Top 10 Goldfish Varieties - A beginner’s guide to Goldfish

The common goldfish can be considered a staple in most British homes, but it’s not the only type of goldfish available. In fact, there are several varieties of goldfish out there to pick from! From the Black Moor and the Shubunkin, to the Chinese Lionhead and the Celestial Eye that dates back to the 19th century, we’ve got you covered. To make it easier for you tell the difference, we have put together a handy guide to some of the top Goldfish varieties.

Types of Goldfish

Common Goldfish

A hardy, colourful, inexpensive fish, the common goldfish is one of the most popular pets. Fun fact, you can tell how old a goldfish is by its scales, for every year of their life they develop rings called circuli. However, to they’re so small you’d have to use a microscope to see them!

Black Moor Goldfish

An egg shape, the black Moor’s eyes protrude from the side of its head. Metallic scales make them bronze when they’re young but black when they’re adults.

Bubble Eye Goldfish

These goldfish have bizarre looking bubbles underneath their eyes that can grow so big that they have trouble seeing! Their bubbles are very delicate and are notorious for getting stuck in the filter, so it helps to have a foam cover for the uptake valves.

Comet Goldfish

Very similar to common goldfish, these fish are smaller with much longer, deeper forked tails. They are just as hardy as common goldfish and can be kept in ponds or aquariums.

Shubunkin Goldfish

Shubunkin goldfish are a hardy, single-tailed fish with different coloured markings. They make excellent pond fish and can even tolerate the cold months outside.

Lion Head Goldfish

An egg shape, rounded fish without a dorsal fin, the Lionhead Goldfish was bred in China to develop a fleshy lion’s mane on top of its head. A slow swimmer, it should be paired with other slow swimmers so it can feed!

Telescope Eye Goldfish

A Telescope Goldfish has an egg-shaped body with a double caudal fin. Similar to the Fantail Goldfish except for its protruding telescope eyes and slightly smaller size.

Fantail Goldfish

Another egg shape fish, these are bred with their long-split tail as their main feature, giving them two tails in one!

Celestial Eye Goldfish

With eyes mounted on the top of its head, the Celestial Eye goldfish gazes upwards towards the stars. Believed to have been bred in the 19th century, it looks cross eyed!

Ranchu Goldfish

Ranchu goldfish are quite distinct as they lack any dorsal fin. The scales are metallic and come in a wide variety of colours from white to black. Ranchu have a higher curved back than Lionheads.

Thinking of setting up your own goldfish tank? Then head over to our guide on Setting Up Your First Goldfish Tank.

For more information on what to feed your goldfish, check out our wide range of goldfish food.