Diane Akula, age 10, of Trumbull, Conn., for her question:

How long_can a goldfish live?

A well tended goldfish may live as long as twenty years and perhaps longer. His larger cousin, the carp, often lives thirty years or more in captivity. Diane has a goldfish who is now seven years olds So if all goes well, Goldie may still be around to help her celebrate her 23rd birthday. Certainly this little seven year old fish is wail cared for. Perhaps some of Andy) s friends would like to know how they too can help a goldfish to become a real old timer.

You may choose an ordinary gold colored goldfish or one of the fancy varieties. Some have long, gauzy fins or fancy fantails. A popular speckled variety is the shubunkin, whose Japanese name means bright red¬spots with varied colors. In any case, your goldfish, plain or fancy, starts off as a strong and sturdy character.

You can keep him in a glass bowl or even in a glass jar. But for best results he will need a sizable oblong tank. It is better not to put a roof on the aquarium for there must be a large space for air above the water. The aquarium is the fish's home, we hope for a long, long time. So lets start out by furnishing it properly.

A few water weeds planted on the floor make the place more homey. A few water snails help to keep the water clear of algae. A few colored rocks and maybe some ornaments add more charm to the aquarium. When all is done, you not only have a home for your fish, but a beautiful decor for your room. Though Goldie is not bright enough to appreciate his pretty home, chances are it makes him feel more comfortable.

A goldfish has no teeth in his jaws and we must keep this in mind when we plan his diet. He can eat only small things and soft materials. But my, what a great variety of foods he enjoys. Ire eats the tiny microscopic algae in the water and tiny bits of leafy debris. He enjoys the packaged goldfish food you buy him at the pet store. He likes tiny crumbs of bread and he is especially fond of fine crumbs of dog biscuit. In fact, if the food is fine enough, he will eat almost rnything.

This may lead to trouble, for we may tend to feed him too much. He should be fed just once a day and only enough food for him to eat in five minutes. More goldfish perish from over feeding than from under feeding. Your pet does not cause any trouble or cost very much. In return, he gives you something beautiful to look at whenever you wish  and he may live as long as twenty years.