Life expectancy of goldfish: how old do they get in a pond?

If you want to decide on a garden pond with goldfish, you should consider various points. Above all, the old age that such a relatively small fish can reach should be in the foreground. During this time he must be cherished and cared for, because it is the decision for a living being. Everything about the age of goldfish and how they live long has been summarized in the following article.

Average age

Goldfish, despite their relatively small size, can live to be very old. As a rule, they can live up to 25 years. Unfortunately, however, many goldfish keepers do not worry about this when purchasing one. The fish in the pond are often left to their own devices and then usually do not get older than five or six years. This short life expectancy is due to many different factors, such as incorrect food, overfeeding, incorrect wintering or natural enemies for the goldfish. But all these factors can be influenced with the right care, so that every goldfish can have a life expectancy of 25 years and more.

Recognize age

The age of goldfish is difficult or impossible to estimate. Above all, the size of an animal says nothing about its age. Because a goldfish only grows as far as its habitat allows it. In other words, if the pond is very small, the fish will also remain quite small. As soon as they get more space, they also start to grow quickly. The color has nothing to do with age either. This can only be determined as follows:

  • about the scales
  • behave similarly to annual rings on trees
  • only visible under the microscope
  • a lot of stress for the goldfish
Tip: If the fish are kept in their own breeding facility, then the age can be traced here from birth.

Ideal garden pond

In order for the goldfish to reach their life expectancy, you need the right living conditions. This means that the garden pond that has been created must be ideal. In this way, old age can also be influenced. The following prerequisites should be correct:

  • about a third of the pond in the shade
  • never intense sunlight
  • Water lilies bring shade
  • Sun increases water temperature
  • The sun promotes the formation of algae
  • both unfavorable for the goldfish
  • Garden pond deep enough
  • then goldfish can find a comfort zone
  • natural reason to “grumble”
  • not too many fish in the pond

Goldfish prefer a temperature of 20 ° degrees, but they can live well at temperatures between 4 ° and 30 °.

Insert the chuck correctly

Goldfish do not necessarily have to be fed. If a large, natural garden pond is created, feeding is usually not necessary. It is also important that you give the right food, because the wrong diet can also damage the goldfish and ultimately die. Bread, for example, is not recommended at all, as it puffs up in the fish’s stomach and can cause digestive problems. The following should be observed in healthy feeding:

  • Spezialfutter in Pelletform
  • freeze-dried small animals
  • Sticks
  • a colorful mix of everything makes sense
  • do not feed in winter
  • Goldfish hibernate

Protection against predators

If there are outdoor cats in the area, for example from neighbors, then you should definitely protect the pond here. Because cats like to hunt the goldfish in the pond. Those who live outside the city should also watch out for birds that like to help themselves to the goldfish in the garden pond, such as a heron or a stork. The garden pond can be protected from these predators as follows:

  • Net over water surface
  • protects against birds
  • simple pond fence
  • Electrosaun
  • natural cat protection made from odor-intensive plants
Note: Some of the protective measures can also be helpful if children live nearby who could otherwise fall into the garden pond.

wintering

If the garden pond is more than 1.50 meters deep, then these are the ideal conditions for wintering. Goldfish can tolerate cold temperatures, but they have to be able to retreat to the bottom of the pond in order to become frozen in winter. Leaving the goldfish outside in winter is less stressful for the animals than if they were relocated to an aquarium before winter. For the longer life expectancy of the goldfish, wintering should look like this:

  • a piece of the water surface must remain free of ice
  • this is how oxygen gets into the water
  • Put the float on the surface of the water
  • Koi balls also prevent freezing
  • do not feed
  • from a temperature of 8 ° Celsius
  • Fish should live in the pond for at least 6 months

Conclusion
With the appropriate precautions, the life expectancy of the goldfish in your own garden pond can be well influenced. If the fish get the full attention and care they need, they can reach a very old age of 25 years and sometimes even more. But this requires some measures to protect against other animals, such as cats or birds, which like to hunt the goldfish.

Kira Bellingham

I'm a homes writer and editor with more than 20 years' experience in publishing. I have worked across many titles, including Ideal Home and, of course, Homes & Gardens. My day job is as Chief Group Sub Editor across the homes and interiors titles in the group. This has given me broad experience in interiors advice on just about every subject. I'm obsessed with interiors and delighted to be part of the Homes & Gardens team.

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