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Basic Goldfish Care and Breed Guidelines

This page includes basic care information on the proper keeping of goldfish. Artwork by Merlin Cunliffe, depicting the most commonly kept fancy goldfish and a description of each breed with their specifics is provided so that you may more easily determine the quality of your fish as defined by the Goldfish Society of America.

The Basics of Proper Goldfish Maintenance

Goldfish are the most versatile and beautiful species of fish that are kept as pets today; and for the fishkeeping hobbyist, they offer something for everyone.

No matter what level of experience you may have in fishkeeping, the goldfish can meet your needs. By following a few simple guidelines you should be successful in keeping the long-lived goldfish, healthy and active for years of enjoyment. By paying attention to items like correct temperature range, clean water, fresh water, proper food, and plenty of space, you should have very little difficulty in keeping the cool water goldfish.

Care and Housing

Because goldfish can grow quite large, they require water which is high in oxygen. To raise three or four goldfish for several years, you should consider at least a 20 gallon long aquarium. The Goldfish Society of America has developed a formula for determining how many fish can be kept successfully in a single tank of rectangular shape. Multiply the length of the tank by its width. Divide the resulting figure by 30. The total is how many "inches" of goldfish the tank can hold. When figuring the "inch" capacity of a tank, allow for growth of the fishes. When concerning the more exotic types, always allow extra room. You'll be glad you did.

Filtering Choices

Mechanical and Biological filtration systems are the two basic types most commonly used. An aquarium is at its best when both are used.

Mechanical Filters

These filters use a material (sponge, floss, ceramic pieces, etc.) to effectively remove waste particles from the water. They also usually use charcoal or filter carbon to help remove liquid or gaseous wastes before the water is returned to the tank. Box, outside hanging and canister filters are examples of the most common mechanical filters.

Biological Filters

These filters use a layer of gravel to remove waste particles from the water. Water flowing through the gravel allows the bacteria to use the oxygen in the water to break down fish waste into much safer compounds. Bio filters take 3 to 5 weeks to establish before they become effective. Do not overpopulate your tank too soon. Slowly add fish over a 3 to 6 week period.

Power filters, mechanical or biological, may produce strong water flow in your tank. Most of the fancy doubletail-finned goldfish will have difficulty in surviving if they must constantly fight these heavy currents. If you use a power filter, try to redirect or buffer the current and give your fish a calm area or two to rest and conserve their strength.

Water Temperature

Being cool water fish, goldfish are not very comfortable in cold water (as is commonly believed by the general public) nor are they comfortable in high water temperatures usually used with tropical fish. An ideal temperature range is 62-72 degrees, with 68 being most beneficial. Goldfish can and often do survive outdoors as long their water does not freeze solid during the winter or gets too hot during the summer. The pond or container should be large enough that the temperature doesn't change too rapidly.

The IMPORTANCE of Weekly Water Changes

Water changes of 1/4 of the water volume per week to as much as 1/2 of the water volume per week is necessary to maintain the highest water quality. This is THE MOST IMPORTANT MAINTENANCE YOU CAN DO. If you do weekly water changes, you will experience much fewer health problems with your goldfish. However, do make sure that the new water is treated for chlorine removal and that it is of the same (or very close) temperature of the tank water.

Choosing Compatible Tank Mates

While very few tropical fish will fair well in the cool water of your goldfish tank, fish such as White Cloud Mountain Fish, Guppies and Cory Catfish do well at 65 degrees. The absolute best companions for goldfish, is of course, other goldfish. Goldfish are schooling fish and are really at their best in groups of three or more. Because there is such a variety of species, you could have quite a few and not one of them would look like the other. However, you should keep singletailed together and doubletailed together. One is a faster swimmer than the other and they much compete for food on an evenly matched scale.

Various Fish Foods & Feeding

Feeding goldfish is an easy thing to do because they will consume both plant and animal matter. If it is food and it fits into their mouths, then they will eat it. However, it is important that they be provided a diet that is balanced and of good nutritional content.

Commercial Foods

These foods are available dried, freeze-dried and frozen.

Dried Foods

Whether you choose flakes, pellets, granules, tablets or wafers, each of these give particular benefits. Flakes are thin and float briefly before sinking. Floating foods encourage your fish to come to the surface, helping them to become much tamer and some can be trained to eat from your fingers. Pellets and granular types of food sink at different rates. Tablets and wafers can be stuck to the glass of the aquarium to form feeding stations at various locations around the tank. This helps ensure that all the fish regardless of size and agility are getting their fair share of food each day.

Livefoods

Available from your local pet supply dealer. There is quite a range of livefoods suitable for goldfish. Daphnia (water fleas). These are excellent fry foods. Worms (earthworms & tubifex). You can purchase tubifex in the freeze-dried form (wafers) and are easily feed by sticking to the glass sides of the fish tank. Earthworms can be harvested in your own backyard or purchased at the local bait shop. Larger ones must be cut up so the fish can eat them easily. (Not a pleasant task). If harvesting them yourself, be especially careful to cleanse them thoroughly as they may contain residue from lawn chemicals. Both types of worms are very high in protein and are excellent conditioning foods. Brine Shrimp is probably the most popular live or fresh frozen food used by fishkeepers. These can be purchased as live adults, frozen, freeze-dried or in flake form. You can even hatch baby shrimp from eggs for the benefit of your goldfish fry. This is especially important for rapid growth of the young. Brine Shrimp is also an excellent conditioning food if you are interested in breeding your adult goldfish.

Proper Feeding

The amount of food your fish will consume each day is in relation to the water temperature and other environmental conditions. Generally, however, the (that which is consumed in 5-10 minutes rule) is a safe way to go. It is better to feed your fish at a regular time each day. As you continue to do this you will find your fish eager and waiting for you and you will also be able to spot any odd behavior or appearance in your fishes. Always make it a point of watching your fish eat, as there are always the greedy versus the timid eaters. In such a situation, the timid can be fed at one end of the tank, while the greedy is fed at the opposite end. If you feed your fish everyday as a general rule, then if you should have to be absent for a few days or up to 2 weeks, your fish will survive without a problem.

Fancy Goldfish Breed Guidelines
as defined by the Goldfish Society of America

Goldfish are a man-made fish. It is only through rigid selective breeding that the goldfish as we know it today exists. All goldfish in existence today have been bred to various standards, but they share many common charactertistics that can be described in a general way. Following are illustrations and descriptions of the most common fancy breeds available today at your local pet stores.

Fantail

The Fantail possesses a long egg-shaped body with double caudal fins. The depth of the body should be approximately 1/2 to 5/8 the length of the body. The caudal fin is double, and should be 90 percent or more divided; the caudal fin is approximately 1/4 to 1/2 the body length.

The dorsal fin should be approximately 1/3 to 1/2 the depth of the body. The pectoral and pelvic fins are paired, and should be short, rounded and well-matched. The paired anal fins should match the pelvic and pectoral fins in length and shape.

The Fantail can occur in any of the scale types common to Goldfish: nacreous, metallic, or matt. Acceptable metallic colors are orange, red & white, and white. Nacreous coloration included bi-color, tri-color, solid red, and calico (with or without spangled scales). Matt coloration includes pink, bi-color, and tri-color.

Oranda

The Oranda is an egg shaped fish with a double caudal fin and head growth feature. The body depth of the fish should be greater than 2/3 the length of the body. The caudal fin is double, rnages from 3/4 to 1-1/2 times the body length, and should be 90 percent or more divided.

The lobes of the caudal are somewhat to moderately forked. The dorsal fin should be approximately 1/3 to 5/8 the depth of the body. The pectoral and pelvic fins are paired and should be of medium length, rounded, and well-matched. The paired anal fins should match the pelvic and pectoral fins in length and shape.

The distinguishing feature of the fish is the presence of a headgrowth, which can be of three types: full headgrowth which covers the head, cheeks and gills; hi-cap headgrowth which is limited to the top of the head; and cheek and cap-only growth. The Oranda can occur in any of the scale types common to Goldfish: nacreous, metallic or matt. Acceptable metallic colors include all solid and bi-colors known to Goldfish. Nacreous coloration includes bi-color, tri-color, solid red, and calico (with or without spangled scales). Matt coloration includes pink, bi-color, and tri-color.

Telescope

The Telescope is a short, egg-shaped fish with a double caudal fin and protruding eyes. The body depth of the fish should be greater than 2/3 the length of the body. The caudal fin is double, and ranges from 5/8 to 1-1/2 the body length and the lobes should be 90 percent or more divided from each other.

The lobes of the caudal are rounded and moderately forked. The dorsal fin should be approximately 1/3 to 5/8 the depth of the body. The pectoral and pelvic fins are paired, and should be of medium length, rounded and well-matched. The paired anal fins should match the pelvic and pectoral fins in length and shape.

The distinguishing feature of the fish is the presence of protuberant eyes, which should be of a symmetrical size and shape, one to the other. The Telescope can occur in any of the scale types common to Goldfish: nacreous, metallic, or matt. Acceptable metallic colors include orange, red & white, black, bluescale, brown, white and bi-color. Nacreous coloration includes bi-color, tri-color, solid red, and calico (with or without spangled scales). Matt coloration includes pink, bi-color, and tri-color. Sub-breeds include Broadtail Moor, Butterfly Telescope and Oranda Telescope (Dragonhead).

Ryukin

The Ryukin has a very short egg-shaped body with a double caudal fin. The depth of the body should be 3/4 to equal to the length of the body. The distinguishing characteristic of the fish is a humpback feature which begins immediately after the head, and may in fact, appear as a double hump.

The caudal fin is long, double, and should be 90 percent or more divided; the caudal fin is 3/4 to 1-1/2 times as long as the length of the body, with rounded lobes and moderate forking. The dorsal fin should be approximately 1/3 the depth of the body. The pectoral and pelvic fins are paired, of moderate length, and well-matched.

The paired anal fins should match the pelvic and pectoral fins in length and shape. The Ryukin can occur in any of the scale types common to Goldfish: nacreous, metallic, or matt. Acceptable metallic colors are orange, red & white, and white. Nacreous coloration includes bi-color, tri-color, solid red, and calico (with or without spangled scales). Matt coloration includes pink, bi-color, and tri-color.

Ranchu

The body shape of the Ranchu is short and egg-shaped with no dorsal fin present on the fish. The body depth of the fish is approximately 5/8 to 3/4 the length of the body. The back contour is smoothly arched from the back of the head and then takes a sharp downward angle change at the point where the body meets the caudal peduncle. When viewed from above, the back and peduncle should be broad, and the peduncle should not be too long.

The caudal fin is double and the individual lobes are 25 percent or more divided from each other, or the caudal fin can be webbed. The caudal fin is approximately 1/4 to 3/8 as long as the length of the body, and the lobes are rounded, with moderate forking. The pectoral and pelvic fins are short, and should be rounded to match the caudal fin. The anal fins are also paired, and should match the caudal, pectoral and pelvic fins in appearance and shape.

The distinguishing features of the fish are the appearance of the hood which should cover the head, cheeks and gill covers in an even fashion, and the juncture of the caudal peduncle and tail. Acceptable scale types are metallic and nacreous. Colors within the metallic category include orange, red & white, black, bluescale, ancient bronze and white. Within the nacreous group, bi-color, tri-color and calico (with or without spangles) are acceptable.

Lionhead

The body shape of the Lionhead is short and egg-shaped with no dorsal fin present on the fish. The body depth of the fish is approximately 5/8 the length of the body. The back contour is smoothly arched from the back of the head to the caudal peduncle. When viewed from above, the back and peduncle should be broad, and the peduncle should not be too long.

The caudal fin is double and the individual lobes are 25 percent or more divided from each other. The caudal fin is approximately 1/4 to 3/8 as long as the length of the body, and the lobes are rounded. The pectoral and pelvic fins are short, and should be rounded to match the caudal fin. The anal fins are also paired, and should match the caudal, pectoral and pelvic, and should match the caudal, pectoral and pelvic fins in appearance and shape.

The distinguishing feature of the fish is the appearance of the hood which should cover the head, cheeks and gill covers in an even fashion. Acceptable scale types are metallic and nacreous. Colors within the metallic category include orange, red & white, black, and white. Within the nacreous group, bi-color, tri-color and calico (with or without spangles) are acceptable. Several sub-breeds recognized include Highheads, Tigerheads (head and cheek growth only), and Red Capped Lionheads.

Pearscale

The Pearlscale is round in appearance, with a body depth approximately 3/4 to as deep as the length of the body. Two types of caudal fins are acceptable in this variety. The first type of caudal fin is approximately 1/2 to 1-1/2 times the length of the body. The second is 1/4 to 1/3 the length of the body. In each case, the tail should be 90 percent or more divided; lobes are moderately to deeply forked in each tail variety. The dorsal fin should be approximately 1/3 the depth of the body.

The pectoral and pelvic fins are paired, and should match the caudal fin, depending on the caudal fin type. The paired anal fins should match the pelvic and pectoral fins in length and shape. The distinguishing feature of the fish is the presence of a raised dome which appears on each scale. The scalation should be even, and extend around the back of the fish.

The Pearlscale can occur in any of the scale types common to Goldfish: nacreous, metallic, or matt. Acceptable metallic colors include orange, red & white, black, brown, bluescale, and white. Nacreous coloration includes bi-color, tri-color, solid red, and calico ( with or without spangled scales). Matt coloration includes pink, bi-color, and tri-color. A distinct sub-breed is the Pearlscale Oranda, which has a smooth headgrowth in one or two sections on top of the head (in the case of two sections, the fish is called a Hamanishiki).

Veiltail

The Veiltail is an egg-shaped fish which possesses very long finnage. The depth of the body should be greater than 2/3 the length of the body. The caudal fin is long, double, and should be 90 percent or more divided; the caudal fin is 3/4 to 2 times as long as the length of the body, with square lobes showing no apparent forking. The dorsal fin should be very high and approximately dorsal fin should be very high and approximately 3/4 or more of the depth of the body.

The pectoral and pelvic fins are paired, should be long, and well-matched. The paired anal fins should match the pelvic and pectoral fins in length and shape. The Veiltail can occur in any of the scale types common to Goldfish: nacreous, metallic, or matt. Acceptable metallic colors are orange, red & white, bluescale, ancient bronze, and red & white, bluescale, ancient bronze, and white. Nacreous coloration includes bi-color, tri-color, solid red, and calico (with or without spangled scales). Matt coloration includes pink, bi-color, and tri-color.

The finnage of the Veiltail can be crossed into any double caudal-finned goldfish breed. These cross-breeds are commonly called Broadtails to differentiate them from pure Veiltails. Some examples of Broadtails are: Broadtail Moors, Broadtail Oranda, Broadtail Pearlscale and Broadtail Ryukin.


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Last Modified on 01/15/2000