Tish the goldfish was the worlds oldest goldfish ever recorded at 43 years. As spectacular as this sound, it’s a truly amazing achievement for a captive fish.
Tish the goldfish was won at a funfair in 1956 by a boy named Peter. Little did the the boy know that the fish was going to be a long term investment. When he won Tish Peter also won another goldfish named Tosh.
Over the next 19 years both fish continued to live a harmonious life as pets of Peter, who was no longer a boy, but a full grown man. When Peter got married he passed on both pets to his parents to care for. After 19 years, Tosh died, which in itself is an extremely long life for a pet fish.
In 1998 Tish surpassed the previous record holder, a goldfish by the name of Fred, who died at the grand old age of 41. Not long later, Tish faded to a silver, grey color. Shortly before his death he became ill. Although the Guinness Book of World Records couldn’t confirm Tish’s age through biological testing, they were satisfied with the testimony of his owners and confirmed Tish as the oldest goldfish ever recorded in the world.
Peters parents who cared for Tish claim that the fish survived for so long because of its diet and sunlight. They said that he was never over fed and they placed him in the sun daily. While it’s possible that this led to his long life, they may have unwittingly aided in his longevity by providing a clean environment for him.
So what makes the this old age so unusual for a captive goldfish? Most people begin fish keeping with goldfish. They are hardy, easy to care for and require little maintenance. As is often the case, goldfish will succumb to poor water quality within a decade. Most people will be unaware of the problem, but will notice the fins of the fish begin to recede, and look more pale than usual. As food and other biological waste breaks down, it creates a nitrates. These nitrates are toxic to all fish and will eventually lead to death if not treated by changing part of the water on a regular basis, and cleaning the filter. That’s why it’s important not to over feed them. The food will not be consumed and will only rot in the tank.
If you intend on getting your own goldfish with the aim of getting it to be the oldest goldfish ever, you need to provide it with a quality diet, and clean it’s enclosure on a regular basis.
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