enough oxygen to breathe. Allow the goldfish to remain in this solution for 20 minutes and then move them to a separate container of clean water while you prepare a spawning tank.

* Make sure you make the new tank a natural spawning area with bushy natural plants, artificial fibers or spawning mops and coconut fibers, all materials that can receive the spawn. Goldfish need such props for spawning.

Size of the spawning tank: You will need at least a tank that can hold 20 gallons of water. If the fish were bigger than you would need a bigger tank.

* Now that the fish are clean and the tank is clean too, do not feed the fish anything for the next two months except some amount of live food like insect larvae,worms, and brine shrimp. This preparation will help the females develop healthy and the males, milt that is needed to fertilize the eggs.

* If the winters are too cold in your area, you can consider using a heater.

* Watch the male goldfish developing breeding tubercles that look like white pimples on their gill covers and the pectoral fins.

* Watch the females become rounder body as it fills up with roe or eggs. How do you spot the spawning moment?

* Spawning usually happens in the early morning.

* The colors of all the goldfish will look brighter then before.

* The fish would group together while swimming.

* The males will be chasing the females at random.

* Finally the active males zero in on one particular female and chase her more than before.

* The chase will intensify with the male getting aggressive and pushing against the female goldfish till she ejects her eggs. * As the eggs are out the male will fertilize them by depositing milt over the eggs.

* The eggs will fall through the water, landing on plants. They stay in the same spot till they hatch.

* The spawning may begin again after some days of rest.

Point of note: Goldfish eat their eggs. Of the 10,000 eggs that are laid in one spawning session, hardly any will be left if the fish are not removed. So once the eggs are laid, move the parents back to another tank.

Dane Stanton - www.goldfish-secrets.com

Dane Stanton is an expert on goldfish health care. To visit his website visit http://www.goldfish-secrets.com for more information on Goldfish care and other aquarium related topics. *Recommended*

---

Pet Containment: Keep You Pet in the Yard and Out of Places You Dont Want Them to Be

Pet ContainmentIf you just recently became a pet owner or... Read More

Our Pets Behavior

Behavior can be a huge iisue with our pets. If... Read More

Quickstart Guide to Making Your Own Pet Food at Home

As a pet owner, no doubt you want to give... Read More

Your First Cichlid Aquarium

So you're thinking about trying cichlids. A good choice. In... Read More

Horse Manure Management--What are Your Options?

You need a strategy for using or disposing of your... Read More

Aquarium Supplies Part 2 -- My First Experience With Goldfish

If you are seriously considering keeping fish as pets or... Read More

Should Your Family Get a Purebreed Dog?

Many people ask the question: "Should we get a purebreed... Read More

Glow Light Tetra - A Lovely and Peaceful Member of Your Community Tank

Brings live to your community tanksMany freshwater fish-keepers have a... Read More

Hamsters and their quest for world domination

"Hamsters?!" I hear you say. "Who cares about some fury... Read More

Fat Dogs - How To Get Overweight Dogs to Diet and Slim Down Without Whining

Obesity in dogs is a growing problem, which can cause... Read More

Home Hazards That Can Affect Our Pets

Is your home safe for your Furr Kids? It might... Read More

What Type of Cat Food is Really Best For Your Cat?

Which cat food should you feed your cat to be... Read More

Herbs for Pets

Let me begin by saying that I am not an... Read More

Chicken Compared To Chicken Meal

When selecting the best dry food for your dog, why... Read More

Dog Safety: How to Keep Your Pups Safe From Loss or Theft

According to the American Humane Society, just 15% of dogs... Read More

Ten Most Popular Goldfish

You can't imagine the kind of varieties of Goldfish there... Read More

The Dangers of Canine Parasites

When you get a puppy, one of the first things... Read More

Give a Homeless Cat or Dog a Gift of Good Cheer

The holidays are a wonderful time of year, full of... Read More

A German Shepherd Puppy May Be Just What Your Family Needs!

A German Shepherd puppy can become a very welcome member... Read More

How To Keep Your Dog Safe in the 21st Century

For thousands of years, dogs have been "man's best friend."... Read More

Does Your Dog Have An Irritating Jumping Habit?

Do you have a puppy that jumps on you, company... Read More

Approach: The Third of 6 Keys To Building A Life Long Partnership With Your Horse

In horse training or natural horsemanship, Approach is nothing more... Read More

Dogs - Mans Best Friend

Dogs have been known as man's best friend for decades.... Read More

Goldfish Tips - Keeping The Aquarium Clean

You do clean your house don't you? Well you have... Read More

7 Good Reasons to Have Your Cat Spayed or Neutered

Every year, many cat owners decide to get their cat... Read More

The Demand for Luxury Dog Beds

A pet can be as important a member of the... Read More

Why Does My Cat Drink Dirty Water?

You know that cats should always have a supply of... Read More

Horse Training Gets A New Face Lift From A 108 Year Old Horse Training Manual!

If you have a passion to learn all you can... Read More

Dog Eye Problems - What To Watch Out For

Dog eye problems can occur at any time. You should... Read More

Top Five Dog Breeds for Homes with Children

Top five dog breeds for homes with children* Beagle *... Read More

Guinea Pig History

Their scientific name is Cavia Tschuldi and their nickname in... Read More

Dog Flea Control Management: How To Prevent, Treat, And Kill Dog Fleas

Dog flea control and management requires an integrated approach. For... Read More

How to Increase Your Fishkeeping Fun

Do you really get the fullest amount of enjoyment out... Read More