Goldfish Varieties

Color

There are colors ranging from yellow-orange to black. Black, brown, and the wild green goldfish colors are caused by different combinations of the black and yellow pigment cells. Blue goldfish occur one of two ways; they have a large amount of guanine and the absence of orange, with some black, or by the black pigmentation being further down in the skin. Red or orange goldfish occur when few or no black chromatophores are present within the fish. Silver or white fish have no pigmentation in the skin and only guanine. Albino goldfish lacks pigment everywhere. They have pink eyes.

It is not uncommon to have a beautiful black moor turn orange. Color changes in goldfish does happen! Black and white goldfish tend to change colors as well.

Types of Goldfish

Common: These are normally shaped fish. They can grow to be 12 inches and live 20+ yrs if cared for properly. They are often sold in petstores as "feeder fish". They have short finnage and are most commonly found in the "orange" color. They can be red and white, brownish green, or green.

Fantail: They are usually a shorter fish with double tails and more round bodied. If they have long fins they are named veiltails. They are a well-liked double-tail found in many petstores. They have a head that is more pointed and have no head growth. Their fins tend to be more size proportioned to their bodies.Comet

These are more like the common goldfish but with longer fins and skinnier bodies. They have a more slender look than the common goldfish.

Ranchu: These fish do not have a dorsal fin but do have head growth. They are not long and slender but more circular in shape. The curve of their back is more noticeable than that of the lionhead.

Lionhead: Another double tailed fish with no dorsal fin. It has a short rectangular shape. They can have headgrowth as big as they are.

Black Moor: These fish are double-tailed and have telescope eyes.

Celestial: This goldfish has a double-tail without a dorsal fin. They body is cigar shaped. The eyes look upward.

Oranda: A lionhead with a dorsal fin and head growth. They are most commonly white in color with a red cap (red-capped oranda).

Shubunkin: These fish are more long bodied and best known for their white bodies and spots of color in shades of yellow, orange, blue and black. They are calico colored and have either comet shapes or shapes similar to the common goldfish.

Pompoms: Small growths called pompoms grow near their nostrils and are about the size of a pea. These fish are a variety of colors. These fish are dorsal-less with a lionhead body and no head growth.

Telescope eyed: These fish come in a variety of shapes; however, they have large eyes that stick out similar to a telescope. They are double-tailed and have a short round body. These fish seem notorious for changing colors from black to orange.

Pearl Scale: They have a fatter shape with a bulging middle and their scales look as though a white pearl is beneath each one. They are shaped similar to a ball. They have double-tails and if they have head growth they are called Hamanishiki.

Ryukin: These little guys are round bodied and have a humped back. They have double-tails. They store fat in their humps and head growth. Some older Ryukins will have head growth.

Bubble eyed: They have bubble sacs under each eye. The bubbles are either "boxer glove" shaped as the eyes are attached to the fish's head whereas the second shape is nearly round and the eyes appear to be looking upward or floating on the bubble. They can be various colors. They usually are without a dorsal fin. Their body is similar in shape to a cigar. They have double fins in proportion to their bodies.

Tail Types

Single Tail goldfish were amongst the first bred by the Chinese. They are the easiest to breed and by far the hardiest. If placed outdoors in a pool they can grow to be 12 inches long in a matter of 2 yrs. After many yrs they have been known to grow 2 feet long. They get much larger than the fancier types. Comets and Shubunkins fall into this category

Double Tail goldfish have short bodies and long finnage. They will grow to about 10 inches within 3 yrs. Ryukins, Veil-tails and Fan-tails have double tails. Lionheads are double-tailed with no dorsal fin.

Veiltail goldfish are egg shaped and have long finnage. They have pointed heads with no head growth. They have double-tails that are very square and a very high dorsal fin.

Finnage

Caudal or Tail Fins vary greatly among the different varieties. This structure consists of a flat membrane supported by fin rays. It develops from a single tail (two-lobed) to the doubled or bilaterally-paired fins (four-lobed).

Anal Fins can develop into short or long, single or double types. Double-tail or Fantail varieties must have double anals, and they should be of equal size.

Dorsal Fins should be 100% there or not there at all. The breeds of goldfish that lack a dorsal fin should be evenly covered with scales. There should be no stump showing.

Pelvic & Pectoral Fins vary in shape and size depending on the breed. They should be similar in pairs as well as straight.