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02 Breeds

The atlas of the goldfish.

One species, Carassius auratus, bred for a thousand years into twenty-one very different fish: five fast single-tails that belong in big tanks and ponds, and sixteen fancies, most of them slow, round and in need of calm water.

01Common Goldfish 02Fantail 03Wakin 04Telescope 05Jikin 06Lionhead 07Ranchu 08Black Moor 09Celestial Eye 10Ryukin 11Oranda 12Tosakin 13Comet 14Shubunkin 15Veiltail 16Pompom 17Pearlscale 18Bubble Eye 19Meteor 20Lionchu 21Tamasaba

Side by side, in order.

  1. No. 01Song dynasty, a thousand years ago
    An orange common goldfish in profile above pale gravel, showing its slim body and short single tail
    Common Goldfish Single-tail 25–35 cm Easy care
  2. No. 02Ming dynasty
    An orange fantail goldfish, its egg-shaped body carrying a divided tail spread behind it
    Fantail Fancy 15–20 cm Easy care
  3. No. 03Traditionally dated to 1502
    A red and white wakin goldfish above gravel, showing the streamlined body and the divided tail that separates it from a common goldfish
    Wakin Single-tail 25–30 cm Easy care
  4. No. 04By the late 16th century
    A calico telescope goldfish, its eyes projecting on short stalks from the sides of its head
    Telescope Fancy 15–20 cm Moderate care
  5. No. 05Early Edo period, from wakin stock
    A jikin goldfish seen side-on in a planted tank: a white body with red on the gill covers and every fin, a full dorsal fin on a smooth back, and a broad red tail
    Jikin Single-tail 12–20 cm Demanding care
  6. No. 06Poorly documented; dates vary
    A gold lionhead goldfish nosing into dark gravel, a raspberry-textured orange hood over its head and cheeks, its back running smooth from the hood to a raised tail
    Lionhead Fancy 15–20 cm Demanding care
  7. No. 07Name first recorded in 1748
    A red ranchu goldfish against blue water, showing the arched back with no dorsal fin and the heavy head growth
    Ranchu Fancy 15–20 cm Demanding care
  8. No. 08After the telescope, date unrecorded
    A black moor goldfish in profile, black over the back, head and fins, with a broad patch of metallic bronze across the flank and belly
    Black Moor Fancy 15–20 cm Moderate care
  9. No. 09Depicted by 1772; dates differ
    Several celestial eye goldfish seen from above in a shallow tank, the nearest one filling the frame with both eyes turned permanently upward
    Celestial Eye Fancy 12–15 cm Demanding care
  10. No. 10Reached Japan in the 1770s or 1780s
    A red ryukin goldfish, showing the steep shoulder hump rising behind the head and the long flowing tail
    Ryukin Fancy 15–20 cm Moderate care
  11. No. 11Reached Nagasaki around 1800
    A red-cap oranda goldfish against black water: a white body with an orange saddle, a deep orange raspberry-textured hood, long white fins and a raised dorsal fin
    Oranda Fancy 20–30 cm Moderate care
  12. No. 1219th century, in Tosa
    A golden tosakin seen side-on over pale gravel: a short, rounded body with a dorsal fin, and a very large tail edged in white, spread wide behind it
    Tosakin Fancy 10–18 cm Demanding care
  13. No. 13The 1880s
    A red and white comet goldfish in profile, showing the slim body and the long, deeply forked single tail
    Comet Single-tail 25–30 cm Easy care
  14. No. 14First bred in 1892, named in 1900
    A calico shubunkin goldfish in profile, its red, black and white mottling carried on a slim single-tailed body, with no blue in the pattern
    Shubunkin Single-tail 25–30 cm Easy care
  15. No. 15Established by about 1900
    A pale veiltail goldfish, its long trailing tail divided into pointed lobes rather than falling as one square-edged sheet
    Veiltail Fancy 13–15 cm Demanding care
  16. No. 16On record from the late 1890s
    A pompom goldfish close to the glass against a dark blue ground: a pale, pinkish body with a dorsal fin, and two bright yellow pompoms, the fleshy bouquets grown from the nostrils, standing out in front of its eyes
    Pompom Fancy 10–15 cm Demanding care
  17. No. 17First recorded around 1900
    A Crown Pearlscale goldfish, its rounded orange body covered in domed, pearl-like scales and its head carrying several large smooth bubbles
    Pearlscale Fancy 12–18 cm Demanding care
  18. No. 18Early 20th century; one account says 1908
    An orange bubble eye goldfish in profile against blue water, the two fluid-filled sacs hanging beneath its eyes and almost as wide as its head
    Bubble Eye Fancy 12–15 cm Demanding care
  19. No. 19Described in 1917, then lost
    An ink drawing of a deep-bodied goldfish with no tail fin, its dorsal and anal fins greatly elongated and streaming behind the body
    Meteor Fancy Size not recorded Care not recorded
  20. No. 20Recognised as a class in 2006
    A red and white lionchu in profile against a blue ground: a deep, rounded body with a broad arched back and no dorsal fin, a short tail set steeply, and a large, bubbly red wen over the head and cheeks
    Lionchu Fancy 15–20 cm Demanding care
  21. No. 21Modern times, date unrecorded
    A tamasaba goldfish cut out and set on black: a deep, rounded white body with a red patch over the shoulders, a tall dorsal fin, and one long, sweeping, pale tail rather than two
    Tamasaba Fancy 18–30 cm Moderate care

The ledger

Every figure, one table.

No. Breed Type Adult size Lifespan Swimming Care Water First fish needs
01 Common Goldfish Single-tail 25–35 cm 15–20 yrs Strong Easy 10–24 °C 150 L
02 Fantail Fancy 15–20 cm 10–15 yrs Moderate Easy 18–24 °C 75 L
03 Wakin Single-tail 25–30 cm 15–20 yrs Strong Easy 10–24 °C 150 L
04 Telescope Fancy 15–20 cm 7–10 yrs Moderate Moderate 18–24 °C 100 L
05 Jikin Single-tail 12–20 cm 5–10 yrs Moderate Demanding 15–24 °C 150 L
06 Lionhead Fancy 15–20 cm 7–10 yrs Weak Demanding 18–24 °C 100 L
07 Ranchu Fancy 15–20 cm 7–10 yrs Weak Demanding 18–24 °C 100 L
08 Black Moor Fancy 15–20 cm 7–10 yrs Moderate Moderate 18–24 °C 100 L
09 Celestial Eye Fancy 12–15 cm 7–10 yrs Weak Demanding 18–24 °C 100 L
10 Ryukin Fancy 15–20 cm 10–15 yrs Moderate Moderate 18–24 °C 100 L
11 Oranda Fancy 20–30 cm 10–15 yrs Moderate Moderate 18–24 °C 100 L
12 Tosakin Fancy 10–18 cm 6–12 yrs Weak Demanding 18–24 °C 100 L
13 Comet Single-tail 25–30 cm 15–20 yrs Strong Easy 10–24 °C 150 L
14 Shubunkin Single-tail 25–30 cm 15–20 yrs Strong Easy 10–24 °C 150 L
15 Veiltail Fancy 13–15 cm 7–10 yrs Weak Demanding 18–24 °C 100 L
16 Pompom Fancy 10–15 cm 10–15 yrs Weak Demanding 18–24 °C 100 L
17 Pearlscale Fancy 12–18 cm 7–10 yrs Weak Demanding 18–24 °C 100 L
18 Bubble Eye Fancy 12–15 cm 5–8 yrs Weak Demanding 18–24 °C 100 L
19 Meteor Fancy Not recorded Not recorded Not recorded Not recorded Not recorded 100 L
20 Lionchu Fancy 15–20 cm 7–10 yrs Weak Demanding 18–24 °C 100 L
21 Tamasaba Fancy 18–30 cm 7–10 yrs Strong Moderate 5–24 °C 100 L

Size, lifespan and water are the ranges keepers' guides give for a fish in good care, not measurements of each breed, and swimming and care are this site's own ratings of the published advice. Lifespan is where the sources differ most: how long goldfish live sets them side by side. First fish needs is a middle figure for one fish, from advice that runs from 50 litres to about 300; tank size sets that out.

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