Setup
Firstly, dream. I know that this sounds stupid but trust me it helps. Picture where your tank will go, do you have a table, do you need a stand? Dream. Picture how many fish you want, how many plants, what filter, the size tank, the type of gravel even.
Now, workout you budget, what you don't want to do is buy a very expensive tank, and not have enough money to buy a decent filter, plants and the other things essential to the happiness of you goldfish.
Once you have calculated your budget, you can then find out what size tank you want (if you know what size tank, you don't need to work it out). Firstly work out the amount if fish that you intend to keep (To do this, resort to your vision), as a recommendation I would consider having about one goldfish to each gallon (UK) of the tank. Take the amount of fish you want, say you have chosen five fish, you should ideally buy a five gallon tank (you don't have to have the same amount of fish as gallons, but it is a good estimation.) Go to a few different pet shops and look at the prices of the tanks, filters etc. Talk to the owners, see what they think. If a shop is too busy to pay attention to your needs, take your business, elsewhere. While you are at the shop, look at the filters and gravel etc. see what matches your dream. Make sure that a shop that is friendly has all of your equipment.
DO NOT buy anything yet
Compare the prices from the different shops, compare the friendliness of the staff, if a shop is not interested in your choice of equipment, then they will not care about later service, and will not answer any questions that you might have.
Sleep on it.
By now your dream has no doubt changed. This is a good thing. Think long and hard about your dream. Make sure it is exactly what you want. If there is something you are not sure about, ask your pet shop owner about everything you are not sure about. Also ask him if the tap water in your area is suitable to keep fish in, or do you need declorinator. Now think until you are sure of every little detail.
Know make a list of things you need, the following is an example (not to be followed)
1. Blanket to pack tank in.
2. 5-gallon tank.
3. Platform filter.
4. Declorinator
5. Bucket and siphon
6. Rock
7. 6 plants - 3 real, 3 plastic
8. Gravel
9. 3m air pipe
10. Air-stones
11. Air pump
Now comes the big day. Go out to your favorite pet shop. They should be starting to recognise you by know. Go and buy what is on your list. Make sure you have a blanket or soft towel to wrap up the tank. Open all of the boxes and check for any flaws. Make sure that the shop will take any faulty equipment back and replace it free of charge. Then when you are sure about all of your equipment, buy it. Wrap up the tank in the blanket and place it in the trunk.
DO NOT BUY THE FISH YET
Find a place, away from direct sunlight, with an easy access to a water supply. Make sure that the place you have chosen has an easily accessible power supply, and a cupboard for food, filter material, etc. You need to find a place with low to moderate traffic, and it has to be away from a corner or doorway. The reason for this is because if there is too much traffic it will spook the fish, causing them to constantly be stressed. And it has to be away from a doorway, because if somebody opens the door too far they can hit the tank, and crack it, and the sudden appearance of people can also spook fish.
Firstly wash all of the equipment. Do not use any detergent; just use a brush and water. Throw this water away. To clean gravel, half full a bucket with gravel and put it under a warm tap. Stir constantly with your hands. When the water running out of the bucket is completely clear, the gravel is usable. Do this until you have enough usable gravel
If you intend on using an under gravel filter, now would be the best time to install it. If you do not want it to move, then stick it down with a special aquarium sealant (never use other sealant).
Half full your tank.
Things like air stones can be buried now. Then place about five centimeters of clean gravel in the bottom of the tank. Bury things like plant roots etc. (make sure that you have cleaned plants of snails, leaches etc.) You can disinfect plants by soaking them in a very dilute mixture of potassium permanganate, and leaving them to soak for and hour (wash plants thoroughly when finished with the disinfect.) To plant a plant, bury it until the crown (where the stem and roots meet) is just above the gravel. Place a few small pebbles around the base of the plant to prevent foraging goldfish uprooting it.
One you have placed all the things in your fish tank, fill completely.
Plug in everything and switch on. Leave your tank on for about a week, to see if it leaks, all the appliances work etc.
Now you need fish!
Take a paper bag with, I'll explain later (this is important)
The best word to help you to distinguish healthy fish in a tank with sick, and dead fish is DON'T, every fish will be infected.
Look around the shop, not only goldfish tanks, but tropical and marine as well, if you see any rotting fish or sick fish, then this is not a good place to buy fish.
If a shop has sick fish, generally the tanks are networked, so most fish will be infected.
Once you have found a shop, now time to choose the fish you want. There are many things to look for, so I'll name most of them.
Look at a fish, choose one that is frisky, goldfish are always looking for foods so choose one that is active.
Now look at it closely, check to see it's side and look for tiny white spots, on either side, look for yawning, a sign of oxygen deprived fish, or gill flukes.
Look at its vent, a female in spawning might have an "outie", but make sure there is no redness.
Look at its lips, make sure they are not red.
Look at its eyes. Are they the same size? Do they have flecks? Flecks can show brain flukes.
Look for fungus or unusual growth.
Look for all the fins. Are they all there? Are they equal size (Pectoral fins the same, etc)? A fin growing inside could slowly kill a fish.
Look at its swimming ability, is it swimming straight, or is it leaning to one side? Is it floating or sinking? When it stops does it have trouble hovering? Does it swim the right way up?
Now, ask some body to catch the fish (with a net), look at its slime, too slimy is bad and not slimy enough is also bad. Ask if the fish has been treated with medication.
Make sure they only put the fish, water and oxygen in the bag. Now take the paper bag I told you about. Place the fish into this bag. This stops light flashing at the fish, further stressing the stressed fish.
Once you get home you must float the bag of fish in the water for between 15-20 minutes. After about ten minutes open the bag and pour some tank water in. This slowly customizes the fish to the pH of the water. After the full length of time, let the fish into the tank.
Now leave the tank for another two weeks, doing water tests every few days, before adding more fish.
