15 Types of Goldfish for Your Aquarium 

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Did you know there are different types of goldfish? That’s right! Although the gold-colored variant is the most popular, many goldfish breeds exist.

Some goldfish breeds can survive in small spaces, while others can’t. Each variety also has a different lifespan, ranging from 5 – 10 years. This guide will show you popular goldfish types and how to identify, care for, and maintain them. Let’s get to it.  

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Common Goldfish 

The simple common goldfish, with its orange and sometimes yellow coloration, is the most popular variant of the Comet goldfish. It’s a small to medium-sized hardy goldfish that can survive extremely low temperatures. 

If you’re new to fishkeeping, this is a beginner goldfish that requires low maintenance. They can grow up to 1 foot long in the right conditions but have simple features. The Common goldfish has a single caudal and anal fin with dorsal fins. 

They require no special goldfish care, and breeding is easy. 

Comet Goldfish 

The Comet goldfish with flowing tails is another popular variety. It is often bright gold but can also be red, brown, or white. 

If you need an active goldfish to keep you entertained, the Comet goldfish is for you. Whether you have an outdoor pond or a large aquarium, this long-tailed goldfish will stand out!

The Comet goldfish grows large quickly and can reach 14 inches long. Therefore, they need ample space to move around without hurting their long tails. Get a tank that can hold up to 50 gallons of water. 

Shubunkin Goldfish 

Although the Shubunkin goldfish is as big as the Comet variant, it has different physical features. First, it has a unique calico color that mixes black, red, white, and sometimes blue tones. 

This colorful goldfish’s robust nature makes it suitable for outdoor ponds and large indoor aquariums. So, yes, that makes the Shubunkin goldfish an aquarium and pond fish, depending on your preference, and it can live up to 20 years. 

Fantail Goldfish

If you’re looking for a fancy goldfish to beautify your pond, add a Fantail goldfish to your school. It’s an attention grabber with its double-tail despite having a short to medium rounded body size of no more than 7 inches. 

Those features make the double-tailed goldfish an elegant variety, but it’s only suitable for indoor aquariums. The fantail goldfish’s small body makes them swim slowly, making them targets if mixed with stronger, faster, and bigger predator goldfish varieties.  

The best part about breeding the Fantail goldfish is the easy maintenance, but its lifespan doesn’t exceed 12 years. 

Ryukin Goldfish 

The Ryukin goldfish is one of the smallest fancy goldfish breeds, and it has a 4-inch body. But this small body has interesting physical features. The Ryukin goldfish has a humped back extending from its head and has three colors — red, white, and black. 

Sometimes, the three colors are combined, and other times, the Ryukin goldfish may have a single one of those tones. 

While they’ll beautify your aquarium, it’s not advisable to put this humped goldfish with predatory varieties. If you must mix a Ryukin goldfish with other varieties, ensure they’re similar sizes and not too many. A small aquarium with 10 gallons per fish will do. 

Most of your maintenance funds will go into feeding the Ryukin goldfish because they burn many calories swimming with their short fins. Also, they only live for ten years. 

Veiltail Goldfish 

If you want a fancy goldfish with attention-grabbing features, get the Veiltail goldfish. It’s an 8-inch fish with a long tail fin like the fantail goldfish but with more elegant features. This flowing-fin goldfish has exaggerated fins on all parts of its body. 

To get the most out of the Veiltail goldfish, you’ll need to create a calm, danger-free environment. Use soft tank decor and only mix it with other mild-mannered medium—to small-sized fish like the Fantail goldfish, Pearlscale goldfish, and Ranchu goldfish. 

Besides the regular fancy goldfish care and getting a 30-gallon tank, you don’t need high maintenance for this delicate goldfish. 

Oranda Goldfish

The Oranda goldfish has a unique head growth called a wen that forms a bubble atop its eyes. It’s one of the most popular wen goldfish species amongst enthusiasts.

Because of its head growth, this goldfish needs enough space to move around without bumping into things. So, get a 30-gallon tank at least to house it, and don’t overcrowd the aquarium with other species that can damage its wen. 

Unlike other variants with wens, this head-growth goldfish requires special care when its wen overgrows. Visit a vet to expertly trim the overgrowth to prevent your goldfish from getting blind, and it’ll live up to 12 years. Keep reading for more goldfish care tips.  

Pearlscale Goldfish

Imagine a golf ball with fins. That’s what a Pearlscale goldfish looks like, with additional features. Its body is round with raised beaded scales that appear like pearls, hence the name. 

They’re typically golden with purplish-blue highlights on their tails and fins but come in various color combos. Some of these bead-scale goldfish have wen extending to their heads, and others have none. A wen is a bubble mass around the head. 

This rounded goldfish survives on freeze-dried food as much as live food. So, you can feed it peas, soaked dried pellets, or flakes. Keep your pearlscale goldfish in a 20 – 30 gallon indoor aquarium tank with other small goldfish types for zero to little competition for food. 

For more on feeding your aquatic pets check out The Ultimate Guide to Fish Food: Pros and Cons & Best Choices!

Lionhead Goldfish

Lionhead goldfish have a wen with the potential to grow over their eyes and limit their eyesight. They also swim slowly because they lack a dorsal fin but instead have double caudal fins. Although some lion-head goldfish species have longer fins, they’re rare. 

Because of their small physical features, this lion-like goldfish is peaceful and wouldn’t struggle for food with other fancy goldfish. You can mix it with other wen goldfish since they have similar mild manners. They’ll even outlive some of their counterparts with their 10-year lifespans. 

Ranchu Goldfish 

There are more fancy goldfish varieties, including the Japanese Ranchu goldfish. They’re medium-sized at 6 inches with a lifespan of 8 years. Here are some interesting characteristics of the Ranchu goldfish —

It has a curved back, no dorsal fin, and possibly wen on the face, a bubble around a fish’s head. The Ranchu goldfish originated from Japan and is one of the country’s most prized fancy goldfish varieties. 

Telescope Eye Goldfish

You’ve probably heard of the telescopic-eyed goldfish by its other name—Moor goldfish. It got its name from its large eyes, which stand out on its medium-sized 7-inch body. These protruding eyes goldfish can live up to 8 years despite their struggle with sight. 

Because of their eye sensitivity, you’ll need extra aquarium safety beyond the typical fancy goldfish care. Create an obstacle-free environment so they don’t bump into unnecessary decor and hurt their eyes. 

A small tank holding 20 gallons of water is ideal for housing this pet. 

Bubble Eye Goldfish

The Bubble-eye goldfish is another fancy variant with a bright yellow body and large ventral protrusions underneath its eyes, hence the name. Like the Telescopic eye goldfish, it is best to keep this delicate goldfish in a 20-gallon tank away from harmful decor. 

Invest in smooth rocks and soft plants if you must decorate the aquarium. Also, periodically pay extra attention to your goldfish tank care to prevent infection. Don’t mix the Bubble-eye goldfish with hyper or aggressive species that can burst its fluid-filled eye sacs. 

Author’s Note: For some planted tank decor tips check out our article on The 8 Best Live Plants for Goldfish Aquariums, there are indeed live plants that can thrive in a goldfish habitat!

This 5-inch fluid sac goldfish will live up to 8 years with proper care and attention. 

Celestial Eye Goldfish 

You can’t miss the Celestial eye goldfish, with its unique protruding eyes facing upwards on a sleek 4-inch body. It’s so tiny that a 10-gallon tank is big enough to accommodate it. This fancy goldfish struggles with swimming since its eyes are upwards and its body is small. 

So, don’t mix them with predatory fish that shorten their food rations or turn them into food! 

Keep these upward-eyed goldfish in a safe environment, along with other small fancy goldfish, and be deliberate with your aquarium care. Keep sharp objects, including decor, away, and they’ll live up to 6 years.

Butterfly Tail Goldfish 

As you can imagine, the Butterfly tail goldfish has a broad tail that spreads to both sides and looks like butterfly wings. Because of this unique feature, this fancy goldfish can thrive outdoors if you clean your pond often. Otherwise, it’s an aquarium fish. 

When you house the Butterfly fin goldfish indoors, ensure the tank is wide enough to accommodate its gallant tail and fins. It also has a hump on the head, like the Ryukin goldfish, although its body is more stocky.  

The Butterfly tail goldfish can live up to 15 – 20 years and grows between 5 and 8 inches. Although black and white are the most popular colors, they also come in calico, red, white, blue, and even lavender or a mix of any of them. 

Panda Moor Goldfish 

The black and white Panda Moor goldfish is perfect for first-time fishkeepers because it is low-maintenance. Although it has protruding eyes like the telescope-eye goldfish, it is more enduring. 

So, unlike other fancy goldfish care requiring extra attention, basic aquarium cleaning periodically and soft decor is okay. 

Conclusion 

There are more goldfish than the famous Comet and Common goldfish. They come in different sizes, shapes, and colors and have varying temperaments. Always mix aquarium fish with similar temperaments in one tank to prevent competition and predatory tendencies. 

Think of how much time you have to care for your pets when choosing goldfish. If you follow the goldfish care tips in this guide, you’ll have no problems raising them. 

We always recommend deep research about aquarium fish before choosing your top mix. That’s because regular feeder fish can contaminate fancy goldfish. Instead, explore the diversity of goldfish and choose from them. 

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