You bought a goldfish some days ago, and now you want to know Why your Gold Fish Die?
Fish death happens to all fish keepers, but it upsets you the same as it did the first time. So when you find your fish dead in the tank repeatedly. It can be frustrating, especially when you don’t know why it happened!
I know how painful it is to see your Goldfish die for no apparent reason. So you can do nothing but sit next to the aquarium and stare at the dead fish.
So if you are worried, Why did your Gold Fish Die?
Your Goldfish may die unexpectedly due to the following main reasons,
Low oxygen level in the water.
Poor water quality.
Disease.
High / Low water temperature.
Read on to know more about why my Goldfish died suddenly. And what preventions you can do to keep your Goldfish healthy and happy.
Above are the reasons why Goldfish die. Let's have a detailed overview of these reasons.
1Your aquarium is not properly set up:
Setting up an aquarium is easy; however, some people don't know how to set up an aquarium. Ammonia poisoning, often caused in the uncycled aquarium, is one of the biggest causes of the early death of Goldfish. So it would help if you cleaned the aquarium first.
To cycle the aquarium water, you should introduce good bacteria into it. Bacteria prevent toxic water and keep the water safe for your fish. So make sure that before you add Goldfish to the aquarium water, ammonia and nitrate levels are zero.
2Your aquarium is too small:
Does your aquarium have too many goldfishes in it? Do you know an overloaded aquarium is one of the essential causes of goldfish death?
Goldfishes grow to be anywhere between 6 to 12 inches long. Goldfish require a minimum of 20 gallons of water, and an aquarium of this size is suitable only for two Goldfish.
Moreover, when you add too many fishes to your aquarium, there will be more waste. And if your fish pooping rate gets faster than the rate at which the bacteria) breaks it down, water can turn toxic, causing goldfish death.
Additionally, overcrowding fish in the aquarium can cause the Goldfish to suffocate, and they might die soon.
You can check what tank size is best for your Goldfish, referring to its specie.
3You are neglecting aquarium water maintenance:
It would be best to clean the goldfish water aquarium at least once weekly. Preferably, whenever you do the weekly water change, you should clean the aquarium tank. So aside from changing 10 – 15% of aquarium water weekly, you should also wipe down the glass, clean the substrate, scrap away excess algae and clean the tank gravel. You should do deep cleaning of the fish water tank every 6 months.
If you fail to clean the fish tank, the water will be full of toxins like ammonia and nitrate, which puts your fish at risk of dying.
4You are overfeeding your fish:
Overfeeding can be a serious problem and is a common cause of death among Goldfish. The type and amount of food you feed to your Goldfish are important.
However, it is believed that people should only feed a goldfish the amount it can consume in under 2 minutes. Also, feed your Goldfish 2 – 3 times per day.
Overfeeding can cause the Goldfish to become lazy and sick or even lead to death. But it not only affects the health of your fish but also hurts the overall health of the aquarium.
When you overfeed your fish, the extra food starts rotting in the aquarium, which produces ammonia that's toxic to Goldfish.
5Rapid changes in aquarium water:
Any rapid change in the water pH or temperature can shock your Goldfish. There is a lot of temperature difference between the water in the bag (in which you bought the goldfish home) and the water in your aquarium. So whenever you bring a fish to your home, acclimate it before adding it to the aquarium.
Furthermore, when you change the water of your aquarium, keep in mind that the temperature of the water you are adding to the aquarium should not be different from the water already in it. Any change in water temperature you make to the aquarium water should be slow and steady.
Try to keep the Goldfish at a temperature of 68 – 74 Fahrenheit. If the water temperature gets hotter or colder, it can be fatal to Goldfish.
6Poor quality water:
Neglecting water maintenance can result in poor water quality, which leads to various health issues in your Goldfish.
If you don't perform regular water maintenance, fish waste that's very high in ammonia continues to build up in the water tank. The good bacteria in the water tank break down the organic matter and transform it into nitrite, after which another bacterium converts nitrite to nitrate (less toxic). Water changes in an aquarium can remove this nitrate.
But if the ammonia exceeds the number of good bacteria, the process won't be quick enough to kill Goldfish.
That's why changing 20 – 50% of the water in the goldfish aquarium is recommended if you find the Goldfish gasping at the surface.
7Incompatible tank mates
Not all fishes get along!
Most fishes owned by first-time owners are aggressive and may attack other fishes or fight over food. And goldfishes being passive specie, can easily be targeted by semi-aggressive and aggressive fish species.
Being constantly nipped or chased by other fishes can put your Goldfish under stress, and she will likely die soon.
So if you are housing your Goldfish with incompatible tank mates, it can be disastrous. That's why before you buy any other fish must ask about their compatibility to avoid the death rate among your Goldfish.
8Oxygen deprivation in aquarium water:
Just like humans, Goldfish, too, need oxygen to survive, yet the difference is that Goldfish do not draw their oxygen not from the air but the water. If your Goldfish don't get enough oxygen, it might gasp at the surface or stay close to the filter.
Lack of oxygen in the aquarium can be a cause of goldfish death.
A good quality filter creates enough surface agitation to encourage the gas exchange, or you can use an air stone alongside the filter to increase the oxygen level in the tank.
9High Nitrate levels:
Just like humans, Goldfish, too, need oxygen to survive, yet the difference is that Goldfish do not draw their oxygen not from the air but the water. If your Goldfish don't get enough oxygen, it might gasp at the surface or stay close to the filter.
Lack of oxygen in the aquarium can be a cause of goldfish death.
A good quality filter creates enough surface agitation to encourage the gas exchange, or you can use an air stone alongside the filter to increase the oxygen level in the tank.
10Your fish is in shock:
One of the major causes of Goldfish death is stress. Have you ever wondered about the journey of a goldfish from the wild to your aquarium water?
The Goldfish are wild-caught; then they are supposed to make a journey halfway across the world and end up in a small tank in the fish store. The long journeys may stress the Goldfish. And the plastic bag in which you bring it home shaking can just become a killer.
In addition, the poor quality water or other external factors like being close to loud stereo speakers or TV, constantly banging on the glass, etc., can also stress the Goldfish. A stressed goldfish is more prone to illness.
11Your fish is diseased:
Goldfish may die due to poor health. It is also possible that the fish is already sick even before you add it to the aquarium. That's why before you buy any fish, take your time in the store to observe it closely to spot any sign of sickness or poor health.
Try to buy healthy and active fish. Never tempted to offer a home to a sick-looking, bent one hiding in the corner.
Written by
Olivia Moore
Olivia is a freelance writer and pet enthusiast who writes articles on animals to help owners and their pets live their life in the best way. She resides in Australia and is currently doing her master’s degree in wildlife biology. Besides her studies, she has found a new love for working online and writing about animals. She is passionate about creating awareness about pets. Her mission is to write content on their health issues and the best ways to make their pets content. She loves to write about animals of all types but her specialties are dogs, cats, and birds.
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