29 Types of Goldfish Breeds: Identification Guide (With Info & Pictures)

Goldfish are one of the most popular pet fish and for a very good reason. These fish are not only hardy and adaptable, but they can be found in numerous varieties. These varieties include the standard goldfish with single tails or the fancier goldfish with rounded bodies and protruding eyes. Their colors are also endless, from deep oranges and reds to vibrant yellows and even multi-colored. Furthermore, all of the goldfish we see as pets today have been selectively bred in captivity for decades. Goldfish themselves do not exist in the wild, since they are all descendants of wild carp that have been selectively bred by humans.

Goldfish Information Sheet

Let’s take a look below at the various goldfish breeds out there and how you can identify them.

Single-Tailed or Streamlined Goldfish 

These are the hardy and more common goldfish that exist. They are also some of the oldest goldfish breeds that have been used to create more goldfish varieties. They also all have something in common—a streamlined body with a single tail. You may find that single-tailed goldfish are hardier and more adaptable than other breeds. These goldfish don’t usually face some of the health problems that fancy goldfish do since their bodies are shaped similarly to carp. As close descendants to carp which typically grow between 3 to 4 feet in size, single-tailed goldfish can grow up to 12 inches in size. In large ponds with excellent water conditions, many single-tailed goldfish can exceed this size.

1. Common Goldfish

One of the most popular goldfish would be the Common or Standard goldfish. These goldfish have a classic streamlined body with a single tail, and they can be found in a range of colors and patterns. These are the hardiest out of all the goldfish breeds and are often found in pet stores around the world. Common goldfish are occasionally labeled as feeder fish in pet stores since they can be mass bred and supplied as a food source for some carnivorous animals.

2. Comet Goldfish

The Comet goldfish is often confused with the Common goldfish because they look similar. However, Comet goldfish have longer and more flowy fins than common ones. This makes them a top choice for people who want a more aesthetically pleasing goldfish with a classic streamlined body. Comet goldfish are also available in various colors and markings like red, white, gold, and even calico.

3. Shubunkin Goldfish

Shubunkins are slightly different from Comet and Common goldfish, although they all have streamlined bodies and single-tail fins. Shubunkins typically have a more rounded body shape with flowing and long fins similar to the comet goldfish. They are also found in a range of colors, and calico is a common color in these goldfish.

4. Nymph Goldfish

The Nymph goldfish is quite interesting, although they have recently lost their popularity. Nymph goldfish are thought to be a mix between a fancy and a common goldfish, resulting in a fish with a single tail and rounder body. These goldfish can be found in various colors, with red or orange being a common coloration.

5. Tamasaba Goldfish

Tamasaba are rare goldfish found in Japan. They have an egg-shaped body with a distinctive dorsal hump and a dorsal fin. It is uncommon to find true Tamasaba goldfish outside of Japan, and they are prized for their fancy goldfish-shaped bodies and single tail like common goldfish. They can reach around 10 to 12 inches in size and can be found in various colorations.

6. Sabao Goldfish

An uncommon goldfish to see in the hobby is the Sabaoa. These peaceful goldfish can be found in Japan, and they were created by breeding two different goldfish varieties. You generally won’t find true Sabao goldfish outside of Japan, and their breeding history is relatively unknown. Sabao goldfish are often confused with the Tamasaba goldfish since they are both rare and similarly shaped. These goldfish should be bi-colored, usually a combination of red and white. The Sabao goldfish have an elongated body with a slight hump on their backs, with a single tail fin.

Fancy Goldfish

Fancy goldfish are some of the most beautiful aquarium fish you can own. These ornamental goldfish have been bred to have several body modifications that make them stand out in comparison to single-tailed goldfish. Many hobbyists and goldfish breeders take pride in creating new and appealing fancy goldfish varieties. These goldfish generally grow to 8 inches in aquariums, although they have the opportunity of growing to 10 inches in size with favorable conditions.

1. Black Moor Goldfish

The Black Moor goldfish is a stunning fancy goldfish with a coal-black coloration. Depending on their diet and water conditions, some Black Moor goldfish can also develop a bronze tint to their skin. They generally have a double tail that can vary in size, as some Black Moor goldfish have longer and more prominent tail fins than others. They are exceptionally peaceful goldfish that should be active and swimming around. If the conditions aren’t right for Black Moor goldfish, you might find that they bottom-sit more often.

2. Oranda Goldfish

The Oranda or Red-capped goldfish is a popular variety of fancy goldfish. This goldfish breed has a distinctive fleshy-like growth on its head known as a wen. The wen can vary in size and grow as the goldfish matures. In some cases, the wen can become very large. Oranda goldfish generally have long and flowing fins, although you can find them with shorter and more compact fins.

3. Ranchu Goldfish

The Ranchu is a hooded variety of goldfish with no dorsal fin. Like the Oranda goldfish, Ranchus have a wen on their heads. Instead of a dorsal fin, Ranchu goldfish have a distinctive hump on their backs. Ranchus are quite popular with goldfish hobbyists around the world and are believed to have been further developed in Japan to have a large head and heavy-set body.

4. Fantail Goldfish

Fantails are the most common fancy goldfish you can own. The word “fantail” describes any goldfish with two tails that fan off from each other. However, some goldfish breeds are simply referred to as Fantail if they don’t have any significant body modifications. Fantail goldfish are one of the hardier goldfish breeds that can reach up to 8 inches in size. They are typically lively and peaceful fish that do better in ponds than other fancy goldfish.

5. Ryukin Goldfish

The Ryukin goldfish look similar to the Ranchu with a dorsal hump on their back, except they do have a dorsal fin. Ryukin goldfish can be found in a variety of different colors and patterns, and they get along well with other peaceful fancy goldfish. This goldfish’s existence dates back to the early 1800s in Japan, where they were originally referred to as Nagasaki or Onaga (longtail) goldfish.

6. Bubble Eye Goldfish

The Bubble-eye goldfish is an odd-looking goldfish that has fluid-filled sacs underneath its eyes. A bubble-eyed goldfish has two small, upturned eyes that can sometimes sit close to the fluid sacs. These are generally smaller goldfish that need special care in aquariums. They should only be kept with other peaceful fancy goldfish and should not have any sharp decorations in the aquarium. Their fluid-sacs are prone to rupturing due to mishandling, other fish, or sharp decorations. Most Bubble-eyed goldfish have red or orange coloration and flowing fins.

7. Veiltail Goldfish

These are goldfish that have noticeably longer, heavier, and flowing tail fins. Veiltail goldfish generally have a slight dorsal hump with a noticeably longer dorsal fin that stands out. They usually have a rounded and compact body shape and can be found in different colors and patterns. Due to their long fins, Veiltail goldfish may have difficulty swimming in aquariums with strong currents.

8. Pearlscale Goldfish

A Pearlscale goldfish is an interesting-looking goldfish with prominent scales. Their scales seem to be protruding from their bodies, which are usually very round and egg-shaped. In some cases, a Pearlscale goldfish can have a wen on its head, although it doesn’t typically get as large as it can in Lionhead goldfish.

9. Celestial Eye Goldfish

The Celestial Eye goldfish is similar to the Bubble Eye goldfish, except they don’t have fluid-filled sacs. Instead, Celestials have protruding eyes that face upwards. They also do not have a dorsal fin. Since their eyes face upwards, Celestial goldfish can have trouble swimming or finding food in their aquarium. Like the Bubble eye goldfish, Celestial goldfish are commonly found in red or orange colors, but they can be multiple-colored too.

10. Jikin Goldfish

Jikin is a stunning goldfish that looks like a mix between a Wakin and Ryukin goldfish. Their bodies are mostly streamlined with a small double-tail fin. In comparison to the rest of their body, Jikin goldfish have smaller fins. Their bodies typically have a rounded appearance when viewed from the side, and they can be found in multiple colors and patterns. An especially interesting color combination in Jikin goldfish is a white or cream body with orange-tinted fins. Like many of the fancy goldfish varieties, Jikin goldfish were developed in Japan.

11. Wakin Goldfish

Wakin goldfish have a streamlined body with twin tail fins. They have a slightly more curved appearance to their backs than Jikin goldfish, and they can be found in similar colors. It’s believed that Wakin goldfish have been around for centuries and are often referred to as some of the oldest Japanese goldfish.

12. Butterfly-tailed Goldfish

A stunning variety of goldfish would be those with butterfly tails. Butterfly-tailed goldfish were brought into Japan around the 1980s and were purposely bred to be viewed from above. This would allow you to see the long and flowing caudal fins that are shaped like two butterfly wings. Butterfly-tailed goldfish often have telescope eyes, and a stunning coloration in this breed is calico. They are perfect for fish pools and ponds since this gives you a birds-eye view of their tails.

13. Tosakin Goldfish

Tosakin goldfish are known for their unusually curled tails that look similar to Fantails. They are considered a rarer variety of Fantail goldfish. They have a compact and rounded body, and like the butterfly-tailed goldfish, look best when viewed from above. Tosakin goldfish were originally developed in Japan and reach an adult size of 8 inches.

14. Lionhead Goldfish

Lionhead goldfish look similar to Ranchu goldfish, except they don’t have a dorsal fin. Furthermore, they have a distinctive dorsal hump and wen or fleshy growth on their heads. Most Lionhead goldfish will have small tail fins, which can make it difficult for them to swim normally. If this is the case, Lionhead goldfish may need adjustments to their environment.

15. Pom Pom Goldfish

One of the rarer and more unusual goldfish varieties would be the Pom Pom goldfish. As the name suggests, these goldfish have fleshy growths on either side of their heads. You may also find that other goldfish varieties can grow pom poms on their heads even if they have a wen, creating an interesting goldfish. However, they are generally slow-moving and can only be kept with other peaceful fancy goldfish.

16. Phoenix Goldfish

Phoenix or egg-shaped goldfish are beautiful goldfish that have a round and compact body with no dorsal fin. Their fins can either be long or short or can look like a mixture of different goldfish varieties. Their tail fins are paired and forked out and look great when viewed above from ponds or pools. Phoenix goldfish can be found in various colors, with silverish blue being a common favorite with some hobbyists.

17. Lionchu Goldfish

The Lionchu is a mix between the popular Lionhead and Ranchu goldfish. This results in an egg-shaped goldfish with no dorsal fin and the same fleshy hood on their heads. A Lionchu goldfish typically has a short and compact tail fin and can be found in colors like red, white, or orange. They usually don’t get much larger than 7 inches, and since they can have difficulty swimming, they might need some adjustments to their aquarium.

18. Watonai Goldfish

One of the rarest goldfish available is the Watonai goldfish. These goldfish were originally developed in Japan by crossing a Fantail Wakin with a Ryukin goldfish. They were first described by Dr. Sinnosuke Matsubara in the early 1900s and have butterfly-shaped tails with elongated bodies. Most Watonai goldfish may also be confused for koi fish due to the similarities in both fish’s appearances.

19. Shukin Goldfish

The Shukin goldfish are a type of fancy goldfish that was developed in the late 1900s in Japan. They were bred to have similar features to the Ranchu and Oranda goldfish, which they have been developed from. These goldfish have a Ranchu-like body that is more elongated with no dorsal fin. Their tail fins are long and flowy, and their belly can be egg-shaped. You can find Shukin goldfish in various colors, and calico looks striking in this goldfish breed.

20. Froghead Goldfish

The Froghead or Toadhead goldfish looks similar to the Bubble or Celestial-eyed goldfish. However, they have a more square-shaped head with smaller fluid-filled sacs beneath their eyes. The Froghead goldfish’s cheeks are slightly larger than a Bubble-eyed goldfish, but it is not part of their sacs. The rest of the goldfish’s body can vary in size and shape, but its head is usually distinctive and small in comparison to its body.

21. Hama Nishiki Goldfish

Hama Nishiki goldfish are quite similar to Pearlscale goldfish, except for the fleshy wen on their heads. However, their wen isn’t going to be as large as a Lionheads or Ranchu’s. They can also be referred to as Crowned Pearlscale goldfish and have very rounded bellies and visible scales on their bodies. Due to the extremeness of their appearance, many Hama Nishiki goldfish can have swim bladder problems which can interfere with their buoyancy in the water. However, they are relatively peaceful and slow-moving fish that do best in indoor aquariums.

22. Telescope Goldfish

One of the most common eye modifications made in goldfish would be telescope eyes. This refers to goldfish that have protruding eyes on their heads, and it seems as if there is a round lump behind each of their eyes. These goldfish can be found in various patterns and colorations, and they are some of the most commonly owned fancy goldfish. Telescope-eyed goldfish do best in aquariums that don’t have any sharp decorations or other aggressive fish since their eyes are susceptible to damage.

23. Izumo Nankin Goldfish

The Izumo Nankin goldfish is a type of heavily modified goldfish that has a deep-set stomach and a slightly curved back. Their heads are typically small in comparison to the rest of their body, and they do not have a dorsal fin. The Izumo Nankin goldfish has a small and compact tail that fans out when viewed from above. These goldfish are considered rare and can hardly be seen outside of southwest Japan.

Infographic – Goldfish Type Identification Chart

Conclusion

Various goldfish breeds can appeal to goldfish keepers. Each goldfish breed has its pros and cons as a pet, and some are better suited for ponds or aquariums than others. When choosing a goldfish breed, make sure that you choose a breed that can thrive in the type of aquarium you have set up. It is also better to keep fancy goldfish together rather than house them with the single-tail varieties, especially if their bodies have been heavily modified.

Featured Image Credit: Mirek Kijewski, Shutterstock