Goldfish are cold-water fish and are popular in fish aquariums. So, how many types of goldfish do you know? Or do you know how long they can live? If you do not know or want to learn more, do not hurry! The article will give you a hand!
Types of goldfish
There are types of goldfish, which are usually divided into plain or fancy according to their body shape, tail shapes, or other unique traits. Next, we would like to cover some types of goldfish.
Single-tailed goldfish
Single-tailed goldfish are more similar to their ancestors and can grow large. Besides, they are hardy and require minimal water flow. Moreover, if providing them with plenty of plants and hiding places, they can make ponds or aquariums attractive, because they are bright, active, and colorful.
- Common goldfish
- Shubunkins
- Comet goldfish
1. Common goldfish
Common goldfish belong to the Cyprinidae family and are from Asia. They are also named Carassius Auratus. And they are peaceful and omnivore. The average lifespan of them is 10 to 15 years. In addition, the ideal temperature for them is 68-74℉. Moreover, they can grow up to 4 inches. By the way, they can live in rivers, lakes, and canals in nature.
2. Shubunkins
Shubunkins are slim-bodied and single-tailed. They originated in Japan. There are many variants of shubunkins, including London shubunkin goldfish, American shubunkin goldfish, and Bristol shubunkin goldfish.
- London shubunkin goldfish
London shubunkin goldfish are thick and have round fins. They are peaceful and can live for 15 years on average. And they are omnivores. The ideal temp for them is 65-75℉. Besides, they can grow up to 12 inches.
- American shubunkin goldfish
They are also called Japanese shubunkins. They are peaceful and can live for 10–15 years. Besides, they can grow up to 9–18 inches and are omnivores. Moreover, the ideal temp for them is 65-72℉.
- Bristol shubunkin goldfish
Bristol shubunkins are easy to recognize for their unique tails, which are composed of two huge pointed fins. They are peaceful and can live for 10–15 years. And they are omnivores. They can grow up to 5–6 inches on average. Besides, they can accept temp between 65-75℉.
3. Comet goldfish
Comet goldfish are native to Washington state. They can live for 4–14 years and are peaceful. And they are omnivores. They can accept temp between 50 and 75℉. Besides, they can grow up to 1 foot. By the way, the fish have various variations. The most popular one is the bright, and metallic orange color.
Double-tailed goldfish
Double-tailed goldfish are also named fancy or egg-bodied goldfish. They are sensitive and require more care. Generally, they have round or egg-shaped bodies.
- Fantail goldfish
- Ryukin
- Veiltail goldfish
- Pearlscale goldfish
- Lionhead goldfish
- Ranchu
1. Fantail goldfish
Fantail goldfish are from China and Japan. They have egg-shaped bodies and long fantails. They are peaceful and can live for 5–8 years. Besides, they are omnivores and can grow up to 6–8 inches. They can accept temperatures of 61-77℉.
2. Ryukin
Ryukin is from China and is a kind of fantail goldfish. And they have shoulder humps behind their heads. They are peaceful and can live for 10–15 years. Besides, they are omnivores, and they can grow up to 6–10 inches. The ideal temp for them is 65-75℉.
3. Veiltail goldfish
Veiltail goldfish are similar to fantail goldfish and are native to the United States. At present, there are also Chinese and English variants. They are peaceful but difficult to care for. They are omnivores and can grow up to 7 inches. Besides, the average lifespan for them is 10–15 years.
4. Pearlscale goldfish
Pearlscale goldfish are from China and Japan. They possess round-bodied and thick scales. They are omnivores and can live for 5–10 years. Besides, they can grow up to 6–8 inches. They can accept temp for 65-75℉.
5. Lionhead goldfish
Lionhead goldfish and Ranchu are two similar goldfish. Lionheads are from China, and they are not suitable for beginners for the requirement of warm water, which needs a tank with precise parameters. Besides, they are omnivores, and they can live for 10–15 years. Moreover, they are peaceful and can grow up to 6–8 inches.
6. Ranchu
Ranchu are developed in Japan but do not grow naturally in the future. They have small wen that are close to their heads. They are omnivores and can live for 10–15 years. Besides, they can grow up to 5 inches. 65-77℉ is suitable for them.
In summary, except for the fish mentioned above, there are also many others, including Bubble goldfish, Telescope eye goldfish, Oranda, Wakin, and others.
How long do goldfish live?
Generally speaking, the average lifespan of goldfish is 5–10 years. But if, with optical care, they can live for 10–15 years. Factors, including living conditions, breeds of goldfish, and health conditions of goldfish, will affect their lifespan.
If you keep goldfish in tanks, they can live for 10–20 years on average. Water quality and disease are the main factors affecting their lifespan. You should establish good filtration to avoid accumulated waste. Besides, you need to pay attention to the size of the aquarium, because your little fish require room to exercise. Finally, you should also consider water temp. You should keep a suitable temperature for your fish, or their lifespan will be shorter.
If you keep your goldfish in ponds, they can live for 12–20 years. But with proper conditions and care, they can live up to 40 years. The water of outdoor ponds is colder than indoor tanks. It will decrease the metabolic rate. Besides, the ponds are large, which means goldfish possess more space, when you prepare a pond fish feeder beside the pond, it’s a piece of cake to feed the goldfish whenever and wherever you are. And it will reduce the spread of disease and the accumulated waste, too.
But if you keep your goldfish in bowls, they may only live for 5–6 years. Because the water in bowls is limited. It is difficult to keep clean. Besides, the water temperature will also change quickly, which is not beneficial for their growth. In addition, it needs to change water frequently because of the wastes from goldfish, which will lead to the water becoming toxic.
By the way, there are some tips to make your goldfish live longer:
- Keep water conditions clean and healthy
- Avoid overstocking and keep them in a suitable space
- Avoid sudden temp changes
- Keep suitable water temp
- Provide food diet, including live, dry, and frozen foods. But you should not overfeed.
How big do goldfish get?
Generally speaking, most goldfish possess weights of about 8 ounces. Factors, including food, living conditions, and the health of your little fish, will determine their weight.
If you keep goldfish in small aquariums, they may reach about 2–6 inches. In larger aquariums, they can grow large for more space and better living conditions. But if you keep goldfish in the wild, such as in outdoor ponds. They can grow up to 15–16 inches. Because the water quality and living conditions are better, for example, more protein sources and more room to exercise.
Reminder
Until now, have you learned more about goldfish? Or do you want to learn more about goldfish? For example, how to determine their gender? You can read another article to know more – How to Know If a Fish is Male or Female. By the way, we appreciate your reading! Hope this article can help you out!
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