Variety of Goldfish
Bubble eye
Carassius auratus
One of 12 varieties of Carassius auratus · See all varieties →
Also known as Water-bubble eye goldfish, Toadhead goldfish
FreshwaterFish
Varieties · Carassius auratus
See all 12 →
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 64–73°F
- 18–23°C
- pH
- 6.5–8.0
- Adult size
- 5.9 in
- 15 cm
- Minimum tank
- 20 gal
- 75 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Social
- Tankmates
- With caution
- Swim level
- Middle
- Difficulty
- Difficult
- Breeding
- Medium
- Rarity
- Common
- Family
- Cyprinidae
- Origin
- A delicate dorsal finless fancy goldfish bred in China from domesticated Carassius auratus, whose wild ancestor lives in slow East Asian freshwater.
Overview
House bubble eyes in at least 75 L with a covered or sponge filtered intake and absolutely no sharp decor, using silk or soft live plants only. Keep the water 18 to 23 C at a pH of 6.5 to 8.0 and very clean. Keep them only with other slow, vision impaired fancies such as celestials. Feed slow sinking foods and give them extra time to locate meals.
In the wild
The bubble eye is a delicate dorsal finless fancy goldfish with two large, fluid filled sacs beneath upturned eyes. The sacs wobble as it swims and tear easily on sharp objects or filter intakes. A torn sac may partly heal but often becomes infected, so this is a fish for calm, hazard free tanks only. Keep the water warm and stable, around 18 to 23 C.
Good to know
The bubble eye's sacs are fluid filled pouches of skin under the eyes, a fixed trait selected purely for appearance that impairs vision and swimming. It has no dorsal fin, so it swims slowly and clumsily. It is one of the more fragile Carassius auratus strains to keep.
Did you know
If a sac deflates or tears, it can sometimes refill or regrow over several weeks in clean water, but it rarely returns to its original size.
Common questions
Is a Bubble eye a different species from the Goldfish?
No. A Bubble eye is a variety of the Goldfish, Carassius auratus. It is kept the same way apart from difficulty, adult size, tank size and temperature.
What size tank does a Bubble eye need?
A Bubble eye needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
How big does a Bubble eye get?
An adult Bubble eye reaches about 5.9 in (15 cm).
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