In today’s highly stressful environment, most people find reprieve from everyday pressure through their pets. However, pet care can also have challenges of its own, food expenses, daily maintenance, and healthcare. Now how about goldfishes?
Things to Keep in Mind While Buying Goldfish
The cost to buy a pet fish is not that high compared to other mammalian type pets. Their maintenance is relatively low-key if set up properly, they don’t take up that much space, and they won’t mess up your carpet or sofa. Most goldfish owners find watching them as they swim along with their fish bowls or aquariums quite therapeutic, some would even go as far as claiming that having certain types of fish like Koi bring in luck into their lives.
Of course when buying a pet fish, you have to keep in mind that your potential new pet needs a new home- this new home consists mainly of water and that in itself might give you a little bit of challenge getting used to its maintenance- but this, like any challenge, will only be a struggle at the start. Once you fall into a routine, it should become easier and eventually be seamlessly sewn into your daily routine. Aside from that, it will also need food. Now the food part and feeding are not that hard compared to people who chose to have tigers and giant snakes as pets, but how often you feed them will take a lot more restraint which we will discuss later on.
So if you think that goldfishes are a perfect match for you then let’s get you started. First, how much does a goldfish cost? Goldfishes are a freshwater variety which makes them far easier to maintain at home compared to saltwater varieties. Like I said, there’s the aquarium’s water maintenance, the food, there’s also medicine for those unfortunate occasions that they get sick, but aside from those you just got your self a real pet that can perhaps comfort you when you need that calm and respite from the world.
Average Price Of Goldfish
Goldfish price can vary according to the size you want your actual pets will be when you start off. Some would prefer to start them young in order for them to get used to a new home faster. Their prices range from one dollar to thirty dollars per fish. These goldfish can vary, there are about twelve to fifteen common types of goldfishes. However there is a total of three hundred breeds of goldfish accounted worldwide, some more rare and exotic than the next. Aside from goldfish, you can also check out other popular small varieties like Betta fishes that cost from four dollars to ten dollars per fish, Guppies for three to four dollars each, and Angel fish for five to twenty-five dollars each. You can visit your local pet store or nearby freshwater farms to see which of these varieties they have or check out listings online for breeders who might offer better deals on goldfish price.
Fantail Goldfish:
Red (sizes) 3inches – 6inches- $1- $16.92
Calico (sizes) 3inches-6inches- $3- $29.91
Sarasa and Shubunkins (sizes) 3inches to 7inches- $1.77-$16.00
Comets (sizes) 3 inches- 5 inches- $1-$3.06
*Prices sourced from Freshwater Farms of Ohio, www.fwfarms.com
Cost of Fish Bowl or Aquarium Set
Fish Bowl – You would also want to check out their potential new homes. You can start with fish bowls that can range from $6- $13. If you can commit to changing the water of your fish bowl on a daily basis, these fishbowls can work. Remember that it is essential for your new pet to have clean water to swim on daily, but if you can’t be bothered to do that every day, a little more cash can go a long way. Aquaculture starter packs are available on Walmart, these will already include a built-in pump to help maintain the water for longer periods of time. These will also include gravel and décor. These basic sets can cost from $10- $20.
Aquarium Set – Some people might want to go in big and get a full aquaculture aquarium set (sophisticated pump and filter included) which can ramp up your total cost to buy a goldfish for up to $150 or more depending on how complex and fancy you want their new homes to be. Aside from local pet stores, you can also check out Amazon.com for small fishbowls and aquaculture sets. Checking out speciality online stores that professionally cater to marine life hobbies would be best if you want to get that pimped up aquarium that would not only be your new pet’s awesome crib but would surely be a conversation piece among you and your friends. You can check out marinelife.com and petsmart.com, they carry aquarium types that can vary from $16 to $600.
GoldFish Food Expense and Tips
Goldfish food comes in the form of pellets, or flakes. Walmart carries varieties that range from $2 up to $10 a pack. It depends if you want their food fortified with all sorts of vitamins. But honestly speaking, I think they wouldn’t really mind the $2 packs given that they are, well you know, goldfish.
What’s crucial though is the frequency of feeding that pet owners do. It is not unusual to actually sit in front of their bowls or aquariums and get carried away throwing those pellets into the water only to see those little critters hurry up to the surface to catch a bite. However fun this might seem, overfeeding can potentially kill your beloved pets, 
especially if you are taking care of one guy in a tiny bowl. Goldfish like any other living creature eat and eventually get rid of food waste naturally, and these go into their water. The more you feed them unnecessarily, the more you help them dirty the surrounding- this is why feeding and maintenance of their bowls’ and aquariums’ water is a fine-tuning cycle that every fish owner needs to undergo lest you want that heartbreak of seeing your dear pet floating lifeless on their bowls.
What expert goldfish owners suggest is that you should feed them systematically, assign certain times of the day and avoid feeding them outside of those time windows, that way you and your pet get used to this routine and it will eventually become clockwork.
What’s Your Take?
After all that is said and done, is the cost to buy a goldfish worth the initial trouble of setting them up? I at one point had goldfish for pets myself- I went full on: the big aquarium, 5 fish all at once, décor that included a fake fiberglass bridge that really didn’t make much sense underwater now that I’ve come to think of it, but I think the best part was always just watching them as they go about their business every day and guess what, they won’t judge you back. I would call them names depending on their body spots or how heavy they’ve become, and they really wouldn’t mind. I loved it while it lasted, I probably spent about $30 all in all for the tank, food, and those critters and I say it was definitely worth it.