Myth Busters: Goldfish Edition!🐟

Did you know that there are more than 200 different kinds of goldfish?

Did you know that a group of goldfish is called a “troubling” or a “glint”? They’re not called a school because they don’t swim in a cohesive group.

5 Fun Facts about Goldfish🐟

They’re often a great first pet for kids, but how much do we really know about goldfish? Here’s some fun facts that might surprise you:

1. Goldfish aren’t always gold! They can change colors based on their environment and diet. If a goldfish doesn’t get natural sunlight, their colors can fade and they can even turn white. On the other hand, if a goldfish has a diet rich in carotenoids (pigments found naturally in many plants and algae), that can enhance their coloration.

2. The oldest recorded goldfish lived to be 43 years old! Goldfish can live pretty long, and with proper care, often live for more than 20 years. In the wild, they can also grow much larger than when they’re kept in a tank, sometimes growing to be more than a foot long!

3. Goldfish don’t have a stomach! Their food goes straight from their mouth to their intestines, which is why they can only eat small amounts of food at a time. Did you know that other animals that don’t have stomachs include the platypus, echidnas, lungfish, and pufferfish?

   You can read a fun article about it here:

   Animals Without a Stomach & How They Survive – Nayturr

4. Goldfish are amazing listeners! They have something called a lateral line system, which is a sensory organ that helps them detect sounds and vibrations in the water. They use this to navigate and find food.

5. Goldfish are social creatures and can recognize their owners. They can even be trained to perform tricks, including how to fetch, follow your finger along the side of the tank, push a ball, and even jump through a ring!

And finally… is it true?

One common belief is that goldfish forget everything after 3 seconds. However, this isn’t true - goldfish have excellent memories! They can remember things for months and even years, and are capable of performing complex tasks including recognizing shapes, colors, and navigating mazes!