Goldfish are perhaps the most well-known, and certainly the most popular freshwater fish to grace aquariums. Many believe this is due to their accessibility, peaceful nature, and general association with freshwater aquariums and beginner hobbyists.
In addition to these brilliant attributes, Goldfish species are in abundance, with over 30 different types of these fish, ranging in shapes, sizes, colors, and more! This makes finding Goldfish tank mates a bit of a struggle, and more specifically the Oranda Goldfish.
Oranda Goldfish are what we will be focusing on in this article, and more specifically, their compatibility with other potential tank mates and which ones are the best and most compatible fish species to live with the Oranda Goldfish.
Firstly, we should look at the different variations of names for this fish, as it has adopted plenty over time. The scientific name for the Oranda is “Carassius gibelio forma auratus.” The other names this fish has adopted over time are Red Cap, Bubble eye, Butterfly tail, Celestial eye, Comet, Curled-gill goldfish, and Eggfish Fantail.
Appearance and Requirements
The fish itself is an unusual one to say the least, especially when compared with other Goldfish species, with a uniquely shaped body, almost rounded and pretty small in proportion to the size of its head, and especially the tail of the Oranda.
The tail is beautiful and massive, even larger than the body. They also come in many different colors and patterns, with the most common being a white/silver body, with a large red/orange head. The eyes and head are perhaps the most unusual thing about this Goldfish, with an almost human-like set of eyes and a round head with multiple bubbles creating somewhat of a helmet on the top!
Chinese breeders are responsible for creating the growth on their heads, called a “wen” growth. When the fish stops swimming around and just glides through the water, the four-lobed tail will expand majestically and looks awesome!
Tank Mates Compatible with the Oranda Goldfish
The reality of most aquarists, and the hobby itself is that people want to choose whichever fish they desire in order to create a community of beautiful, brightly colored, and interesting fish. Unfortunately, it is not as simple as picking the most beautiful fish species and mixing them all together in one tank. Having more than one fish, and more specifically fish species in your tank will likely require a lot of research just to see if they are compatible with one another. If this isn’t done, the consequences can be deadly for your fish. When breeding Goldfish, it is recommended to keep them in a quarantine tank, regardless of the peacefulness of their tank mates.
Interestingly enough, not even all Goldfish species are even compatible with one another since there are so many different types. For example, the Comet-Tailed and Common Goldfish are actually completely different in more ways than just physical appearance to the Oranda Goldfish.
Some Goldfish are really aggressive by nature, whereas some are peaceful and calmly go about their business. Owning a pond or a tank full of different types of Goldfish can become somewhat of a handful and can certainly lead to casualties. So, even some Goldfish are not even compatible tank mates with the Oranda due to their aggressive nature.
Water Temperature
As a rule of thumb with Goldfish, the most ideal water temperature is 65°F to 70°F (18°C to 21°C). However, some of the fancier Goldfish, such as comets and shubunkins are recommended to be kept in waters as cool as 60°F (15°C).
When temperatures rise there is less dissolved oxygen for your Goldfish, which is why it is important to have an additional air source in your aquarium, the most popular and effective is an air bubble stone.
8 Perfect Tank Mates for the Oranda Goldfish
1. Orandas
This may come as somewhat of a shock, but the first pick would be to simply add more of these same species of awesome fish. Unlike some other fish, the Orandas can be kept in groups and are 100% compatible with one another due to their peaceful nature.
If you have found different color variants of this species, it is definitely recommended to add them to your Oranda Goldfish tank! These fish are awesome and as unique as it gets, so why not have more than one. They can come in so many different colors you simply will not get bored of them, and they will certainly add some awesome variety to your freshwater tank.
2. Pearlscale Fancy Goldfish
These Goldfish have a rather oddly shaped body, resembling an egg, with a straight back, and they also have a split tail. However, despite the uniqueness of their bodies and tails, the most stand-out feature of these fish is their scales – absolutely massive in size and raised from their bodies, resembling pearls. If you held a tennis ball in one hand and the Pearlscale in the other, the size and shape would be very similar!
They can come in a plethora of different colors, with the most popular among hobbyists being calico, red, blue, red/white, black, and even chocolate!
3. Ryukin Fancy Goldfish
Much like the two previous Goldfish we just mentioned, the Ryukin Fancy Goldfish have rounded bodies, except these ones have a rather distinctive “hump” like shape on their back. They are not the strongest of swimmers, probably due to their un-aero dynamic body shape, but they do have a split tail that fans out at times.
If you purchase a ribbon-tail Ryukin, expect a longer tail, adding to the uniqueness of this already extremely special fish. They are not prone to disease and are fairly peaceful by nature, although they can behave slightly aggressively during feeding times. The coloration varies from fish to fish, with some of the most popular colors being calico, red, red and white, tricolor, and chocolate.
4. Lionhead Fancy Goldfish
Lionhead Goldfish are very similar to the Redcap Orandas, and often confused with them. This confusion lies with their egg-shaped body and their oddly shaped head and eyes, the number of growths on their heads really does vary from fish to fish.
Unlike the Orandas, they have no dorsal fin, but they are similar in the sense that they are pretty bad swimmers. They are also considered to be an incredibly delicate fish, so you have to be careful handling them. They are not recommended for beginner hobbyists, and we would also recommend taking a look at our guide on the Lionheads before purchasing them.
5. Black Moors Goldfish
With long fins, and you guessed it, another rounded body, the Black Moors are a great choice to accompany the Orandas. The young Black Moors will start out with a bronzed color, and then they turn somewhat velvet black once they reach adulthood.
They have extremely unique eyes, almost resembling telescopes; however, despite looking awesome, they do cloud their vision and make it difficult for them to see as well as other types. Due to vision problems, it is recommended to keep them away from aggressive goldfish so that they can find food easier.
6. Bubble-Eye Goldfish
Out of all the unique and incredibly strange but beautiful looking “fancy goldfish” the Bubble Eye is perhaps the most unusual. With an egg-shaped body and no dorsal fin, they have incredibly odd water-filled sacks that are situated below their eyes.
These sacks begin small but will progressively grow as the fish grows in age, they can even become so large that they start to impair the fish’s eyesight. Their water preference is slow, and they prefer slow moving tankmates that are not aggressive. They are not the best swimmers and may not feed properly if they are competing with aggressive and more agile fish.
7. Cherry Barbs
The small, and red in color Cherry Barbs are a favorite among hobbyists due to their non-aggressive nature, especially when compared with other Barbs.
They are incredibly bright in color and are very active little fish that will certainly add movement to your aquarium. If you can keep the aquarium water at around 72°F (22°C), these Barbs can be kept with Fancies without any problems.
8. Zebra Danios
The Zebra Danios originate from the Himalayan region and are not considered to be tropical fish. However, their beauty and compatibility has landed them on the list. With blue horizontal stripes running down their sides, and their unique coloration, they truly are an incredible fish.
They are active swimmers and very quick, they also prefer to be in groups of 5 or more. A bonus is that they are not aggressive towards Fancy Goldfish, and they enjoy cool water temperatures, 70°F (21°C).
Conclusion
The majority of hobbyists that love Goldfish will typically have a specific Goldfish tank, dedicated solely to these fish. However, there are some other fish-types that have found their way onto the list. Not only is a tank with Fancy and Oranda Goldfish extremely beautiful, and colorful, but it works on a compatibility level too.
If you do want to mix other fish into your Goldfish tank, make sure to do so using the fish mentioned here, or at least do enough research regarding compatibility with your chosen fish.
Regardless of how you decide to mix your fish, it is pivotal to make sure the slow movers can feed properly. If you do notice the slower fish are not being fed, it is recommended to hand-feed them.
