Common Goldfish
Carassius auratus
Cyprinidae
About
The common goldfish is the original single-tailed form of Carassius auratus, a hardy coldwater cyprinid domesticated from wild carp in China over a thousand years ago. Streamlined and torpedo-shaped, it is a fast, powerful swimmer that can exceed 30 cm and live for well over a decade. Sociable and endlessly hungry, it forages constantly across every level of the tank and produces a very heavy bioload, so it needs a large volume, strong filtration and ideally a pond rather than a small aquarium or bowl.
Care
A large, long-lived coldwater fish, not a bowl pet. Give a single-tail a pond or a heavily filtered 190 L+ per fish, keep it unheated at 16-22°C, and expect it to dig and uproot soft plants.
Diet
Opportunistic omnivore grazing plants, algae, detritus and small invertebrates; feed sinking gel or pellets plus blanched vegetables, but sparingly to limit its notorious waste production.
Tankmate compatibility
Possible with care (102)
Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.