My goldfish is slowly losing its gold color why is this?

Answer

Color changes in goldfish are more common. Especially gold-colored comet tails (the “normal” goldfish) sometimes discolor to white or yellow. One of the most obvious reasons is that the goldfish is kept indoors and does not receive direct sunlight. Without direct sunlight, the dye on the skin may disappear. However, discoloration can also indicate a disease, so you should check a few things:

* Is the water quality good? You can measure this (or have your parents measure this) with tests that you can buy in the store. Always provide a goldfish with a water filter and some plants (real, not plastic) and make sure that it has enough space to swim around. Do not put a goldfish in a bowl! One goldfish needs at least 40 liters of water, if you have more you should of course also have a larger aquarium. Also change part of the water at least once a week (about 1/3).
* Do the scales that are discolored look normal? So no swelling/dents compared to the other scales? Otherwise, have your parents check the fish.
*Is the fish normal? Does he eat enough, does he swim around happily? If he acts weird, he could be sick.

You can also give your fish special food that provides extra color, you can buy this in the pet store. Goldfish also really like oranges! Cut off a small (very small!) piece, tie it to a rock with a rope so it sinks and your goldfish will love it! You can give such a small piece once a week. Peas (boiled, frozen or fresh) are also very healthy for a goldfish. Your fish can certainly get 1 or 2 peas every week.

Also take a look at this site to read more about keeping a cold water aquarium, it’s not as simple as some people think, if you want to keep your fish healthy of course:
http://users.pandora.be/het_zoetwateraquarium/Koudwater%20aquarium.htm

Thank you for your question!

Ann