Red Fancy Goldfish: Great Family Fish

I've always been fascinated by fish, and have been a big betta lover for years. I always have at least one of the beauties in my home. It wasn't until recently, though, that I started looking at goldfish. And it was all an accident that got me hooked.

My daughter came home with a small, "feeder" goldfish. She named it Precious. Precious died the next day.

It was quite an experience, and not one I was sure how she'd handle (she's only six), but she actually handled it well and was ready for another fish. Unfortunately, no persuasion on my part - or the very kind and friendly pet store owner's - could dissuade her against getting another feeder fish. So I went for two and kept my fingers crossed.

Precious (number 2) lived two days, while Sweetheart made it for a whopping five.

Okay, so by this time I was seriously considering the idea that I may be a fish murderer. Surely even feeder fish should live more than a day or two? Instead of allowing my daughter to head straight back to the pet store, I made her wait while I did research. While I never did find anything useful on the lifespan of feeder goldfish, I did find something much more positive:

Those beautiful fan-tailed fancy goldfish can live 20 years or longer.

Wow! Definitely a great place to start, I thought, and dragged the kid along to the pet store with the firm instructions that we were not going to get more of the "baby" goldfish as she calls them. Instead, she would take her time and look at all of the fish available.

This is where another accident came in. I realized that as much as I'm fascinated by fish, my daughter is an absolute magnet. Somewhere along the line of her six years she's picked up enough information to identify a number of fish. When she told me "That's a clownfish, mom!", I wasn't too surprised. She's seen Nemo. But she went on from there to point out Angel fish, guppies, and then ask about some of the strangest creatures I've ever seen (don't ask me their names, please, I've forgotten). So, not only were we going to have to seriously consider some good fish, but it could turn into a learning experience for my child.

Red Fancy Goldfish - Care and Feeding