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Variety of Goldfish

Common goldfish

Carassius auratus

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

Also known as gold fish

FreshwaterFish

Common goldfish (Carassius auratus)
לינה אבוגוש · CC BY-SA 3.0

Varieties · Carassius auratus

See all 12 →

Care at a glance

Temperature
39–75°F
4–24°C
pH
6.5–8.0
Adult size
9.8 in
25 cm
Minimum tank
50 gal
190 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Beginner
Breeding
Egg scatterer · Medium
Rarity
Very common
Family
Cyprinidae
Origin
China

Overview

The common goldfish is a peaceful, single-tailed coldwater fish that needs a big tank or a pond. It is a good first fish for a keeper with room for it.

Did you know

The common goldfish has no stomach and digests its food more or less continuously.

Caring for the common goldfish

A common goldfish needs far more space than most people expect. Start with 50 gal (190 L) for one adult, and add more for each extra fish. It eats heavily and makes a lot of waste, so a strong filter and regular water changes are the real work.

It tolerates a huge temperature range, from near freezing up to about 28°C for short spells. That is why it does well in unheated tanks and ponds. Keep it at 39 to 75°F (4 to 24°C) and a pH of 6.5 to 8.0.

Feed a quality goldfish pellet with vegetables and the occasional frozen food. Feed little and often rather than one big meal, since overfeeding fouls the water fast. Floating dry food can make it gulp air, so pre-soak pellets to cut down on swim bladder trouble.

Goldfish are social and do better with company, so keep two or more. They are peaceful but will eat anything small enough to fit in their mouth. Skip warm-water tropical tank mates, since goldfish prefer it cooler.

A common goldfish is an egg scatterer that spreads its eggs over plants and gives no parental care. It is moderately difficult to breed.

Good to know

The common goldfish is Carassius auratus, in the carp and minnow family, Cyprinidae. It can grow larger in a pond than in a tank, and well-kept fish often live well past ten years.

In the wild

The common goldfish is a domesticated fish descended from wild carp in China. It is not collected from the wild today.

From published sources

Tank mates

Each fish here is named as a tank mate for the common goldfish by at least two published care guides. Every partner here handles cool water, and a single-tail goldfish with company wants about 75 gallons (285 liters).

Sources: Aquarium Co-Op, Fishkeeping World, Tropical Fish Hobbyist, Aquarium Source, Practical Fishkeeping.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

Is a common goldfish a different species from the goldfish?

No. A common goldfish 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 common goldfish need?

A common goldfish needs at least 50 gal (190 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What does a common goldfish eat?

A common goldfish eats a quality goldfish pellet, with vegetables and the occasional frozen food. Feed it little and often rather than one big meal.

How big does a common goldfish get?

An adult common goldfish reaches about 9.8 in (25 cm).

How does a common goldfish breed?

A common goldfish is an egg scatterer. It spreads its eggs over plants, gives them no parental care, and is moderately difficult to breed.

What fish can live with the common goldfish?

Published care guides name rosy barb, weather loach, bristlenose pleco and variable platy, among others. Every partner here handles cool water, and a single-tail goldfish with company wants about 75 gallons (285 liters).

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