Fancy Goldfish

Looks how to spot one

Scaled fish with doubled tail and anal fins in most varieties; metallic, matte or nacreous (calico) scales

Fancy goldfish are the selectively bred forms of the goldfish, usually with a short, rounded or egg-shaped body and a split, doubled tail. Depending on the variety they may have a raspberry-like head hood (wen), telescope or upward-gazing eyes, fluid-filled eye sacs, domed pearl-like scales, a high shoulder hump, or no dorsal fin at all. Scales can be shiny metallic, matte, or a mix that gives a speckled calico look.2543

Personality what they are like

Peaceful, gentle fish that move at a relaxed pace. They are sociable and will often gather together, and they quickly learn when and where food appears. Their slow swimming means they do best with other fancy varieties rather than fast single-tailed goldfish.187

Daily activity how busy a day looks

Moderate. Fancy goldfish are slower swimmers than single-tailed goldfish, so they appreciate open swimming space and gentle water flow rather than strong currents.82

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

Coldwater fish that need a filtered aquarium, never a bowl. Keep water roughly 10 to 21 C (about 20 to 22 C is often cited as ideal; orandas tolerate about 17 to 28 C), pH about 6 to 8. Change around 30% of the water each week with dechlorinated water of matching temperature. Choose smooth decorations, since hooded and bubble-eyed varieties have delicate features.915104

Home where they are happiest

Plan for at least 60 litres of water per goldfish, with a tank no smaller than about 45 x 30 x 30 cm and good mechanical and biological filtration. Goldfish bowls are not suitable because of poor oxygen exchange and unstable temperature. A heater is usually not needed.9

Food basics what goes in the bowl

Omnivores. Feed a goldfish-specific flake or pellet, not tropical food, and add chopped vegetables such as peas and spinach plus occasional thawed frozen foods, water fleas or brine shrimp. Offer small meals two or three times a day, only as much as is eaten in two to five minutes.71

Company who they like around

Goldfish are gregarious and naturally school, although a single goldfish can be kept on its own. Keep fancy twin-tailed varieties with other slow fancy types; mixing them with fast single-tailed goldfish means the fancy fish miss out on food.18

The story where it all began

The goldfish comes from a wild Chinese carp, and colour mutations were first noted during the Jin dynasty (266 to 420). By the Tang dynasty (618 to 907) people kept ornamental fish in ponds, and a golden-orange mutation became prized. Selective breeding was well established in the Song dynasty (960 to 1279), when in 1162 the empress ordered ponds for red and gold fish and yellow was reserved for the imperial family. During the Ming dynasty (1368 to 1644) goldfish began to be kept indoors in bowls, which let breeders select for delicate traits such as doubled tails, bulging eyes and head growths that would not survive in open ponds. Goldfish reached Japan in 1603 and Portugal in 1611, and from there spread across Europe, where they became a symbol of good fortune. Japanese breeders developed their own famous types, including the ranchu, ryukin and tosakin, while the oranda owes its Japanese name to Dutch traders. Goldfish arrived in North America around 1850, and today China alone recognises a few hundred breeds.1235

Recognised by the official bits

IUCN Red List

Parent species Carassius auratus assessed as Least Concern (2010)10

Chinese goldfish fancy

Wikipedia sources cite roughly 200 to 300 goldfish breeds recognised in China, grouped traditionally into Crucian, Wen, Dragon Eye and Egg types1

Japanese ranchu fancy

Ranchu are shown and judged from above in shallow bowls or vats under traditional Japanese standards3