Fancy Goldfish

Carassius auratus

Orandas grow a raspberry-like "wen" on their heads and waddle through the water. They prefer cool water – not tropical tanks.

A peaceful freshwater fish that grows to 18 cm, lives in the middle of the tank and needs 16–24 °C, pH 6.5–8.0 and an aquarium of at least 100 L.

Care at a glance

Water

Freshwater

Temperature

16–24 °C (61–75 °F)

pH

6.5–8.0

Adult size

18 cm (7.1 in)

Aquarium

100 L or bigger (26 US gal)

Temperament

Peaceful

Group size

Fine on its own

Swims

Middle

Diet

Omnivore

Wild home

Bred in China for 1,000 years

Good to know

• Slow eater. Out-competed by fast fish at feeding time.
• Long fins. An easy target for fin nippers.
• Hardy. Tolerates less-than-perfect water. Great for beginners.

Tank mates

Good company: Axolotl, Bala Shark, Bloodfin Tetra, Bristlenose Pleco, Corydoras, Honey Gourami, Otocinclus, Pictus Catfish, White Cloud Minnow, Zebra Danio.

Will eat: Celestial Pearl Danio, Chili Rasbora, Crystal Red Shrimp, Ember Tetra, Endler's Livebearer, Neocaridina Shrimp, Pea Puffer.

Eaten by: Asian Arowana, Motoro Stingray.

Attacked by: Flowerhorn, Jack Dempsey.

Harassed by: Black Skirt Tetra, Pea Puffer, Serpae Tetra, Tiger Barb.

Eats the newborn fry of: Angelfish, Betta, Black Skirt Tetra, Bloodfin Tetra, Boesemani Rainbowfish, Cardinal Tetra, Cherry Barb, Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid, Congo Tetra, Corydoras, Demasoni Cichlid, Discus and 25 more.

Its fry are eaten by: Angelfish, Axolotl, Bala Shark, Black Ghost Knifefish, Comet Goldfish, Electric Blue Acara, Firemouth Cichlid, Flowerhorn, Frontosa, Jack Dempsey, Kribensis, Olm and 6 more.

Grown ones eat their own newborn fry, so raise the young in another aquarium.

Colours and breeding

• Red Cap uncommon
• Red Oranda uncommon
• Black Moor uncommon
• Calico rare
• Panda rare
• Golden Fortune rare

In Aquarius a grown male and female breed in a healthy tank. Their young are born about 0.5 cm long and take after one of the parents.

Some pairs give a colour neither parent has:

• Red Cap × Black Moor can give Panda
• Red Oranda × Red Cap can give Calico

The care values are the ones Aquarius uses, based on how these animals live. Tank mates follow the game's rules: water type, temperature and pH, who can swallow whom, fin nipping, temperament and territory.