Oranda Goldfish
Carassius auratus
Cyprinidae
About
The oranda is an egg-bodied fancy goldfish crowned by a wen: a raspberry-like hood of tissue that covers the whole head except the eyes and mouth and takes one to two years to fill in. Adults reach 20-31 cm including the tail and record fish have passed 37 cm, so this is a large animal routinely sold as a tiny one. The shortened, deep body crowds the internal organs, so orandas swim slowly and are prone to swim bladder and buoyancy trouble, while the porous hood invites bacterial infection the moment water quality slips. An overgrown wen can cover the eyes outright, leaving the fish half blind and unable to compete for food.
Care
Give one oranda at least 150 L on a 110 cm footprint - six times its 18 cm typical length, per PFK's rule - and around 200 L for a pair, keep it unheated at 16–21 °C with gentle flow, and feed pre-soaked sinking food. Never house it with fast single-tailed goldfish, which clear the food before it finds any.
Diet
Omnivore that forages continuously through the substrate; sinking pellets or gel food plus blanched vegetables and frozen daphnia, with dry food soaked first to prevent bloating.
Tankmate compatibility
Possible with care (38)
Avoid (233)
Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.
Telling males from females
What works for this species, most reliable first.
- Breeding tuberclesStrong · only in breeding condition — they vanish out of season
Goldfish and their cyprinid relatives grow small white bumps on the gill covers and leading pectoral rays when they come into breeding condition.
Frequently asked questions
- What tank size does a Oranda Goldfish need?
- A Oranda Goldfish needs an aquarium of at least 150 litres (39.6 US gallons) with a footprint at least 110 cm (43.3 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.
- What water parameters does a Oranda Goldfish need?
- Oranda Goldfish does best at 10–26 °C (50–78.8 °F), pH 6–8 and a general hardness of 6–25 °dGH.
- What group size does a Oranda Goldfish need?
- Oranda Goldfish is a social species — keep a group of at least 2 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.
- Is the Oranda Goldfish suitable for beginners?
- Oranda Goldfish is a demanding species best attempted with some experience — it needs stable, closely watched conditions to thrive.