I have my brother's goldfish (Ginger) lodging with me, as there was no room at the Inn. It was in a plastic bowl with murky water (it's 1 year old). I've cleaned it and it seems quite happy. Today I have been out and bought a new, bigger bowl (11 Ltr) and an Elite underwater filter. Please could anyone answer the following guestions:
If I set up the new bowl and treat the water - how long should I leave it before I put Ginger in?
Are fish aware of the ornaments - or is it better to leave room for a good old 6" by 14" swim?
Can you tell if a goldfish is male or female?
Should I introduce another fish - is it aware of loneliness?
In the wild are they solitary?
My brother said that he ran out of fish food and fed Ginger on breadcrumbs for a week - I know this is cruel, but, would it have done her any harm?
Is ordinary fish flakes enough for her - or should I supplement her diet with anything else (not live)?
I know that it's a boring topic, and I do not feel it's a good thing to have a fish in a bowl, but I just want to give another living creature a better quality of life. I also feel that given the timeing of her arrival, she's a bit of a special xmas fish.
Thanks for bothering