Fancy a goldfish as an easy-to-look-after pet? There’s plenty to learn to keep them in the best of health – from getting a big enough tank to reading their body language
This is the year many people realised that what was missing from their lives was a pet. Companion animals brighten our days – and give us someone else to talk to once we’re bored with the people with whom we’re “staying at home”. But dogs are a hassle, and cats are murderous. So, lots of people think a fish or two might be the answer.
According to the retailer Pets at Home, there has been a resurgence of interest in fish-keeping. However, while goldfish are considered a low-maintenance pet, you should not be fooled, says Suzanne Constance. A goldfish expert, Constance runs the It’s Not Just a Fish campaign, which advocates for better care for aquarium fish. “People think ‘my mate had one from the fair in the 1970s and they live in bowls’,” she says. “It’s that kind of fake knowledge that makes people think it will be easy.”