Black Moor Goldfish

Black Demekin, Black Peony Goldfish, Dragon Eye Goldfish

Family: CyprinidaeCarassius auratus auratusPhoto © Animal-World: Courtesy David Brough

The Black Moor Goldfish is basically a black version of the Telescope Goldfish, though the eyes usually don't protrude as far as they do on the Telescope!

Rather than having the long slender body of the Common Goldfish or the Shubunkins, The Black Moor Goldfish is one of the more rounded or egg-shaped fancy goldfish. The rounded body shape of this beautiful goldfish is enhanced by large bulbous eyes protruding out on the sides of its head, metallic scales that give it a deep velvety black color, and long flowing finnage. Their hardiness and ability to live in cold temperatures makes them ideal pets.They are very popular gold fish and are found in collectors tanks throughout the world.

The Black Moor is basically a black version of the Telescope Goldfish though its eyes don't protrude quite as far. These eyes have given rise to some descriptive names for this fish, such as the Dragon Eye Goldfish and Black Peony Goldfish. Juveniles are a dark bronze and without the protruding eyes, but as they mature they become black and their eyes begin to telescope. Most Black Moors stay black but their color can change with age, ranging from gray to black, or they can revert to a metallic orange when kept in warmer water. Though they once were available with a beautiful veil-tail, the specimens available today will have either a broad tail, ribbon tail, or butterfly tail.

Black Moor Goldfish along with two other egg-shaped goldfish, the Fantail Goldfish and the Ryukin Goldfish, are recommended for the beginner, but unlike the Fantail and the Ryukin, the Black Moor must not be kept with highly competitive tank mates. These three varieties of goldfish along with the Common Goldfish, Comet Goldfish, the Shubunkin, are all considered good beginner goldfish. This is because they are hardy and can tolerate temperatures a few degrees above freezing, as long as the cooling drops only a few degrees a day.

For most of these goldfish, their hardiness and ability to live at colder temperatures makes them ideal for outdoor ponds as well. The Black Moor is the only possible exception to this, not because it lacks hardiness but because of its telescopic eyes. Its eyes cause it to have poor vision so it is not a good competitor for food, and they are subject to injury and infection. None of these hardy fish are really good companions for the Black Moor because they are all too competitive during feeding time. Better tank mates would be the similarly handicapped but less hardy Telescope Goldfish, Celestial Goldfish, and Water Bubble-Eye Goldfish.

For more goldfish information, see:
Goldfish Care: Fancy Goldfish and Goldfish Diseases

Habitat: Distribution / Background

The goldfish of today are descendants of a wild carp fish, known as the Prussian Carp, Silver Prussian carp, or Gibel Carp Carassius gibelio (syn: Carassius auratus gibelio) which was described by Bloch in 1782. These wild carp originated in Asia; Central Asia (siberia). They inhabit the slow moving and stagnant waters of rivers, lakes, ponds, and ditches feeding on plants, detritus, small crustaceans, and insects.

For many years it was believed that goldfish had originated from the Crucian Carp Carassius carassius described by Linnaeus in 1758. This fish has a wide range across the European content, running west to east from England to Russia, north to Scandinavian countries in the Arctic Circle and as far south as the central France and the Black Sea. However now this is considered improbable as recent genetic research points to C. gibelio.

Goldfish were originally developed in China, but by the 1500's goldfish were traded to Japan, to Europe in the 1600's, and to America by the 1800's. The majority of the fancy goldfish were being developed by Oriental breeders. The results of this centuries long endeavor is the wonderful goldfish colors and forms we see today. Today domesticated goldfish are distributed world-wide.

The Black Moor Goldfish is a black version of the Telescope Goldfish which was believed to be developed in China in the early 1700's. It was known as the Dragon Eyes or the Dragon Fish. In the later part of the 1700's it was produced in Japan where it is known as the Demekin. The Black Moor is also referred to as the Dragon Eye Goldfish as well as the Black Peony Goldfish and the Black Demekin. It is one of the more than 125 captive bred fancy gold fish varieties.

• Scientific Name: Carassius auratus auratus
• Social Grouping: Groups - Can be kept singly or in groups.
• IUCN Red List: NE - Not Evaluated or not listed - This species is not listed on the IUCN Red List, and presumably there are no wild populations of this captive bred variety, Black Moor Goldfish.

Description

The Black Moor Goldfish is an egg-shaped variety of goldfish. The body is short and stubby and the head has large bulbous eyes protruding out on the sides. It has metallic scales that give it a deep velvety black color and it has long flowing finnage.

• Goldfish colors
  Most Black Moors stay black but their color can change with age, ranging from gray to black, or they can revert to a metallic orange when kept in warmer water. Juveniles are a dark bronze and without the protruding eyes, but as they mature they become black and their eyes begin to telescope. Though they once were available with a beautiful veil-tail, the varieties available today will have either a broad tail, ribbon tail, or butterfly tail.
• Size - Weight
  Black Moor Goldfish will generally reach about 4 inches (10 cm), though some hobbyist report their Black Moors reaching up to a whopping 10" (25 cm)!
• Goldfish lifespan
  The average goldfish lifespan is 10 – 15 years, though living 20 years or more is not uncommon in well maintained goldfish aquariums and ponds.

• Size of fish - inches: 4.0 inches (10.16 cm) - Some hobbyists have reported them reaching a whopping 10 inches (25 cm).
• Lifespan: 20 years

Fish Keeping Difficulty

Black Moor Goldfish are some of the hardier species of goldfish. They are very undemanding of water quality and temperature. They can do well in a goldfish bowl, goldfish aquariums, or even a pond as long as the environment is safe and their tank mates are not competitive.

Many people will keep goldfish in small one or two gallon bowls with no heater or filtration. But for the best success in keeping goldfish, provide them the same filtration, especially biological filtration, that other aquarium residents enjoy. Be careful when netting these fish, as their eyes are easily damaged. When it comes to feeding, they will not thrive well with fast competitive tank mates.

• Aquarium Hardiness: Very Hardy
• Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

Foods and Feeding

Since they are omnivorous, the Black Moor Goldfish will generally eat all kinds of fresh, frozen, and flake foods. To keep a good balance give them a high quality flake food everyday. Feed brine shrimp (either live or frozen), blood worms, Daphnia, or tubifex worms as a treat. It is usually better to feed freeze-dried foods as opposed to live foods to avoid parasites and bacterial infections that could be present in live foods. Due to the protruding eyes they have poor vision and a harder time seeing their food, so need extra time to feed.

• Diet Type: Omnivore
• Flake Food: Yes
• Tablet Pellet: Yes
• Live foods (fishes, shrimps, worms): Some of Diet
• Vegetable Food: Some of Diet
• Meaty Food: Some of Diet
• Feeding Frequency: Several feedings per day - This fish has poor eyesight and is somewhat sluggish, so the aquarist needs to be sure that their Black Moor Goldfish is not being out competed for food during feeding time.

Aquarium Care

Regular weekly water changes of 1/4 to 1/3 is strongly recommended to keep these fish healthy. Snails can be added as they reduce the algae in the tank, helping to keep it clean.

• Water Changes: Weekly - Goldfish produce more waste than most other freshwater fish and benefit greatly from more frequent water changes.

Aquarium Setup

Setting up an aquarium in a manner that will keep your fish happy and healthy is the first step to successfully fish keeping. Here are aquarium parameters to consider in choosing goldfish aquariums, filtration, lighting, and decor as well as temperature and water movement.

• Minimum Tank Size / Length:
  The shape and size of the goldfish aquarium is important and depends upon the number of fish you are going to keep. Goldfish need a lot of oxygen and produce a lot of waste. Keep the tank size and shape in mind when you are buying your fish.
  • Tank Shape
    A large surface area of water will help minimize goldfish suffering from an oxygen shortage. Surface area is determined by the shape of the tank. For the same volume of water, an elongated tank offers more surface area (and oxygen) than a tall tank. In a goldfish bowl, filling the bowl to the middle offers more surface area than filling the bowl to the top. Always provide the maximum amount of surface area.
  • Tank size
    It's best to start with a 20 - 30 gallon tank for your first goldfish and then increase the size of the tank by 10 gallons for each additional goldfish. Providing a large amount of water per fish will help dilute the amount of waste and reduce the number of water changes needed
  • Formula: # of fish per gallon of water
    A general rule of thumb, but only for young fish, is 1 inch of fish (2.54 cm) per 1 gallon of water. This rule applies only to young fish and is not adequate as they grow. Larger gold fish consume much more oxygen than young fish so maintaining this formula for growing fish will stunt them, and can contribute to disease and even death.
  • Fish: size and growth
    To allow for growth, either buy fewer fish than the maximum number of fish (based on the formula above) or be prepared to get a larger tank. Larger gold fish consume much more oxygen than young fish so maintaining this formula for growing fish will stunt them, and can contribute to disease and even death
• Aquarium Lighting
  Most aquariums come with a cover that includes lighting. A cover for the tank is desirable as it reduces evaporation and though they are not prone to jumping, on occasion some gold fish will jump out. Lighting is not essential for goldfish, but does make the aquarium a nice show piece and lighting will help if you have live plants.
• Filtration
  Goldfish produce a lot of waste. Good filtration, especially biological filtration, is very helpful in maintaining the water quality of the aquarium. Filtration systems remove much of the detritus, excess foods and waste. This helps keep the tank clean and maintain the general health of the goldfish.
• Substrate
  Provide a gravel substrate to help create a natural and comfortable environment for your fish. A medium sized gravel works best..
• Aquarium Decor
  You can add some decor, but keep in mind that the eyes of the Black Moor are a handicap and these fish have very poor vision. Make sure that all ornamentation is smooth with no protruding points or sharp edges. Smooth rocks or driftwood, should be used sparingly if at all.
  Aquarium plants would be the best choice of aquarium decor for goldfish, but unfortunately these fish are diggers. Consequently live plants may be uprooted. Artificial plants make a good substitute and silk plants are safer than plastic ones.
• Temperature: Goldfish are a cold water fish and will do best at temperatures between 65 - 72° F (18°- 22° C). The Black Moor Goldfish are one of the most hardy varieties of goldfish and can tolerate temperatures a few degrees above freezing, as long as the cooling drops only a few degrees a day. A quick temperature drop can kill them, so if you live in a very cold climate a heater is advisable.
• Water Hardness: 5 - 19° dGH
• ph: 6.0 to 8.0
• Water Movement: Moderate.
• Water Region: These fish will swim in all areas of the aquarium.

• Minimum Tank Size: 10 gal (38 L) - Ten gallons is the absolute minimum required to house this fish. It has high oxygen requirements, produces a lot of waste, and will have very stunted growth if it is kept in a smaller aquarium or bowl.
• Substrate Type: Any
• Lighting Needs: High - Strong lighting - Strong lighting will help this fish make the best of what little eyesight it has.
• Temperature: 65.0 to 72.0° F (18.3 to 22.2° C) - This fish will tolerate much colder temperatures, although this seems to be the optimum range for activity and longevity of Goldfish.
• Range ph: 6.0-8.0
• Hardness Range: 5 - 19 dGH
• Brackish: Sometimes - Goldfish are freshwater fish, but they have some tolerance for slightly brackish water. Salinity for C. auratus must be kept below 10%, a specific gravity of less than 1.002.
• Water Movement: Moderate
• Water Region: All

Social Behaviors

Goldfish are very social animals and thrive in a community. Not only are they a great community fish but they are great scavengers as well. The Black Moor Goldfish, along with the Telescope Goldfish and the Celestial Goldfish, are all visually handicapped so do well when kept together.

These goldfish cannot readily compete for food with other sharp-eyed and fast moving types of goldfish, so may not fare well if kept with them. Goldfish are great scavengers, so it is really not necessary to add other scavengers or other bottom feeders to the aquarium when you have goldfish.

• Venomous: No
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Compatible with:
  • Same species - conspecifics: Yes
  • Peaceful fish (): Safe
  • Semi-Aggressive (): Threat
  • Shrimps, Crabs, Snails: Safe - not aggressive
  • Plants: Threat - Goldfish will eat many kinds of aquatic plants, and their constant search for food end up uprooting plants that they don't eat.

Sex: Sexual differences

During the breeding season the male has white prickles, called breeding tubercles, on its gill covers and head. Seen from above a female will have a fatter appearance when she is carrying eggs. It is impossible to sex Goldfish when they are young and not in breeding season, but generally the male is smaller and more slender than the female.

Breeding / Reproduction

Black Moor Goldfish are egg layers that spawn readily in the right conditions. See Breeding Freshwater Fish - Goldfish for more information on breeding Goldfish.

• Ease of Breeding: Moderate

Fish Diseases

Goldfish are subject to the same diseases as tropical fish. A couple of the more common problems are Ich, Swim Bladder Disease, and external parasites including flukes, lice and anchor worms. For more in-depth information about goldfish diseases and illnesses, see: Goldfish Care; Fancy Goldfish and Goldfish Diseases.

Availability

The Black Moor Goldfish is readily available in fish stores and on-line. It is fairly inexpensive.

References

• Animal-World References: Freshwater Fish and Plants
• David Alderton, Encyclopedia of Aquarium and Pond Fish , DK Publishing, Inc., 2005.
• Marshall E. Ostrow, Goldfish (Barron's Complete Pet Owner's Manuals), Barron's Educational Series, Inc. 2003
• Geoff Rogers, Nick Fletcher, Focus on Freshwater Aquarium Fish, Firefly Books. 2004
• David Sands, Goldfish (Caring for Your Pet), Interpet Publishing, 1999

Available From These Merchants

• Black Moor : $5.83
• Black Moor : $18.39
• Black Moor : $31.99

Black Moor Goldfish Extra Small 2 3 Length Offered By: PetCo Price: $5.83

Black Moor Goldfish Small 3.5 4 Length Offered By: PetCo Price: $18.39

Black Moor Goldfish Medium 4 5 Length Offered By: PetCo Price: $31.99

Lastest Animal Stories on Black Moor Goldfish View all 440 Animal Stories on Black Moor Goldfish Add Your Animal Story

Sandra - 2013-04-19 i have a goldfish with the bugeyes and one of his eyes looks like its filled with blood :( what should i do? has anyone heard of this?? PLEASE HELP!! Clarice Brough - 2013-04-19 It sounds like your fish's eye got injured, and may be developing a secondary infection. You can try treating it with something like Melafix, or a more intense treatment is an antibiotic. Follow the manufacturer's instructions so that you don't wipe out your biological filter. (Anytime you use an antibiotic you have to monitor for ammonia.) Reply

Laylovv - 2009-10-31 Moor Goldfish Owners, please do not put your moor in a tank with anything other than another Moor. If you are extremely experienced then disregard as you know what types can live in harmony. Moors are my favorite:) It makes me ill when I hear "I just bought a new moor goldfish and put him in a bowl" Or " my other fish nip my moor and scare him to the other side of the tank" Or "My moor is in a 3 gallon tank". These fish CANNOT compete with anyother fish for food. If you think it is funny when your other fish nip at him try putting a pitbull in your bedroom and when ever you try to sleep it bites you. This is what your putting your Moor goldfish through. They are not athletes and their eyesite is poor but they have the best personalities of all fish I have owned. To kill a fish out of ignorance is still your fault. If you have killed more than 2 fish then pick a different hobby. Fish are not for children. If you are too busy to change 20% of the water each week then get a betta. If you do not have the money for a filter that is $20-$30 then go get a betta. If you do not have the money to buy your moor antibiotics or melafix or other remedies when it gets sick then you should not have a fish. MOOR GOLDFISH ARE THE MOST DELICATE FISH. DO NOT GET A MOOR GOLDFISH IF YOU HAVE NEVER HAD A FISH BEFORE. Start with a Betta, or a NON-FANCY Goldfish. Regular old goldfish are very very hearty as are Bettas. These are fish you can put in a 3 gallon tank and feed and have very little responsibility. Mike - 2010-03-02 "Moor Goldfish Owners, please do not put your moor in a tank with anything other than another Moor? The statement you've made is incorrect: I have a 30 gallon tank with a moor, tele, and dojo loach for the past 5 years and they get along fine, you don't have to house them with just moors as long as your goldies aren't fighting they can be housed with a bunch of different fish excluding aggressive fish as they will nip and bite at them. Paige - 2010-03-16 "If you are too busy to change 20% of the water each week then get a betta." Actually, water for a Betta should be changed more often than a Black Moor Goldfish, depending on the side of the tank. Anything under 1 gallon should have at least a 50% (preferably 100%) water change daily; anything over 1 gallon to five gallons should have a 20-30% water change weekly. Bettas are extremely prone to fin rot from dirty water, and although they are not overly dirty fish, their water does get contaminated fairly quickly. Please do not assume that Betta fish are the easiest of fish to care for. Contrary to popular belief, they in fact should not be kept in anything under 1 gallon, because the lack of surface area for them to move around in can cause them to get ill very quickly. Bettas also need a slightly warmer water temperature, from about 70F to 80F. Although Bettas are good for beginners, they can't be completely disregarded when it comes to care. If these small needs are fulfilled, these fish can be great pets that are full of personality :) Ferrell - 2010-04-21 Thats mean saying that kids cannot take care a black moor I just bought a black moor and my sis bought a shunbunkin yesterday. Today Blackie (black moor) is now the boss of the tank against a shunbunkin. I can change my water in the 2.5L fish tank. This is my first time having a fish and blackie is doing great with Sparkles (shunbunkin) Gabi - 2010-06-21 Hello Laylovv, I just red your comment about the Moor Goldfish; I got one for my anniversary, and he seems a little bit sick. Like wanting to be under some rocks that I have in my aquarium. And he also is having some strange actions like ''seeing dead'' or laying on his side. I'm so sad, I don't want him to die :/. Can you help me? Is there an antibiotic or a remedy that I can give him? Or do you know why is he doing this weird stuff? Thank you so much Noah - 2010-06-23 "Regular old goldfish are very very hearty as are Bettas. These are fish you can put in a 3 gallon tank and feed and have very little responsibility." Although Bettas might be ok in a tank that small, "regular old goldfish" need even more room than fancy goldfish like Black Moores! Common, comet, and shubunkin goldfish need 20 gallons per fish as they can attain a size twice as large as fancy goldfish. betty - 2010-07-26 I keep and love goldfish as well as bettas. There are many misconceptions that bettas can handle "dirty" water easier. It is very hard on them and I believe just as hard as on a goldfish. If you do want to start with a betta, decide to give it a good life by keeping its water clean and warm. If you decide to go with Moors, {I agree not the best first fish} be very sure they are getting food in their quite small mouths. They can slowly be starving, until one day they are limp and almost unable to respond. They can really have a hard time getting enough food. They need more observation than say Orandas or Lionheads but are wonderful. Leah Macdonald - 2010-08-02 I started out with 3 moor goldfish and they were fantastic. Two of the three died not long after I got them although they were not particularly healthy from the start as the shop I got them from was not very good. I still have one of the three which has lived quite happily with a fancy goldfish for the last 3 years in a 60L bio-orb tank. I also have another moor in another 60L tank which lives comfortably with 6 white clouds and 2 orandas with absolutely no problems. From my experience they can live well with other types of fish it just depends on the circumstances but I agree that they should not be kept in a bowl or a 3 gallon tank as they do grow quite big. I have one which started out as less than an inch big and is now at 6 inches in just 2 years. jennie - 2013-03-21 I have my black moore with another fancy gold fish and they r doing good so I don't know were u get ur info but it isn't true Reply

bertrand - 2009-04-18 PLZ, PLZ, PLZ, do Not keep goldfish in a bowl! Get it a ten gallon aquarium with good filteration plz. If u like your fish the rule is 10 gallon per fish, and trust me, even if lfs employees told you it's alright in a bowl, it's not! Do not squeeze your goldfish if you are a beginner, rather get a male and a female, do it naturally. When I breed my goldies I simply add ice to the tank at night. When the ice melts and the water becumes warmer the urge to merge will come automatically to your fish. Keep a look out for eggs on plants and plant decorations. If you do find eggs, remove them immediately as the parents will eat it. Place in a container with an airstone and wait till they hatch. Feed your fry bbs and crushed up flakes until they get bigger. Hope this helpe kyle - 2010-03-01 Can you breed goldfish if they are not the same breed, and does putting ice in the water really help breed them? kitty bell - 2010-06-12 That's a lot of good advice I'll keep this info in mind for future problems. But how do you know if its a boy or a girl? Reply

kelly walker - 2009-12-12 I have a black moor in with 11 other fancy goldfish in a 680 litre 150 gallon tank, they need huge amounts of room as with all other goldfish and massive filtration too. People who put these beautiful fish in bowls need their heads examined. All goldfish need very large tanks to grow to their full potential or they become stunted. My black moor is now around 6-7inches and they can easily reach a foot long if given proper care. They should also live for 20+ years if given the right conditions. To say a common goldfish can live in 3 gallons is so wrong, they can reach 20 inches long and need more room than fancies. Please people, start researching your pets properly. Ana - 2010-02-25 I don't know why, but I have a small fish tank with a castle and a plant, and a few shells, and I have one black fish, one silver fish, and one goldfish. I just finished burying my silver and black ones today (Viky and Misty), I am devastated. I had them for atleast a week and a half. Left with sunny now... what happened to the others, do u know? Ana 13 portugal Morgan - 2010-08-03 Ana =] Sorry to hear about your fishes I have 3 New goldfishes! Too :D There 3 months old in 3 Days, I love my fishes to pieces! George - Black More And I got one called Sonny which is a bubble head ;D The 3rd one Ozzie died :'( Had a disease called Dropsy .. But the other two are fine together playing anyway! Your wondering why your goldfish could of died right? I'm not so sure did they have anything wrong with them which you was aware of? They could of caught a disease which you didn't notice maybe, were your fish acting different than the first couple of days before they died? I'm getting a new fish at the weekend I might call it after Ozzie I got a few suggestions 1.Ozzie Ozborn 2. Ozzie Junior 3. Ozzie the second can't remember the 4th Lol, Good luck if you ever get new fish and I hope some of what I said helps. santosh shinde - 2010-12-29 Thanks for your valuable information mr. Kelly walker. I was not knowing that they can grow up to 20 inches. I am having tank of 300 litre capacity. I am always worried for my black moor. I want them to grow to their last limit. This is my third pair and every time I found they are having tail problems. Please suggest if you can. Thanks. Reply

joe - 2009-04-10 Listen, many of your goldfish are mating. If a male pushes a female into a plant, it means they are mostlikely to have eggs. They only do this when they are about 4in. long. If they are being injured it means they are not compatible, with the fish killing it. HOPE THIS HELPS! Reply

laura dropps - 2004-01-04 I got my Black Moor Goldfish a few months ago and I absoloutly love him (as do my cats, who watch him like most watch T.V.). I named him Othello which I thought was only fitting... He has alot of the gold metallic colouring and looks as though he was only glazed in black- very handsome. My friend has several goldfish which are HUGE, and I did not realize he would get that big too! Thanks for the info on your site, I am getting a much bigger tank and hopefully a bigger, happier fishy. Reply

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