Did you know? You goldie (fish) can outlive your goldie (retriever)

It is a common misconception that goldfish are a short-lived, disposable-kind of pet that will last for a couple of months at most… when in fact if properly cared for, a goldie can easily outlive your family dog!

Unless killed by an untreated illness or inadequate conditions, goldfish will live for a few decades: a goldie that lived for less than 10 years is a sign that things were amiss, in fact. A goldfish life expectancy should be at least 15-20 years, and up to its 30s.

^{Tish the goldfish (Source: BBC News)}

The current record holder is said to be a goldfish from Yorkshire named Tish, that died in 1999 at the venerable age of 43.¹
He took the title from Fred, another British goldfish that was 41 in 1980.¹ In recent years a new contender, Goldie, allegedly 44 years old, claimed to hold the longevity record.²

You may want to keep this in mind before returning home with a pet goldfish because of an impulse buy. It may not look like it now, as you carry it in a small plastic bag, but that tiny critter could outlive even you! 😉

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¹ Source: UK Oldest goldfish has his chips (BBC News) – August 7, 1999
² Source: Oldest goldfish record at risk (BBC News) – 14 January, 2004

News: Like a fish out of water

The good news for Sparkle, a 18 month old British goldfish, is that he survived an impressive leap and fall and – incredibly enough – the grand total of 7 hours out of water.
The bad news for him is that he survived the ordeal only to be put back in the diminutive plastic bowl he was trying to evade from in the first place.
Let’s hope the happy-ending incident will persuade his young owner to provide him with a more suitable tank.

Photo: North News & Pictures Ltd

Read more in the news:
Goldfish makes leap for freedom… and survives out of water for SEVEN hours – 26th August 2009 (The Daily Mail)
Goldfish jumps out of tank and survives for seven hours – 26th August 2009 (The Telegraph)