Goldfish Ryukin Red & White 12-13cm

Ryukin Goldfish are a popular goldfish species with a unique look.  They are quite active and a lot of fun to watch. These fish are hardy very easy to care for.  Recommended for intermediate aquarists due to larger size.  They do well in both goldfish aquariums and ponds.

The Ryukin Goldfish (Carassius auratus) is one of many fancy goldfish varieties. It’s a beloved fish species that has a long history in Asian culture.   It’s believed that they originated in China and were brought to Japan in the 1770s where the fish became widely popular.  Thanks to its beauty and cold hardiness, these fish can be found in almost every climate.

The average Ryukin Goldfish adult size is usually about 15 to 20cm long when healthy. However, it’s not uncommon to see specimens bigger than that. Like many other types of goldfish, the Ryukin is capable of growing slightly bigger when kept in a spacious habitat. Those housed in outdoor ponds can sometimes get as big as 25cm in size!

Behaviour

Despite their egg-shaped body, these fish are not afraid to be active. They’re much more vigorous than other fancy goldfish and can be a joy to watch.  However, this can also prove to be a problem with other fish. Ryukin Goldfish are considered to be semi-aggressive and will pick on weaker breeds or chase after fish that they could theoretically eat. As a result, you’ll have to be careful about what tank mates to include in the tank.

Tank Conditions

Well oxygenated water is essential to keep Ryukins healthy so some type of bubbler is recommended for aquariums and ponds.  If in outdoor ponds, its recommended they be moved indoors, if the water temperature drops below 17°C.

You have a lot of flexibility when it comes time to decorate the aquarium. Unlike other species, Ryukin Goldfish don’t need a natural environment to stay happy.  Ryukins have a knack for uprooting plants and ruining decorations.

For these larger sized Ryukins, a coarse-sized gravel substrate is recommended.

Your filter should be powerful enough to cycle the tank efficiently about four times an hour. These are messy fish and they produce a lot of waste.

Compatibility

Ryukin Goldfish are lively fish that do best in groups. They can be kept singly without any issues. However, they tend to be more confident and outgoing when fish of the same species are around.  As for other species to keep with your Ryukin, stick to other dual-fin fish as Ryukins have been known to show some signs of aggression towards faster single-fin varieties.

Choose similarly-sized fish that are non-aggressive. However, they should be tough enough to defend themselves if the Ryukin starts something. Weaker fish, such as Celestial Goldfish and Bubble Eyes, are out of the question. Some suggestions are Fantail, Black Moor, Ranchu, Lionhead and Oranda.

Feeding

A Ryukin goldfish will eat almost anything you feed it and quite a few other things such as aquarium plants. Since they are omnivorous, the Ryukin Goldfish will generally eat all kinds of fresh, frozen, and flake foods. To care for your Ryukin goldfish, keep a good balance by giving them a high quality flake food everyday. Feed brine shrimp (either live or frozen), blood worms, Daphnia, or tubifex worms as a treat.

See Fish Food for Fancy Goldfish for a list of suitable foods.

Care

Ryukin Goldfish care is actually a bit easier than many of the other fancy goldfish species. They’re quite hardy and adapt well to any aquarium that’s fully cycled and well-maintained.  In addition to standard filtration, we recommend performing 25 percent water changes every week.

Thanks to their unique shape and biology, Ryukin Goldfish are susceptible to a range of ailments. Swim bladder disorders and dropsy, for example, are fairly common.  Their intestinal tract isn’t the most efficient and has some dead zones where food gets stuck, which leads to constipation.  If the issue isn’t addressed, the swim bladder will be affected. Eventually, the fish will have difficulty swimming or even staying upright! Fortunately, this problem can be treated naturally with peeled green peas. It’s a natural laxative for the fish.

Ryukins can also experience standard freshwater fish diseases like Ich, fungal infections, and bacterial infections. Most of these problems are directly caused by poor living conditions.  Sometimes these fish will start to turn white or possibly even black if they’re suffering from one of these diseases.

See Fish Diseases and Diagnoses for help with diagnosing and treating diseases.