GLOFISH® FLUORESCENT FISH CARE

You do not need any special equipment or food for your GloFish® fluorescent fish. Aside from their brilliant color, they are the same as non-fluorescent fish. This includes everything from general care and temperature preferences to growth rate and life expectancy. With a little care and attention, your fish will be a happy, healthy companion for years to come.

The following tips are general suggestions to help ensure a great experience for both you and your GloFish®. Please contact your local pet supply retailer with any questions or concerns related to your GloFish® fluorescent fish care. For additional general information on aquarium care and maintenance, please click here.

Preparing Your Aquarium
Adding a New Fish
Feeding Your Fish
Water Temperature
Water Changes
Aquarium Lighting
Aquarium Filters
Aquarium Community
Aquarium Location
GloFish® Display

Preparing Your Aquarium: It is very important to prepare the water before adding fish to an aquarium. Most tap water contains harmful chemicals (like chlorine and ammonia) which can be dangerous for your fish and should be neutralized. Another helpful preparation step, known as “cycling”, will establish beneficial bacteria in an aquarium and reduce the any chances of your fish having an adverse reaction to their new environment. Please click here for detailed information about this process. Your local pet shop will be able to advise you on the best ways to neutralize the water and cycle your new aquarium. They can also suggest decorations that will make a fun and interesting home for your GloFish® fluorescent fish! For additional tips and information on preparing your aquarium, please click here.

Adding a New Fish: When you have prepared the water and are ready to introduce your fish to its new home, there are several important steps you should take to make sure the transition is both safe and comfortable for your fish:

• First, avoid extreme temperature variations or prolonged travel time when transporting the fish from the pet store to your home.
• Once you have arrived home, while keeping the fish enclosed in the bag from the pet store, float the bag in your aquarium. This will allow the temperature of the water in the bag to come closer to that of the tank.
• After the bag has been floating for 30 minutes, open the bag and add about one cup of aquarium water every 10 minutes, until the volume of water in the bag is doubled. This gradual process will help your fish to adjust to the difference between the water that was in the pet shop and the water that is in its new home.
• Once the fish has had enough time to become accustomed to the new water conditions, you can release it into the tank by carefully discarding the water from the bag through a fish net and quickly placing the fish into the tank. It may be shy for the first few minutes as it explores its new home, but it will adjust within a short period of time.

Feeding Your Fish: Be careful not to overfeed your fish! Any food the fish does not eat will pollute the tank. Experts suggest feeding your fish relatively small amounts of food once or twice a day. If they eat all of the food within a few minutes, it is okay to add a bit more, as long as they eat all (or at least most) of it within a short period of time. Over time, you will get a better idea for how much food the fish can eat, and you can adjust the feeding amounts to fit the needs of your fish. The experts at your local pet shop can demonstrate good feeding practices as well as suggest food options for your fish. In terms of nutritional needs, please remember that GloFish® are the same as their non-fluorescent counterparts. Flaked food and live food such as brine shrimp are good options.

Water Temperature: Every kind of fish has its own temperature preferences. In general, GloFish® fluorescent fish can live in a fairly wide temperature range, anywhere from 64-86°F (18–30°C), but prefer temperatures of 72-80°F (22-27°C). Depending upon the temperature of the room in which your aquarium is maintained, a water heater may be helpful to maintain this temperature range. The most important thing to remember is to avoid quick temperature changes, since these can be fatal for the fish.

Water Changes: About 25-50% of the water in your tank should be changed at least once-a-month. This is in addition to replacing water lost to evaporation. This can be broken up into small weekly changes. Of course, if it appears to be dirty, the water should be changed more often and feeding habits may need to be modified to reduce the added pollution. When changing the water, be sure to neutralize the chemicals that are present in the tap water, and bring the water to same temperature as the water in your tank before adding it. This is very important to remember since a quick temperature change can be fatal for the fish. For additional information on water changes and other related aquarium maintenance tasks, please click here.

Aquarium Lighting: Illumination during daylight hours is important to reduce stress and disease, and it will also help you bring out the brightest possible color in your fluorescent fish. A fluorescent lamp is ideal for daylight viewing, while a “black light” is preferable for nighttime viewing in a darkened room and will intensify the fishes color. The black light should not be left on throughout the night, however, as fish benefit from alternating periods of light and darkness, just like people.

Aquarium Filters: While not required, we do strongly recommend using a filter. Because an aquarium is a living biological system, it will produce various toxins that should be removed from the water. A filter helps remove these toxins and also houses the majority of the beneficial bacteria which are vital to maintaining healthy, happy fish. Please check with your local pet shop for advice on what type of filter would work best for your aquarium. For additional information on aquarium filters, please click here.

Aquarium Community: GloFish® are relatively hardy, easy to keep, and get along well with other fish. But not all fish are this way, so if you have other fish in your tank or are adding new fish to your GloFish® tank, be careful to choose fish that can all live together in a similar environment. Here are a few key points that may be helpful: (1) Like ordinary fish, GloFish® are schooling fish and should ideally be kept in groups. (2) Be sure not to crowd too many fish into a tank. (3) Avoid keeping one fish in a very small bowl.

Aquarium Location: GloFish® fluorescent fish thrive in all types of settings, including homes, offices, and classrooms. However, it is important that you do not place the tank in direct sunlight or close to a heating or cooling source. This will cause algae growth and can cause unwanted temperature changes.

GloFish® Display: For tips on the best way to display your new GloFish® fluorescent fish, please click here.