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Goldfish care: what a family needs to know

Ask your vet about your own pet. This page is general information from the sources below.

Goldfish care, from RSPCA and others on this page. RSPCA says goldfish are often thought to stay about 12 cm long, yet some grow over 30 cm. RSPCA warns that goldfish grow bigger and live longer than many people expect, some past 30 cm, so they are a long job. CDC says children younger than 5 should not clean or handle aquarium items.

Checked October 29, 2026.

By Peabody editors. How we write and check.

How long they live

RSPCA says people often think goldfish live about five years, but they can live up to 25 years.

Home

RSPCA says bowls are not suitable and each goldfish needs at least 60 litres of water. Goldfish like 10 to 21 degrees C, so a heater is usually not needed. The tank needs a well set-up filter, and ammonia and nitrite should both read zero when tested every two weeks.

Food

Use food made for goldfish, not tropical flakes. RSPCA lists chopped vegetables such as peas and spinach, with water fleas or brine shrimp only in small amounts. Feed what they finish in two to five minutes; too little is safer than too much.

Company

RSPCA says goldfish don't need other fish and can live alone. Don't mix slim single-tailed types with slower twin-tailed fancy types, because the slow ones miss out on food.

Is it a good pet for children?

RSPCA warns that goldfish grow bigger and live longer than many people expect, some past 30 cm, so they are a long job. CDC says children younger than 5 should not clean or handle aquarium items. A grown-up must run the filter and test the water.

Washing hands

Wash hands with soap and running water before and after touching the fish or tank gear and after cleaning the tank. CDC suggests dumping tank water in a bathtub, laundry sink or outside, not the kitchen sink.

The vet

RSPCA says healthy fish swim easily with no split fins, white spots or sores; ask a vet who knows fish if you are worried.

Good to know

RSPCA says goldfish are often thought to stay about 12 cm long, yet some grow over 30 cm.

A job for the children

With a grown-up, sprinkle the right amount of goldfish food and help chop a bit of pea or spinach as a treat.

"A grown-up is the real carer for goldfishs. Our job is the small, steady part."

Every pet is different, and this is general information from the sources below, not veterinary advice. For a sick or hurt pet, call a vet who knows this kind of animal.

Sources