[2026 Edition] 15 Beginner-Friendly Goldfish Varieties | How to Choose & Care Tips | ブリちょく
Goldfish| ✍️ BreederDirect Editorial
[2026 Edition] 15 Beginner-Friendly Goldfish Varieties | How to Choose & Care Tips
For goldfish beginners, 15 easy-to-keep varieties carefully selected. Comprehensive explanation of difficulty levels and prices for Wakin, Ryukin, Ranchu, and other varieties.
Key Takeaways
For goldfish beginners, 15 easy-to-keep varieties carefully selected. Comprehensive explanation of difficulty levels and prices for Wakin, Ryukin, Ranchu, and other varieties.
Related Species
Goldfish are one of the most beloved ornamental fish in Japan. With a long history of selective breeding, there are many diverse varieties in terms of shape and appearance. I have carefully selected 15 varieties that are easy for beginners to keep.
Tips for Beginners Choosing Goldfish
Body shape: Wakin-type (sleek body) are hardy; Ryukin-type (round body) are somewhat delicate
Swimming ability: Fast-swimming and slow-swimming varieties are difficult to keep together
Water temperature tolerance: Goldfish basically don't require a heater, though some varieties are temperature-sensitive
Final size: Ensure compatibility with your tank size
15 Recommended Goldfish Varieties
1. Wakin
Difficulty: ★☆☆☆☆ / Price: ¥50-500 per fish / Size: 15-25cm / Lifespan: 10-15 years
Pros: The hardiest goldfish variety. Sleek, crucian carp-like body shape with fast and active swimming. Inexpensive and easy to obtain.
Cons: Grows large and eventually requires a large tank. Fast swimmers unsuitable for keeping with Ryukin-type varieties.
Care tips: Use a 60cm or larger tank. Aeration is essential. Feed moderately.
2. Ryukin
Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆ / Price: ¥300-3,000 per fish / Size: 10-18cm / Lifespan: 8-12 years
Pros: Round body with elegant long fins. A classic goldfish variety with many color variations available.
Cons: Prone to swim bladder disease. Not as hardy as Wakin.
Care tips: Choose easily digestible food. Watch for sudden temperature changes.
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3. Koaka (Small Red)
Difficulty: ★☆☆☆☆ / Price: ¥10-50 per fish / Size: 10-20cm / Lifespan: 10-15 years
Pros: Small-sized Wakin variety. Most affordable and hardy. Familiar from goldfish scooping games. Perfect introduction for beginners.
Cons: Grows quite large as it matures.
Care tips: Manage the same as Wakin. Multiple fish can be enjoyed for schooling behavior.
4. Comet
Difficulty: ★☆☆☆☆ / Price: ¥200-1,000 per fish / Size: 15-25cm / Lifespan: 10-15 years
Pros: Wakin body type with characteristic long, flowing tail fin. Fast and active swimmer. Beautiful red and white calico pattern.
Cons: Grows large and requires a spacious tank.
Care tips: Suitable for outdoor pond or plastic tub keeping. Hardy and compatible with biotope setups.
5. Shubunkin
Difficulty: ★☆☆☆☆ / Price: ¥200-1,500 per fish / Size: 15-25cm / Lifespan: 10-15 years
Pros: Calico coloring with red, white, and black patches mixed with transparent scales. Hardy and suitable for outdoor keeping.
Cons: Grows large. Significant individual variation in pattern.
Care tips: Manage the same as Wakin. Thrives even in outdoor settings.
6. Demekin (Telescope Eye)
Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆ / Price: ¥300-2,000 per fish / Size: 10-15cm / Lifespan: 8-10 years
Pros: Protruding eyes are charming. Black Demekin in particular is popular. Endearing appearance.
Cons: Eyes are easily injured. Poor vision makes feeding difficult.
Care tips: Use a layout with minimal sharp objects. Best kept with other Demekin.
7. Oranda
Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆ / Price: ¥500-5,000 per fish / Size: 15-25cm / Lifespan: 10-15 years
Pros: Distinctive head with fleshy growth (wen). Becomes impressive when fully grown. Red and red-white are standard colors.
Cons: Wen can develop bacterial infections. Grows large requiring a spacious tank.
Care tips: Maintain clean water quality. Avoid sharp decorations that could damage the head wen.
8. Tancho
Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆ / Price: ¥500-3,000 per fish / Size: 15-20cm / Lifespan: 8-12 years
Pros: White body with red fleshy growth on the crown. Elegant appearance resembling the Japanese crane. Has a distinctive Japanese aesthetic.
Cons: The red area may become dull over time.
Care tips: Maintaining clean water quality helps stabilize coloration.
9. Ping Pong Pearl
Difficulty: ★★★☆☆ / Price: ¥500-3,000 per fish / Size: 5-10cm / Lifespan: 5-8 years
Pros: Round body like a ping pong ball with pearl-like scales. Adorable appearance. Compact size with excellent visual appeal in tanks.
Cons: Poor swimming ability; delicate nature. Sensitive to temperature changes and water quality deterioration. Prone to swim bladder disease.
Care tips: Maintain stable water temperature of 20-25°C. Minimize water flow. Feed quality, easily digestible food in small amounts.
10. Sarasawaki (Calico Wakin)
Difficulty: ★☆☆☆☆ / Price: ¥100-1,000 per fish / Size: 15-25cm / Lifespan: 10-15 years
Pros: Beautiful red and white calico-patterned Wakin. Hardy as standard Wakin. Enjoy the individual variation in patterns.
Cons: Grows large.
Care tips: Manage the same as Wakin. Suitable for outdoor keeping.
11. Calico Ryukin
Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆ / Price: ¥500-3,000 per fish / Size: 10-15cm / Lifespan: 8-12 years
Pros: Beautiful Ryukin with mixed multi-color patterns of red, white, black, and blue. Each fish has unique markings and personality.
Cons: Like Ryukin, watch for swim bladder disease.
Care tips: Manage the same as Ryukin.
12. Azumanishiki
Difficulty: ★★★☆☆ / Price: ¥1,000-5,000 per fish / Size: 15-20cm / Lifespan: 8-12 years
Pros: Calico version of Oranda. Luxurious combination of head wen and tri-color pattern.
Cons: Somewhat delicate. High-quality specimens are expensive.
Care tips: Maintain proper water quality. Quality nutrition is important for wen development.
13. Ranchu
Difficulty: ★★★☆☆ / Price: ¥1,000-10,000 per fish / Size: 10-18cm / Lifespan: 8-12 years
Pros: Called the "King of Goldfish." Lacks a dorsal fin with a distinctly round body shape. Star variety in goldfish shows.
Cons: Poor swimmer prone to swim bladder disease. Unsuitable for keeping with other varieties.
Care tips: Keep water depth shallow (20-25cm). Best kept with other Ranchu. Enjoy viewing from above.
14. Chobi (Butterfly Tail)
Difficulty: ★★★☆☆ / Price: ¥1,000-5,000 per fish / Size: 10-15cm / Lifespan: 8-10 years
Pros: Beautiful tail fin that resembles a butterfly when viewed from above. Related to Demekin with distinctive appearance.
Cons: Like Demekin, weak eyesight. Slow swimmer.
Care tips: Best enjoyed from an overhead view. Suited for shallow tanks or plastic tubs.
15. Sakuranishiki
Difficulty: ★★★☆☆ / Price: ¥1,000-8,000 per fish / Size: 10-18cm / Lifespan: 8-12 years
Pros: Ranchu-type body with transparent scales. Soft, cherry blossom-like coloring creates an elegant appearance.
Cons: Like Ranchu, poor swimmer.
Care tips: Manage the same as Ranchu. Best enjoyed from above.
Beginner Goldfish Setup Guide
Equipment
Budget Guide
Notes
Tank (60cm)
¥3,000-8,000
Goldfish consume large amounts of oxygen, so larger is recommended
Filter
¥2,000-6,000
Hang-on-back filters are ideal for goldfish
Air pump
¥1,000-2,000
For oxygen supply
Substrate (crushed rock, etc.)
¥500-1,500
Water dechlorinator
¥300-500
Total
¥7,000-18,000
Heater not needed
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. Do goldfish need a heater?
A. Basically, no. Goldfish adapt to a wide temperature range of 5-30°C. However, delicate varieties like Ping Pong Pearl feel safer at 18-25°C.
Q. Can you keep goldfish in a bowl?
A. Not recommended. Bowls have limited water volume and water quality deteriorates quickly. Use a tank of at least 30cm or larger.
Q. Can goldfish be kept with tropical fish?
A. Basically no due to different temperature requirements. Goldfish prefer cool water while tropical fish prefer warm water.
Q. How do you prevent swim bladder disease?
A. Feed easily digestible food in small amounts. Sinking pellets are preferable to floating food. Maintain stable water temperature.
At Br-Choku, you can directly purchase beautiful goldfish carefully raised by goldfish specialist breeders. Find your favorite fish in the goldfish category.
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