A Complete Guide to Popular Types of Goldfish

Goldfish (Carassius auratus) are one of the most popular freshwater fish worldwide and possibly the most recognizable fish in the world (outside of the ever popular clown fish Nemo!) Goldfish are known for their bright colors, hardiness and ease of care. Whether you are a seasoned aquarist or a beginner looking to start your first aquarium or pond, goldfish offer a wide range of varieties in sizes, body types and colors. In this guide, we’ll explore the different types of goldfish, their care requirements as well as our tips for choosing the right goldfish for your aquarium or pond. 

Goldfish are a domesticated form of carp native to East Asia. Originally bred for ornamental purposes in China, goldfish were selectively spawned from a brown color of common goldfish into their current all gold or orange color. Over time, selective breeding led to a wide variety of colorations, body shapes and fin types. Today, goldfish are available in many types each with their unique appearance and care requirements. 

Types of Goldfish

Goldfish can broadly be put into two different categories based on their body shape: straight tailed goldfish and fancy or fantail goldfish. 

Straight-tailed goldfish are the most straightforward type with a single tail. They have a streamlined body most similar to the carp that goldfish evolved from. They are the most hardy, easy to care for and can be kept in ponds or larger tanks. 

Key Features:

• Long, sleek body shape
• Bright colorations like orange/gold, but can also be colors like blue, red & white, or red & black
• Can  grow up to 10- 12 inches in length
• Generally have a lifespan of 10-15 years in a protected environment

Popular Straight-tailed Goldfish Varieties:
All of these varieties are simply goldfish (Carassius auratus) but are different color and pattern variations. Color is one of the most commonly bred for traits in goldfish. While the wild common goldfish were all darker brown or black in color, over time goldfish have been bred to have a variety of colors. Here are some of the most popular types of straight-tailed goldfish varieties: 

1. Common Goldfish: Your most recognizable, basic straight tailed goldfish. Most commonly are orange or gold in color, but can also come in a variety of colors. 
2. Sarasa Comet Goldfish: A favorite among pond enthusiast for their red and white goldfish, known for a bright red color often contrasted against white. They tend to also have longer flowing finnage. 
3. Shubunkin Goldfish: A calico blue colored goldfish that are mainly blue in color but can have patches of orange, black, red, and brown. Shubunkins are also known to have metallic or shiny scales. Often called a “poor man’s koi” because of their resemblance to koi, but typically being more affordable because they are goldfish. 
4. Tiger Shubunkin Goldfish: Have the same color patterns as blue shubunkins, but tend to have more orange, brown, and black colorations. 
5. Red & Black Goldfish: A common goldfish with red and black color. Black color patterns on goldfish are not stable and can change overtime based on age, growth, and environment. 
6. Platinum White Comet Goldfish: A striking white goldfish that can look bright white or sometimes pinker in coloration. 

Fancy or Fantail Goldfish

Fancy Goldfish have been selectively bred for their unique features including rounder bodies, split or fanned tails, and distinctive color patterns. While they are just as beautiful as the common goldfish, they tend to have more specialized care needs particularly around water quality and space. They are also slower swimmers and can need more care and protection in open water systems. All Toledo Goldfish fish are raised in open outdoor pond systems in the midwest part of the USA, so they are used to outdoor conditions but extra care is needed for fancy goldfish. 

Key Features:

• Shorter, rounded bodies
• Spilt or fanned double tail, sometimes called butterfly tail
• Grow to a smaller size 6-8 inches
• Bright colorations like orange/gold, but also blue, red & white
• Slower swimming, need a more protected environment
• Tanks or aquariums are suggested
• Generally have a lifespan of 10-15 years in a protected environment

Popular Fancy Goldfish Varieties:
All of these fancy varieties are still goldfish (Carassius auratus) with a split or fan double tail and different colorations and patterns. Fantail goldfish are a beginner friendly fancy goldfish that Here are some of the most popular types of fancy or fantail goldfish varieties: 

1. Red Fantail Goldfish: The most recognizable fancy goldfish, typically solid orange or red in color but can have some white or black on it. 
2. Calico Fantail Goldfish: Primarily blue in color with a orange, brown or black pattern. 
3. Sarasa Fantail Goldfish: Red and white color pattern fancy goldfish. 
4. Red & Black Fantail Goldfish: Red and black coloration fantail goldfish. Black color patterns on goldfish are not stable and can change overtime based on age, growth, and environment. 
5. Sabao Goldfish: Goldfish variety that has the plump round body of a fantail, but with a straight tail. It can also be called a  nymph goldfish and are closely related to goldfish called Tamasaba goldfish. It can be any of the color variations above. It is also considered to be slightly more hardy as it can swim faster than fantails. 

Other Fancy Goldfish Varieties:
Selective breeding over the years has yielded some very unique goldfish like the ones on the list below. Toledo Goldfish does not raise or sell any of the goldfish varieties listed below. Most of these varieties that are available in the USA have been imported as they have to be raised in small protected environments, typically indoors. It is also important to note that most of these varieties are considered less hardy, require more care, and can have more health issues including swim bladder issues or injuries to their eyes or special features.

1. Oranda Goldfish: Known for the fleshy, “cap-like wen” on its head. They come in various colors but the most popular are white bodies with a red capped wen. 
2. Ranchu Goldfish: Round head and upper body with no dorsal fin.  
3. Lionhead Goldfish: Similar to the ranchu, has a large rounded head with a prominent fleshy growth. 
4. Black Moor Goldfish: Dark black goldfish with large protruding eyes
5. Veiltail Goldfish: Much longer delicate flowing fanned tail. 
6. Bubble Eye Goldfish: A more unusual goldfish with large, fluid-filled sacs under their eyes resembling bubbles. 
7. Celestial Eye Goldfish: The body is similar to a ranchu but with unique upward facing eyes. 

Choosing the Right Goldfish for Your System: 

When selecting a goldfish for your water system, it’s important to consider both the physical needs of the fish and also the size and environment of your system. While some tanks might work for goldfish for a while, it is important to have a plan for the fish needs to be moved up to a larger sized system. Water system capacities can vary greatly depending on the aeration, filtration and general care of the system. If you have a larger system with good aeration and filtration and a robust water changing system, you may be able to have more fish in a system but some of the following tips are good generalizations to keep in mind. Larger goldfish, especially straight tailed varieties need more spacious tanks. A single adult goldfish typically requires at least 20 gallons of water. Fancy goldfish need around 10 gallons of water per fish. Ponds are little more tricky to know exactly how many fish your system can handle. It is always a good idea to start with a smaller number of fish especially in newer systems. 

Water quality: Goldfish as they are considered a “dirty” fish meaning they produce a lot of waste. Remember that the more you feed a goldfish, the more waste it will produce. One of the most common things that kill goldfish is overfeeding and usually it’s not the feeding itself, but when you feed too much food, the goldfish consumes it and produces a lot of waste. That waste is high in ammonia and it’s the ammonia in the water that usually causes issues. Goldfish are hardy but do require clean, well filtered water. Maintaining stable water parameters, including pH and temperature is crucial for fish health. 

Tankmates: Goldfish are generally peaceful but may not do well with fin-nipping fish or animals. Avoid keeping them with aggressive species of fish that could harm their delicate fins such as bettas or cichlids. Goldfish are usually fine being kept with other goldfish or koi. It is important to try to keep similar sized fish together in a system. If you have a size imbalance in your fish, it may be easier for the larger fish to pick on the smaller ones. 

Care Level: If you are a beginner, it is suggested to start with hardier varieties like comet goldfish or fantail goldfish. Fancy varieties may require more care and attention to their health. 

Goldfish are an excellent choice for all fish enthusiasts! Do research in your area and with your system to help you better understand what fish might be best for your system. If you have tanks or aquariums, find youtube videos with more information on best practices for your specific system. If you have ponds, reach out to local pond or landscaping experts to learn more. Raising goldfish takes a lot of trial and error, but the more information you have as you are starting the better. There are so many types of goldfish to choose from, everything from the straight tailed to fancy varieties with almost as many color options. There’s a goldfish to suit every taste and water system setup. With proper care, goldfish can live long, healthy lives and provide years of enjoyment with their colorful personalities and graceful movements. Explore Toledo Goldfish’s collection of goldfish to find the perfect one for your aquarium or pond. Choose from individual goldfish varieties or goldfish combo options.