The Bubble Eye Goldfish

The Bubble Eye Goldfish has big bubbles on the side of its head, which give it a truly bizarre appearance!

The most intriguing feature of the Bubble Eye Goldfish is its bubbles. The bubbles on this goldfish begin to develop when it is 6-9 months old, leading to the name Water-Bubble Eye. By the time these goldfish are 2 years old, the bubbles are very large. These water-filled bubbles actually get so big that they can even make it difficult for this fish to see and swim

These fancy goldfish have a very intriguing appearnce, but their bubble sacs are easily broken. The sacs are notorious for getting caught in the water uptake valves of aquarium filters. A foam cover over the valve should help prevent this. Most the time, broken bubbles will grow back but have a different shape and size that does not match the other bubble. Sometimes a broken bubble will not grow back at all. Additionally, broken bubbles heal slowly and are subject to infection, so keep an eye on your fish and be ready to treat it if necessary.

Infamous bubbles of the Bubble Eye!

Besides its infamous bubbles, the Bubble Eye Goldfish is one the most unique-looking of the goldfish varieties. Along with theLionhead Goldfish, the Bubble Eye Goldfish is dorsal-less, so it does not have a fin on the top of its back. One variety of Bubble Eye Goldfish bred in China does have a dorsal fin, but this variety does not qualify for show by the the Goldfish Society of America (GFSA).

The Bubble Eye Goldfish is one of the more rounded or egg-shaped fancy gold fish, which distinguishes it from the long, slender body seen in Common Goldfish or the Shubunkins. It has a double-tail, and its body shape and size are very similar to the Celestial Eye Goldfish. Like the Celestial, the Bubble Eye's eyes are upturned, though not as extremely as the Celestial's. Both of these goldfish have bodies that are a little bit slimmer than other round or egg-shaped goldfish. The Bubble Eye is available in a variety of goldfish colors that include solids of red, blue, chocolate, and black; bi-colors of red/white and red/black; and calicos.

Though Bubble Eye Goldfish are widely available, they are considered delicate and not recommended either as beginner fish or for community aquariums. Its swimming ability is encumbered by its rounded body and further diminished by the lack of a stabilizing dorsal fin.

Many of the elongated goldfish varieties like the the Common Goldfish, Comet Goldfish, and the Shubunkin are not good companions for the Bubble Eye Goldfish because they are fast swimmers and too competitive during feeding time. Better tankmates would be the similarly handicapped but less hardy Lionhead Goldfish, Telescope Goldfish, and Celestial Eye Goldfish. It won't win any races, but if kept with other slow-moving varieties, the Water-Bubble Eye Goldfish should get plenty to eat.

Country of Origin: China
Family: Cyprinidae
Scientific Name: Carassius auratus
Environment: Freshwater fish
Temperature: 65° - 78°F
Type: Twin Tail
Diet: Omnivore
Food: Pellets, flakes, live food, veggies and fruit
Adult Size: 6-8" (inches)
Lifespan: 10-15 years or more
Care Level: Medium
Temperament: Friendly and social