We still have half a dozen goldfish that were won at the "fair" 10years ago! and they are still going strong! - although i now breed Discus!

A tank is the best way to keep them, i say "them" because as Carp they are a shoal fish, an easy calculation to use is 1" of fish to 1" of tank length, therfore the commenest standard sized tank (36x12x15/18) will comfortably hold upto 10 3"fish (measured from snout tip to tail fork).

Change about 10% of water volume at each change only, (keeps bacterial levels fairly stable), use a gravel-syphon to clean gravel at same time as removing water.

The two commonest types of filter are air-pump powered bubble-box or under gravel uplift - i dont recommend either of these two methods, or electric internal power filter such as the fluval range, for a 3ft tank use either 2x fluval 2`s (best) or 1 x fuval 3.

Dont try to grow real plants if you are using air powered filtration, plants dont like it, and will tend to die and encourage an algae plague!! ;-(

until you get familiarised with keeping fish keep it simple! - artificial plants can look good! and are easy to remove and clean.

Lighting, use an ordinary 2ft aqarium flourescent (on a timer) if using only artificial plants/decor, or 2x 3ft growlux type tubes if real plants.

finally remember - you dont keep the fish! you keep the water! (you will need to buy and use test kits to test for Nitrite and Nitrate levels, Nitrite is byproduct of the fish waste (ammonia) and is deadly to fish, Nitrate is safer but in high levels can be just as deadly, however plants can utilise it as food!) keep that right and the fish will flourish! and they`re better to watch than the telly!

p.s tip!!

Lumps of coal used as decorative rocks also look very nice in a tank, and as carbon will help to mop up toxins to a degree, however you will need to change them at least once a year!

As Billy rightly implies, it's quite a commitment - and as your children are too young to do more than help, you and your other half will be the ones doing the work. I think you either have to get a tank etc. and more fish or find a friend with a pond.

We had them for several years and the worst bit is cleaning out the tank.

Just keep putting off he investment in a tank and extras. As soon as you buy a tank the fish will die. You are then into a spiral of spending to get replacements to support the spending on the tank.

Get a cat and leave the lunch in the pyrex dish on the kitchen table. Further education of the kids that life is a terminal condition.

Edited by pmh3 on 15/05/2010 at 20:57