Variety of Goldfish

Black moor

Carassius auratus

One of 12 varieties of Carassius auratus · See all varieties →

Also known as Black telescope goldfish, Dragon eye goldfish, Popeye goldfish

FreshwaterFish

Black moor (Carassius auratus) — IssamBarhoumi · CC BY-SA 4.0

Varieties · Carassius auratus

See all 12 →

Care at a glance

Temperature: 61–75°F; 16–24°C
pH: 6.5–8.0
Adult size: 7.9 in; 20 cm
Minimum tank: 25 gal; 95 L

Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Tankmates: With caution
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Common
Family: Cyprinidae
Origin: A black, telescope eyed fancy goldfish, a selectively bred strain of domesticated Carassius auratus whose wild form lives in slow East Asian freshwater.

Overview

One black moor needs at least 95 L, plus about 40 L per extra fish, with strong filtration but gentle flow. Keep it 16 to 24 C at a pH of 6.5 to 8.0. Because of its poor sight, house it only with other slow, gentle fancies and remove any sharp rocks or plastic plants. Feed sinking pellets and soft foods, giving it time to find its meal.

In the wild

The black moor is a velvety black fancy goldfish with protruding telescope eyes set on stalks. The bulging eyes give it very poor vision, so it feeds slowly and bumps into things. It has the deep, rounded body of other fancies and swims slowly. Keep it in a smooth, hazard free tank at cool temperatures, around 16 to 24 C.

Good to know

The black moor is a black colored telescope eye goldfish, a strain of Carassius auratus selected for domed, outward pointing eyes. The eye shape results from fluid pressure and gives the fish weak eyesight rather than any advantage. Many moors fade toward bronze or orange as they age or in warmer water.

Did you know

A black moor relies on smell and touch far more than sight, so keepers often tap the surface at the same feeding spot to train it to gather there.

Common questions

Is a Black moor a different species from the Goldfish?

No. A Black moor is a variety of the Goldfish, Carassius auratus. It is kept the same way apart from difficulty, adult size, tank size and temperature.