Tag: goldfish care

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Goldfish Goldfish Care

How Long Do Goldfish Live?

By Jamie Boyle

Well this goldfish question “How Long Do Goldfish Live” is one I’ve been asked many many times. The lifespan of a goldfish differs greatly as it all depends on how well people take care of their goldfish. If people provide proper goldfish care they should live a long healthy life.

The true fact of the matter is that we are the ones truly responsible for how long goldfish live for. What we feed our goldfish, how big their aquarium is, having proper equipment such as filters and air pumps and not overcrowding their tank can increase how long goldfish live. Fantail Goldfish Wishing There Was A Top On His Goldfish BowlBy doing the following can drastically reduce the chance of goldfish diseases occurring as well as increase the years that your goldfish live.

Why Goldfish Bowls Are Not RecommendedGoldfish can live up to be 20 years old or older but the above mentioned goldfish tips need to be carried out if you want your pet to live a good life. Most goldfish I would say don’t live to be 20 years old as they are just too many factors to consider. The lifespan of a goldfish reduces drastically when one attempts to keep fish in a goldfish bowl. Taking care of goldfish in a bowl is not recommended and people shouldn’t expect their goldfish to live for years and years in such a small environment with usually no filter or air. If people want their goldfish to live long lives provide the essential care required for healthy goldfish.

So how long have your goldfish lived for you? Lets here some comments and ages and type of some of your goldfish. How old are your goldfish?

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Garden Ponds Goldfish Goldfish Care Goldfish Ponds How To Pond Predator Protection

How To Protect Your Goldfish From Pond Predators

By Jamie Boyle

Many pond owners today often face the problem of pond predators visiting their water garden and they need to learn how to protect goldfish from pond predators before becoming their next meal. A lot of people don’t even realize they even have a problem until it’s too late. People should always try and count their fish come feeding time to make sure all fish are accounted for. It also makes a great time to observe your fish for any signs of goldfish diseases or parasites.

If you notice your fish scared or frightened or any goldfish missing then you may very well of had a tall-feathery creature stop by for a meal or two. Blue Heron Pond PredatorHerons, kingfishers, raccoons, snakes, cats and even frogs are pond predators. Yes! Even frogs! I have seen many frogs shoot out there tongue and catch small fish when they dash up to the surface. You see a frogs tongue is shot out based on movement and we have seen many goldfish eaten at an early age. The good news about pond predators is that there are many ways you can protect your goldfish from wildlife and I’m going to show you how.

How To Protect Your Goldfish From Pond Predators?Ā 

Raccoons Are Excellent At Fishing - Protect Your Fish!

Heron Decoy Will Protect Your Pond FishThe first step in protecting your goldfish from predators is to go out to your local hardware store, pet store and often even garden nurseries today who stock pond supplies and equipment and purchase a heron decoy. A heron decoy will stop other herons from dropping by as they are very much territorial. They automatically assume that there is already a heron there so there must not be too many fish left. In turn the heron continues flying on in search of a free water source to fish. I know many people who have had pond predator problems and they have used them and they haven’t had any problems since.

Scarecrow Motion Activated Sprinkler System For Pond PredatorsAnother way to protect your goldfish from pond predators is to buy a scarecrow sprinkler system. These work great! Why you may ask? Is because they have a built in motion sensor so when anything comes even remotely close to your pond a blast of water shoots out scaring off anything near. This is a sure way to defend your goldfish and give them a fighting chance. It’s also a great laugh in the scare you put the pond predator through with a blast of water right at its butt! šŸ™‚ It will make that heron or other animal think twice about coming back šŸ˜‰

Laguna Pond NettingAnother suggestion pond owners can do is to protect your goldfish pond from predators using a pond netting. Again you should be able to buy pond netting at any local hardware store and also you can buy it online as well. Using pond netting will protect pond fish but it takes away the beauty and look of a pond. I know I hate using pond netting but hey, if it protects your pond fish then you did solve your problem. It also stops leaves from going into the pond and falling to the pond bottom messing up the water. It works, but what you decide to choose is up to you.

I hope these above mentioned ways at learning how to protect your goldfish pond from pond predators has helped. Pond predators are annoying but at least there are things we can do to help protect our pond fish.

Have you ever had pond predators drop by your pond? What did you do to protect your pond fish from being eaten? Lets here your stories on the problem that faces many pond owners – pond predators. How to protect your fish from pond predators? A question most pond owners will have one-time or another.

Sincerely,

Jamie Boyle
The Goldfish Guy
ā€œHelping Goldfish Owners With Advice, Fish Care and Fish Medication Treatments for Goldfish Diseases, Illnesses and Parasitesā€

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How To Kill A Sick Goldfish Humanely?

By Jamie Boyle

Lets just put it this way, there is no humane way to kill a goldfish. I have read on the Internet some pretty wild ideas on to supposedly to relieve the goldfish from pain and suffering. I know there are sometimes that you feel like you want to intervene and save your goldfish from more pain, but to kill your goldfish yourself, hmmmmm I don’t know about that. I will talk here about different ways on how to kill a goldfish humanely but call it humane I don’t know.

First off if you are looking at getting rid of your goldfish or other types of fish do not kill them because you don’t want to be in the aquarium hobby anymore or looking to get rid of your goldfish pond. I repeat don’t try and kill your goldfish humanely. The most humane thing one can do is find another home for your goldfish. There are tons of people out there who are eager to take your goldfish off your hands. Think of friends, neighbours and best yet people who have a goldfish pond. I’m sure they would like to add to their goldfish collection. If you can’t find someone you can always contact your local pet store, they will take them off your hands for sure. You could always try calling a local landscaper who specializes in installing ponds, I’m sure he will know people who would. Try and find someone to take care of your goldfish. Never kill goldfish because you don’t want them anymore! That’s just cruel.

Now if you have sick goldfish and have tried treating them but nothing seems to work, then people may consider this alternative. I myself, cannot do it, I would much rather have life take its course and if it’s the goldfish’s time, then it’s his time to go. There is no humane way to kill a goldfish, if it’s gonna die then let it die of natural causes. I know if it was me I would want to fight right to the end, right to my last breath. Give your goldfish a chance.

You’ve all heard and seen on the Internet that the best way on how to kill a sick goldfish humanely is to flush them down the toilet. I repeat no it’s not. This is the worse way that a goldfish can die. It ends up being a long, pain full death. The ammonia will cause irritation to gills and cause the goldfish to suffocate. Never kill a goldfish by flushing them down the toilet, there is no humane way in that.

Now on to the next one, putting your goldfish in the freezer to die. Think about it, you know how much that would hurt. That would be a long pain full death yet again. When I hear people talk about freezing goldfish in a freezer is the best way to humanely kill a goldfish I think of the Deadliest Catch, the show on TV about Alaska crab fishing. There was a man who talked about how he and his friend survived after his boat went down in the extremely cold water. They had a suit on and the water was so cold that one of the guys tried to drown himself cause the cold hurt so much. His friend said hold on someone will come and luckily he did as they were saved moments later as a nearby crab fishing boat spotted them. It was luck or a miracle as the auto pilot steered to the left for some reason and that’s when the captain spotted the men in the water after coming up from getting a bite to eat. You see freezing your goldfish to death would yet be another long pain full death. Putting your goldfish in the freezer to die, there is no humane way in that. Think of the man, he couldn’t stand it anymore that he even tried drowning himself it was that cold.

Now on to the last and final way. It is reported that on how to kill a goldfish humanely is to place your goldfish in a large bag and bang the head of the goldfish sharply against a edge of a table, rock or anything hard and sharp that can cause instant death. Now again, do not kill your goldfish because you don’t want them anymore, this is only to be considered if you cannot stand to watch your goldfish suffer anymore. If there is nothing wrong with your goldfish try and find new parents for them that will take care of your goldfish. So to sum it up the best way to kill a goldfish humanely is to strike the head of the goldfish on a sharp or hard surface causing instant death. Now I know that sounds cruel but that is what many believe is the most humane way to kill a goldfish. You won’t catch me doing it. I have to much of a heart for the little goldfish.

What do you think? What’s the most humane way to kill a sick goldfish? Are there any other methods you’ve heard about on the Internet that may be considered a humane way to kill goldfish? Do you think you could do it? I know I couldn’t. Share your thoughts and stories on this one as it’s a much debated issue about humane ways to kill a goldfish.

Sincerely,

Jamie Boyle
The Goldfish Guy

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Fin and Tail Rot Goldfish Goldfish Care Goldfish Diseases

Treating Fin and Tail Rot On Goldfish

By Jamie Boyle

Before you learn how to treat fin and tail rot on goldfish you first need to make sure you have properly diagnosed your goldfish illness. So what is fin and tail rot you may ask? Fin and tail rot is a goldfish disease that you can see that affects the fins and tail that appears to be rotting away. If left untreated the fin and tail will rot right to the body itself. You will know its fin and tail rot as you will see ragged, ripped,frayed and torn fins whith a white-pinkish layer at the edges and often red streaks as well. The good news about fin and tail rot on goldfish is that it’s easily treatable.

What Causes Fin and Tail Rot On Goldfish?

The cause of fin and tail rot beginning on goldfish is a bacterial infection has set in. Bacterial infections are mainly caused by poor water quality. As I’ve said it many times and I will say it again, the #1 reason fish get sich is because of water quality. They become stressed, there immune system lowers and goldfish parasites attack or bacterial infections arise. Another cause for fin and tail rot developing on goldfish is sometimes a result of an injury your goldfish have suffered. The most common cause of fin and tail rot is usually poor water quality.

How Do I Treat Fin And Tail Rot On Goldfish?

You can treat fin and tail rot on goldfish with several medications. The ones I like to use are Melachite Green and Melafix. Melachite Green works very well but it’s more harsh then Melafix but it works. With Melafix it’s an all natural medication that won’t disturb your biological filter. Melafix also work well at healing goldfish and rejuvenating tissue. The PondCare melafix I beleive is one cap full for every 50 gallons. Please read manufacturers label for recommended dosage. You can also buy Melafix for aquariums as well.

Just the other day I was reading an interesting article about treating fin and tail rot with peroxide. I myself have never tried that myself but I have used iodine to treat fin and tail rot. Sometimes there are household products that can work but medication specifically for fin and tail rot for goldfish is much better.

Is there anything I can do to prevent fin and tail rot from happening in the first place?

The best way to prevent fin and tail rot from happening on your goldfish would be to make sure you maintain your water quality. Do water tests on a regular basis to make sure fish don’t become stressed and living in poor water quality. A proper maintenance shedule that you stick to will help prevent many goldfish diseases from happening in the first place. Don’t want fin and tail rot to happen to your goldfish? Then proper goldfish care is essential to have healthy goldfish.

Sincerely,

Jamie Boyle
The Goldfish Guy
ā€œHelping Goldfish Owners With Advice, Fish Care and Fish Medication Treatments for Goldfish Diseases, Illnesses and Parasitesā€

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Can Goldfish Die From Over Feeding Them?

By Jamie Boyle

Over feeding goldfish not only can kill your goldfish and cause them to die but it totally messes up your water quality at the same time. What happens when you feed your goldfish too much it causes health issues to happen much like in humans today. Obesity in humans causes major health issues that leads to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, chest pains and other symptoms caused by being overweight. Well with goldfish what happens is that they develop fatty liver and can cause swim bladder disease issues to arise. Your goldfish health will be directly affected by the feeding habits you do. You should try and feed them a wide variety of different fish foods with different nutrient contents.

You have a higher chance of killing your goldfish by poor water quality caused by over feeding them then actually feeding goldfish till they die. Both are possible but poor water quality is the number one reason that goldfish die or goldfish diseases and parasite outbreaks happen. Oranda GoldfishWhen feeding your fish people should always try feeding them enough food that they can consume in 2 minutes. After 2 minutes if there are any uneaten food discard it so water won’t foul. If left there water quality will deteriorate and may cause your goldfish to die from ammonia spikes.

Over feeding goldfish not only can kill your fish but creates a lot more maintenance for you to do as well. Feed them right with the proper food and quantities and your fish will live a long healthy life with a little goldfish care.

You don’t really want to be the cause of your goldfish dying now do you?

Sincerely,

Jamie Boyle
The Goldfish Guy

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Feeding Fish Garden Ponds Goldfish Goldfish Care

Do Pond Goldfish Need To Be Fed?

By Jamie Boyle

Goldfish in a pond, do you really need to feed them? Well yes and no. When people build a garden pond in their backyard they want to enjoy it, add some pond plants, water lilies and most importantly some fish. The best part about having a water garden feature in your pond is feeding them. Feeding your goldfish is just one of the joys of having a pond. You can relax, observe your fish swimming so gracefully in the water and watch them feed and perhaps even feed them by hand. Kids and adults all enjoy this part of taking care of the pond and fish.

But do you really need to feed goldfish in a pond? Technically no as depending on the size of your pond there is plenty of food in the pond itself. Fancy GoldfishYou see goldfish will pick and feed on just about anything, they will eat the mosquito larvae, water fleas, worms and just about any insect that will come close to your goldfish. Goldfish are basically a scavenger and very similar to the koi in that aspect. On top of all the microscopic animals in the water that your goldfish can eat and consume there are always plants that they will nibble on such as duckweed ( which is very good for fish )and your fish will also eat the algae that is in your pond as well. Any green vegetation such as duckweed or algae they will eat.

One Of The Many Ponds At Country Koi Fish Farm With Goldfish, Sarassa Comets, Koi and Butterfly Koi. It Also Includes Many Different Types of Water Lilies and Yellow Flag Water Iris along With Other Types Of Marginals.

So when people ask themselves do you really need to feed your goldfish in a pond the answer is yes and no. If you want to enjoy your fish come feeding time then go ahead by all means and feed them, other then that your fish will just be fine with all the available things it contains in your pond. So it really depends on you and what kind of enjoyment you want out of your goldfish pond.

One of my brother's pond pictures which is a nice looking waterfall. His pond is filtered with elodea and parrot feather which helps keep his water healthy and clean. Water plants is the best form of filtration a pond can have.In my opinion you should feed them as this is a great way to observe your goldfish come feeding time to see for any signs of injuries or diseases. Plus feeding them is the best part of having a garden pond other then the looks and sounds that a water garden can bring to your backyard. So go ahead feed them and see the beauty that your fish bring to your water garden.

Do you feed your goldfish in your pond? If so, what type of goldfish pond food do you feed your fish?

Sincerely,

Jamie Boyle
The Goldfish Guy

Other Related Posts

Why Are My Goldfish Not Eating?
How Much Fish Food Should IĀ Feed Goldfish?
What To Feed Your Goldfish?

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How To Treat Ulcer Disease On Goldfish

By Jamie Boyle

Ulcer disease on goldfish is something all goldfish and aquarium owners will come across some day and you will need to learn how to treat ulcers effectively. I just recently made two posts and talked about How Ulcers Begin On Goldfish and Ulcers On Goldfish – Red Sores Blotches which talks more about this subject. The best thing people can do as mentioned is to treat ulcers right away as it’s easier to correct the problem at the start and you will have much better luck in the treatment of ulcers.

What you need to learn now is how to treat ulcer disease on goldfish and there are several ways you can do so. Ulcer DiseaseOne of the ways in which I use is Potassium Permanganate which works very well but you need to be cautious using this as it is a severely strong medication and treatment method for ulcers and should only be used by experienced people in the hobby. I won’t talk much on this as I have just learned just recently that Potassium permanganate is now illegal in Canada. I will update you more on this news later to let you know why.

Another method of treatment for ulcers is by using Melafix. Melafix treats ulcers and open wounds on goldfish healing them quickly and restoring damaged tissue. I know for Pond Care Melafix you use one teaspoon for every 50 gallons of water for minor injuries, wounds and fin damage you can use this dosage. For more serious and advanced injuries in goldfish double the dosage to two teaspoons for every 50 gallons. Melafix works very well in the treatment of ulcers on goldfish and is a all natural medication. When treating your goldfish for ulcers just remember to remove the activated carbon from your filter and turn off your UV sterilizers if you have one. Now with the Pond Care Medication this is a stronger concentration of medication, there is one that you can buy at local pet stores which is a lower concentration meant for aquarium use. See your local pet store for more details and follow the recommended dosage on the box.

Another method of treating ulcers is by by feeding your goldfish Debride Medicated Food for bacterial infections in combination with Debride Medicated Ointment. When you do these both it has an excellent result in the treatment of ulcers. Simply feed the medicated food to your goldfish for a full 14 days while applying a small bit of ointment onto the affected area on your goldfish body and you will see great results when you combine both uses.

Another way I treat ulcers on goldfish is by using the Kutsuri Wound Kit. This kit is meant for the treatment of wounds such as ulcers. All you do is put your goldfish to sleep using an anesthetic, use the sterilization solution, clean the wound, apply red solution which is iodine to the area, apply a medicated powder directly on to the ulcer, and then apply your water sealer to keep the medicated powder from being washed off when you introduce your goldfish back to your aquarium or pond. I personally like this method as you know for sure that the infected area is being treated for sure. I know I had a koi with an ulcer bigger then a loonie before and deep and this cured it good and fast.

These are several ways you can treat ulcer disease on goldfish. Some are easier then others and I suggest going with the one your more comfortable with. If your uneasy on putting your goldfish or koi to sleep to treat the ulcers then I suggest going with the Melafix which is a medication you simply add to the water. Quick, easy and efficient. Choose the right form of goldfish ulcer disease treatment for you.

Sincerely,

Jamie Boyle
The Goldfish Guy

Other related posts-

How Ulcers Begin On Goldfish
Ulcers On Goldfish – Red Sores Blotches
Melafix Bacterial and Fungus Fish Medication Treatment For Ulcers

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Goldfish Goldfish Care

Black Spots On Goldfish

Black Spots On Goldfish In Fish Tank
Black Spots On Goldfish In Fish Tank

Many people have left comments on my goldfish blog telling me ” My Goldfish Has Black Spots, Help ! ” so I figured I would do a post on this. Black spots on goldfish is a result of poor water quality being that the ammonia level in the aquarium has spiked. When the ammonia level in your tank increases it causes black spots to appear on the goldfish body and black tips to appear on the tail, pectoral fins and dorsal fins. These black spots are a result of ammonia burn.

People should think of ammonia like acid, when the ammonia is extremely high it cause ammonia burn, just like acid would do to human skin. It causes discomfort in your goldfish and high levels of ammonia can kill your goldfish. As I’ve mentioned before people really need to take care of their goldfish properly. If you have an aquarium or goldfish bowl, you need to have water test kits around. This is a necessity if you plan on keeping your goldfish healthy and living a long life free of black spots.

Now don’t mistaken black spots on goldfish being ammonia burn all the time. Goldfish do change colour from grey to common colour orange so that may be the case as well. Even though your goldfish aquarium water may be crystal clear, doesn’t always mean that your water quality is perfect. Clear water could also contain high levels of harmful properties in water chemistry. Never rely on clear water being safe for fish. Check your water quality often to ensure that you don’t have black spots on goldfish and ammonia burn to happen.

Test often, perform regular maintenance such as water changes and have equipment working properly will be the first step to proper goldfish care and eliminating chance of black spots on your fish called Melanophore Migration.

Sincerely,

Jamie Boyle
The Goldfish Guy
Goldfish Care Information Diseases & Treatments
ā€œHelping Goldfish Owners With Advice, Fish Care and Fish Medication Treatments for Goldfish Diseases, Illnesses and Parasitesā€

Have your goldfish suffered from black spots and ammonia burn before?

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Goldfish Goldfish Care

Goldfish Hearing – Do They Hear Sound?

Goldfish Hearing Sound - Do They Hear?
Goldfish Hearing Sound - Do They Hear? Yes!

People often wonder, do goldfish have hearing, do they hear sound?The answer to this question is yes! Many people are often curious whether goldfish can smell, taste, touch, how they eat, do they sleep and can goldfish hear. Goldfish can hear but it’s not like us how we have ears in through which we are able to hear sound. On goldfish they don’t have ears on their outer body like us, instead they have hearing from within their body.

Your probably wondering how do we really know they can hear? Well if you go to a tank and you tap on it you will see them dart away as they become frightened and scared. They heard it! Goldfish hear through an inner organ which is located within the head of the goldfish. It’s not the same as in humans as we have a main sensory organ called the cochlea and goldfish do not have that. Now with goldfish since they have no cochlea, they have something different within called the otolith which is a hard stone. Now remember when I mentioned above about tapping on a golfish aquarium or tank that the goldfish can hear this, well the otolith is what actually detects sound.

Goldfish hearing is all heard through vibrations which sound vibrations are transmitted through the water and the otolith detects it. It’s pretty neat understanding the anatomy of fish and how they react and hear things.

So goldfish can hear to answer everyones question. I know I did some research on the cochlea and we hear very much the same actually. There is fluid within the ear that has small hairs that move with sound or vibration in which then the brain comprehends into sound. It’s pretty neat actually and goldfish hear through the water in which vibrations goes through the fish’s body to the otolith, neat to know how sound is perceived. Just don’t tap on fish tanks really as it can kill fish through vibrations. It can cause fish stress and other things to occur, they can hear so don’t do it just to test the hearing theory and care for your goldfish.

Jamie Boyle
The Goldfish Guy
Goldfish Care Information Diseases & Treatments
ā€œHelping Goldfish Owners With Advice, Fish Care and Fish Medication Treatments for Goldfish Diseases, Illnesses and Parasitesā€

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Aquarium Care Garden Ponds Goldfish Goldfish Care

How Fast Do Goldfish Grow

Goldfish Grow Big In Koi Pond
Goldfish Grow Big In Koi Pond

How fast do goldfish grow is a question on every ones mind. Goldfish growth really depends on certain factors that will influence how fast they will grow. Some factors that directly influence goldfish growth is:

1. How clean is the water for your Goldfish?
2. How big is the environment, goldfish bowl, goldfish aquarium or goldfish pond?
3. What kind of goldfish food are you feeding your fish?
4. The genetics (DNA) of the goldfish parents passed on to their offspring.

How fast do goldfish grow is really a tough question to answer really. As mentioned above these factors will influence the growth potential of your goldfish. For example the how clean your water is impacts how fast they will grow. If the water is too clear then lacks algae and food to feed on. Second if water quality is not kept up with proper maintenance causes stress on goldfish which may impact the goldfish desire to eat. If goldfish don’t eat, they don’t grow, therefore growing slower then normal.

The environment or home for your goldfish plays a big part on how fast goldfish will grow as well. For instance if you put a goldfish in a goldfish bowl it won’t grow as much as it would if it were in an aquarium or garden pond. The environment plays a major part in goldfish growth. Goldfish will only grow to the size of their environment in which it can handle. Also the more space a goldfish has will help increase the size of your goldfish and won’t stunt your goldfish from growing. When goldfish have big aquariums or tanks to grow in it will make less maintenance for you and much happier goldfish. Another reason goldfish grow faster in larger environments is there is more food readily available to eat. There is always food in an aquarium to eat for goldfish especially in ponds. Goldfish will grow fast due to abundance of algae to eat and also the live microscopic animals and insects to feed on. Goldfish basically have a buffet at anytime they want with the amount of food they will find to eat living in ponds. Goldfish will grow extremely fast as well if the water is green like pea soup or they are grown in mud ponds. You will see your goldfish grow fast.

The goldfish food that you feed them plays a part in their growth as well. If you want your goldfish to grow fast consider feeding them a wide variety of food. Also high growth food will help as well maximizing the growth of your goldfish. You can also feed them several times a day just make sure they eat all the goldfish food that you give them within 2 minutes other then that discard uneaten food as it will foul your water. Goldfish food will play a part in their growth as well.

So to really answer the question, “How Fast Do Goldfish Grow” really has too many factors to really answer. Also genetics plays a part in this as well. If you look at some people today some are skinny, some are large, medium, petite, tall and short. Everyone grows differently and the same goes for goldfish. For example I’m 6’4″ while my parents are like 5’6″ so I grew taller. Usually if you come from a tall family you will have tall kids which happens most times through DNA passed on to kids. So goldfish genetics and DNA sometimes will impact how fast goldfish grow as well. Really a question with no true answer but definitely things people can do to grow goldfish faster by doing several things. Biggest thing that will help grow your goldfish fast is give them the space they deserve don’t confine goldfish to small tanks go bigger and you will have bigger goldfish.