One feature common to all of them, though, is the double tail. As with other single-tailed varieties, they need a lot of swimming space.ĭouble-tailed goldfish varieties have gone through a lot more selective breeding over the years. They make excellent pond fish and are especially winter hardy as they are not sensitive to cold temperatures. Shubunkins also have a mixture of matte and metallic scales. The colors present in the fish’s calico pattern include any combination of orange, blue, white, and black. Finally, the Bristol shubunkin is the most difficult to find and has a heart-shaped tail. The London shubunkin is more like a common goldfish in terms of tail shape. The American shubunkin is similar to a comet in shape but has the shubunkin’s iconic calico color. As a result, they need a lot of space and make great pond fish.

Like common goldfish, comets can grow quite large and they are also a fast swimming variety. There is also the sarasa comet, which is especially popular and is white with vibrant red patches. There are a number of color varieties, including red, yellow, orange, and white. They are quite popular as their beautiful tails really make them stand out. This also satisfies their preference for colder water.Ĭomets have a similar body shape to common goldfish, but have a long, flowing tail and fins. On top of that, they are active swimmers and, as a result, they do best in a pond of 100 gallons or more. While they generally reach a maximum of 10 inches in length, the world record is 19 inches. There are a few different color varieties, including red, orange, yellow, white, and any combination of these. They have the classic body shape, and have a short tail and fins. Everyone has probably owned, or at the very least seen, one at some point. Occasionally feeding some greens is also recommended.Īs their name suggests, these are the most common goldfish variety the standard, if you will. Diet: Flakes, pellets, and live or frozen foods.

Their body shape has also remained relatively unchanged for hundreds of years and they share the slender, elongated body of their ancestor. It’ll come as no surprise that these fish have a single tail. Nevertheless, all varieties belong to the same species, Carassius auratus, and they are now exported all over the world as the most popular aquarium fish. Goldfish make great pond additions and large goldfish ponds are still a common feature in many Asian countries where the fish was first bred. Some of the larger, faster swimming varieties of goldfish need a lot of space and are better suited for life in a pond. The two can’t be kept together, as a result, as they will compete for food. They usually have shorter, stockier bodies and move slower than single-tailed varieties. Sometimes known as “fancy goldfish,” they have been specially bred to have all sorts of unusual traits. They mostly vary by their color and tail shape alone.ĭouble-tailed goldfish varieties are much more diverse. As a result, there are fewer different varieties as single-tailed ones have been left mostly untouched by selective breeding. Single-tailed goldfish varieties are the closest to their ancestor in appearance. Over time, this caused them to be diversified into the different varieties that we have today. But, as vibrant color mutations began to be seen, they were soon selectively bred for ornamental purposes.Īs goldfish grew in popularity, more and more traits were selected as desirable by different people and were bred into the fish. They were bred from the Prussian carp (also known as wild goldfish), which is a dull silver color, and they were first reared for food. Goldfish were first bred in China several hundred years ago.

Orange telescope goldfish