A dorsal finless fancy goldfish with upturned eyes, bred in China and Japan from domesticated Carassius auratus native to slow East Asian freshwater.
Overview
Keep celestials in at least 75 L with gentle filtration and no sharp objects. Water should be 18 to 23 C at a pH of 6.5 to 8.0. House them only with other slow, near sighted fancies such as bubble eyes, never with fast or nippy fish. Feed slow sinking pellets and soft foods, dropping food directly above them since they look up to see it.
In the wild
The celestial eye is a dorsal finless fancy goldfish whose eyes point permanently upward. It sees mainly above itself and cannot spot food to the sides, so it feeds slowly and needs a calm tank. Like other extreme fancies it swims slowly and is easily outcompeted. Keep it in stable, warm water around 18 to 23 C with smooth decor.
Good to know
In the celestial eye the eyes rotate upward during the first months of life and then fix in that position. The trait is selected for looks and leaves the fish with a narrow field of view. It is a strain of Carassius auratus with no dorsal fin.
Did you know
Because their eyes face the sky, celestials are one of the few goldfish that feed more easily from the surface directly overhead than from the tank floor.
Common questions
Is a Celestial eye a different species from the Goldfish?
No. A Celestial 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 Celestial eye need?
A Celestial eye needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
How big does a Celestial eye get?
An adult Celestial eye reaches about 5.9 in (15 cm).
11.8 in (30 cm)119 gal (450 L)39–75°F (4–24°C)
5.5 in (14 cm)45 gal (170 L)72–77°F (22–25°C)
5.4 in (13.6 cm)42 gal (160 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)
5.1 in (13 cm)45 gal (170 L)54–68°F (12–20°C)
5.1 in (13 cm)53 gal (200 L)68–77°F (20–25°C)
5.1 in (13 cm)42 gal (160 L)70–79°F (21–26°C)