Tag: Freshwater Fish Profiles

Ranchu goldfish are among the most impressive fancy goldfish varieties, and I find them fascinating to keep. The egg-shaped body, lack of dorsal fin, and prominent head growth (wen) make them unlike any other goldfish — and the Japanese have been perfecting this breed for centuries. They do need pristine water quality and a bit more care than hardier varieties, but for a serious goldfish enthusiast they’re absolutely worth it.

Considered the “King of Goldfish” by the Japanese, Ranchu goldfish are among the oldest and most popular fancy goldfish. They hold a special place in the minds of many goldfish enthusiasts, thanks to their unique appearance. An aquarium teeming with these beautiful fish is sure to enhance the aesthetic appeal of just about any place, be it your home or your office!

So, if you’re looking to keep fancy goldfish, you should consider Ranchu Goldfish. They are available in various shapes and colors to make your fish tank appear lavish and elegant. Keep reading to learn more about these incredible fancy goldfish, as we will provide all the necessary information on how to properly care for your King (or Queen).

A Brief Overview of Ranchu Goldfish

Origins and Habitat

The story of Ranchu Goldfish (Carassius auratus) begins in ancient Japan, unlike other fancy goldfish that began in ancient China. They were developed from Chinese Lionhead Goldfish by skilled Japanese breeders. Today, modern day Ranchu Goldfish can be found almost anywhere in the world, not just in China or Japan.

Ranchu’s aren’t wild fish, so we must look at their ancestors to learn about their natural habitat.

Like any other goldfish, they descended from an old species of wild carp, known commonly as the Gibel Carp, Silver Prussian carp, or simply Prussian Carp.

These wild carp thrive in slow-moving, slightly cold waters of ponds, lakes, and rivers. Ranchus also prefer similar water conditions and share a lot of traits with Prussian Carp and other goldfish.

What Does Ranchu Goldfish Look like?

It’s quite easy to identify Ranchu Goldfish as they have a rather unusual head growth, an egg-shaped body with a deeper belly, and a horizontally spreading caudal (tail) fin. Looking from the top view, they look a lot like moving worms when swimming. That’s where the name “Ranchu” comes from (which literally means “dutch worm” in Japanense).

Another striking feature of the Ranchu goldfish species is that they don’t have any dorsal fin, much like their Lionhead counterpart. However, Ranchus come with arched backs, unlike the flat backs of Lionhead specimens. Initially bred for top view, they look just as impressive when viewed from the sides nowadays.

They are available in a wide variety of colors, ranging from red, white, orange, blue to bi-colors like red-and-white, black and red, black and white, etc. Their scales can be metallic, matte, or nacreous. So, a couple of differently-colored Ranchus will make your aquarium colorful and lively! Black ranchu goldfish are one of my personal favorites.

These fish are comparatively more delicate than other goldfish because of their unique anatomy. So, they are probably not the best option for beginner aquarists. Overall, the beautiful appearance and the unique swimming style of the Ranchu goldfish make them the perfect candidate for any goldfish aquarium.  

The rounded body and the lack of dorsal fin reduce the amount of control Ranchus have over their body when swimming. So, they can’t swim as efficiently as others. Swimming is more tiring for them as well, as you will often see them moving slowly and resting now and then to regain energy. Moreover, the wen or the head growth usually covers their eyes and makes it harder for them to see.

As a result, Ranchus aren’t good at competing for food. In a tank with fast swimmers and aggressive fish, they will be unable to feed and thrive. The Ranchu goldfish cannot tolerate pollution at all. They will be quick to pick up diseases if the water isn’t clean enough.

Thanks to their rounded body shape, they are highly vulnerable to swim bladder disease. Furthermore, the wen can easily get infected. If you don’t keep a Ranchu goldfish in a well-maintained fish tank with a high-quality aquarium filter, they won’t thrive. It doesn’t take much to stress them out and put them into shock. Their care requirements are much higher than others, so make sure to be extra careful and put more effort.

Brine shrimp, Daphnia, tubifex worms, blood worms, black worms, etc., are some of the most suitable foods for Ranchus. You should minimize the use of live foods as they often contain bacteria and parasites that can make them sick. Ranchus usually take longer to feed as they have poor vision due to their head growth. You will have to feed them several times a day but remember not to overfeed.

A favorite food staple is soaked pellets or freeze fried food supplemented with vita-chem. This is a great way to add much needed nutrients to common foods. Probiotics are also becoming more common place with food manufacturers with Companies like Cobalt leading the charge.

My Pick

Vita Chem

One of the best nutritional supplements you can use for freshwater fish. Works great with pellet and fried dried foods.

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Can They Live Alone?

The Ranchu, like any other goldfish, can live a long life in solitude. This breed of fish doesn’t mind living alone as long as they get enough food and decent water quality.  However, they are social animals, and they can benefit from social interaction. Ranchus love playing around with other fish as they enjoy companionship.

They love being social in groups. In fact, check out super-cute video of Ranchu goldfish playing football (As reported by the South China Morning Post) to see how fun they can be to have around.

They will be visibly happier if you keep them together with other tank mates that won’t compete with them or harass them. So, it’s better to introduce similar types of fish in a Ranchu aquarium if you want the best for them. They do great in an all goldfish tank full of other fancy goldfish varieties.

How Big Can They Grow? What Tank Size Is Right for Them?

Fancy fish like the Ranchu Goldfish are developed to impress you with their shapes, not their sizes. With that being said, the average length of adult Ranchus is around 5”. However, under the right water conditions, they can grow even larger, up to 8 inches!

Learning the size is important because it determines what the tank size that houses them should be. You must make sure to provide them enough room where they can swim freely. In general, the minimum requirement for housing one full-grown Ranchu is 20 gallons.

However, you should start with 20-30 gallons if you want to ensure maximum comfort for your prized fish. Increase the tank size by 10-gallons every time you bring a new fish into the tank. Larger tanks are recommended because that will provide more space for them to swim, and you won’t have to deal with water changes as frequently.

Taking care of Ranchus will undoubtedly pay off. Even though these fish have low tolerance, they will stay healthy and active for a long time as long as you provide for them.

Additionally, you should keep them under constant monitoring. Look for any signs of diseases or discomfort. Perform water changes as often as required. If you notice any difference in their bodies, take action quickly to prevent them from suffering or dying.

Are They Aggressive?

The Ranchu Goldfish is anything but aggressive. They have an incredibly peaceful temperament, and they are rather friendly and cheerful. Their unique structure prevents them from being violent, anyway. For instance, they can’t swim all that fast and tire out pretty easily. They can’t see clearly with their eyes, often due to the growth in their heads. You won’t see them fighting other fish for food because they aren’t equipped to compete.

However, Ranchus do enjoy foraging for food. Make sure not to choose aggressive fishes as their tank mates if you don’t want your goldfish to struggle for survival and fail. They get along pretty well with other similarly morphed goldfish. You can feel free to house them together in an aquarium. Rest assured, they will not transform your tank into the Colosseum and fight each other to death!

How Much Do They Cost?

The price may also vary depending on factors like the size, source, age, etc. In general, you should be able to get your hands on one of them for 5 to 25 dollars from any local pet store or local breeders. However Japan’s “King of Goldfish” has garnered a lot of popularity over the decades with its fancy appearance. Ranchus are prized by many aquarists all over the world, and they are definitely in demand.

The most expensive Ranchus will be shipped directly from Japan or China. These are the most prized of all Ranchus and earn their moniker of “King of Goldfish. These types of Ranchus will easily commander prices of over $50 and can get much more expensive! Importing is how you obtain Ranchu Goldfish developed for competing in various Japanese shows. The video below by hendrink Nursalim shows a competition level Ranchu competing in Aquarama in 2011.

Competition Ranchu Goldfish tend to have more defining features, and their price can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars! You don’t need them unless you’re in the Ranchu Goldfish Enthusiasts category and planning to win one of those competitions. You will have to spend quite some money taking care of these types of goldfish, which you should consider.

No matter what type of fish you get, you must invest in creating and maintaining a proper diet plan for keeping them healthy. Rest assured, they are definitely worth the price.

Tank Requirement

If you’re a goldfish enthusiast, chances are you’ve already got a fancy goldfish aquarium. It might just be the perfect one for the king of goldfish from Japan! A Ranchu will flourish in a tank with slow-moving clean water, with suitable temperatures (65° – 72°). The recommended aquarium size for a single Ranchu is 20 to 30 gallons.

The pH range must be within 6.5 to 7.5, while the hardness range should be around 5 to 19 dGH. Make sure to keep the levels of ammonia, and nitrite close to zero. Nitrate should be maintained below 40 PPM.

Filtration and Water Quality

There should be a functioning water filtration system for these fish. Given the delicate nature of this fish, You should elect at minimum a quality hang on the back filter for smaller aquariums.

For larger fancy goldfish setups, you should consider an oversized canister filter to manage nitrates with a quality all-in-one biomedia like BioHome. Setting your filtration up like this ensure you have the most stable water quality to keep your Ranchus in excellent health.

Editor’s Choice!

Biohome Ultimate Filter Media

Editor’s Choice!

This is the best media you can buy for your aquarium. It does it all – removes ammonia, nitrite, and nitrates

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Goldfish Tank Environment

For creating a comfortable and natural environment, you should add a sand or fine gravel substrate. Ensure it’s safe and doesn’t pose any choking hazard because your fish will regularly dig around that part as they like foraging for food.

Feel free to decorate your aquarium but refrain from using anything with sharp edges and protruding tips. If you are using artificial plants, consider silk plants. If you are using aquarium rocks, consider rocks without sharp edges or round ones. Driftwood should generally be avoided unless you are rounding out edges and ensuring there is plenty of open room to swim.

You can add a variety of plants to make the environment appear more natural. Due to their digging habit, live plants may not always be suitable. Some great plants to consider for fancy goldfish would include:

• Java Fern
• Anubias
• Java Moss
• Water Sprite

Make sure to anchor your plants to rocks instead of the substrate. The difficulty with plants is why many choose to go with artificial plants.

Tank Mates

You must be careful in choosing suitable tank mates for the Ranchu Goldfish. They are best paired with other fancy goldfish such as:

• Black Moor Goldfish
• Oranda Goldfish
• Pearlscale Goldfish
• Fantail Goldfish
• Ryukin Goldfish

Final Words

Ranchu goldfish stand out easily from other fish aided by their unique body. The wen on their head, combined with their round body, and arched backs make them look special. You will be impressed at how lovely they appear when swimming, thanks to the horizontally spreading double tail.

If you take good care of these fish, your aquarium will be rightly populated with one of the fanciest goldfish you can find on the market. They will stay with you for a long time and keep you entertained! Ranchus keep a goldfish tank lively and entertaining. Consider adding these beautiful creatures! Leave a comment below if you think that we should add more information on how to care for them in this blog post.

📘 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Freshwater Fish Guide — your ultimate resource for freshwater species, care tips, tank setup, and more.

Black moor goldfish are one of those fancy varieties that I think are underappreciated — there’s something elegant about that all-black coloration and the dramatic telescope eyes. I’ve kept fancy goldfish including black moors, and the telescope eye varieties do need a bit more attention than standard goldfish because their vision is genuinely limited. Set them up right and they’re charming, personable fish with a lot of character.

Have you just purchased your first Black Moor Goldfish? Congratulations on being a new fish parent and thank you for taking the time to research how to care for them. You will find that not only are they easy to take care of, but their beautiful colors make them a great addition to any home or office.

Of all the fancy goldfish which have attracted the interest of the home aquariums of beginner aquarists, one the most distinct aquarium fish is undoubtedly the black moor goldfish. Named for its beautiful black coloring, this is a peaceful type of goldfish that is very easy and rewarding to care for. What distinguishes the black moor from other fancy goldfish types are, mainly, its “dragon” eyes. As one of the telescope goldfish, these fish have eyes with a comic and endearing bulging appearance.

It’s important to follow the proper care specifications in order to ensure a long and healthy life for your new friends: here’s my comprehensive guide to black moor goldfish care.

A Brief Overview of the Black Moor Goldfish

Origins and Habitat

Like all goldfish carassius auratus, the lineage of the black moor has its beginnings in the Prussian carp, a wild carp specimen found in parts of North America, Europe and most notably, Asia. The first incidence of carp being caught and domesticated, however, occurred in China.

The black moor goldfish is a result of selective fish breeding done in China and Japan to obtain and retain its defining genetic abnormality: telescope eyes. This was done by confining fish with such eyes to a single pond, leading to a larger spawn. The unqiue black coloring and long tail fins of the black moor were thus bred into permanence.

What Does they Look Like?

With bulging eyes and a metallic coat of black scales, the black moor goldfish has an easily recognizable appearance:

Body

Like many other fancy goldfish, the body of the black moor goldfish is rotund, with an egg shape. This is offset by their beautiful tail and anal fins, which are long, graceful and flowing. Meanwhile, their pectoral and dorsal fins tend to be larger.

Color

The black moor goldfish gets its name from the distinct, fully black coloration of its scales. However, this beautiful metallic black color is not seen until they get older. As a juvenile, the scales of a black moor goldfish have a color more accurately described as dark bronze. Beyond maturity, when it begins aging, a black moor’s fins may turn grayish, but don’t begrudge them for not staying true to their name.

Eyes

And now for the best part of the black moor goldfish: its large, bulging eyes, which are quite fittingly called telescope eyes (and alternatively, dragon eyes). As they age, black moor goldfish’s eyes tend to get bigger. So, if you look into a tank full of these fish, you can easily pick out the eldest among them by the size of his or her eyes. The bulging eyes phenomenon is a result of intraocular pressure, which causes the fancy goldfish to, ironically, have very weak eyesight. 

Gender Differences

Telling the sex of a black moor is decidedly difficult, although males do tend to be smaller than females. During mating season, however, the fins of a male black moor goldfish is covered with breeding tubercles, which look like little white bumps.

Temperament and Activity Level

Whether you put your black moors in with other tank mates or in a community tank, you will be pleased by their friendly and peaceful temperament. That said, the best course of action is to put these slow swimmers in with a shoal of other black moors.

Not only that, but their low activity level also makes black moor goldfish care easy: these fancy goldfish like to simply swim back and forth across their tank without bothering any other fish. You’ll often find them swimming leisurely in the middle of the tank, although you shouldn’t be surprised to see your fish concealing him or herself in the decorations or in the substrate.

What are Good Tank Mates?

Choose the members of your aquarium carefully. As these fish are fragile and peaceful goldfish carassius auratus, their chosen companions should have a similar disposition and set of traits. This is a very important aspect of black moor goldfish care as it ensures that your fish won’t be bullied or injured. This is not only limited to fin nipping but extends to their eyes, which are easily injured.

Good Tank Mates

For non-fish the best tankmates would be:

• White Cloud Minnows
• Dojo Loach
• Giant Danios

Many fish available will need different water temperature requirements. Peaceful and schooling fish like minnows your Goldfish may try to eat , but they are are fast enough to get away and not be stressed out in larger tanks. You will need to worry about feeding though as fancy goldfish are slow swimmers and eaters.

The best tank mates for a black moor goldfish would be other goldfish of the fancy variety, such as:

• Fantail goldfish
• Lionhead goldfish
• Oranda Goldfish
• Pearscale Goldfish
• Ranchu Goldfish

Inverts like freshwater shrimp are generally going to be a bad idea. While shrimp can be fast enough to get away, the stress of being constantly chased could make them jump out of the tank. Snails would be a better choice with nerite and the mystery variety being known to coexist peacefully with your black moors.

Fish Species to Avoid

You should at all costs avoid pairing your black moor with territorial or aggressive goldfish varieties. Such types of fish are known to nip at the long flowing fins of black moors, which can cause fin rot. It can also be quite stressful for black moors to try and avoid aggressive tank mates, which in turn might affect their health and lifespan. Such tankmates that do not pair well with Goldfish would be Cichlids.

What Do Carassius Auratus Eat?

Most goldfish varieties are omnivorous fish, which means they can be fed food of the meat as well as plant variety. Although this extends your range of options, you should also be warned that, as fish with big and hungry appetites, your black moors are liable to start feeding on anything you put in your aquarium.

Dry pellets and flakes can easily be fed to a black moor. That said, you should also aim to create variety in their diet to ensure good health. You can feed them vegetables such as broccoli, spinach and lettuce. Make sure to stream your veggies before introducing as this sterilizes them. Specialized frozen foods are highly recommended as they offer the best nutritional value you can get in the hobby. High protein foods help to bring out the black coloration of these fish quicker.

What About Live Foods?

As carnivores, black moors take well to certain easily digestible freeze-dried live foods or frozen live foods, such as blackworms, bloodworms, brine shrimp, tubifex worms, and daphnia (brine shrimp has the lowest nutritional value of all I mentioned). Before feeding freeze-dried foods to your black moors, however, you should soak the food in some aquarium water first to facilitate a smoother digestion process. Soaking with supplements like Vita-Chem will help boost the nutritional content of the food.

My Pick

Vita Chem

One of the best nutritional supplements you can use for freshwater fish. Works great with pellet and fried dried foods.

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How Much and How Often to Feed

Most goldfish carassis auratus varieties should be given food several times a day (though most fish keepers can only do twice a day), and the same is true for the black moor goldfish carassius auratus. But keeping their big appetite in mind, it’s also important not to overfeed your black moors. Their internal organs are squeezed into a compact body, which can lead to fatal digestive problems such as constipation, when the fish is given excessive food.

Moreover, be sure to eliminate any leftover food so as to keep the water unpolluted and safe for your fish to live and thrive in. Using a rule of thumb of only feeding what your fish can eat in 2 minutes is a good guideline to work with.

How to Set Up Your Fish Tank

Remember, goldfish are descended from carps. As such, it’s best to try to ensure a tank environment that closely mimics the natural habitat of a carb. Black moors have weak eyesight and love to feed on almost any small object they find, which is important to keep in mind. Murky, moderately brackish water with a gravel substrate should be a good fit for your black moors.

Furthermore, considering that they are weak swimmers, the optimal tank shape for them is long rather than tall—this gives them more swimming space. If it’s tall, it might be harder for black moors to reach any food on the surface.

Minimum Tank Size Considerations

Despite their relatively small size, these fish do take up a lot of space due to their long and large fins. So, for a single black moor goldfish, you should provide at least a 20 gallon aquarium. Then, for every new fish you add, you should add another 10 gallons.

Substrate

Care should be taken when selecting substrates for goldfish. Goldfish will regularly dig in the substrate and with their large mouths, it is easy for them to accidentally shallow gravel. I would recommend a sandy substrate for goldfish as this allows them to forgage freely and split out any sand bits as they dig around the tank.

Ideal For Goldfish

Caribsea Super Naturals Sand

This sand by Caribsea is perfect for supporting the foraging habit of goldfish. Also works with bottom feeders and discus fish.

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Decor

Despite their slow swimming speed, black moors are big eaters who are prone to nibbling on almost anything they find. So, it’s best to avoid putting a lot of tank décor in their aquarium. They might just start chewing on it. That said, if you must include decor, ensure that they have smooth surfaces and don’t have any sharp or protruding edges. It’s best to steer clear of driftwood and sharp rocks.

Plants

As they are known diggers, don’t be surprised if your fish start digging up any live plants you’ve planted in their substrate. The best way to work around their digging nature is to attach plants to aquarium rocks. You need to be selective on your plants though, as goldfish will eat many live plants and their temperature requirements are not compatible with most plants.

The safest plants to use on goldfish would be:

• Java Fern
• Anubias
• Java Moss
• Hortwort
• Water Sprite

All the plants above are considered beginner aquarium plants, so you can still maintain a easy to keep tank! You can also use artifical plants. Silk plants are better to use than plastic ones as they will lack the sharp edges that could potentially harm your fish.

Water Quality (Care)

Here are the specifics of maintaining optimal water quality.

Filtration

It’s recommended to include an efficient filter in your black moor’s tank. This ensures that the water stays clear, which is important since black moors produce a lot of waste. For smaller tanks a quality hang on filter like an aquaclear or seachem tidal would work well.

For larger tanks, it would be best to consider using a well made canister filter. Goldfish are bulky and large. This size makes them hard on your bioload. A canister filter is designed to handle large bioloads. With goldfish tanks, I would recommend loading up on a quality biological media that can process nitrates. I feel Biohome Ultimate Filter Media is the best complete filtration media when it comes to high bio-load non-planted tanks.

Editor’s Choice!

Biohome Ultimate Filter Media

Editor’s Choice!

This is the best media you can buy for your aquarium. It does it all – removes ammonia, nitrite, and nitrates

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Water Parameters

As black moors are an artificially bred species, there is no exact habitat you can replicate for them. However, we do know that their black color appears more quickly in low water temperatures. So don’t set the tank up in any room that tends to get hot, or near any heat source (e.g. a fireplace), as this will affect water temperatures. They also benefit from neutral pH levels. Let’s look at some specifics of water conditions for these freshwater fish:

• Water Temperature: 65.0 to 72.0° F  / 18.3 to 22.2° C
• pH Range: 6.0 – 7.5
• Lighting: Strong lighting is required to help your ocularly impaired fish.
• Hardness Range: 5 – 19 dGH
• Salinity: Below 10%; specific gravity should be below 1.002
• Water Movement: Moderate

Aquarium Maintenance

It’s of utmost importance to ensure clean water conditions for your fish as it directly affects their health. About 20% of the water should be changed on a monthly basis to keep phosphate and nitrate levels at a healthy level. What’s more, it’s recommended to make use of a gravel siphon to remove elements such as organic debris and sludge.

Test Water Conditions

If you’re committed to ensuring a long life for your fish, you should invest in an aquarium test kit. It allows you to determine whether the mentioned water parameters are being maintained properly in your black moor’s tank. 

How to Breed

It’s relatively easy to breed black moors on your own in a tank. To get your black moors to mate and start laying eggs, create the following conditions.

Breeding Tank Setup

Start by moving your pair of breeding black moors to a separate tank (video by All Blue Amante Del Pesce). You should aim to ensure that there are adequate surfaces such as plants and decor for the female to lay eggs when it’s time.

Breeding Temperature

Once your fish are in their tank, start by slowly lowering the temperature to 60° F (15.5° C). Then, gradually increase the water temperature by 3° daily until your fish look ready to mate. You should also make daily water changes of 20%. This will bring on spawning season.

After Breeding

Once your female fish lays her eggs, the male will go on to fertilize them. This process involves a courtship ritual in which the male chases the female around for some time. This might take several hours and you might see as many as 10,000 eggs in the tank by the end of it. Once the eggs appear, swiftly remove the pair back into their original tank as they will otherwise eat the eggs.

Feeding Your Fry

In a week, you’ll have black moor fancy goldfish babies. Congrats, you’ve unlocked a new level in fish keeping! Keep feeding them foods high in protein and iron until they take on an adult size. In about two months, you can start feeding them the same food you give to their parents.

Health and Disease

Concerned about the health of your freshwater fish? Here’s what you need to know if you have a sick fish.

Signs of Health

If your fancy goldfish are swimming about normally, that’s usually a good indicator of health. They should be regularly eating and should sign good colors and believing should not be labored.

Signs of Ill Health

Here are the three main indicators of poor health in your black moor goldfish that anyone practicing fish keeping should know:

• Their appearance. Note whether there is any dull coloration, color changes, or colorless patches. If you notice any significant color changes, your black moors might be suffering from velvet disease or skin disease.
• Their movements. Healthy goldfish usually swim and bob along the middle of the tank. So if you see that they are sitting at the bottom of the tank or floating on the surface, they might be afflicted by swim bladder.
• Their appetite. If you notice that your goldfish is not eating properly, they might be suffering from ich, which occurs when there is a parasitic protozoan in the body of the fish. In advanced cases, you might also notice white spots, rapid breathing, and isolation.

Common Health Issues and Treatment

Like all common freshwater fish, black moors are at risk of being inflicted by ich, fin rot, fungus, and flukes. With their long fins, they are particularly likely to catch fin rot. However, this can be prevented if you maintain a high quality of water in their tank.

If you suspect a swim bladder (symptoms discussed above), check out my freshwater fish diseases post. There is a great video and explanation on treatment and alternative long-term solutions like fabricated “wheel chairs” that hobbyists have used to save their fish.

As a telescopic goldfish breed with poor eyesight, black moors are prone to eye diseases caused by fungi and bacteria (particularly if their tank is not clean and well-maintained). When handling your black moors, always be very cautious so as not to accidentally injure or damage their eyes.

It’s important to keep ammonia and nitrate levels low in your black moor’s goldfish tank. To ensure this, you should aim to replace about 25% of the water volume on a weekly basis. You may need to increase the volume based on your test results. Regularly testing your water with an aquarium test kit will help you adjust your water change routine to manage nitrates.

Where to Buy

Black moor goldfish are quite inexpensive and are commonly found. You can typically find them in chain pet stores. However, I would recommend you either purchase at a specialty local fish store or if you cannot find a good one in your area, looking into an online fish store.

Frequently Asked Questions

Closing Thoughts

This fascinating fish might make it seem like they’re difficult to care for, but a species like the black moor goldfish makes it obvious that that’s a misconception. As long as you can commit to ensure optimal tank standards, and don’t place them with any aggressive fish species, your gentle and beautiful black moors will stay by your side for at least 10 years! I hope you’ve found this guide helpful in understanding black moor goldfish care. Your feedback would be appreciated, so please leave a comment below!

📘 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Freshwater Fish Guide — your ultimate resource for freshwater species, care tips, tank setup, and more.

Pearlscale goldfish are one of the most distinctive fancy varieties you can keep, and I find their round, golf-ball body shape genuinely endearing. They’re not the hardiest fancy goldfish — that round body means they’re more prone to swim bladder issues than more streamlined varieties — but with the right diet and tank setup they do very well. If you’re a goldfish enthusiast looking for something unusual, pearlscales are worth the extra care.

Pearlscale goldfish are one of the most distinctive fancy varieties you’ll encounter — those raised, dome-shaped scales genuinely do look like pearls, and the round, almost spherical body is unlike any other goldfish. I’ve covered dozens of goldfish types on our YouTube channel over the years, and the pearlscale is always one that surprises people who haven’t seen it before. That said, after 25 years in this hobby I want to be upfront: that beautiful round body comes with real care considerations. Pearlscales are prone to swim bladder issues, especially when overfed or kept on a poor diet. They’re also slow swimmers that absolutely cannot share a tank with single-tailed goldfish varieties. This guide covers everything you need to keep pearlscales healthy long-term.

Species Overview

Origins and Habitat

Originating in the early 20th century, the pearlscale goldfish is a relatively new addition to the family of fancy goldfish. Unlike the slender common goldfish, the Chinshurin (as is their Japanese name) have an adorable rounded body, which increases their popularity.

Most species of goldfish are bred in China or Japan. However, modern day pearlscale goldfish are bred and developed mainly in England. But like most fancy goldfish, ping-pong goldfish are bred and kept all over the world. Because there are specially bred goldfish, there are no Pearlscale fish in existence in the wild.

What Does the Pearlscale Goldfish Look Like?

There are many ways to tell goldfish pearlscale apart from others:

Body

One of the first things you’ll notice when you lay your eyes on a pearlscale goldfish is its egg shaped round belly (many also compare it to a golf ball), which is offset especially by its compact and stubby body. In fact, this roundness is what inspires the “ping-pong goldfish” moniker.

Accompanying the short and rounded body are beautiful fins that flow ethereally in the water. They have a single dorsal fin, while the rest of the fins are paired. Of these, the twin tailed fin is the most remarkable, as it has a forked appearance.

The wen fish or crown pearlscale goldfish (named for the crown atop their head) have a slightly different appearance, with large and distinct bubbles on their heads. These might be given the name of high-headed or hooded pearlscales.

Scales

What truly sets the pearlscale goldfish apart are its distinct scales, which are nacreous (reflective and translucent tissue). These scales are caused by calcium carbonate deposits due to a genetic mutation. Arranged in visually pleasing rows, these scales have a shiny and luminescent appearance that have a pearl like appearance (and hence the name!), and a bead-like texture.

You won’t see these pretty nacreous scales until your goldfish are older, however. To the untrained eye, young fish of this goldfish species might be difficult to tell apart from the common goldfish.

Color

The golfball pearlscale goldfish comes in a wide variety of colors and patterns. Most commonly found are solid colored specimens, which might be covered in white, red, blue or black. Calico and chocolate brown varieties are also found of this beautiful freshwater pearlscale fish. There are many types of pearlscale goldfish available. The video below from Molly Babe Aquatics gives a great example of the variety out there.

Temperament and Activity Level

One of the reasons why pearlscales are so popular as pets is their docile and peaceful temperament. Furthermore, they’re slow moving, slow swimmers. Because of this, they are relatively low-maintenance, and they don’t exhibit aggression.

Pearlscale goldfish are quite easy-going compared to other freshwater fish, preferring to spend their days swimming about slowly (unlike, for example, wakin goldfish who are known for fast swimming). However, just because they’re not fast swimmers doesn’t mean they have a low activity level: sometimes, they like to explore and play, so it’s a good idea to put them in a sizeable goldfish only tank.

What are Good Tank Mates?

Thinking of putting some pearlscale goldfish into an existing aquarium? Consider what fish make good tank mates for them, and which ones don’t:

Good Tank Mates

If you have a peaceful community aquarium, great news! Some pearlscale goldfish will make a wonderful addition to it, as they can cohabitate easily with other fancy goldfish and docile freshwater fish. Here are some good tank mates for pearlscale goldfish:

• Black moor goldfish (or other telescope goldfish)
• Fantail Goldfish
• Oranda Goldfish
• Lionhead goldfish
• Ranchu Goldfish

Other than fish, certain snail species also go well with pearlscales, such as mystery and nerite snails.

Fish Species to Avoid

As mentioned before, goldfish pearlscales are slow swimmers. As such, it’s important to keep them away from fast swimming and aggressive fish, because they might end up nipping at the fins of your pearlscales and out competing them for food. Accordingly, here are some fish species you should avoid putting in with your pearlscales:

• Comet goldfish
• Wakin goldfish
• Shubunkin goldfish (pictured above)
• Koi Fish

Furthermore, note that many tropical fish should not share the same aquarium as your pearlscales, as they have different temperature requirements. Even if no fin-nipping occurs with tank mates, feeding time will be difficult for your pearlscale goldfish if the tank mates are fast.

Pearlscales love vegetables, such as cucumbers, frozen peas (as well as deshelled peas), and lettuce. These are great for pearlscales as they keep intestinal problems (such as constipation) at bay. Make sure to steam vegetables before feeding them to fish to sterilize them

Furthermore, limit protein for your pearlscales; it should make up only about 30% of their diet. Excessive protein can cause health complications for pearlscales.

What About Live Foods?

You can include live foods in your pearlscale’s diet every now and again. Brine shrimp, Daphnia, blood worms, blackworms, or Tubifex worms are good live food options for your pearlscale goldfish. Keep in mind the risks of diseases when feeding live food. The safest way to feed live food is to cultivate your own, but this is not for everyone.

How Much and How Often to Feed

A balanced and healthy diet for a pearlscale goldfish will be one made up of a mix of high quality frozen, pellets, and flakes which are given to them at least twice a day. Only feed what your fish can eat in 2 minutes to avoid any excess food in the tank.

Tank Requirements

Fish Tank Size

The recommended minimum size for a pearlscale goldfish aquarium is 20 gallons—even better if you can make it 30.

This is because, although they’re weak swimmers and slower swimmers than other similar goldfish species, pearlscales do like to swim around their aquarium. More importantly, they need a lot of oxygen and produce a lot of waste. A general rule of thumb is to add 10 gallons of tank capacity for every one fancy goldfish after the first 30 gallons.

Tank Setup

Here are some particulars on setting up a freshwater aquarium for your pearlscale.

Substrate

A sandy substrate is the best option if you want to create a natural environment for your pearlscales. This is to mimic their natural environment as pearlscales enjoy digging through their substrate. If you go with gravel, it’s important to ensure that you’re getting larger and smoother gravel substrate. Otherwise, they might accidentally swallow some. 

Decor

One of the defining characteristics of pearlscales is that they have very delicate and breakable scales. This is why it’s important to avoid putting them in a crowded aquarium. If your existing tank has many decorations and aquarium rocks with sharp edges (or any other sharp objects), it’s best not to put your pearlscales in it as they might accidentally bump into them and have their scales fall off.

If this happens, the fish will not regain its original “pearl” scales; instead, regular scales will grow in their place (although some aquarists say that additional calcium helps here, this is undocumented). That said, aquarium driftwood and plants are okay. You can smooth out driftwood with sandpaper and cut off sharp edges.

Plants

Plants are a great addition to a pearlscale goldfish aquarium, because these fancy goldfish love darting in between and playing with live plants. In fact, a natural pond-like habitat is very good for pearlscales. If you want to put live plants with your pearlscales, go with cold-hardy and beginner plants like Java fern, Hornwort, Anubias and Anacharis. Goldfish in general do not have an appetite for Java Fern and Anubias, but every individual fish is different.

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Pearscale Goldfish Care (Water Quality)

Nutrition, clean water, and stress management are the keys to proper Pearlscale goldfish care. Let’s focus on filtration and maintenance.

Filtration

In the case of pearlscales, biological filtration is best as it allows for a high level of water quality, which keeps them safe from common aliments and stress.

With a decent filtration system, both your fish’s waste and leftover food will be dealt with. This is particularly important because pearlscales are slow eaters and tend to take their time to get to their food. A hang on back filter at minimum are best to use given the high bioload these fish add to an aquarium.

A canister filter should be considered for larger fancy goldfish tanks. Their large mature bulky mature sizes and general foraging habits tends to generate a lot of waste particles in the water that need to be filtered out. A large filter like a canister will ensure mechanical filtration is top tier and nutrients can be processed appropriately.

In fish only fancy goldfish tank, a complete media like biohome is an ideal solution for keeping nitrates down when pairing with a canister. Biohome is amazing for high load fish only tanks – such as a large fancy goldfish tank.

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Water Parameters

As the species of pearlscale goldfish isn’t naturally occurring, there is no natural habitat you can emulate for them in your tank. However, their preferences are well known. They can withstand a wide temperature range, and do well in cold water and neutral pH levels. Watch out for frequently fluctuating pH levels as this can cause disease and ill health. Nitrates is also a common issue with fancy goldfish tanks. Regularly testing your water will assist in determine the water change volume and frequency.

Here are some specifics:

• Water Temperature: 65.0 to 75.0° F
• pH Range: 6.0-7.5
• Hardness Range: 4 – 20 KH
• Salinity: Below 10% (with a specific gravity below 1.002)
• Water Movement: Moderate
• Nitrates: Keep below 40

Aquarium Maintenance

The tank you place your pearlscale goldfish in should be well-maintained if you want them to stay healthy. Scheduled weekly water changes of 1/4 to 1/3 are required as pearlscales produce a lot of waste. As mentioned earlier, you can also choose to include snails in the tank as they make short work of algae and help to keep the tank clean. Since goldfish tanks require a lot of regular cleaning, an investment in a tool like a python cleaner can help save you time.

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How to Set Up Your Fish Tank

Beyond providing a good filtration system for your pearlscale goldfish’s tank, consider the following set-up requirements:

Tank Size

As you already know, at least 30 gallons is required for housing a pearlscale goldfish, with an additional 10 added for each new goldfish you introduce into the tank. This large amount of water is required so that the waste is diluted, and it lets you keep water changes scheduled to once a week.

Tank Shape

A large surface area is optimal for keeping fancy goldfish as it prevents an oxygen shortage. Remember, the tank shape determines the surface area; as such, it’s best to go with an elongated tank as opposed to a tall one. If you want a round or oval tank for your goldfish, it should be narrow at the top and wide in the middle for maximum surface area.

How to Breed

In the right conditions, pearlscale goldfish can spawn easily and readily. They are egg layers who can breed in small groups as well as large ones.

Breeding Conditions

Start by providing a breeding tank that is at least 20 gallons. A few weeks before breeding, make it a point to separate the males and females as this will increase their interest to spawn. When you’re ready, release the males and females in at the same time. Avoid rough handling.

Drop the temperature slowly to around 60°F, then gradually warm it at 3°F until spawning occurs. Usually, when the temperature is between 68° and 74°F, spawning will begin. This is a good time to feed your pearlscales live food such as worms and brine shrimp. Try to feed at least thrice a day. As for water changes, you should aim to make partial changes of about 20% per day.

How to Tell if Your Pearlscales Will Start Breeding

As the tank temperature increases, the male pearlscale will chase the female around (not aggressively) for several days. Both males and females will have a vivid, more intense color.

If you see a gyrating action in your freshwater fish, that means they’re spawning. The female will be pushed against any plants inside the aquarium during the process, which will cause tiny eggs to drop out, which can then be fertilized.

The spawning process can last up to 3 hours and produce about 10,000 eggs. Once this is done, remove the goldfish from the breeding tank, because they will start trying to eat the eggs. In 4 to 7 days thereafter, you should have a brand new group of juvenile pearlscale goldfish.

Health and Disease

Signs of Health

If your pearlscales have shiny scales and eyes, are swimming about their tank most of the day, and feed periodically throughout the day, you can safely assume that they’re healthy and happy. They should also retain their round body shape.

Signs of Ill Health

If your fancy goldfish seem lethargic, aren’t eating much, have pale skin, are hollow-bellied, or have fraying fins or scale loss, that means their health or life expectancy is compromised. Here’s what might be ailing them:

Common Health Issues and Treatment

Pearlscale goldfish are prone to being afflicted by all common freshwater fish diseases, such as fin rot, ich, flukes and fungus.

Because pearlscale goldfish have long and flowy fins, they are particularly prone to fin rot, which mainly occurs in poor quality water. So to prevent this, you should aim to provide high quality water for your goldfish.

Swim bladder disease is another commonly occurring disease in pearlscale goldfish. This is due to the compactness of their intestinal tract, which is easily affected by taking in too much food or even air. I go over swim bladder, dropsy and other serious goldfish aliments in my freshwater fish diseases post.

Where to Buy

As a common fancy goldfish, pearlscales are readily available in most pet shops, both online and off. However, the finest pearlscales are typically imported from countries like China. It is best to work with a what you see is what you get (WYSIWYG) online fish store to get select varieties.

Closing Thoughts

After this post, you should have a better understanding of the care and maintenance required for pearlscale goldfish. If you’re interested in learning more about freshwater fish or if you’ve been considering getting one as your first pet, please leave me a comment below! I’m happy to answer any questions that may come up while reading this blog post.

📘 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Freshwater Fish Guide — your ultimate resource for freshwater species, care tips, tank setup, and more.

Cherry barbs are one of my favorite recommendations for anyone setting up a community tank — especially those who love the idea of barbs but are concerned about fin nipping. Unlike tiger barbs, cherry barbs are genuinely peaceful fish that get along well with most community species. And when males are in breeding condition, they turn a vivid crimson red that looks spectacular against green plants. After 25 years in this hobby, I’ve pointed a lot of people toward cherry barbs as a starter fish that stays manageable while still delivering real visual impact. They’re also surprisingly easy to breed if you want to try that side of the hobby.

A Brief Overview Of The Cherry Barb

The Cherry Barb is scientifically called Puntius titteya , they are one of the friendlier barbs you can purchase in the aquarium hobby and are ideal for a community tank. They are also great barb fish for planted tanks as the male’s reds contrast well with many green plants.

Origins and Habitat

The Cherry Barb originates from Sri Lanka from the Cyprinidae family. The fish live in freshwater ponds and slow-moving water sources across Sri Lanka. These freshwater fish have also been found in Columbia and Mexico, where they have adapted well to their surroundings.

The fish thrive in tropical rainforest conditions where the temperature rarely changes.

Even though the Cherry Barb Puntius titteya is thriving in the aquarium scene, the fish is now vulnerable in its natural environment. This is due to its popularity with aquarium owners and the disappearing waters in their shrinking natural habitat. Fortunately, these fish are now tank bred and easy to find in fish stores.

What Do Cherry Barbs Look Like?

Cherry Barbs are long, thin, brightly colored fish. As the name suggests, they are bright red, with the male species generally being more vibrant than the females, which are more of a tan color. The females also look fatter than the males.

All Cherry Barbs have a dark line that runs along the whole of their body. This is a solid brown line, but due to their scales, it can look dotted.

Their fins are quite small and can look translucent. The dorsal fin is shaped like a half shell and is halfway down its back. When they swim, this fin lies flattened so that they look like little torpedoes gliding through the water.

Temperament and Activity Level

These fish are peaceful and like nothing better than swimming around all day in their group. You should buy Cherry Barb fish together due to their schooling nature; they like to swim around in groups. This gives them the feeling of safety and security when swimming together.

They are active fish and enjoy swimming quite fast. They are also curious fish who like searching things out. They may spot something that they want to explore and leave the group for a second but will always return.

The only time that you will see any signs of aggression from the Cherry Barbs will be while mating. Males will then dominate the female and other males.

What Are Good Tank Mates?

Due to their peaceful nature and social temperament, Cherry Barb tank mates can be many other fish species. They prefer to school in a group of other Cherry Barb fish, so keep this in mind when getting other fish.

Good Tank Mates

The best Cherry Barb tank mates for these fish would be other peaceful smaller fish species that share the same nature as your Cherry Barbs. They also enjoy sharing the tank with larger bottom dwellers. 

Some of the best fish species for tank mates would be:

• Tetras
• Rasboras
• Gouramis
• Small catfish like Otocinclus catfish

They are also suited to shrimp and other invertebrates, such as Ghost Shrimp, Cherry Shrimp, or Mystery Snails

Fish Species to Avoid

Cherry Barbs can be quite shy around other fish species, so it’s better to avoid larger or more aggressive fish species. Any fish that can fit the barb in its mouth should be avoided. Other more aggressive barbs like the Cherry Barb should be avoided.

Tank Requirements

You should make sure that you have the right sized tank and environment for your Cherry Barb fish. They are easy to look after as long as they have the right conditions and habitat.

Tank Size

As Cherry Barbs are schooling fish, you should allow for around six fish initially. The minimum tank size should be between 25–30 gallons.

Tank Setup

The natural habitat for these fish is shallow water with lots of live plants, so you should try to re-create this where possible. They are naturally a timid fish, and will not be as social without the comfort of plants. You should try to have some plants on the surface of the tank to help them to feel at home. Some of the best plants to choose from are water wisteria, hornwort, and anacharis.

Dark sand or fine gravel is an excellent substrate for your Cherry Barb. This offers a similar environment to their natural habitat of a dark, silty base. This, along with a well-planted tank, will give them the right environment. In an aquascaped environment, active aquarium soil is a consideration for rooted and carpeting plants.

The dark substrate will also add to the aesthetics of your fish tank with the black substrate against the bright red of the fish. It’s a color explosion!

Water Quality

These freshwater fish are a pretty hardy fish and can tolerate a range of water changes and conditions. However, you should ensure that the water quality is suitable for the fish to avoid any illness.

Filtration

A standard hang-on back filter should be suitable for your Cherry Barb care, which will keep the water clean at all times. The filter should have a gentle flow as the fish are used to slow-moving water and will not do well in fast currents. For a planted tank, a canister filter is a good consideration to provide added mechanical filtration and flow.

Water Parameters

The ideal water parameters for your Cherry Barb freshwater fish would be:

• Water temperature: 73°F–81°F
• pH level: 7.2 – 7.5
• Water hardness: 5 dH–19 dH

Aquarium Maintenance

To give your Cherry Barbs a healthy fish life, you must ensure that your aquarium is maintained to a high standard. The water should be kept clean, and parameters met at all times to give the best Cherry Barb care. The tank should also be cleaned regularly.

Test Water Conditions

Your tank water should be tested regularly to make sure that the parameters are met. By investing in high-quality water test kits, this will give you the accurate result that you need for your Cherry Barb fish.

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The water should be tested for the following elements:

• pH: This is the power of hydrogen level that tells you how acidic or alkaline the water is. 
• Ammonia: This is a byproduct of your fish’s waste and is toxic for your fish.
• Nitrite: Ammonia is broken down to make nitrite which is also toxic.
• Nitrate: You should not have more than 40ppm of nitrate in your water.

How to Set Up Your Fish Tank

Once you have bought everything you need, you will need to set up your Cherry Barb tank.

How To Set Up a Fish Tank

The first thing to do when setting up your fish tank is to make sure that everything is clean. You shouldn’t use any soap or disinfectant to clean as this may harm your fish; rinsing under water is sufficient.

The substrate should then be added to the tank, a couple of inches is plenty. Once you have done this, place an upturned bowl on the substrate—this will make the process of adding water easier.  The filter and heater should then be added but not switched on just yet.

Dechlorinated tap water can then be added to the tank. Do this by pouring it over the upturned bowl so that the substrate isn’t displaced all over the tank. To make the water fish-friendly, you need to start the nitrogen cycle. A little liquid ammonia should be added to the water to start the cycle.

Your decorations and live plants can then be added, making sure that these have been rinsed through. Live plants can be planted in pots or directly into the substrate, and all damaged leaves should be removed.

The filter system and heater should then be switched on and kept on all day and all night. Your live plants need light to survive, so your lighting should be switched on also. 

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The tank is then ready, but you shouldn’t add your fish just yet. The tank should be left to establish itself without fish for at least 10 days. The water parameters should then be tested to make sure that they are appropriate. All water parameters should be correct before adding any fish, or they won’t survive in the tank.

Once you have reached the correct parameters in your fish tank, you can then add your fish. 

Health and Disease

The Cherry Barb is quite a hardy fish species; however, they can still be susceptible to ill health.

Signs of Health

Prevention is far better than curing illness, and you should make sure that your fish are looked after. This will help to avoid many illnesses that can affect the fish. 

A healthy Cherry Barb is colorful and should be actively swimming around the tank with its group.

Signs of Ill Health

The first sign of ill health in a Cherry Barb would be changes in the behavior of your fish. If you notice anything different, check your fish out. Some of the changes in behavior could be: lethargy, not eating, or rubbing their body on the tank. They could also be suffering from ripped fins, which is a sign that there is something wrong.

Common Health Issues and Treatment

The most common disease in your fish would be Ich. This is also known as white spot disease, and the water should be treated with an Ich medication to get rid of this. 

They can also suffer from other conditions, such as velvet disease, fin rot, and dropsy. These conditions are all curable as long as they are correctly treated in time. Your fish may need to be quarantined while being treated. Check out my freshwater fish disease article for identification and treatment of the most common diseases in our hobby.

Breeding

Cherry Barbs are easy fish to breed and will spawn often. The breeding process is simple compared to other fish species. The time-consuming work is in the preparation. You will need to set up a breeding tank with a similar habitat to their permanent tank.

You will need two tanks or will need to separate a tank into two areas, one for the breeding pair and one for the eggs. Cherry Barbs will eat the eggs once spawned if they are not separated. The breeding tank will need to be well planted as they like to hide and protect their eggs in the plants. 

Once ready to spawn, the males will become more aggressive and start to chase the female. He will also become brighter in color, as will she. The female can lay between 200 and 300 eggs, and these will be scattered over the plants and substrate. You need to quickly remove these once spawned and put them in a separate tank.

Be careful not to add your female fish back into the permanent tank as soon as she has spawned her eggs. She will be tired and needs to regain her strength before being put back in with the male fish.

The fry will hatch over the next few days and should be fed on foods such as vinegar eels or micro worms. After a further couple of days, they will begin to swim around. As they get bigger, they can start to be fed on larger live foods like brine shrimp.

The fry will reach adulthood at around two months old, and at this point, they can be added to the permanent tank with other fish.

Are Your Cherry Barbs Male or Female?

There are a few ways that you can tell if your Cherry Barbs are male or female. The first one would be their color. The males are generally a brighter cherry red color, where the females are paler in color and can be tan or almost white.

The lateral line that is found along the whole of their body from the head to the tail is different. This is a darker brown color in the female Cherry Barb than the male. The last difference would be the shape of the fish. The female Cherry Barb is slightly rounder in shape in the stomach area than the male; the male fish is slimmer.

Availability

You can buy both male Cherry Barbs and female Cherry Barbs from most pet stores as well as online fish stores. Make sure that you purchase your fish from a reputable supplier and that they are healthy fish. You don’t want to buy fish that aren’t looked after and could spread diseases to your other fish.

What You Need to Buy

You need to start with the right tank with lighting and a filter system. They are a tropical fish, so you should invest in a heater for the tank. You should then get the substrate, plants, decorations, quality fish food, and maintenance equipment. 

To clean the tank correctly, you should invest in an algae magnet and an aquarium vacuum. You also need to make sure that you have plenty of water testing kits to ensure that your water is at optimal parameters.

Don’t forget your fish!

FAQs

Closing Thoughts

The Cherry Barb Puntius titteya is a popular freshwater fish that is easy to care for and will give you hours of relaxing enjoyment. There’s nothing better than watching your fish swimming together around the tank. 

We hope you enjoyed our fish guide, and it gives you the information you need to start your aquarium of colorful Cherry Barbs.

📘 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Freshwater Fish Guide — your ultimate resource for freshwater species, care tips, tank setup, and more.