Animal-World > Freshwater Fish > Goldfish > Ranchu Goldfish

Ranchu Goldfish

Buffalo-head Goldfish Family: Cyprinidae

• Puzzles
• Postcards

Red and White Ranchu Goldfish Carassius auratus auratus Photo © Animal-World: Courtesy Asian Fisherman5893

   The beautiful Ranchu Goldfish, called the "King" of goldfish, are some of the most treasured and costly goldfish on the market!

   The Ranchu Goldfish is popular throughout the world. They originated in China and then in the later part of the 1800's were further developed in Japan. Having a round broad body and a large bulbous head, they are also known as the Buffalo-head Goldfish, especially in the Orient. They are much prized in the Orient, and are bred there for highly competitive shows. In Chinese shows they are judged from the side, while in Japanese shows they are placed in shallow bowls and judged from the top. Though they are impressive viewed from either direction, it is from above them that you can see their broad back.

   Rather than having the long slender body of the Common Goldfish or the Shubunkins, the Ranchu Goldfish is one of the more rounded or egg-shaped fancy gold fish. They closely resemble the Lionhead Goldfish with a compact broad body with short fins. Like the Lionhead, they lack a dorsal fin and will develop the fleshy 'raspberry' head growth. The Ranchu can be distinguished from the Lionhead by a much higher curved contour shape to its back and by its caudal (tail) fin. Its tail fin that splays out to the sides, often being almost horizontal and may have three or four lobes, while the Lionhead's caudal fin is quite similar to that of the Fantail Goldfish.

   These fish come in a variety of colors with the most common being bi-colored in gold/white or white/red, and a calico which in Japan is call Edonishiki. They can also be a deep red overall, shaded overall in a reddish to yellow-orange, or have red scales edged in white. They have also been known to be completely white or in some cases black.

   The Ranchu Goldfish is considered a rather delicate fish and is not recommended for beginners. 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, Water-Bubble Eye Goldfish and the Celestial Eye Goldfish. Many of the elongated goldfish varieties like the the Common Goldfish, Comet Goldfish, the Shubunkin, are not really good companions for the Ranchu Goldfish because they are fast swimmers and too competitive during feeding time. Better tank mates would be the other similarly handicapped, dorsal less goldfish, or the less hardy Telescope Goldfish and Celestial Goldfish. It won't win any races, but if kept with other slow-moving varieties the Ranchu Goldfish should get plenty to eat and do well.

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 Ranchu Goldfish is one of the older varieties of fancy goldfish. They originated in China and then in the later part of the 1800's were further developed in Japan. They are also known as the Buffalo-head Goldfish, especially in the Orient, and are one of more than 125 captive bred fancy goldfish 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 Ranchu Goldfish is an egg-shaped variety of goldfish. The body is short and stubby with short fins. They lack a dorsal fin and will develop a fleshy 'raspberry' head growth. The back is broad with a highly curved contour shape. The caudal (tail) fin splays out to the sides, often being almost horizontal and may have three or four lobes. One of their most distinctive feature is the head, which except for its eyes, mouth and nostrils, can become completely covered with fleshy growth. The amount of head growth differs for each fish. For some the broad head, except for its eyes, mouth and nostrils, can become completely covered with fleshy growth (sometimes impeding their vision) while others may develop much less growth.
   These fish come in a variety of colors with the most common being bi-colored in gold/white or white/red, and a calico which in Japan is call Edonishiki. They can also be a deep red overall, shaded overall in a reddish to yellow-orange, or have red scales edged in white. They have also been known to be completely white or in some cases black.

Size - Weight:
   Ranchu Goldfish will generally reach about 5 inches (13 cm), though some aquarists report them growing much larger.

Care and feeding:
   Since they are omnivorous, the Ranchu 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 Ranchu 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 their fleshy head growth 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.
   Ranchu 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 Ranchu 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. Regular weekly water changes of 1/4 to 1/3 is strongly recommended to keep these fish healthy.
   Use a gravel substrate. You can add some decor but keep in mind that its head growth can be a handicap, giving these fish poor vision. Make sure that all ornamentation is smooth with no protruding points or sharp edges. Driftwood and smooth rocks make good, safe decorations; and plants are especially appreciated, either live or plastic. 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.

Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom:
   These fish will swim in all areas of the aquarium.

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 Ranchu Goldfish. Like the Lionhead Goldfish, Telescope Goldfish and the Celestial Goldfish, the Ranchu 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 Water-Bubble Eye Goldfish. While the Ranchu 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:
   Ranchu Goldfish are egg layers that spawn readily in the right conditions. See Breeding Freshwater Fish - Goldfish for more information on breeding Goldfish.

Availability:
   The Ranchu Goldfish is often available and but is a more costly than most other varieties.

Add your comment here!
Latest Comments
Ranchus are one of the most popular Goldfishes in Asia! I am from SG, and I keep 3 of them in with a Lionhead and a Lionchu, they're all gorgeous and sweet! Most Ranchus that've too short a tail and will do a headstand, but it's normal. Love these Ranchus! twYANGzii 2009-02-13

Back to Goldfish

Author: Clarice Brough. CFS.