Growing Big Oranda Goldfish

The fish's beautiful colors make the oranda goldfish popular among aquaculturists. The trademark body part of an oranda goldfish is the rasberry-like hood on its forehead. Some oranda goldfish are solid orange with metallic scales, while others have white or reddish spots all over their bodies. Large oranda goldfish specimens grow 8 to 12 inches long. Oranda goldfish live in tanks or ponds and have specific requirements in their diet, water temperature and breeding habits.

  1. Water Temperatures

    • According to the University of Florida, oranda goldfish require a water temperature of 65 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit for survival. The requirement applies to all oranda goldfish, regardless of their size. If water temperatures fall below 65 degrees, the oranda goldfish may fall victim to spring viremia of carp, or SVC. SVC causes external parasites and bacterial infections. Young and mature oranda goldfish are susceptible to SVC; however, SVC occurs more frequently among younger specimens. Two symptoms of SVC are awkward swimming patterns and lethargy.

    Feeding

    • Like other fish species, oranda goldfish require food that provides them with vitamins, energy and minerals. Flakes and pellets are the two most commonly sold food for oranda varieties; pet stores have food labeled specifically for goldfish. According to Langston University's aquaculture program, goldfish also benefit from foods containing lipids, a source of fatty acids. Between 3 and 6 percent of a goldfish's diet should be made up of lipids. A large oranda goldfish should have a diet rich with proteins and fat; these fish do not digest plants efficiently enough to make vegetation a large part of their diets.

    Breeding

    • Breeding season occurs for goldfish, including oranda specimens, from April through June or July. If fish owners try to encourage their pet oranda goldfish to breed during breeding season, they experience relative success. One technique fish owners use to encourage spawning is lowering the water temperature temporarily and then warming it up. However, oranda goldfish do not mate outside breeding season since the male specimens lack breeding tubercles during this time. Breeding tubercles appear as white dots on male orandas and are used by males to stimulate females.

    Culture Systems

    • Earthen ponds and tanks are the two most common culture systems for raising oranda goldfish. Larger oranda specimens have more room to swim and breed if they live in earthen ponds. The primary management concerns with ponds are controlling oxygen and phytoplankton blooms, aquatic plant growth, excluding predators and preventing disease from snails or slugs. Flow-through and recirculation are the two primary aquaculture systems to consider when raising oranda goldfish in tanks. According to the University of Kentucky, recirculation systems make it simpler to maintain water temperatures and filter out unwanted particles or effluents.