Algae and your Goldfish

A little algae is a good thing, it’s like salad for your goldfish. It can help goldfish digest properly, preventing constipation, and some causes of swimbladder. Having a little algae in your tank is part of good goldfish care – never clean your tank so thoroughly that you remove all algae. However, too much algae can cause your water to turn green or cover the walls of your tank, which makes your tank look unattractive. There are several reasons you can have an algae “bloom.” Overfeeding your fish will increase phosphates, which encourages algae growth. So, if you have too much algae, try feeding your goldfish less food or only feeding them once a day. Too much light – either from the sun or from your tank’s light – will cause lots of green algae to grow. You may want to move your tank to a less sunny part of the room (your tank should never be in direct sunlight), and only keep your tank light on for 8-10 hours a day. If these methods do not prevent algae bloom, there are algae treatment products available from your local pet store.