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Variety of Goldfish

Lionhead

Carassius auratus

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

Also known as Lionhead goldfish, Chinese lionhead, Hooded goldfish

FreshwaterFish

Lionhead (Carassius auratus)
Lawrencekhoo · 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
7.1 in
18 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 dorsal finless fancy goldfish bred in China, the ancestor of the Japanese ranchu, developed from domesticated Carassius auratus of East Asian freshwater.

Overview

Give one lionhead about 95 L plus roughly 40 L per additional fish, with gentle filtration and no strong current. Keep the water 16 to 24 C at a pH of 6.5 to 8.0. Suitable tankmates are other slow fancies only. Feed sinking pellets and blanched vegetables, and keep the water clean so the wen does not become infected.

In the wild

The lionhead is the Chinese ancestor of the ranchu, a dorsal finless fancy goldfish with a rounded back and a dense wen covering the head and gill plates. It has a shorter, straighter back than the ranchu and a slightly longer tail. With no dorsal fin it is a slow, unsteady swimmer that needs calm water. Keep it cool and clean, about 16 to 24 C.

Good to know

The lionhead was bred in China and later exported and refined into the Japanese ranchu. Its wen, or hood, is an overgrowth of head skin that can grow so thick it obscures vision. Like all fancy goldfish it is a strain of the single species Carassius auratus.

Did you know

The wen takes a year or more to develop, so young lionheads look almost plain before the hood fills in over the head and cheeks.

Common questions

Is a Lionhead a different species from the Goldfish?

No. A Lionhead 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 Lionhead need?

A Lionhead needs at least 25 gal (95 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

How big does a Lionhead get?

An adult Lionhead reaches about 7.1 in (18 cm).

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