How Many Goldfish
You’ve heard the expression, “Quality over quantity,” right? Well, it’s an axiom that applies to goldfish. Your fish will be happier and healthier if they have sufficient room in the goldfish bowls or tank for them to swim, hide, feed, and grow. Overcrowded tanks are goldfish killers, causing stress, increasing the likelihood of parasites, and leading to higher ammonia and nitrite levels from more waste than your tank can handle. So, how do you know how many goldfish you can fit in your tank? The formula is simple: one inch of fish per gallon of water. A two-inch long goldfish needs a minimum of two gallons of water. Two 2-inch goldfishes need a minimum of four gallons of water. That word “minimum” is important. More room is never a problem, but too little room can be seriously harmful. The trick is that larger goldfish need more room because they simply don’t have enough space to swim around in smaller tanks. Larger fish need 2 or 3 gallons per inch, and probably more. When in doubt, less fish in more room is the best answer.