25 Most Popular Types of Goldfish: With Care Guide, Pictures & Videos
Did you know, the modern-day goldfish has its roots dating back thousands of years in China? Yeah neither did we.
The goldfish is possibly the most underrated and abundant pet fish in the aquarium trade today, making appearances at almost every corner of any local fish store.
In this article today, we take you through the history, the husbandry, and the different varieties of goldfish there are today. It’s a long article so stay put.
How Many Types of Goldfish Are There?
Goldfish are generally split into 2 broad categories. The first category being the single-tailed variety (non-fancy) i.e single caudal and anal fin. And the second category is the double-tailed variety (fancy).
That said, however, there are more than 200 known varieties of goldfish in China alone.
The History of Goldfish
It was the Chinese who first started noticing small mutations in color in the Asian carps about 1500 years ago during the Jin dynasty.
The Asian carp was initially bred as a source of food fish in ancient China. Its large size and ease of breeding were the main reasons why this fish was a popular choice to be famed as a food fish.

Also known as the stargazer, celestial eye goldfish take the telescope goldfish plan and mutate it further.
Their eyes stand out from the sides, but they also show a white ring and distinct pupil. It can look human-like compared to other fish species.
Unlike the telescope goldfish, which the stargazer came from, these tapered fish lack a dorsal fin. It makes them a slower species (and, of course, those eyes don’t make them streamlined). You’ll need to think through which tank mates you choose to pair them with.
Despite their poor visibility, celestial eye goldfish enjoy digging in the substrate like their cousins. You’ll want to make sure you provide a safe environment that protects their eyes. Otherwise, they may end up with damage that leads to infection.
21. Lionchu
Another fish for the experienced aquarist, the lionchu is a cross between a ranchu and lionhead goldfish. This hybrid displays the preferred traits of the parent species, such as the ranchu’s arched, round body and the lionhead’s prominent hood.
They reach the same five-to-eight-inch length (13 to 20 cm) as do ranchus and come in a variety of colors and scale types.
These fish need clean, well-maintained water. They are sensitive to shifts in pH and ill-kept water can lead to infection of their hood.
Pair them only with slow swimming, peaceful fish that will not nip their fins or outcompete them for food.
22. Panda Moor Goldfish
Panda moor goldfish share similar needs to other moor telescope goldfish. Their eyes protrude from the sides of their heads, and they have a rounded shape.
Their claim to fame is the black and white color palette that reminds people of the panda bear.
Those colors don’t remain fixed, though. As juveniles, panda moors look bronze. And the older they get, the greater the chance they’ll change to another shade. You may even see them switch to a standard orange or gold.
Because panda moor goldfish have protruding eyes, they require aquarists with experience under their belt. You need to take care with your décor to prevent injury.
You’ll also want to pair them with tank mates that WON’T outcompete them for food and leave them starving.
23. Nankin Goldfish
The nankin resembles the ranchu in its rounded, curved body shape and lack of dorsal fin. Their heads lack a large hood, and when viewed from above, they are triangle-shaped.
It can be challenging to find this red and white beauty, but the search is well worth it. These fish reach anywhere from eight to 8.5 inches (20 to 22 cm) in length and are active fish.
They can nibble on and dig up aquatic plants, so avoid keeping them in heavily planted aquariums. Keep an eye on the temperature and double filter your water as these are messy fish that are sensitive to rapid parameter shifts.
24. Meteor Goldfish
You’ll be hard-pressed to locate a meteor goldfish. It’s not a breed recognized by any of the goldfish societies. And breeders struggle to reproduce them consistently. More often than not, the label ends up assigned to fancy goldfish that resemble meteors.
Meteor goldfish have no tails or extremely small tails. Instead, they have strong anal fins and elongated pectoral fins that allow them to swim without a problem.
Their name comes from the silhouette that reminds people of a shooting comet. You can see the “meteor goldfish” pattern show up in other fancy goldfish.
But when breeders try to get the trait to breed through, the fry don’t usually survive, or they end up developing normal tails. As such, you’re not likely to come across a meteor without A LOT of searching.
25. Hama Nishiki Goldfish
A cross bred between the pearlscale and the oranda. This goldfish bred looks a lot like the pearlscale, but its fins are slightly longer, and it has a small wen hood cover on top of its face that it gets from the oranda. It also grows slightly larger than the pearlscale.