Kinds of Fantail Goldfish

Calico Fantail

• The calico fantail is pearl white, red and orange, with black markings. While all fantails have a forked tail, the calico has a more defined forked tail than many of the common fantails. All the fins on the calico are slightly rounded and combine to create a butterfly appearance. The species eats various types of food, including dry and live food. The fish prefers a fine gravel bottom to its aquarium.

Ryukin Fantail

• The ryukin goldfish is a type of fantail that is considered a Japanese version of the specimen. This type is one of the few identified subspecies of the fantail. Unlike the more common fantail, the ryukin has a very high, curved back that starts at the fish's neck. This feature gives its head a more pointed appearance than its counterpart. The caudal fin is also much wider than the more common fantail.

Common Fantail

• Fantail goldfish are available in various colors, with the metallic as the most sough-after. They also come in red, speckled and white matte. Fantails are common in Asia, and are raised to a lesser extent in Europe and North America. The fish are an egg shape and are smaller than most goldfish. The top and bottom fins form a triangle shape when viewed from behind. Fantails are adept at adapting to a cooler water temperature than most goldfish.

Fantail Showfish

• Types of the fish that are often used as show fish have a split tail fin that has the two lobes close together at the top, which is forked and medium-length, as described by Animal World. Fantails that don't have an accented split tail fin are often not used for showing, as the tail isn't considered as aesthetically pleasing to fish enthusiasts. Because of the appearance of their unusual tails, fantails are often called "Fancy Goldfish."