Shubunkin Goldfish
Carassius auratus
Cyprinidae
FishDifficulty: ●●●○○Data: well-established
About
The shubunkin is a single-tailed goldfish, not a fancy one: nacreous calico markings - blue, black, red and orange over a pearly base - on a streamlined, comet-like body that swims fast and reaches around 30 cm, with published ranges starting at 23 cm. It sits with the common and comet goldfish among the robust straight-tailed varieties that grow large, which makes it a pond fish first and an aquarium fish only reluctantly. It shrugs off near-freezing water, produces a very heavy bioload, and its speed makes it a poor neighbour for slow egg-bodied fancies, which it out-swims and out-eats every single time.
Care
A pond fish at heart. Indoors give at least 190 L per fish on a 120 cm footprint - six times its 20 cm typical length, and a fish that hits the full 30 cm would want 180 cm - unheated, heavily filtered, and never mixed with fancy goldfish.
Diet
Opportunistic omnivore on plants, algae, detritus and small invertebrates; sinking pellets or gel food plus blanched vegetables, fed sparingly to hold nitrate down.
Tankmate compatibility
Possible with care (38)
Amano ShrimpBlack Moor GoldfishBlue Tiger ShrimpBorneo SuckerButterfly Hillstream LoachCheckered BarbComet GoldfishCommon GoldfishDenison BarbDoctor FishDojo (Weather) LoachDwarf Orange CrayfishFantail GoldfishFreshwater ClamGlowlight DanioGold BarbGreen TerrorJapanese Trapdoor SnailLeast KillifishLeopard DanioMedaka RicefishOdessa BarbOranda GoldfishPanda CorydorasParadise FishParaguay EartheaterPearl DanioPeppered CorydorasPort CichlidRanchu GoldfishReticulated Hillstream LoachRosy BarbRosy Red MinnowRubber Lip PlecoRyukin GoldfishTelescope GoldfishWhite Cloud Mountain MinnowZebra Danio
Avoid (233)
Acei CichlidAdonis PlecoAfrican Butterfly CichlidAfrican ButterflyfishAgassiz's CoryAgassiz's Dwarf CichlidAltum AngelfishAngelfishAssassin SnailAuratus CichlidBala SharkBamboo ShrimpBanjo CatfishBetta (Siamese Fighting Fish)Black Neon TetraBlack Phantom TetraBlack Ruby BarbBlack Skirt TetraBlackline RasboraBladder SnailBleeding Heart TetraBlood Parrot CichlidBloodfin TetraBlue AcaraBlue Dolphin CichlidBlue Velvet ShrimpBoesemani RainbowfishBolivian RamBorleyi (Redfin Hap)Brevis Shell DwellerBrichard's TeleogrammaBrichardi (Fairy Cichlid)Bristlenose PlecoBronze CorydorasBuenos Aires TetraBuffalohead CichlidBumblebee CichlidBumblebee GobyCalvus CichlidCardinal TetraCelebes RainbowfishCelestial Pearl DanioCheckerboard CichlidCherry BarbCherry ShrimpChili RasboraChinese Algae EaterChocolate CichlidChocolate GouramiClown KillifishClown LoachClown PlecoCobalt Blue ZebraCochu's Blue TetraCockatoo Dwarf CichlidColombian Ramshorn SnailCommon PlecoCompressiceps CichlidCongo Dwarf CichlidCongo TetraConvict CichlidCrystal Red ShrimpCuckoo CatfishCylindricus CichlidCyprichromisDemasoni CichlidDemon EartheaterDiamond TetraDiscusDogtooth CichlidDuboisi TropheusDwarf Chain LoachDwarf Flag CichlidDwarf GouramiDwarf Neon RainbowfishDwarf Pea PufferDwarf Petricola CatfishDwarf RasboraElectric Blue AhliElectric Yellow LabElephantnose FishEllioti CichlidElongate MbunaEmber TetraEmerald CoryEmperor TetraEndler's LivebearerEndlicheri BichirEven-spotted SynodontisFeatherfin SqueakerFestivum (Flag Cichlid)Figure-8 PufferFiremouth CichlidFive-bar CichlidFlame TetraForktail RainbowfishFrontosaGerman Blue RamGhost ShrimpGlass CatfishGlowlight TetraGoby CichlidGolden Dwarf CichlidGolden JulieGolden PencilfishGolden TetraGolden Wonder KillifishGreen DiscusGreen Neon TetraGreen Spotted PufferfishGuppyHarlequin RasboraHead-and-Tail-Light TetraHeckel DiscusHoney GouramiHongi CichlidIridescent SharkJack DempseyJaguar CichlidJewel CichlidJohanni CichlidJulii CoryKenyi CichlidKeyhole CichlidKissing GouramiKoiKribensisKuhli LoachLambchop RasboraLemon CichlidLemon TetraLittle CorydorasLivingstoniMacmasteri Dwarf CichlidMaingano CichlidMalawi EyebiterMalawi HawkMalaysian Trumpet SnailMarble HatchetfishMarlieri CichlidMasked JulieMollyMoonlight GouramiMultifasciatus Shell DwellerMystery SnailNeon TetraNerite SnailOcellatus Shell DwellerOrnate BichirOscarOtocinclusPeaceful BettaPeacock BassPeacock CichlidPearl GouramiPenguin TetraPictus CatfishPike CichlidPlatyPolka Dot LoachPowder Blue CichlidPurple Emperor TetraPygmy CorydorasRabbit SnailRainbow CichlidRainbow SharkRamshorn SnailRed DevilRed EmpressRed RainbowfishRed TerrorRed Whiptail CatfishRed Zebra CichlidRed-Tail SharkRedhead CichlidRegan's JulieReticulated Flying FoxRostratusRosy TetraRoyal PlecoRummynose TetraRusty CichlidSailfin MollySailfin PlecoSalt and Pepper CorySalvini CichlidSand-sifting XenotilapiaSaulosi CichlidScarlet BadisScissortail RasboraSerpae TetraSeverumSiamese Algae EaterSilver ArowanaSilver MoonySilver Tip TetraSimilis Shell DwellerSkunk CorySparkling GouramiSpotted HoploStar SapphireSterbai CorydorasStrawberry RasboraStriped KribensisStriped Raphael CatfishSulawesi Cardinal ShrimpSunshine PeacockSveni EartheaterSwordtailT-Bar CichlidTaiwan Reef CichlidTexas CichlidThai Micro CrabThick-lipped GouramiThreadfin AcaraThreadfin PetrochromisThreadfin RainbowfishThree-spot GouramiTiger BarbTropheusTurquoise RainbowfishUaru (Triangle Cichlid)Umbrella Dwarf CichlidUpside-down CatfishVampire ShrimpVenezuelan CoryVenustus (Giraffe Cichlid)Wolf CichlidWrestling HalfbeakX-ray TetraYoyo LoachZebra MbunaZebra Pleco
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 Shubunkin Goldfish need?
- A Shubunkin Goldfish needs an aquarium of at least 300 litres (79.3 US gallons) with a footprint at least 150 cm (59.1 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.
- What water parameters does a Shubunkin Goldfish need?
- Shubunkin Goldfish does best at 4–28 °C (39.2–82.4 °F), pH 6–8 and a general hardness of 6–25 °dGH.
- What group size does a Shubunkin Goldfish need?
- Shubunkin Goldfish is a social species — keep a group of at least 3 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.
- Is the Shubunkin Goldfish suitable for beginners?
- Shubunkin Goldfish sits in the middle of the difficulty scale — manageable for a careful beginner who has done the reading, but it has specific needs worth researching first.
Sources
Water & tank
Temperature4–28°C
Optimal temp.16–21°C
pH6–8
Hardness (GH)6–25°d
Carbonate (KH)4–15°d
Adult size30 cm
Min. volume≥ 300 L
Min. tank length≥ 150 cm
Group size≥ 3
Swimming zoneAll levels
TemperamentPeaceful
Water typeFreshwater
FlowModerate
Lifespan~15 yrs
Try in the calculator