Lionhead goldfish care
Carassius auratus · Fancy goldfish bred in China; the forerunner of the Japanese ranchu
Lionheads are round, short-finned fancy goldfish with no back fin and a raspberry-like hood (the wen) over the whole head.
- Tank size
- 30 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 64 to 74 °F (18 to 23 °C)
- Group size
- 2 or more
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Adult size
- 6 in (including the fins)
- pH
- 7 to 8
- Hardness (GH)
- 6 to 18 dGH
- Lifespan
- 10 to 15 years
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Care level
- Moderate
In a 30 gallon
36¼ × 12⅝ × 16¾ in outsideHow to keep lionhead goldfish
Lionheads are round, short-finned fancy goldfish with no back fin and a raspberry-like hood (the wen) over the whole head. They swim slowly and see poorly when the hood grows over the eyes. Keep two or more in a 30 gallon or larger tank at 64 to 74 °F with strong but gentle filtration, smooth decor and only other slow fancy goldfish; thirty gallons for two follows the rule of 20 gallons for the first goldfish and 10 for each one after.
Diet: Omnivore: sinking goldfish pellets, blanched peas and greens, frozen foods. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: All levels.
Lionhead goldfish tank mates
Share the temperature and water, and neither side eats, nips or bullies the other. Check the full group in the stocking checker.
Black moor
6 in · 30+ gal · 64–74 °F
Fancy goldfish
8 in · 20+ gal · 64–74 °F
Oranda
8 in · 30+ gal · 64–74 °F
Ryukin
8 in · 30+ gal · 64–74 °F
Pearlscale goldfish
8 in · 30+ gal · 65–74 °F
Ranchu goldfish
8 in · 30+ gal · 65–74 °F
Fantail goldfish
8 in · 30+ gal · 64–74 °F
Bubble eye goldfish
4 in · 30+ gal · 65–74 °F
Keep apart
Green neon tetra: No shared temperature: lionhead goldfish need 64 to 74 °F, green neon tetras 75 to 82 °F.
Rummy-nose tetra: No shared temperature: lionhead goldfish need 64 to 74 °F, rummy-nose tetras 75 to 82 °F.- Golden pencilfish: No shared temperature: lionhead goldfish need 64 to 74 °F, golden pencilfish 75 to 82 °F.
Marbled hatchetfish: No shared temperature: lionhead goldfish need 64 to 74 °F, marbled hatchetfish 75 to 82 °F.
Betta: No shared temperature: lionhead goldfish need 64 to 74 °F, bettas 76 to 82 °F.
Dwarf gourami: No shared temperature: lionhead goldfish need 64 to 74 °F, dwarf gouramis 77 to 82 °F.
What a lionhead goldfish tank needs
A tank of 30 US gallons or more (such as the 30 gallon) with a cover, and the equipment below. Lionhead goldfish are comfortable at room temperature, so a heater is optional in a normal home.
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Aqueon PRO QuietFlow Power Filter 20
Rated by the maker for up to 30 US gal, which covers a 30 gallon lionhead goldfish tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Aqueon QuietFlow Internal Power Filter 15–30 gal
Rated by the maker for 15–30 US gal, which covers a 30 gallon lionhead goldfish tank without being built for a far bigger one.
API Freshwater Master Test Kit
Tests ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, the readings that matter most before and after adding lionhead goldfish.
Seachem Prime 100 mL
Removes chlorine and chloramine from tap water at every water change.
Fluval Edge Thermometer
Shows the water temperature at a glance, so you know it stays within 64 to 74 °F.
We don’t list fish food: any good brand of the foods under Diet will do. Plan the whole tank's equipment →
Common lionhead goldfish problems
- Faster goldfish such as comets take all the food; keep them only with other slow fancy goldfish.
- A hood that grows over the eyes or gills makes feeding and breathing harder; keep the water very clean.
Test the water first whenever fish look unwell: see what your readings mean, then match the symptom. For disease, a vet who treats fish can diagnose it and advise treatment.
More to compare
Sources
Name, origin and adult size checked against Wikipedia: Carassius auratus. Temperature, pH, hardness, group size, lifespan and minimum tank size are common hobby guidance, not figures from that article. Ranges are the range the species tolerates; aim for the middle. Minimum tank sizes are for an adult group. Drawings are our own; photo credits follow.
Photo credits
Real photographs from Wikimedia Commons, resized and cropped to fit; each is used under the license named.
- Lionhead goldfish Roderick Santos, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Black moor Riyad Youssef, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Fancy goldfish Benson Kua, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Oranda Lawrencekhoo, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Ryukin Lawrencekhoo, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Pearlscale goldfish Lerdsuwa, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Ranchu goldfish Lerdsuwa, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Fantail goldfish Pogrebnoj-Alexandroff, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Bubble eye goldfish Angie Torres from Toronto, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Green neon tetra Sascha Biedermann, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Rummy-nose tetra PierangeloGatto, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Marbled hatchetfish Sven Kullander, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Betta ivabalk (Pixabay), CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Dwarf gourami Quatermass (English Wikipedia), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Common goldfish ぱたごん, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Comet goldfish Michelle Jo (Humanfeather), CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Shubunkin Rodsan18 at English Wikipedia, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
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