How’d you like to see my collection of incredible types of goldfish including those rare exotic breeds most people haven’t even heard of?
Well this is your lucky day…
… because today I’m going to share with you the world’s amazing collage of common (and some not so common) goldfish species.
Warning: you may be blown away by how beautiful, cute, or just plain weird some of these will be.
The farther down you go, the more unusual they will get!
Slim-bodied Goldfish
The goldfish in this group are…
Fast.
Strong.
Athletic.
They also get big. REAL big.
Most of them grow to be around 12 inches long or even bigger. Hard to believe when they start out the size of your pinky, right?
That’s why people usually keep them in ponds where they have lots of room to grow and compete.
And they aren’t phased by the more extreme outdoor temperatures!
1. An Oldie but a Goodie: The Common
As the name implies, this goldfish is probably the easiest to find.
They’re often given away as prizes at fairs…
… or sold for cheap as “feeder fish” for reptiles or other fish.
Yes, the Common is probably the most underrated type of goldfish.
But:
For being so lowly, they come from tough stock.
Extremes in temperature or even water quality don’t phase them NEARLY as much as they would a fancy variety.
Want to know why?
They’re closest in body shape to their carp granddaddies.
Commons are most commonly found in bright metallic orange, though they can come in any color.
(If it has black though, it’s a Shubunkin.)
They have stiff fins that don’t drape and a long, flat body. The single tail is slightly forked and the lobes are short and round.
Few people know that these little guys grow to a length of 12 inches long!
The Secrets to a Healthy Goldfish Revealed
Learn how to keep your goldfish alive and thriving using the only complete, accurate goldfish manual available today –
The Truth About Goldfish.
2. The Comet: A Tail Like a Trail
The body shape of the Comet is pretty much the same as the common.
Their fins get much longer, though.
The Comet’s tail can grow to be almost as long as the body!
Whoever named it was reminded of the trailing a comet shooting across the sky.
Well, they are pretty fast and athletic fish too.
Another fun fact:
This goldfish breed is the only one to have originated in the United States.
You can find Comets all over the place like the Common.
As far as coloration goes…
You can find this fish in metallic red, but it comes in a wide variety of other patterns and colors too.
Comets might be the longest of all goldfish and can get up to 14 inches (if you include the tail).
3. The Shubunkin: Slender and Speckled
What makes the Shubunkin goldfish different from the Common and the Comet?
One thing: coloration.
It almost always comes in calico color pattern with metallic and clear scales. A good specimen has a lot of blue mixed in with its red, white and black tones.
Much of what you see in a calico goldfish is actually on their skin underneath the clear scales.
There are three main types of Shubunkins:
- The American, (also called ribbon-tail Shubunkin) which has a long, deeply indented tail
- The Bristol, known for its very large, slightly forked tail with round lobes shaped like the letter “B”
- and the London, which has a shorter, rounder tail like the Common.
Shubunkin goldfish are sturdy fish and reach up to 12 inches long.
4. The Awakening Wakin
This breed is finally making a comeback.
(Hint: you say it “wa-keen.”)
Their bodies are a little deeper than a Comet or a Shubunkin.
But instead of having one tail fin, they actually have two fan-shaped ones. They also have two anal fins instead of one.
So…
Technically it’s a fancy goldfish.
But in every other way it’s most like a single-tail.
Wakins have helped to create many of the fancies we have today.
They usually have red or red and white coloring like a koi.
Usually they get around a foot long.
5. There’s A Dozen Reasons to Love The Jikin
The shape of the Jikin goldfish is pretty much the same as the Wakin’s.
Long body, short double tail.
What makes them special is their color pattern.
It’s called “12 Reds.”
The Jikin is white with red lips, both gill plates, dorsal fin and all 4 paired fins.
Sometimes any extra red scales on the body of the fish are plucked off by hand to keep the pattern!
They will grow to be a little under a foot in length.
6. The Watonai: Neither Nor
It’s a Comet…
… it’s a Wakin…
It’s…
A Watonai!
Wait, what?!
The Watonai is an uncommon goldfish that has been around for a long time.
It looks sort of like the Comet but has a double tail like a Wakin. You could almost think of it like a long-bodied Fantail.
How?
Crossing a Ryukin with a Wakin gives you this fish.
These fish are very strong and do great in ponds. You can find them in quite a variety of colors
They get pretty large too – 12 inches long, in fact.
Egg-Shaped Breeds
Think about it:
We all love the animals that stands out above the rest.
Egg-shaped goldfish (aka fancy or double-tailed goldfish) are admired because they are eye-catching.
Sometimes even bizarre.
Their bodies aren’t long and slender like the Slim-Bodies.
They’re shaped like eggs. (Hence the name.)
A more modified body makes them a bit more delicate. Most of them prefer to be kept indoors where temperatures are steady.
[Click here to read more about fancy goldfish]
I’ll warn you ahead of time…
Some of these are REALLY unusual.
Are you ready?
Let’s go!
7. The Frank Fantail
Fantails are a super popular goldfish type.
They’re also the hardiest of the fancies. They can even live in ponds!
The Fantail’s tail has 3 or 4 lobes shaped like a fan (that’s why it’s called a fantail!).
Tidbit:
This tail is split down the middle in better specimens.
They come in a variety of colors and patterns, the most common being a metallic orange or nacreous calico.
Fantails can reach 8 inches or more.
8. The Ryukin: Tall and Proud
Ryukins have a VERY deep body and a hump behind their head.
Generally a bigger hump = better fish.
Their noses are also pointier (the better to bite other goldfish with).
You can find both short-tail and long-tail Ryukins.
Guess what?
Their pointier heads make them more prone to being aggressive.
They are most often found in solid red or red and white coloration.
Most get around a total of 9 inches in length.
9. The Tamasaba: Swift n’ Single
These are basically a single-tailed Ryukin:
They have the same deep body and arched back.
But they lack the double tail.
Now hang on!
They’re still considered a fancy. Sorry.
The tail it does have is long and flowing.
The Tamasaba is surprisingly fast for its deep body.
Red and white are common color patterns, but they can come in others.
They get to be about 8 inches long.
10. The Telescope Eye: Talk about a Look!
You can recognize a Telescope Eye by it’s huge amazing eyes.
They protrude outwards…
… but the fish can’t see any better because of them!
In fact:
Telescopes are visually impaired. Their eyes are delicate and can even come off completely.
There are many names for the Telescope Eye goldfish, including:
- The Popeye
- The Demekin (Japanese name)
- The Dragon Eye (Chinese name)
Telescopes come in tons of different colors.
Some “varieties” of goldfish are actually special colors of the Telescope.
Black Moors are solid black Telescope Eyes.
Panda Moors are white one with black points.
11. The Angelic Veiltail
Ever seen a goldfish with flowing square-shaped fins?
You might have come across a Veiltail (aka Broadtail).
They’re like fantails with really long fins.
Veils come complete with tall dorsal fins and long other fins. Their fins may even drag on the bottom of the tank!
This makes them VERY slow swimmers.
The Veiltail is also more delicate than most fancies.
Veils reach 8 inches long… but with the fins included they can get up to 12 inches long.
12. The Butterfly
Whether or not this fish is actually a breed of goldfish or just has several features from other types is a subject of debate among goldfish keepers.
But the fact is – it’s so popular that it’s generally recognized as one.
As the name implies, the tail of this fish is spread horizontally and shaped like a beautiful butterfly in flight.
You’ll find it sporting telescope eyes most of the time.
These were bred to be a top-view fish (aka seen from above)…
… But can be greatly enjoyed from an aquarium too.
They will generally get to be 6 to 8 inches long.
Read more about the Butterfly goldfish here.
13. The Oranda: Wen are You Getting One?
Orandas are a favorite goldfish breed (and for good reason).
Some people jokingly call them the “brain fish.”
That’s because the Oranda has a tall headgrowth, called a wen.
It’s funny:
The wen can cover the head, cheeks and even the gill covers for a “puppy face” effect.
They can be found in just about any color.
Red Cap Orandas are all white with a bright red hood.
Get this:
An Oranda goldfish holds the record for the largest goldfish ever recorded at 16 inches long!
But normally they get to be 12 inches.
They are surprisingly hardy too.
14. The Pom Pom: Cheering You On
A goldfish with flowers on its nose?!
Meet the Pom Pom.
They have two fluffy tufts for their nostrils that jiggle when they swim.
These tufts are also called “nasal boquets” or “velvety balls.”
Pom Pom goldfish may or may not have a dorsal fin.
Other goldfish types may have pompom noses.
As far as colors go:
Chocolate and orange are popular colors, but they come in many more.
The Pom Pom grows to be about 6 to 8 inches in length.
15. The Twisty-Tailed Tosakin
Tosakins are a rare breed of goldfish.
From the side they aren’t much to look at…
… but when viewed from above…
They have a beautiful fanning tail that twists at the ends (sometimes even twice!).
The tail doesn’t fork and sits on the fish horizontally.
Tosakins are pretty fragile.
They don’t grow very large either – reaching only around 6 inches.
16. The Pearly Pearlscale
It isn’t hard to figure out why this fish is called the Pearlscale.
Their elevated scales are bead-shaped. Better quality Pearlscales have these “pearls” arranged in neat rows.
The body of the Pearlscale is fat and round like an orange!
Interesting fact:
Some have a wen.
Others have a “bubble” called a crown.
Still others have a double bubble crown!
They comes in all colors, the most common being red and white or calico.
They reach 6 to 8 inches in length.
Dorsalless Varieties
17. The Lionhead that Doesn’t Roar
Did you know this fish was bred to look like a Pekingese?
Its wen covers its entire head, giving it a puffy face (cute!).
The Lionhead has no dorsal fin – the slope of its back is flat and smooth. It has a short double tail and all of its fins are paired.
You can find Lionheads of almost every color and pattern variety.
They grow anywhere from 6 to 8 inches long.
Read more about the lionhead goldfish.
18. The Regal Ranchu
“Ranchu” means king of fish.
Once it was the most expensive goldfish you could find. But now there are more available so the price has gone down.
It can be tricky to tell the difference between the Ranchu and the Lionhead – they look almost the same!
Here’s how:
Ranchus have a rounder back and a tighter tail tuck (where the tail meets the body).
They get the same size as the Lionhead.
19. Rising from the Ashes? The Phoenix (or Egg Fish)
It’s hard to find a Phoenix goldfish in the United States.
Breeders are working to change that right now, though.
What do they look like?
They are round like an egg (that’s why they’re sometimes called egg fish).
No wen, no dorsal fin… just a long flowing tail.
They come from China in lots of different color patterns.
They grow 6 to 8 inches long.
20. The Bubble Eye: Don’t Pop it!
What catches your eye about this kind of goldfish?
It’s the sacks of fluid that bulge from underneath its eyes! They wobble like jelly as the fish moves through the water.
Definitely one of the more delicate varieties – their “bubbles” can pop on sharp objects!
Solid orange and calico are some patterns you might see
Black Bubble Eyes are getting pretty popular.
The Bubble Eye doesn’t get big. 6 inches is about it.
[Learn all about the Bubble Eye Here…]
21. The Celestial Eye is a Heavenly Fish
This wild-looking goldfish is called the “stargazer” by the Chinese – and for good reason!
Their eyes are like big shiny opals turned to the sky.
This gives them a curious, pleading expression.
It was actually the Japanese who worked to get their eyes pointed to the heavens.
As for colors…
You can commonly find the Celestial in metallic red or orange, though black is growing in popularity.
Like the Bubble Eye, it will reach a length of 6 inches.
22. The Unfortunate Froghead *Bonus Type*
Not a very appealing name for this fish, wouldn’t you agree?
(Even worse is it’s alias – “Toadhead!”)
The Froghead is similar to the Bubble Eye with a wider head.
It has less developed bubble sacks and more developed cheeks.
Most of the time they don’t have a dorsal fin.
Sometimes they might have a bit of wen growth too.
They get to be 6 inches long.
What Do You Think?
Some people don’t want a goldfish with all the bells and whistles.
Others say, “Bring it on! The fancier the better!”
Now I have a quick question for you:
Have you figured out which goldfish variety is your favorite from this post?
I’d love to hear which type of goldfish YOU like.
One last thing:
If you want to know the ins and outs of taking care of your goldfish, be sure to grab, The Truth About Goldfish!
The Secrets to a Healthy Goldfish Revealed
Learn how to keep your goldfish alive and thriving using the only complete, accurate goldfish manual available today –
The Truth About Goldfish.
If there is a slim bodied goldfish with telescope eyes what would it be called?
A “slim-bodied Demekin” would be what I’d call it, Daniel. Those can be a cross between a Telescope and a Common/Comet or a cull from a batch of Telescopes, so they aren’t really considered their own breed per se.
I love The Telescope Eye Goldfish 🙂
I love your site Clementine! I only have a few questions about some of the fish we have. We have three goldfish (either common or comet, or both types, can’t remember). I wanted to know if by a description, would ya be able to ‘concur’ what goldies we have? No, we’ve never even tried the more complicated fish. So it is heavily narrowed down to two. (Common and Comet). Now, we’ve had this big orange and white, (sarasa, I believe they call it). We’ve had her a little over 2 years. We call her Maybelle. (The 3rd, after her previous ‘ancestors if ya will). She’s probably around 4-8inch long, has a shorter tail, and is only two colors.
Type? I am guessing common, even though sarasa is referred to comets. The second fish is about 1 and 1/2 years old (since we got them, mind you), and he is all orange and about 3-6inches. Basically just the same as Maybelle, but not two colors. Now, we’ve got a third fish, completely white. (He or she has red eyes so we think it’s albino), it’s the newbee to the tank. We got him not as a small, but the larger types ya might find at say Petco. He’s been in the tank for 4 weeks. We got him with 3 other smaller goldies, but, about a week in, they all died on the same day. (Reading along your 7 mistakes page, we’ve even cleaned it twice while they were there). Don’t really know why they died, or even why ALL 3 died on the SAME DAY. ANYWAYS, back to the description of this 3rd fish, he’s just the same size of the orange fish, but he has a MUCH longer and beautiful tail. I am thinking he’s a comet, but not too sure. I’d appreciate it if ya would respond. Thanks! (I would send a picture if I could)!
If he has a much longer tail, probably you have a comet goldfish. Commons have short, B-shaped tails.
And, glad you like the site 🙂
Alrighty, thanks! We concluded that two are comet and one isn’t. (White and sarasa are comet) the orange one isn’t.
Also, a lil’ fun fact about these three, the white fish is actually indeed albino. And we are thinking we possibly may have a male goldfish. As you and I know, most goldfish bought in stores are female. And finding a male is incredibily hard to find. (Unless ya specifically order one). One thing to back this idea up is that our biggest fish, Maybelle, was hiding in our pagoda looking like she was trying to protect something. Eggs? I am not sure. Although, it’d be SO cool to have our own goldfish babies.
And also, she got stuck in the pagoda, so when we cleaned it today, she would stick her nose out almost like ‘Hey, I am in here! Hey! Hey! Hey!!!’ Apparently she went in the backside which had a much bigger opening, but couldn’t get out the front, or even turn around. They each have a great personality. And we love them. Again, i wish I could send a picture!
Keep up the good work Clementine!
Maybelle and your other fish sound like a lot of fun to have around 🙂 Goldfish have so much personality. If you want to post a photo, you are free to use the forums and upload attachments there.
Yeah, at first when I started caring for goldfish, I didn’t. It usually was up to my parents to help them. But now that I’ve paid much more attention, I know that having goldfish each with their own personalities is actually really fun. Maybelle is the easiest to tell that she or he is VERY big and VERY friendly. A couple times, before we got the third fish, the two that were there before weren’t the happiest. As in they were depressed. But since they’ve had time to be friends and all, they’re REALLY showing their personalities! And, I needa start coming up with fish names for the two newer ones. One is 1.5 years old and still un-named. lol Since he is solid orange except for half his tail, which is white. (He’s not sick, don’t worry). He’s less friendly than Maybelle, but he definitely will strutt his stuff when it’s time for food. And for the newest fish, it’s shy, but not shy at the same time. I think it’s still trying to make a full estabolishment. But don’t get me wrong, when they see me, they DART and zip and swim all around the front of the tank! Man I love these little guys. I think Maybelle has also become less depressed because she is no longer 2x the size of the orange fish. She is about 3-6 inches while the other two are 1.5-3 inches. I’ll keep ya updated on how their conditions are! Keep the site running Clementine! You’re really doing well!
I have a couple more questions, are shubukins considered ‘fancy?’ Or are they as simple as comets and commons?
Aren’t Koi goldfish? If so, why aren’t they on this general discussion?
And lastly, are shubukins needing as much room as fancies? Or are they able to be in with a colony of fish without being disturbed? (Via good cleaning and feeding). Thanks!
Hey again 🙂 No, Shubunkins are considered a slim-bodied goldfish. They are basically a comet goldfish with different coloring (unless they are a Bristol Shubunkin, which has a fuller B-shaped tail).
While similar to goldfish, koi are not goldfish – they are an entirely different kind of fish altogether.
It is not recommended to keep slim-bodied goldfish (Shubunkins) and fancies together, as they are far more competitive and have different stocking requirements.
Hope that answers your questions!
I have a small fish that looks like a goldfish but with a horizontal star shaped tail. I cant find what it is anywhere. Any ideas? I couldnt figure out how to attach a pic. It is red and white with a long slim body
If you upload a pic to a topic in the forum, I’ll be happy to take a look and give you my 2 cents 🙂
I’m the proud “fish-mom” of two orandas, a calico telescope and a black lionhhead. They are currently living quite comfortably in a 55 gallon aquarium in my family room. The two orandas are my first babies (I’ve had them for about a year) the telescope came home a couples months later, and finally the lionhhead about 3 months ago. I’m concerned upon learning that the orandas are going to possibly get to be 12 inches long (yes, I now realize I should have found that out before I brought them home). Is the 55 gallon tank going to be sufficient in keeping everyone healthy and happy or should I begin figuring out a way to re-home them when they get too large?
Their growth will probably be slower, so they can live comfortably in there given proper water care for quite some time.
Add a black moor
I think technically speaking black moors fall under the category of Telescopes, just like calico moors, which is why I didn’t add them. But I could be wrong… 🙂
Hi Clementine,
Thanks for the wonderful write up.
I tried doing a similar post and used this article as a source.
In fact, I’ve also created an infographic.
Here’s the infographic if you are interested:
http://www.theaquariumguide.com/infographics/different-types-goldfish
Cheers.
Thanks for sharing, Adam! 🙂 That’s a nice infographic, really well laid-out and good to have on hand.
Great information! When you mention the average size of each type, does it include the caudal (tail) fin length as well, or just the body length?
Great question, Peter! Yes, the fish length is measured from the nose to the tip of the tail.
Thank you
What other types of Goldfish do you recommend keeping with Ryukins?
Other Ryukins, ideally, or perhaps fantails as they are pretty competitive. It kindof depends on the fish.
Hi. What other kinds of goldfish that is suitable to libe with my Bubble-eye goldfish?
Other bubble eyes & other visually impaired goldfish, like telescope (although even they can be a bit too much). 🙂
Can a Bubble-eye also be suitable with Lionhead, Ranchu, Oranda, or any other poor/slow swimmers? Or just visually impared goldfish?
Just visually impaired, IMO.
can a comet tail be gold?
Yes that’s totally possible 🙂
I have a goldfish it doesn’t exactly look like the ones you have on the pictures, she looks like a comet, she has the thingy that looks like a fin but on the back-she has a long one that is growing on the whole line of the back, she has 2 tails that are as long as half a finger and her tail looks like long C’s that are less curved, she has 2 fins on each side they are as long as a fingernail, she has black lines/patterns on the edge of her tail, and she is a pretty good swimmer and isn’t shy, what type is she?
oh wait she doesn’t look similar to a comet-my bad, she looks similar to a Watonai or a frank fantail but is more different as said in my first comment 🙂
Pics could help… use imgur.com and post a link 🙂
thanks! so I guess my gold fish in a frank fantail? but by the way I got a new goldfish its probably a watonai, it has a white pinkish color and orange on her lips its really funny it looks like lipstick ^_^ do they go together, like become friends? and im also thinking about getting a black moor, will it be aggressive or no?
also how can I tell if a goldfish is a female or a male?
xD I just have too many questions..
Oops xd its the other way around my old gold fish is a watonai, and the new goldfish is a frank fantail its the one that has the pinkish color its the egg shaped goldfish right? do they go together? and if I get a black moor would it fit in?
heres another question, could all 3 goldfish live in a tank that’s as wide as an adult head and is as long as a thigh
sorry for too much questions xD
and if the black moor wont fit in what other type should I get?
Black moors have some vision needs but they should be fine if they are large enough 🙂 That tank sounds a bit too small. I would just have one fish in that tank. 🙂
Hello. I am considering getting some goldfish. I have a 54 litre tank which i know is quite small. Would it be appropriate to keep an oranda and maybe another smaller type or is my tank just too small. Thanks
Thank you! I got some normal goldfish they got together pretty well, I had 4 in the tank – after a few months 1 died 🙁 it got hit while changing the water. Another fish became a savage and started biting the others, one nearly died, he was bleeding. So till now we removed the killer fish and replaced the dead fish (sadly). The fish that was hurt recovered and now the others are nipping him for some reason. So we ended out with 3 fish and im afraid another one would die from the injury. What should I do?!
Oh no.. I just took a look at him and… the poor thing’s tail is all ripped.. and his limbs are all red.. he looks very sad and in pain, I placed him in a different bowl, he looks happier but still in pain.. his forehead is a bit white, is he suffering? Should I end his suffering? *im crying* D’:
If yes, how should I end him? He looks very sick 🙁
I hate that savage fish..
HELP
It may be best to euthanize if you feel the fish is suffering 🙁
I would like to know about the smallest type of goldfish. Thank you very much. 🙂
Probably the Veiltail
hello I found a black moore with extremely short fins and a large body is that rare
Cool fish, and more unusual but not considered rare IMO 🙂
My fish, Pudge, sounds like a common but has a slightly longer tail (even though it is rounded like a common) and body proportion of a comet.
It could be a cross…
I am new to goldfish and just purchased and set up a 20 gallon hexagon tank (letting the water cycle for a few weeks before getting a fish) – my goal was to get a single fancy goldfish (probably a black moor) – but I have three questions/concerns I was hoping I could get advise on: (1) I really only want one fish and the clerk where I bought the tank seemed to know a lot about goldfish and told me that was “ok,” i.e. it wouldn’t get lonely or bored – I’m now seeing on some websites you shouldn’t make a fish live alone; (2) the guy told me the 20 gallon tank would be acceptable for the single fancy goldfish until it gets really big and then I’d have to get a bigger tank for it – the websites are saying that all the fancy goldfish need 30 gallon tanks; and (3) would a male or female be better living alone and will the clerk at the fish store know the difference between the genders? I see on some websites the males are sometimes skinnier.
20 gallons is fine for one fancy goldfish. If you want more than that, then 30-40 gallons would be acceptable. Telling the gender of a goldfish is very difficult if they aren’t in breeding season, the clerk will probably not be able to help.
Very good site! I used to raise goldfish and plan to get back into it.
Walter
Happy to hear you like it, Walter! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by and leaving your comment!
In 2 gallons how many pom pom goldfish can I have
Hey Daniel, unfortunately 2 gallons is not big enough for any kind of goldfish. A betta would be better for that space 🙂
Hey! I want to make you guys add these extra goldfish followings:
A Shukin(more similar to the blue egg phoenix)
An Osaka Ranchu (smaller, but more aligned cousin of the Ranchu). Egg fish breed. Part of the national treasure
A less known but a national treasure, A Nankin (aka Izumo nankin) part of the egg fish variety
🎏 And the nickname for “the other goldfish” Tokai nishiki (a very rare breed that looks more like the watonai but a cross of a butterfly and a jikin). part of the fancy variety
I will hope you guys will add these to the page! I’m very enthusiastic about goldfish:)
Thanks for sharing these more unusual varieties, ZeZeKingyo! I believe shukin & blue egg phoenix are the same breed, just different color pattern, so technically not two breeds, but I could very well be wrong. 🙂 I am familiar with the Nankin but have yet to see a Tokai nishiki or Osaka Ranchu 🙂
Blue egg phoenix were bred in China and have no wen just like the nankin. They both have the same fin types but very difficult for many people to realize(propably because they look the same but their colors and body type). Blue shukins (some called them tsugaru nishiki) have wens while blue egg phoenix (long tailed nankins you might call) have no wens 🙂
It’s also a cross between a ranchu and an oranda:) . I heard some breeder
long time ago took about 10 years to make the shukin because it’s very hard to cross both of these goldfish together! Much like the Kinransi( wakin and Ranchu cross)
Very interesting. I must admit I never knew that! Thanks for sharing your knowledge, ZeZeKingyo! 😀