How to Identify and Care for Bubble Eye Goldfish

The bubble eye goldfish (carassius auratus) is a man-made cultivar that belongs to the family Cyprinidae. It is instantly recognizable for the fluid filled sacs that surround its eyes. Like most other pet goldfish, it is hardy and relatively easy to care for, and therefore well-suited for beginner-aquarists. Read on to learn how to care for bubble eye goldfish.

Things You'll Need

  • 24-gallon tank or larger Bubble eye goldfish Aquarium Filter and heater Basic test kits Aquarium decorations Gold fish food Food cone/clip
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Instructions

  1. How to Identify Bubble Eye Goldfish

    • 1

      Identify the bubble eye goldfish by the two characteristic, bubble-like, fluid-filled sacs that are just below its eyes, which point upward.

    • 2

      Note that the bubble eye goldfish has a spherical, egg-shaped body, which makes it look like it has swallowed a gold ball.

    • 3

      Look out for paired pectoral, ventral and anal fins. They are bred to be without a dorsal fin. The male of the species typically develops white tubercules on the gills and pectoral fins.

    • 4

      Keep in mind that its coloration varies from one specimen to the next, encompassing variations of red, calico, white, black, blue and chocolate.

    How to Care for Your Bubble Eye Goldfish

    • 5

      Set up a 24-gallon fish tank or larger for your bubble eye goldfish. If you will have more than one fish, keep in mind that you need to maintain a ratio of at least 10 gallons of water for every gold fish in the aquarium.

    • 6

      Fill the aquarium with room temperature water. Install an aquarium filter and heater into the tank. Set the heater at 45 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

    • 7

      Add your gravel and spread it across the floor of the aquarium. Add any other aquarium decorations as desired.

    • 8

      Let the aquarium sit for at least 24 hours before you put in your bubble eye goldfish.

    • 9

      Ensure that there are no sharp objects or pointy edges that may burst its bubble-like sacs. These sacs are extremely vulnerable to physical damage and burst easily. Although a burst sac may grow back in time, it will be shaped differently, and therefore not match the other sac.

    • 10

      Do a 25% to 30% water change weekly to maintain tank water quality. Maintain water conditions at slightly alkaline pH range of about 7.6.

    Feeding your Bubble Eye Goldfish

    • 11

      Feed your bubble eye goldfish with food that it can easily find, because it has poor eyesight, limited by the sacs beneath its eyes. Suitable food includes large-size fish pellets that sink slowly in the tank.

    • 12

      Consider using a food clip to suspend their food in the tank water. Pieces of lettuce, kale, spinach or other leafy vegetables can be fed to them in this way. Consider using a food cone to hold small-sized types of food such as bloodworms and brine shrimp. Placing the food cone or food clip in the exact, same location each day will make it even easier for the fish to find it. Food cones and food clips are available at your local pet supply store.

    • 13

      Avoid placing bubble eye goldfish in the same tank as fast-swimming fish that will tend to eat all the food before the bubble eye even notices it. Ideally, provide them with slow-swimming tank mates that also have limited eye-sight, such as celestial goldfish, telescope goldfish and fellow bubble eye goldfish.