PearlScale Goldfish Care Guide 101: Size, Diet & All | 2024

By: Martin McAdam
Updated: August 2, 2023

The PearlScale Goldfish is a lovely breed of goldfish with enchanting scales that glimmer in the light. This article will explore everything about PearlScale Goldfish, from their history, to how to care for them and where to get one.

From the different kinds of Pearlscale Goldfish to what is known about their origins, this article is the ultimate resource for any goldfish enthusiast.

Pearlscale Goldfish: Species Summary

Common Name:Pearlscale Goldfish, Ping Pong Goldfish, Golfball Pearlscale
Scientific Name:Carassius auratus
Family:Cyprinidae
Origin:Southern China, Japan, Korea
Temperature:65°F to 72°F
Size:8-10 Inches
Lifespan:10 years
pH Range:6.5-7.5
Water hardness:5-20 dKH
Care Level:Easy to Moderate
Diet:Omnivore

The Pearlscale Goldfish is a relative newcomer to the world of fancy goldfish, even though it has existed in some form since ancient times. This breed’s exact origins are unknown, but they are believed to have developed from either Chinese or Japanese stock.

This breed was first developed in Japan but did not become well-known until the early 1960s when they were brought to America. The Pearlscale Goldfish made quite an impact on the world of goldfish at its introduction because it had such unique scales that made this fish stand out from others.

The Pearlscale Goldfish are pretty well suited to live with other peaceful goldfishes. However, they should not be housed with aggressive or nippy fishes that could harass them by biting at their scales.

They prefer cold freshwater that is well-oxygenated and has a pH between 6.5 to 7.5. These fish are tolerant to a range of water conditions and will likely do well if housed in an aquarium with a wide range of water parameters.

The Pearlscale Goldfish prefers colder water than most other breeds of goldfish, and it thrives best in pools with slightly acidic to neutral water. Most other breeds of goldfish will be unhappy in these conditions, but Pearlscale Goldfish are quite resilient.

They can live in freshwater with various pH levels and water temperatures. The only thing that these fish will not tolerate is brackish or saltwater.

These fish are not listed on the IUCN Red List for Endangered Species

Pearlscale Goldfish: Appearance

The Pearlscale Goldfish has beautiful, shimmering scales that give this fish a glimmering appearance. The scales are formed from smooth cells that grow with the direction of the scales instead of with the regular row-like pattern seen in most other types of goldfish.

Pearlscale Goldfish Appearance

These cells and their orientations create an iridescent effect that adds an elegant appearance to this fish. These scales are the main reason many goldfish keepers prize the Pearlscale Goldfish. The size of these scales can vary depending on the sex of the fish.

Pearlscale Goldfish have round bodies covered with large scales resembling pearls or marbles. The scales protect these fish from predators by helping to hide them in the substrate when they rest on the bottom of an aquarium.

Many people find these fish look strangely like shiny pebbles pulled from a riverbed when resting on the substrate in an aquarium. When Pearlscale Goldfish swim through the water, they have a unique swimming pattern that makes them stand out from other goldfish.

The pearl scales on a Pearlscale Goldfish are found only on the caudal fin and around its head. These scales will grow along with your goldfish and will continue to add to their beauty as they grow. These scales will not lose their shimmering appearance even when the fish is mature,

so your Pearlscale Goldfish will never lose its charm or become less attractive than when you first bought it.

Pearlscale Goldfish are popular because of their large, shimmering scales. These scales are pear-shaped and are composed of smooth cells that grow in the same direction as the scale instead of side-by-side.

Pearlscale Goldfish: Lifespan

The average life span of Pearlscale Goldfish is around ten or fifteen years, although some have been known to live as much as twenty years with proper care.

Pearlscale Goldfish Lifespan

Pearlscale Goldfish: Size And Growth Rate

The average size of a full-grown Pearlscale Goldfish is about eight to ten inches long and may weigh as much as two pounds.

However, most pet stores sell these fish when they are only about an inch long and weigh no more than half an ounce. The maximum size for this breed can be twelve to fourteen inches or even more if the fish is well cared for.

Kinds Of Pearlscale Goldfish

Three different kinds of Pearlscale Goldfish are kept as pets, but they all originate from one ancestor’s breed.

The North American Pearlscale Goldfish is the true pet variety of this fish. It has a rounded body shape with long, flowing fins.

The scales are large and oblong, giving them extra protection from predators when resting on the substrate in an aquarium.

They have big eyes that protrude well beyond their head and give them a perpetually surprised expression.

The Celestial Pearlscale Goldfish is one of the newest breeds of Pearlscale Goldfish and is still relatively rare. These fish have large, bright scales that form a pattern looking like stars in the galaxy when they swim through an aquarium. They also look like constellations when they rest on the substrate.

The Fantail Pearlscale Goldfish is an older breed that has more rounded scales. These fish are relatively new to the world of fancy goldfish, but they are somewhat easier to find in pet stores than Celestial Pearlscale Goldfish. They have long, flowing fins that give them a delicate appearance even though they are sturdy, hardy fish.

Pearlscale Goldfish: Breeding And Reproduction

The only sure way to tell the sex of your Pearlscale Goldfish is by breeding them. The males will have larger and more curved fins than the females, but this method will not work until the fish are mature.

Pearlscale Goldfish Breeding And Reproduction

The males have larger scales than females, but both sexes have huge iridescent scales. As with most other breeds of goldfish, the males also have more extensive and more curved dorsal and anal fins than the females, but the most notable difference in the sexes of this breed is that sexing these fish can be pretty tricky.

These fish are sexually mature by about six months when they are one and a half to two inches long. However, they can be difficult to breed because the parents sometimes eat their young.

It is best to separate any young fry in an aquarium or pond from the adult fish. The female will deposit her eggs on the underside of broad-leaved plants, but if the tank does not contain enough plants for her to deposit all of her eggs, she will scatter them over the entire surface of the water.

The female Pearlscale Goldfish can lay as many as one thousand eggs at a time, spawning about every seven days. It usually takes about twenty-five days for the eggs to hatch and another thirty days for the fry to become free-swimming.

The eggs of a Pearlscale Goldfish will adhere to any surface they touch, including glass, plastic, and broad-leaved plants. This makes removing them from an aquarium difficult without breaking some of them.

Breeding Compatibility

Pearlscale Goldfish can be challenging to breed because the parents sometimes eat their young. In addition, they are smaller than some other types of goldfish and may not be compatible with them in a pond or tank.

The fry can be fed newly hatched brine shrimp or infusoria, but they should also be given fine flake food.

Gestation Period And Pregnancy Symptoms

The gestation period for a Pearlscale Goldfish is about three months. The female can be bred again as soon as she recovers from the birth of her young, at which point her belly will be noticeably bigger.

How Do You Promote Breeding

You can try adding more plants than usual. The eggs of a Pearlscale Goldfish will adhere to any surface they touch, including glass, plastic, and broad-leaved plants. This makes removing them from an aquarium difficult without breaking some of them.

Feeding The Fry

The fry can be fed newly hatched brine shrimp or infusoria, but they should also be given fine flake food. The tank size for the fry will depend on how many are in it. Keep them in a smaller tank with no filtration until they become free-swimming. You can gradually introduce them to larger tanks and more mature fish as they get bigger.

Pearlscale Goldfish: Food & Diet

Pearlscale goldfish are omnivores fish. They can eat a lot of different types of food, but the best kinds are freeze-dried blood worms and tubifex worms. These are not very expensive, and they have lots of nutrients. Goldfish will also eat pellets, but you must ensure you get pellets from a pet store because some have chemicals.

You should feed them about three pellets every other day, and you should not overfeed your goldfish because this can cause them to get sick. This is very important because they will starve if you do this, and it might even kill them if they develop an illness and you do not give them food.

Pearlscale Goldfish: Diet Foods To Avoid

There are a lot of foods that you cannot feed your goldfish, and some of them might surprise you. The worst kinds of food for goldfish include bread, potato chips, crackers, candy, chocolate, spinach, lettuce leaves, salami, onions, grapes, and strawberries.

If you have an aquarium with other fish in it, then you cannot feed your goldfish beef, pork, chicken, and cheese. These foods could make other fish sick, so avoiding feeding them to your goldfish is best.

Pearlscale Goldfish: Behavior & Temperament

Pearlscale Goldfish are easily distinguishable from other types of goldfish because their scales protrude like pearls. They also require different care than other types of goldfish and need more plants in the tank for spawning and cover.

Pearlscale Goldfish are not easily kept with fish that are bigger than them because they will become food for the larger fish.

They can be difficult to breed because the parents sometimes eat their young. In addition, they are smaller than some other types of goldfish and may not be compatible with them in a pond or tank.

If you plan to breed them, keeping Pearlscale Goldfish together in a tank without any other fish is best.

Pearlscale Goldfish: Care

One of the best things about this breed is that they are easy to care for and tolerant of environmental changes. These fish are very hardy and can live in most ponds with slightly acidic to neutral water, but they will be happiest when kept in pools with slightly acidic to neutral water.

Tank Size

When goldfish are tiny, they can live in a tank as small as one gallon. However, you should contact them for a larger tank to ensure you get the maximum growth out of your goldfish.

The best thing about goldfish is their ability to adapt to any environment. This means they will not have a problem living in a small tank for their entire lives. However, it would help if you tried to give them as much space as possible.

The minimum size of the aquarium for goldfish is 10 gallons. This may not be big enough for some goldfish, but it can work well if your fish are Pearlscale Goldfish. Your fish will enjoy having a lot of rocks and plants in their tank. This will give them a sense of security and privacy.

Tank Region

Goldfish are fish enjoying plenty of room to move around in their tank. An ideal goldfish tank should have different regions so the fish can choose where to swim depending on what they feel like doing.

You will want to provide your Pearlscale Goldfish with a region by the tank’s glass because they enjoy swimming near the glass where they can feel like they are part of their surroundings.

They also love to swim through plants and rocks, so you should provide them with a region with some plants and stones in their tank.

You should try to create different regions in your goldfish tank that will allow your fish to explore more during each day. This will give them a sense of security and space like the kind they would enjoy living in the wild.

Placement

For your fish to have a balanced environment, you should not put their tank in direct sunlight because it will make the water temperature rise too much.

In addition, keep their tank away from speakers because the sound from your speakers will be disturbing.

You should also keep their tank away from drafts because it may cause your fish to catch a cold or get sick. In addition, try not to put your fish tank near any outside doors or windows because it is likely that they will fall and hurt themselves on these surfaces.

Tank Decorations

One of the best types of decorations for your fish tank should be live plants because they provide oxygen to the water, making it healthier. There are also other types of decorations that you can add, such as rocks and fake plants.

To successfully create different regions in your goldfish tank, you should add some plants and rocks to the bottom of their tank. These decorations will allow your fish to hide behind them whenever they feel like doing so.

Adding several tall plants may also be a good idea because they give your fish great climbing opportunities.

You should also add a cave in their tank made from clay or another material because this will give your fish a place to hide when they feel scared. Plus, if you have multiple fish living in the same tank, one may hide in there while the others swim around out in the open.

If you make a mistake and pick fake plants instead of real ones, remember that fake plants will likely cause problems because they will not live.

Fake plants do not provide your fish with oxygen like natural plants do, so they must swim around them to get enough oxygen in the tank. Make sure you think about this before picking out decorations for your goldfish tank.

Filter

It would help if you never forgot this because bacteria can provide your fish with oxygen. However, the wrong kind of bacteria may make your fish sick, so it is best to pick out a filter for your goldfish tank carefully.

The best way to ensure you eliminate all the wrong kinds of bacteria is by getting an extra bio-wheel or two for your filter. Providing your filter with an extra bio-wheel will effectively increase the good bacteria it contains.

You may also want to consider getting a canister filter instead of an internal or hang-on one because they tend to contain more oxygen than other types of filters. This is because they are generally larger and provide more surface area for the oxygen that they create to occur.

In addition to this, you should also get a filter with a larger tank because it will provide your fish with more space and oxygen. If you have a smaller filter on a large tank, your water will contain less oxygen than a large filter in a small tank. However, remember that if your tank is too large, you must replace the water more often.

Filter Socks

Filter socks are essential to any filter system, including internal ones. You can place mesh pouches inside the filter to catch any extra food or other items that may fall into your tank.

Remember that goldfish are not the most intelligent fish when hungry; sometimes, they bite at pieces of food even when their bellies are full. This can cause them to become sick if the uneaten food that they do not eat is stuck in their tank or their filter system.

This will clog up your filter and cause it to clean the water improperly because there may be too many items in it, so you will need to get rid of them. That’s why you should purchase at least one.

Cleaning Tips

One of the most important things you should know about cleaning your goldfish’s tank is that it does not necessarily mean getting rid of all the water and then putting new water back into your fish tank. This may be a good idea in some cases, but not all.

It would be best if you used a siphon to clean your goldfish’s tank by removing all the uneaten food and other items that may be sitting at the bottom of their tank. In addition, if you have gravel covering the bottom of your tank, you can use a siphon to suck it out because this will make your water much cleaner.

However, if you decide to get rid of all the old water in your tank and replace it with new water, make sure that you thoroughly clean the tank before adding them back in because this may stress them out due to the different temperatures.

Heater

Goldfish need a heater because they come from relatively warm regions. You will not want to place your fish in a tank without a heater because they may become sick.

The best water temperature for goldfish is between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit, so you should keep your tank at if you plan on keeping them very healthy.

In addition to this, do not buy a heater that is too strong because you do not want the temperature in your goldfish’s tank to rise above 75 degrees Fahrenheit. If it gets very hot in their tank, they may become sick and even die if the temperature is extremely high for long periods.

Following are the suggested heaters for this fish:

  • Ebo Jager Heater: The Ebo Jager is a submersible aquarium heater that can provide your tank with the correct water temperature. At only around $20, this is one of the most affordable heaters on the market and will not damage your goldfish’s tank.
  • Aqueon Aquarium Heater: This is another heater you may want to consider for your goldfish tank. Like the Ebo Jager, it is submersible and can provide your fish with the correct water temperature. However, it only costs around $30, so it will not break your budget.

Lighting

If your goldfish is in a covered fish tank, you will not need to worry about providing them with lighting because they will be safe. However, if they are in an open fish tank or bowl, you should place a light at the top to ensure they can see when the sun goes down.

Keeping your goldfish in a covered tank will usually keep them safe from predators, but they cannot see when the sun goes down and may become scared. Light at the top of their tank will ensure they can see what is happening around them, even after the sun has gone down.

Water Changes

It would be best if you cleaned your goldfish tank by removing all the water and completely replacing it with new water. This will not only keep their tank very clean, but it will also help to eliminate any harmful chemicals that could be building up in their environment.

However, you do not want to replace all the water every time you clean out their tank. It is important to replace around 25% of their water every week to ensure your fish are healthy and happy.

When you are replacing the water, be very careful because it can be easy for them to escape from your fish tank if you are not detailed enough. Before you do this, make sure that all of your fish are accounted for because you do not want to lose any goldfish.

Gravel Vacuuming

Make sure that you vacuum the gravel at the bottom of your goldfish’s tank now and then because this will remove any uneaten food or other items from their environment. You should also clean out all of the water and replace it with new water to ensure that your tank is free of harmful chemicals.

However, if you decide to get rid of all the water and replace it with new water, make sure that you thoroughly clean your fish tank out before putting them back in. Fresh water will usually have a different temperature than the old water, and this could stress your fish out if their environment is not cleaned first.

Substrate

If your goldfish’s tank has a dark substrate (i.e., gravel) covering the bottom of it, make sure that you vacuum it now and then to make sure that their environment is spotless.

However, if they are kept in an open fishbowl or tank, you should not worry about vacuuming their substrate because it can be hard to clean and should just be left alone.

Water pH Level

Water with a pH level of 7.0 or above will gradually dissolve goldfish’s scales and eventually cause them to die, so ensure you have this checked now and then. If your fish tank has a low pH level, you should buy some additives from a pet shop that will raise the water’s pH again.

If your water does not have a high pH level, but you do not want to purchase additives, then you can raise it yourself. You should buy some gravel from a pet shop which will increase the pH levels and make sure that your fish stay healthy and happy.

Organic Matter

Goldfish produce a lot of organic matter, making their environment very dirty. This can harm other fish if kept in a tank together because it will cause oxygen levels to drop and carbon dioxide to increase dramatically.

You should remove all uneaten food, feces, and other organic matter from your goldfish’s environment every day or two to ensure their environment stays clean and healthy.

If you remove all of this organic matter from their environment every day, then you should not worry about changing the water because it will keep your fish tank clean. However, if you do not change the water for a few days or more, you should start taking some out and replacing it with new water to ensure they have clean water to swim in.

Water Temperature And Water Hardness

Goldfish like water that is between 65°F to 72°F. If the water temperature in their fish tank is too low, they can get sick or even die because it will cause them to become cold.

Water Hardness is based on the concentration of dissolved calcium and magnesium in your fish tank, which is usually measured with a device known as a “TDS meter.”

The water hardness levels should ideally be between 200 and 300 ppm. If they exceed this limit, you should consider getting some additives from a pet shop to ensure your goldfish stay healthy.

Goldfish should ideally be kept in water that has a minimum of 200 ppm, but they can still live in lower levels if you buy some additives from a pet shop that will keep them healthy. However, if the temperature of their fish tank is too high, you should get a thermometer from a pet shop and check how warm it is.

Cleaning The Tank

It would be best to clean the tank to keep your goldfish alive because it is very stressful. However, you should change some water every week or two if you do not want to clean their fish tank. You can usually tell whether or not you need to clean your goldfish’s environment out if it smells dirty and awful.

If you do need to clean your goldfish’s environment, then you should get a siphon from a pet shop. You should fill the cleaning container with some of their water and then suck out some of their gravel or substrate into this container.

Make sure you only remove 25% – 50% of their substrate because their environment will become very dirty if you remove too much.

To replace the gravel you took out, you should purchase some water at the same temperature as their environment and mix it with some de-chlorinated water. Make sure that the gravel is completely dry before you put it back into their fish tank because this will help to keep your goldfish healthy.

You might need to use some special gravel cleaners to ensure the substrate is completely clean after you have taken it out of the fish tank, but make sure to rinse all of these products well before putting them back into your fish tank.

Goldfish produce a lot of waste because they are constantly eating and pooping, which can cause their water to become very dirty if it is not changed now and then.

If you do not change the water in their environment, then this will put your goldfish at risk for contracting some diseases or getting sick from the

Ammonia Levels

Ammonia is a waste product that your goldfish release because they eat and poop a lot. It will cause their environment to smell bad if you do not change the water regularly. You can usually tell whether or not your fish tank needs some new water by looking at its color of it and odor.

Filters are often used to help remove ammonia and waste products from your goldfish’s environment, but they are unnecessary.

If you decide to use a filter, it is best to purchase one that contains easy access points made of mesh or has very large spaces between the slats. Always follow the directions on how to set up the filter correctly because these things can easily crack and cause your goldfish to become sick.

Oxygen Levels

Goldfish need to breathe air from the surface of their fish tank, so if there is not enough oxygen in your water, they can become very stressed and sick. If you notice that your goldfish are at the surface of their environment gulping for air, then this might indicate that their oxygen levels are too low.

You can check the oxygen levels in your goldfish’s environment by purchasing a special testing kit from a pet store or aquarium. It would be best if you emptied some of their water into a container then put it into this test kit to check whether or not there is enough of this gas in it.

If you do need to add more oxygen to their environment, then you can purchase an aerator from a pet store or aquarium. They are straightforward to use, and will quickly increase the amount of oxygen in your goldfish’s environment.

Nitrates And Nitrites Level

Nitrite and nitrate are waste products your goldfish release when they eat and poop. They will make the water in their fish tank very dirty if you do not change it regularly, which can cause them to become sick.

If you test the levels of nitrates and nitrites in your goldfish’s environment and find that they are too high, you should immediately change some of their water.

These chemicals are very toxic to your goldfish, so if the levels are too high in their environment, then they may die. Some fish owners test this by dipping a white or clear object into their fish tank that contains no color because it will turn blue when there is nitrate or nitrite.

If this happens, then you should immediately change some of the water in their environment and make sure that you clean out all of their equipment, like filters, because they might be contaminated with these chemicals as well.

Protein Skimmer

A protein skimmer is a device that you can use to remove the dissolved organic compounds from your goldfish’s environment.

They are very helpful because they will reduce the number of waste products in their water so that they are not at risk for contracting diseases or getting sick.

You can purchase these devices from pet stores or aquariums, and they have a pump connected to them that will create bubbles when it is in the water.

The dissolved organic compounds in their environment attach themselves to these bubbles and rise to the top of your fish tank which makes them very easy for you to siphon off with a plastic tube.

If you use one of these protein skimmers, you should use a plastic tube to siphon the waste materials instead of a net. These nets can easily catch your goldfish and cause them harm, so make sure you do not use anything like this in their environment.

What About Freshwater Aquarium Plants?

Goldfish can eat some plants, but you should not feed them live aquarium plants. They can eat things like moss and clover, and they might try to get at the other plants in your tank. If they do this, it will leave your aquascape a little bare because all the leaves will be gone.

This is why you should put the plant in the middle of the tank. The fish will eat it, and this leaves your other plants unharmed. You might not be able to use this trick without a single goldfish, though because it could jump out. Removing it from the tank before putting any plants in there would be best.

Pearlscale Goldfish: Tank Mates

Pearlscale Goldfish are best kept as single fish because they have territorial tendencies. They may threaten smaller fish that come too close to them, so it is best not to put them with other types of goldfish.

In addition, you should avoid keeping them with slow-moving fish that swim at the bottom of their tank because these fish are easy prey for goldfish. It is best to keep Pearlscale Goldfish alone in a tank without any other fish.

However, if they have been introduced to each other from a young age, they may not pose a threat to different types of fish. If you are keeping Pearlscale Goldfish with other types of fish, be on the lookout for bullying behavior.

Friendly Fishes for Pearlscale Goldfish are:

  • Tetras: Tetra fish are very friendly to other fish. They are also active during the day, meaning these types of fish make good tank mates for Pearlscale Goldfish. You will be able to observe them at their best while you watch them swim around in their tank, and they will feel less stressed out if they have other fish to spend time with.
  • Snails: Snails are a good pet for goldfish because they do not require much attention. In addition, they will help keep your tank clean by eating up all the extra food and algae in your tank. Snails may be bothersome types of fish, but Pearlscale Goldfish are usually fine with snails in their tank.
  • Cory Catfish: Cory catfish is another type that will not bother your Pearlscale Goldfish. However, they may threaten smaller fish like guppies and mollies because they like to eat up all the food in the aquarium. It is best to keep cory catfish with other types of fish that are too big to eat.
  • Otocinclus Catfish: These types of fish are good at removing uneaten food from the tank, so they will help keep your Pearlscale Goldfish healthy by eating up all their extra food.”

Are Pearlscale Goldfish nocturnal?

Pearlscale Goldfish are diurnal, meaning that they are active during the day. Goldfish, in general, are considered to be daily fish. Since they come from the temperate parts of Asia, where summer days are bright and sunny, goldfish are active during the day.

How Are Pearlscale Goldfish Different From Other Goldfish?

Pearlscale Goldfish are easily distinguishable from other types of goldfish. Their scales protrude like pearls and have a slower growth rate than most other types of goldfish.
They also require different care than other types of goldfish. They need more plants in the tank for spawning and to provide cover, compared to other goldfish types.
They are not easily kept with fish that are bigger than them because they will become food for the larger fish. However, you can keep Pearlscale Goldfish with smaller tank mates if they are introduced to the tank simultaneously.

Is it difficult to breed Pearlscale Goldfish?

Pearlscale Goldfish are not the easiest to breed, and they will eat their fry. So it is best to separate the young fry from the adult fish in an aquarium or pond.

Advantages Of Having Pearlscale Goldfish In Your Tank

  • They are beautiful: If you like goldfish, they will bring color to your tank. They come in many colors and have long-flowing fins that add to their beauty.
  • You can see them up close: Because they are social fish, you can observe them up close. This is especially true if you put a mirror on the inside of your tank so that they can look at themselves.
  • They are active: Goldfish are highly functional, and you will often see them swimming around if you watch them closely. This means that they provide more entertainment than some other fish, and it is also possible for you to play with them too.
  • You can have babies: If you want to breed goldfish, they are very easy to care for. They will happily breed in your tank; the best part is that you do not need a bigger tank. You can keep their fry in your regular tank with your other goldfish, which means it is easier to feed them too.
  • You can use them for bait: Goldfish are often used as bait because they are hardy, making it possible for you to catch other fish. If you want to be more eco-friendly, you could release your goldfish, but if you do not care about the environment, this is an excellent way of catching other fish.
  • They are friendly: Goldfish are very social, and they will happily swim up to you if you go near the tank. This makes it easy for you to interact with them, and while some other types of fish might bite at your fingers, this is not true for goldfish.
  • You can have more than one: Goldfish will happily live with other goldfish, and they do not mind if their tank mates are bigger or smaller than them. They also provide more entertainment because they will eat food from your hands, and they might even follow you around the place.
  • You can put plants in their tank: Goldfish will happily eat live plants, so you can put them in your tank without worrying about dying. On the other hand, it might be challenging to keep fake plants alive because goldfish are very messy fish.

Disadvantages Of Having Pearlscale Goldfish In Your Tank

  • They are messy: Goldfish produce more waste than other types of fish, making it difficult for you to keep the water clean. Even though they are hardy fish, strong filters can still remove some of their waste, but there is only so much that your filters can do.
  • They eat plants: If you want to put plants in their tank, then you should ensure there are no goldfish because they will happily eat live plants.
  • They can get too big: Goldfish are very hardy, but some of them might still grow to be almost 20 inches long! This means that you need a really large tank if you want to keep multiple goldfish, and it also means that you cannot keep them in small tanks.
  • They are sensitive to cold temperatures: Even though they are hardy fish, goldfish are still sensitive to the cold. This means that you should not get your tank colder than 64 degrees Fahrenheit, and it also means that your aquarium heater can never be set below 78 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • You need a filter: Goldfish produce a lot of waste, and the water in their tank will quickly become dirty. This means that you must have a filter to clean their tank every day, and when you buy your filter, make sure that it is big enough for your fish.
  • Fish lice can infest them: Goldfish are often infested by fish lice, which means you will have to get rid of them. You can do this by adding salt to your tank, but you should only add enough salt that is safe for the fish.
  • They need a lot of food: Goldfish must be fed twice a day, and if not, they will start eating each other. They are carnivores, so they need meat to survive, so you have to buy special food for them.

Conclusion

These goldfish are still relatively new to the world of fancy goldfish, but they have evolved into a prevalent breed. Today these fish can be found in many pet stores and aquariums because of their low cost and ease of care.

They come in all colors, like white, orange, red, yellow, and black! Anyone who loves goldfish would love to have one of these beauties in their tank. Goldfish are a perfect pet for beginners, but they can grow very fast, and you should be prepared to buy a bigger tank if necessary.

Goldfish are very hardy fish, and they can survive in almost any type of freshwater tank. Even though they have some disadvantages, the pros do outweigh the cons. So if you want a beautiful pet, buy some goldfish, but ensure you have enough room for them!

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