There are fish and then there are goldfish, the most popular choice for an aquarium. Goldfish are loved for their beauty, elegant movements, and most of all for the fact that they are one of the easiest to maintain fish.
For an amateur fish enthusiast, a goldfish is a perfect choice to start a marine world. There are quite a large number of goldfish one can choose from and one of them is the Wakin goldfish.
Origin
Wakin goldfish is a variety of twin-tailed goldfish that originated from Japan. It is believed that other exotic varieties of twin-tailed goldfish like the Ranchu, Oranda, Pearlscale, Fantail, and a few other type of goldfish developed from the Wakin.
There are primarily two kinds of goldfish: lean goldfish and fancy goldfish. Wakin is a lean-body-type goldfish and is one of the rarest kinds. Their streamlined bodies make them fast-moving fish. They come in red, calico, red-white, calico, and milky white color variants.
Lifespan
Wakin goldfish can grow up to 10 inches if kept in a suitable environment and taken care of in the right manner. They can live up to 10-15 years if given the appropriate diet and spacious living space. In a pond, they can become even 18-inches long.
Although it can live in ponds as well as fish tanks, the better their environment the bigger they can get.
A good diet, clean water, and sufficient space contribute to the growth and size of a Wakin goldfish.
These fish can survive in most kinds of environments but they can grow to a good size when they get a habitat that gives them a good swimming space.
Behavior & Temperament
Wakin goldfish are friendly, gentle, and curious fish who love to explore their habitat and everything inside it, including the substrate, plants, and other occupants of the tank or pond. Wakin goldfish are a lean-body variety of goldfish that thrive well with other lean-body and cold-water fish.
They are explorers and also love to observe the people in a room. However, sometimes they are not so friendly and act like a bully around slow-moving fish. If kept with slow-moving fish and living in a tight space, these may exhibit aggressive behavior that includes nipping at the fins of these fish and taking control of the food.
Wakin goldfish are not compatible with aggressive fish species like cichlids and bettas because they will end up getting bullied by them. These are agile swimmers and can be paired with other skilled swimmers like the Common, the Comet, Koi, or the Shubunkin.
Wakin Goldfish Care & Tank Setup
Wakin goldfish care includes giving them a good diet, a spacious and clean habitat, and maintaining this habitat. Let’s look at how to care these species kept in a fish tank or a fish pond.
Aquarium Size
An ideal habitat is a goldfish pond but they can also live in an aquarium. The size of the aquarium depends on the number of these fish you want to keep.
A 10-gallon fish tank is good for a single juvenile but it needs a 30-gallon tank to grow to its full size.
Wakin goldfish do well in a spacious fish tank as they immensely enjoy exploring their surroundings.
A fishbowl does not make a good living space for them as they relish a large space. If you add multiple fish to a small tank,
it would become overcrowded once the fish start growing and would prevent the Wakin from attaining their full growth potential.
The more you want to keep, the larger your aquarium should be. A good Wakin goldfish and aquarium size ratio is one fish for every 10-gallon.
For multiple fish, multiply the number of fish by 10 gallons. If you are keeping them in a pond, there should be one fish per four square feet of the surface area of the pond.
Water Parameters
The water in the fish tank must be clean for any kind of fish you keep, including the Wakin. They can live in both soft and hard water with ease. However, they prefer colder water, and temperatures above 75° F make them lethargic.
If the water is not clean, the fish may contract diseases and it would affect both their appearance and energy levels.
Since these are voracious eaters, more often than not their fish tank is rife with toxic ammonia. This problem can be handled with the help of a 3-stage high-quality HOB filter.
Their adaptability helps them survive in almost all kinds of water as long as it is clean. The water in the fish tank should be changed weekly for Wakin goldfish.
Plants
Wakin goldfish are herbivores and tend to not just eat but destroy any natural plants in the aquarium. Consider keeping plastic decorative plants in the fish tank if you want a hint of green in their environment. You can also add some rocks to create a natural setting for them.
Filtration System
If you have Wakin goldfish, a good filtration system is required both for a goldfish pond as well as a fish tank. It removes the toxic ammonia waste created by their food. Filtration systems circulate the water and maintain water quality.
Stillwater in the pond can easily become breeding grounds for bacteria, parasites, and fungus. It can make the fish sick and hamper their growth. Filters aid in maintaining oxygen levels, along with stabilizing ammonia and nitrate levels.
Tank Maintenance
If the goldfish pond is new, it may require a 10% to 15% water change every week for the first year. After that, the water changes are not needed since the pond starts to develop its ecosystem. The water must be tested regularly for pH levels, temperature, ammonia, and nitrate.
Regular testing of the water will ensure that these levels are maintained at an optimum level. The ideal pH levels are between 7 and 7.4 and the ammonia and nitrate levels must be zero.
Keeping a logbook of these tests along with their date and time will help you maintain the pond.
All these tests should be done regularly and at the same time of day each time to get accurate results.
In balmy weather, Wakin goldfish can be shifted to an indoor aquarium. In extremely cold conditions, holes can be made on the surface of the pond if it gets frozen.
Food & Diet
They must be given high-quality fish food rich in nutrients. This helps in their growth and maintaining their color. Sinking pellets are also recommended for Wakin as they love scouring the base of their habitat.
Since these can eat both vegetables and meat, there is a wide variety of fish food to choose from for them. Keep varying the fish food at intervals to give them a variety of nutrients. These can be fed:
- Vegetables that include broccoli, lettuce, broccoli, shelled peas, and cabbage
- Fruits like chopped grapes, blueberries, and chopped strawberries.
- Insects and worms like ants, brine shrimp, worms, mosquito larvae, and blood worms
- Plants and plant roots
Do not feed any kind of garden insects to your Wakin goldfish as some might make them sick. You can also consult an expert to get a list of food items and the type of fish food you can give them.
These fish recognize the person who feeds them and often swim up to the surface of the water at feeding time.
Breeding Guidelines
Goldfish breed during spring in their natural habitat. This environment can be replicated in the fish tank by giving them a water temperature of around 65° F. It will help the females to lay eggs and to fertilize them.
The Wakin goldfish eggs must be removed and placed in another empty fish tank. This prevents the other goldfish from eating them. You can also seek expert advice on breeding them.
Where to Buy?
The Wakin goldfish price is somewhere between $5 to $30 depending on the fish breeder. It is advisable to always buy this fish from a reputable breeder instead of a pet store. Before buying one, you must observe its habitat and the fish for some time to detect any signs of illness.
A crowded aquarium and dirty fish tanks are signs of an unhealthy environment that causes illness in the fish. Observe the fish for signs like torn fins, white spots, and swollen eyes. All these are traits of an unhealthy fish. A healthy one swims around effortlessly without taking extended rest breaks.
Wrapping Up
Wakin goldfish are an ideal pet for fish lovers as they require simple maintenance.
You can keep them in an outdoor fish pond or an adequate size fish tank indoors.
As long as they are given good care, clean water, and a varied nutrient-rich diet, they thrive easily.
