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Water-Bubble Eye Goldfish

Family: Cyprinidae

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Carassius auratus auratusPhoto © Animal-World: Courtesy David Brough

The Water-Bubble Eye Goldfish is a truly bizarre looking fish!

     The Bubble Eye Goldfish, or Water-Bubble Eye Goldfish, is one of the most unique looking of the goldfish varieties. Rather than having the long slender body of the Common Goldfish or the Shubunkins, the Bubble Eye Goldfish is one of the more rounded or egg-shaped fancy gold fish. It is double-tailed and its body shape and size are very similar to the Celestial Eye Goldfish, being a bit slimmer body than other egg-shaped goldfish. Also like the Celestial its eyes are upturned, though not as extreme as the Celestial.

     Along with the Lionhead Goldfish , the Bubble Eye Goldfish is one of the dorsal less goldfish. These goldfish are available in a variety of colors that include solids of red, blue, chocolate, and black; bi-colors of red/white and red/black; and also calicos. There is also a variety bred in China that has a dorsal fin, however this variety does not qualify for show by the the Goldfish Society of America (GFSA).

   The most intriguing feature of the Water-Bubble Eye Goldfish of course, are its bubbles! The bubbles on the Water-Bubble Eye Goldfish begin to develop at an age of 6-9 months and by the time they are 2 years old, the bubbles are very large. These water-filled bubbles get so big in fact, that the fish has trouble seeing and can even have a hard time swimming because of them. The bubble sacs themselves are easily broken, heal slowly, and sometimes may not grow back at all. Though most the time they will grow back, when they do they are a different shape and size and won't match their other bubble. They are also subject to infection.

     Though the Bubble Eye Goldfish are widely available, they are considered delicate and not recommended as a beginner fish, or for community aquariums. Its swimming ability is cumbersome because of its rounded body which is further diminished by the lack of a stabilizing dorsal fin, a trait that is also seen in the Lionhead Goldfish. Many of the elongated goldfish varieties like the the Common Goldfish, Comet Goldfish, the Shubunkin, are not good companions for the Bubble Eye Goldfish because they are fast swimmers and too competitive during feeding time. Better tank mates would be the similarly handicapped but less hardy Lionhead Goldfish, Telescope Goldfish, and Celestial Eye Goldfish. It won't win any races, but if kept with other slow-moving varieties the Water-Bubble Eye Goldfish should get plenty to eat.

For more Information on keeping this fish see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Freshwater Aquarium

Distribution:      The Goldfish, a wild carp originally known by such names as the Crucian Carp, Gibel Carp, or Golden Carp, was described by Linnaeus in 1758. They originated in Asia; Central Asia and China. Today domesticated goldfish are distributed world-wide. These fish inhabit the slow moving and stagnant waters of rivers, lakes, ponds, and ditches feeding on plants, detritus, small crustaceans, and insects.
     In the early 1600's these fish were exported first to Japan and then to Europe and were developed into the wonderful colors and forms of gold fish we see today. The Water-Bubble Eye Goldfish was developed in China, today there are more than 125 captive bred fancy varieties.

Status:      This species is not listed on the IUCN Red List, and presumably there are no wild populations of this captive bred variety.

Description:      The Water-Bubble Eye Goldfish, also called the Bubble Eye Goldfish, is an egg-shaped variety of goldfish. It is double-tailed and its body shape and size are very similar to the Celestial Goldfish, being a bit slimmer body than other egg-shaped goldfish. Also like the Celestial its eyes are upturned, though not as extremely. Fluid-filled sacks begin to develop as bubbles under its eyes at an age of 6-9 months and by the time they are 2 years old, the bubbles are very large. It is one of the dorsal less goldfish, though there is also a variety bred in China that has a dorsal fin. These goldfish are available in a variety of colors that include solids of red, blue, chocolate, and black; bi-colors of red/white and red/black; and also calicos.

Size - Weight:      Water-Bubble Eye Goldfish will generally reach about 5 inches (13 cm), though some hobbyist report their Bubble Eye's growing much larger.

Care and feeding:      Since they are omnivorous, the Bubble Eye 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. To care for your Bubble Eye Goldfish, 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 fluid filled sacs under their eyes they can have poor vision and a harder time seeing their food, so need extra time to feed. When it comes to feeding, they will not thrive well with fast competitive tank mates.
     Bubble Eye Goldfish are some of the more delicate species of goldfish. Unlike the flat-bodied types of goldfish, they have a lower tolerance for pollution. They will need good care and plenty of space. Many people will keep goldfish in small one or two gallon bowls with no heater or filtration. But for the best success in keeping the Bubble Eye Goldfish, provide them the same filtration, especially biological filtration, that other aquarium residents enjoy.
     The shape and size of the 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.

• 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 fish bowl, filling the bowl to the middle offers more surface area (and oxygen) than filling the bowl to the top. Always provide the maximum amount of surface area.
• Providing a large amount of water per fish will help dilute the amount of waste and reduce the number of water changes needed.
• A general rule of thumb for young fish only 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.
• Keep the tank size and shape in mind when you are buying your fish. To allow for growth, either buy fewer fish than the maximum number of fish (based on the above formula) or be prepared to get a larger tank.

     Because goldfish produce a lot of waste, good filtration is very helpful in maintaining the water quality of the aquarium. Be careful of filter intakes, if there is a strong water flow the bubble sacs of these fish can get sucked into it and burst. Adding some soft sponge filter media over the intake valve can help. Regular weekly water changes of 1/4 to 1/3 is strongly recommended to keep these fish healthy.
     Use a smooth gravel substrate. You could add some decor but keep in mind that its fluid filled eye sacs can be a problem, both easily damaged and giving these fish poor vision. Make sure that all ornamentation is smooth with no protruding points or sharp edges. Live plants would be the best decor choice. Artificial plants make a good substitute if they are soft with no sharp edges, with silk plants being the safest. Other decor, such as smooth rocks, should be used sparingly if at all. 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. Most aquariums come with a cover that includes lighting. It is not essential for goldfish, but will help if you have live plants.
     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. To learn about these and other diseases and how to treat them see: Aquarim Fish  Diseases & Treatments.

Acceptable Water Conditions: Unlike the flat-bodied types of goldfish, they have a lower tolerance for pollution and cannot tolerate temperatures much below 60 ° F (16 ° C).
     Temp: Goldfish are a cold water fish and will do best at temperatures between 65 - 72 ° F (18 °- 22 ° C)
     Hardness: 5 - 19 ° dGH
     Ph: 6.0 to 8.0

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. When choosing tank mates, keep in mind the physical traits of the Bubble Eye Goldfish. Like the Telescope Goldfish and Celestial Goldfish, the Bubble Eye can be visually handicapped. Further its swimming ability is cumbersome because of its rounded body and the lack of a stabilizing dorsal fin, a trait that is also seen in the Lionhead Goldfish. While the Bubble Eye cannot readily compete for food with fast swimming types of goldfish, these similarly handicapped varieties can make good companions. It is really not necessary to add other scavengers or other bottom feeders to the aquarium when you have goldfish.

Sexual Differences:      Although is it impossible to sex Goldfish when they are young and not in breeding season, the male is usually smaller and more slender that the female. In the breeding season the male has white prickles, called breeding tubercles, on its gill covers and head. Seen from above the female will have a fatter appearance as she is carrying eggs.

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

Availability:      The Water-Bubble Eye Goldfish is readily available and is inexpensive.

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Latest Comments
I just got 2 bubble eyed fish and have had them for three days w/out a filter. I just moved them to a 10gallon tank with a filter but both have each gotten their bubbles in it once already. I got them loose, both bubbles seem to be intact except for swelling, but I'm worried how can I stop that from happening. Turned the filter off for tonight. jam444 2010-01-02
hello Im getting bubble eye fish today, i havent checked the ph or ennything but the tank has been running for over 4 days now. Is it ok if i stil add my bubble eye to the tank? Editors note: It would probably be better to add a bubble-eye after the aquarium has cycled. Regular goldfish would be better to cycle the fish tank with since they are inexpensive and hardier than a bubble-eye goldfish. It usually takes about 5 weeks to cycle an aquarium. Ally 2009-12-23
Mista Bubble Head the II is sick I think.... he got his tail stuck in the filter and it was all red and bloodshot in places. The next day, the dead tissue had fallen off and now he has like black marks on his tail, almost like bruising. His tummy is all swollen and some tiny blisters have appeared on his bubbles which are also going black in some spots. He's still swimming around quite actively, and I think it's just stress. He's had his bubbles stuck in the filter before when he was little too. The first time it took like 2 weeks to grow back, the second time, 2 days. The dead tissue eventually fell off like parts of his tail and a new bubble was growing underneath to replace it. He's my second Bubble eye, and my first had his cheeks stuck in the filter as well, and re-grew the same way. jen 2009-12-05
Our fish is called bubbles, he is a lovely little fish and my son loves him very much. We have him in a tank with eight other fish and he seems to get on with the others very well. We would recommend a bubble fish to anyone, as they make a great cold water fish. Charlie 2009-11-15
I decided to buy a bubble eye goldfish today to add with my other gold fish.. big and sad mistake... the poor lil bubble eye died unfortunately... Anna 2009-09-18
Some of the coolest comments:
Sara and Lisa--it's best to either get a sponge filter OR put a small netting over the filter. Some people suggest nylons (like the ones women wear) but I've found that it won't let the icky things get sucked up. I just put a small mesh around the intake and rubber banded it on. I hope this works for you! niky 2009-02-12
I have a bubble eye and her name is little bub! shes so funny. I have had her for almost a year now. Shes a tough cookie and has survived longer than some of her past tank mates. Right now she is living with my Telescope eye Rick. Goldfish types like bubble eye and telsescope eye are the best types to be kept together because they both have poor vision due to their obstructions around there eyes. so they both will have an equal chance at finding their food and not be beaten to it by fish with "better" vision. So if you are thinking of getting a telescope or bubble eye fish, i would suggest keeping their list of potential tank mates selective. Your fish will be happier and healthier. Little bub and rick are the best of friends and do very well together, i am soon getting another bubble eye to add to the tank and hopefully they will all be good friends! Megan 2007-05-31
Comments Dr Jungle REALLY Likes to Hear!
We got a bubble eyed goldfish last weekend from the pet store that floats and swims upsided down and at the top. The owners told us it has air in the tummy, like constipation for 2 months but other than that it is healthy and will live a long time. But it looked pathetic and we felt so sorry for him. So we looked here on this website for suggestions and read that feeding it "frozen" cooked Peas with the skin taken off might work. Well it did! I dropped about 4 unskinned, cooked peas in the tank the next morning and by the afternoon he was normal! Thank you so much for the suggestion!! The Rhoades Family Renee Rhoades 2010-01-26

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