Celestial Eye Goldfish — Carassius auratus auratus
Celestial Eye Goldfish — Carassius auratus auratus or Choten gan is an egg-shaped, double-tailed breed of fancy goldfish. They have a breed-defining pair of telescope eyes which are turned upwards, pupils gazing skyward. When the fry hatch, the eyes of young Celestials are normal but gradually protrude sideways, as in the Telescope eye goldfish, and then turn upwards within a period of six months. The body is short and stubby with a double caudal (tail) fin and a double anal fin. The Celestial eye goldfish will swim in all areas of an aquarium space.
Common Name: Celestial Eye Goldfish, Celestial Goldfish, Deme-Ranchu
Scientific Name: Carassius auratus auratus
Origin: China
Sexing: During the breeding season the male has white prickles, called breeding tubercles, on its gill covers and head. Seen from above a female will have a fatter appearance when she is carrying eggs. It is impossible to sex Goldfish when they are young and not in breeding season, but generally the male is smaller and more slender than the female.
Size: 3 — 6 inches
Life Span: 10 ‑15 years. It has been known to live up to 25 years in some cases.
Natural Habitat: They inhabit the slow moving and stagnant waters of rivers, lakes, ponds, and ditches feeding on plants, detritus, small crustaceans, and insects.
Aquarium Size: 20 — 30 gallon tank for your first goldfish and then increase the size of the tank by 10 gallons for each additional goldfish. Bigger is better.
Species Compatibility: Water-Bubble Eye Goldfish, Telescope Goldfish, and Lion head Goldfish
Care Level: Not recommended for beginners. The Celestial eye goldfish ave a lower tolerance for poor water conditions. They need good care and lots of space.
Ideal Tank: Provide a gravel substrate to help create a natural and comfortable environment for your fish. You can add some decor. Remember that the eyes of the Celestial Eye Goldfish are a handicap and these fish have very poor vision. Make sure that all ornamentation is smooth with no protruding points or sharp edges.
Aquarium Water Temperature: Between 65 — 72° F (18°- 22° C)
Aquarium Water pH: Range 6.0–8.0
Feeding: The Celestial Eye Goldfish are omnivores. They will generally eat all kinds of fresh, frozen, and flake foods. To keep a good balance, give them a high quality flake food every day. Feed brine shrimp (either live or frozen), blood worms, Daphnia, or tubifex worms as a treat. Due to their upturned eyes, the Celestial Eye Goldfish have poor vision and a harder time seeing their food, so they need extra time to feed. They will also nibble on live floating aquarium plants like limnobium (frog bits) or salvnia.
Other Considerations: Through selective breeding, the Celestial Eye Goldfish developed eyes that are permanently locked in an upward position. This is one of more than 125 captive-bred fancy goldfish varieties.