Goldfish Tail Care

Let’s face it, the tail is the crowning glory of your pet goldfish so goldfish tail care is important not only to keep your fish looking good, but also for his health. Just like any fish, your goldfish uses his tail to swim and steer himself in the tank. A missing or damaged tail could impair you fishes ability to get food or swim away from another fish that is bothering it.

Many types of goldfish have long flowing tails that are quite tempting to certain other types of fish. Angelfish, some Bettas and even other goldfish might nip at your fish’s tail. This can cause an invitation for bacteria to set in and disease that will rot the tail away. Therefore, you want to be careful what fish you put into your goldfish tank!

Perhaps the most common cause of goldfish tail damage is “tail rot”. This is a bacterial infection that sets in at a weak point on the tail. The bacteria that cause this infections are always present in every fish tank but they will only adversely affect your fish if the fish is stressed out due to poor water quality or when there is an injury to the tail.

If you notice frayed fins and reddish streaks or pink areas on the tail of your goldfish it’s a good bet that he has tail rot! You must seek treatment right away because if you let it go too long it can cause a fungal infection that will be much harder to cure. Luckily, there are treatment available which you can usually find at your local pet or aquarium supply store.

Another thing that can cause damage to your goldfish tail is if the water balance is off. You should be checking the levels of pH, ammonia and nitrates in your tank on a weekly basis and take the appropriate action if you see that any of these levels are off. If the levels of these are off, that tail on your goldfish can erode.

Of course, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, so the best thing you can do is make sure your tank water is clear and clean. Goldfish are really quite dirty fish and produce a lot of waste so partial water changes monthly are a must. Also, you want to make sure that you do not overcrowd the tank as this can cause poor water quality and also stress out your fish. The general rule of thumb is 1 inch of fish for every 5 gallons of water.

You should make it a point to take a look at your goldfish tail every day to inspect it for any signs of erosion, damage or bacterial infection. Take action as soon as you spot something is wrong and your goldfish will have a beautiful and healthy tail for many years.