Popular Types Of Goldfish – Fancy Fish Varieties You Can Have At Home

What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you listen to the word “goldfish”? If you have never set up a goldfish tank before, the very first thing that comes to your mind is that typical torpedo-shaped fish of orange color you can win at the fair.

Little do many aquarists know that there is a whole world of goldfish out there. Breeders have worked for almost a thousand years to produce all kinds of selectively bred varieties. We are not joking here – these species were very famous in Ancient China.

As a result, nowadays the number of goldfish varieties available is extremely varied. It ranges from fish that are very similar to the ancestor of our modern-day goldfish ( Carassius gibelio, the Prussian carp) to varieties so far removed from it and you can barely recognize them.

Types of goldfish chart

Goldfish Breeds – Types of Goldfish

Did you know that goldfishes were one of the first species to be domesticated and selectively bred? There are over 200 different types of goldfish all over the world. If you have only seen a tank of feeder fish or a little weird goldfish varieties, you might be surprised to explore how different these species truly are.

In this article, we will introduce different types of goldfish you to this fascinating and large daily fish and help you to recognize the best types for your goldfish pond or aquarium. Following are a few types of goldfish:

Comet Goldfish

Comet goldfish have a leaner and slightly shorter body than the common breed but have an extraordinary widespread long tail with sharp points. They require a bit more room than the usual goldfish so they do not damage their tail on their decor or substrate. These fancy fish are attractive and active, and are also one of the most famous breeds of goldfish!

They are coldwater fish. You can keep them in the heated aquarium and they also do well in ponds. Comets are generally deeply colored with an orange hue or vivid red, which looks incredible in the pond. These goldfishes are self or bi-colored, and they normally come in White and Red or Sarassa morphs.

Breed: Comet Goldfish
Care Level: Easy
Ideal Diet: Commercial goldfish pellets or flakes supplemented with live/frozen foods such as brine shrimp
Average Size: 2 to 4 inches for the juveniles; 10 to 12 inches in length at maturity
Minimum Tank Size: 15 gallons for the juvenile; 30 gallons for adult and Add 15 to 20 gallons per adult

Shubunkin Goldfish

Mysterious Shubunkin is my favorite breed of goldfish. They can be very confusing for folks that are new to goldfish keeping because any single tale fish that is calico-colored is considered a Shubunkin goldfish. If you breed a Nymph or comet goldfish with the calico trait then it is technically known as a Shubunkin.

Fancy goldfish with a calico morph can be considered as Shubunkins, anyways; some sellers still list them as calico. If you see a fancy goldfish that is referred to as a “Shubunkin-type” you can guarantee it is a calico-colored fish. There are three types of goldfish and their differences can be pretty exclusive.

Breed: Shubunkin Goldfish
Care Level: Easy
Ideal Diet: Commercial goldfish pellets or flakes supplemented with frozen/live foods such as brine shrimp
Average Size: 2 to 4 inches for juveniles; 10 to 12 inches in length at maturity
Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons for the juvenile; 20 gallons for adult and Add 10 to 15 gallons per adult

Fantail Goldfish

If you would like to jump into the world of fancy goldfish, then you could not choose a better starter fish than the Fantail. This kind of fish needs more precise conditions than single tails, but they are still one of the easier goldfish to care for. These goldfishes have pretty, classic egg-shaped bodies, and long double tails that give them their name Fantail Goldfish.

These fishes are the foundation breed for almost all the fancy goldfish and are routinely bred back into these lines to keep them inherently healthy. They usually require an aquarium heater and prefer warm water. Their tails make them little awkward swimmers, but they do not require a high level of special care to thrive.

Breed: Fantail or Fancy Fantail Goldfish
Care Level: Easy to Moderate
Ideal Diet: Commercial goldfish pellets are best. However, strong swimmers might be able to catch flake foods. Supplement with live/frozen foods such as brine shrimp
Average Size: 1 to 2 inches for juveniles; 6 to 8 inches in length at maturity
Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons for the juvenile; 15 to 20 gallons for adult. And add 10 gallons per adult

Veiltail Goldfish

If you like the beautiful look of the Fantail but are up for a challenge, then consider the magnificent Veiltail goldfish. They have a little compact and rounder body but their flowing 4-inch long tail and dorsal fin make them a showstopper.

Veiltail goldfish are harder to maintain due to those fins that limit their movements and can be easily damaged on your decor. They can not hunt for food, they can see and easily catch. They require plenty of room to actively move around your tank and are too delicate for community aquariums.

Breed: Veiltail Goldfish
Care Level: Moderate to Hard
Ideal Diet: Commercial goldfish pellets that float are best since these fish can not swim very well. Supplement with frozen/ live foods such as brine shrimp
Average Size: 1 to 2 inches for juveniles; and at maturity 7 to 8 inches in length
Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons for the juvenile; 15 to 20 gallons for adult and add 10 gallons per adult

Wakin Goldfish

A rare breed that does well in aquariums and ponds, the Wakin looks like a hybrid of a common or comet goldfish with a fancy fantail. They have an upright dorsal fin that goes almost down its back, a beautiful double tail that is a little shorter than a Fantail, and a leaner streamlined body.

These powerful swimmers are easily maintained and do not have any specific needs other than requiring plenty of room to reach their maximum size. A few of the pond-raised Wakins have reached almost 19-inches in length. You will have different categories of patterns and colors to select from as well.

Breed: Wakin Goldfish
Care Level: Easy to Moderate
Ideal Diet: Commercial goldfish pellets or flakes supplemented with frozen/live foods such as brine shrimp
Average Size: 2 to 4 inches for juveniles; and at maturity 10 to 12 inches in length, but there are reports of these fish reaching nearly 19-inches in pond settings
Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons for the juvenile; 30 gallons for adult and add 15 to 20 gallons per adult

Watonai Goldfish

I am including the Watonai under the Wakin rather than talking about them separately because they are closely related and have alike needs. The Watonai has the same shape and colors as the Wakin but has a little longer double tail. They are one of the fanciest breeds that can thrive in an aquarium and are easy to care for!

Breed: Watonai Goldfish
Care Level: Easy to Moderate
Ideal Diet: Commercial goldfish pellets or flakes supplemented with frozen/live foods such as brine shrimp
Average Size: 2 to 4 inches for juveniles; and at maturity 10 to 12 inches in length, but there are reports of these fish reaching nearly 19-inches in pond settings
Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons for the juvenile; 30 gallons for adult and add 15 to 20 gallons per adult

Lionhead Goldfish

The most famous breed of Dorsal-less goldfish is the incredible Lionhead. These graceful fancy fish look-alike the Ranchu but have the classic double tail and a falter back. They regularly have a prominent hood that can cover their entire face and head. But this trait is sometimes bounded to the top of the head or missing entirely.

Their missing dorsal fin makes these goldfish awkward swimmers and they do best in heat ponds and when kept with other fragile breeds of goldfish.

Breed: Lionhead Goldfish
Care Level: Hard
Ideal Diet: Best fed a diet of commercial goldfish pellets that float since these fish don’t swim well, supplemented with live/frozen foods such as bloodworms or brine shrimp
Average Size: 1 to 2 inches for juveniles; and at maturity 5 to 8 inches in length
Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons for the juvenile; 15 to 20 gallons for adult and add 10 gallons per adult

Ranchu

The Ranchu is of the oldest breeds and is well-known as the “King of the Goldfish” in Japan due to its being highly valued. It is easy to mistake these fish for Lionheads because they closely resemble them. However, the Ranchu has a little-prominent hood and a broader back.

The Ranchu doesn’t have a dorsal fin, which means that they are not best at hunting for food or at maneuvering in the water. These graceful goldfish do best in a temperature-stabilized pond with alike kinds of goldfish.

Breed: Ranchu Goldfish
Care Level: Hard
Ideal Diet: Best fed a diet of commercial goldfish pellets that float since these fish don’t swim well, supplemented with live/frozen foods such as bloodworms or brine shrimp
Average Size: 1 to 2 inches for juveniles; and at maturity 5 to 8 inches in length
Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons for the juvenile; 15 to 20 gallons for adult and add 10 gallons per adult

Bristol Shubunkin

The Bristol Shubunkin has a slender body alike to the comet with a large and glorious graceful Pearl drop tail. Impressive color patterns are available in this fish. As compared to other commercial Shubunkins these are produced in a very small amount. In recent times the traditional breeders have taken the step to make the top of the tail fin more upright which this goldfish much more appealing and help the fish to support its lovely tail as it grows older.

Breed: Bristol Shubunkin
Care Level: Easy
Ideal Diet: Commercial goldfish pellets or flakes supplemented with frozen/live foods such as brine shrimp
Average Size: 2 to 4 inches for juveniles; and at maturity 10 to 12 inches in length
Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons for the juvenile; 20 gallons for adult and Add 10 to 15 gallons per adult

Butterfly Tail Goldfish

Butterfly Tail goldfish is another showy breed that is well-known for its fancy fins. These fishes were bred to be observed from overhead. They have a hunched Ryukin-style body with a widely spread and long double tail that looks like a butterfly. Butterflies mostly come with other fancy traits like the hood and telescopic eyes.

Butterfly goldfish are currently very famous with breeders and come in a vast variety of scale types, colors, and patterns. Recently, categories like the self-colored white matte, blue, and lavender have become available as well and more are sure to come.

Breed: Butterfly Tail Goldfish
Care Level: Moderate to Hard
Ideal Diet: Commercial goldfish pellets that float are best since these fish can’t swim very well. Supplement with frozen/live foods such as brine shrimp
Average Size: 1 to 2 inches for juveniles; and at maturity 7 to 8 inches in length

Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons for the juvenile; 15 to 20 gallons for adult and add 10 gallons per adult