Ranchu goldfish is the outcome of innovative breeding effort by Japanese. They are attractive, friendly species and can be even trained for some tricks.
But they are expensive too! When people experience problems while keeping Ranchu, they get restless. Here are some of them with suggested solutions –
1. My fish remains inactive and dull for most of the time – Ranchu are large in size and they want a good biological filtration system for their health. They also need appropriate aeration in the aquarium. That will give them the required supply of oxygen. In the absence of these conditions, they will get sick.
You should also provide them high protein diet and live food for their well-being. You should better consult your pet shop for their food.
2. The fish is swallowing too much oxygen and flipping over – This condition is developed due to Ranchu coming to the surface of the water frequently for food.
The best way to deal with this problem is you have to provide them food which will sink. You can use pellets for this purpose. You should also ensure that they are provided food which is easy to digest. You can use duckweed for feeding them. It is very good for reducing the problems of swim bladder.
There is one more important tip. While planning an aquarium for Ranchu, you should be careful in its size and shape. Your aquarium or pond should be long in size but may not be very deep. With this arrangement they will get a big water surface which will be useful for getting plenty of oxygen. This is the technique used in Japan for keeping them.
3. Ranchu is not able to eat anything – Check the gravel of your aquarium. If you have small pebbles at the bottom, Ranchu will start eating them! These pebbles will remain in their stomach and they will not be able to eat enough food thereafter.
Well to handle this problem you should first check the gravel at your aquarium. If you have small pebbles there, immediately remove them. You can use sand instead of pebbles. That will give a ‘beachy’ look to your aquarium and at the same time protect your fish.
4. I have bought the Ranchu for a very high price. They were looking attractive and healthy at the time of purchase but now I find them looking odd and inactive – Ranchu are very expensive as they are imported from Japan. However, if they are not cared properly during their travel, they will get sick soon and there are very limited ways available for treating them.
My advice would be – Make a research on the Internet about the features of Ranchu to begin with. It will give you idea about their features. Then speak to your pet shop. You should ask them the method by which they were transported and conditions under which they are kept at the shop. If they are under stress while transportation, they will be sick as soon as you bring them home. As they are expensive, you have a right to ask all your questions and doubts to the pet shop owner.
Inspect them closely at the shops. If you find anything abnormal, speak to the staff and find out the reason. Never make any haste in bringing them home.
5. Even though I am feeding them right type of food, some of them died – The quantity of food for Ranchu will depend upon the temperature of the water in which they are kept. In cold temperature (below 60° F) the quantity of their food should be reduced by 15 per cent. Their digestive system will work less efficiently in cold temperatures and even if you offer them their normal quota of food that may prove excess. It may make the fish bloated and due to its inability to digest, it may die.
Always monitor the temperature carefully. You may increase it slightly in winter to keep it in the usual range.