Oranda goldfish
Carassius auratus
intermediate careOverview
The oranda goldfish (Carassius auratus) is one of the most beloved fancy goldfish, instantly recognised by the raspberry-like “wen” that grows over its head. It has a rounded twin-tailed body, reaches 15–20 cm, and lives 10–15 years. Orandas are slow, gentle and a little more demanding than fantails — the wen needs clean water to stay healthy — but they are hugely rewarding, characterful fish for a spacious cold-water tank.
Tank & water
Give one oranda 75 litres (20 gallons), adding around 40 litres per extra fish. Key points:
- No heater, but keep them warm-ish: orandas are cold-water fish that prefer 18–23 °C; avoid cold snaps, which stress the wen.
- Clean water is everything: a dirty tank can infect the headgrowth, so over-filter with a good external filter and keep flow gentle.
- Smooth surroundings: the wen can partly cover the eyes, so use rounded décor they won’t bump.
Feeding
Orandas are omnivores best fed a quality sinking goldfish food; floating pellets encourage air-gulping and swim-bladder trouble in this round-bodied fish. Supplement with blanched peas and soft vegetables plus occasional frozen treats. Feed small amounts once or twice daily, soaking or pre-sinking pellets first, and remove leftovers. Regular maintenance protects both water quality and the wen.
Tankmates
Keep orandas with other slow fancy goldfish — fantails, ryukins, ranchu, lionheads and similar twin-tails. Avoid fast single-tailed goldfish such as comets and shubunkins, which will out-compete these gentle, slow-sighted feeders. Orandas are not tropical community fish. A group of fancies in a large tank is ideal — plan numbers with how many fish in an aquarium.
Orandas come in many colours — the red-and-white, the pure red, the calico and the highly prized red-cap, which pairs a white body with a scarlet wen. Whatever the colour, the headgrowth takes a year or two to develop and only reaches its full, plush form in a fish kept in warm, clean, spacious water, so good husbandry is rewarded directly in the fish’s looks as well as its health.
Oranda goldfish — frequently asked questions
How big do oranda goldfish get?
Orandas grow to around 15–20 cm and can be surprisingly bulky thanks to their rounded body and headgrowth. They are heavy-waste fish that need a large, well-filtered tank — see how big do goldfish get.
Do oranda goldfish need a heater?
No, but they are sensitive to cold. Orandas are cold-water fish that prefer the warmer end of the goldfish range, about 18–23 °C, and their wen can suffer in chilly water. In a normal room they usually need no heater — see do goldfish need a heater.
What is the growth on an oranda's head?
It is the 'wen' — a raspberry-like headgrowth that develops with age. Keep the water clean, as a dirty tank can let the wen become infected. Never trim it; good water quality is the way to keep it healthy.
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