Fantail goldfish
The Fantail is the most robust of all the twin-tailed goldfish. Indeed, despite its high dorsal fin and flamboyant caudal (tail) fin, the Fantail Goldfish has no problem swimming at at all, even in moderate currents.
As you watch these fish moving about your dealer’s tanks, you’ll soon appreciate how the Fantail Goldfish got its name. From behind, its tail really does look like a fan. The tail should be evenly divided and proudly held. The body of the Fantail should be short, almost egg-like, rather than elongated like the body of the Comet Goldfish. With good care, they typically grow to about six inches long.
Fantail goldfish come in a great many colours; a mottled mix of orange, white, black, silver and gold are most common in the shops. Pure metallic red Fantails are popular, too, as are the more blue-black calico variety.
Fantail Goldfish tips:
- You want to choose bright and alert specimens. No drooping fins or tail.
- Some shops sell Fantails with very long fins, but enthusiasts prefer a more balanced fish.
- Fantails are the hardiest twin-tailed goldfish, and can live outside all year in ponds.
- If over-wintering outdoors, ensure the pond has a deep area to provide protection from freezing conditions.
- Fantail goldfish are sociable fish, so please keep them in shoals of at least three specimens.
Fantails can live for well over a decade in good conditions, so it makes sense to choose carefully before you buy your new pets.
Click here to learn more goldfish secrets!
Filed in: Varieties
Mar 10th, 2008 at 11:12 am
Hey, my first fancy goldfish was a fantail too. I’ve still got a soft spot for them, though I’m more a ranchu man nowadays. (I know. Weirdo!)
Jan 10th, 2009 at 5:13 pm
One of my fantails started out all orange and then turned white except for the top of his head. He got too big (over 8 inches) for my 35 gal tank after a few years so now he has retired to the 1/4 acre pond. He lives with about 40 rainbow trout. Another one I had like him lived in a 10 gal tank for ten years.
Jan 11th, 2009 at 7:33 am
Hi.
I have three beautiful Fantails in one of my many tanks and they are my pride and joy, it is so good to meet people who care about these fantastic creatures
Jan 18th, 2009 at 8:43 pm
I think fantails are very pretty how do i tell if i have a male or female
Jan 18th, 2009 at 8:47 pm
How big do fantails get?
Feb 8th, 2009 at 9:34 am
Somebody help!!!
My fantail just decided to swim on its side. What can I do and prevent this from happening?
Feb 15th, 2009 at 5:43 am
@Jackie - The maximum size a fantail is likely to grow to is around 6″ (15cm) in optimum conditions. In a normal-sized aquarium it’ll probably grow to around 4″.
Sexing is virtually impossible when the fish are young.
When they’re fully mature, there are some things you can look for.
In the breeding season male goldfish will develop white pimples on their gill covers and on their pectoral fins (called tubercles). They are hard to spot and look a little bit like disease if you’ve not seen them before.
Female goldfish get a bit fuller, as they plump up with eggs.
You can also look out for changes in behaviour, such as males chasing females to try to spawn with them.
It’s not easy, but hope this helps!
Feb 15th, 2009 at 5:49 am
@Boxer - has it been swimming like that for a long time? It sounds like a swim bladder problem if so.
You can read this guest post I wrote on AquaDaily for more information on weird floating in goldfish:
http://aquadaily.com/2009/01/05/floating-goldfish-causes-and-cures/
Apr 18th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
Hi!
Ihave two very pretty, orange goldfish… though one has white on it’s stomach. There names are Chesseball *the small one with white* and Sandra Lee. Sandra Lee is three And chesse is 2 months old. There my life and I love them.
Owen I have a question,
Sandra is really long and fatish skinyish. Is that proper? For Chesseball He’s the same but small and young. Is that also proper?
May 2nd, 2009 at 12:04 pm
We have 13 beautiful fantail goldfish in a pond - from 6-10″ long. Ten are orange/red, and 3 multi colored (white and red). We were told to thin them, but we don’t know how to sell some of them. They are beautiful and healthy, and will grow bigger if we have fewer.
Jun 20th, 2009 at 6:40 am
iv got 3 fantials in a 20 gallon tank iv got another 27 gallon tank iv had them about 1,3 yrs how do i now when ther mature ther about 5cm , then 7cm and the other is about 8cm.
should i put it in the other tank iv got 4 other goldfish in ther?
iv had if they spawn should i take them out after?
how long before they hatch?
Oct 4th, 2009 at 3:01 pm
Hi
Can someone help! we are very worried about our new fancy fishies…Kalu and Moto!
We bought them two days ago and they dont seem to be getting on in the tank that we have. Moto, The Red and White Fantail keeps chasing and trying to bite the black Ranchu!
We are very concearned that they are not compatible, however, they look amazing together! Should we seperate them?
Secondly, Moto keeps coming to the surface to blow bubbles and gasp for air! Is she ok? we have a medium size glass fish bowl (with 10 litres of water) and also have a plant in there that we bought along with the fish for oxygen. We are really worried that the fantail is going to attack the ranchu and we are going to wake up to find ranchu dead!
Help!
Jan 3rd, 2010 at 4:09 pm
hello everyone,ive had my fantail (which i named fanta)for about 1/2 a year.he/she is extremely healthy and is 4in long.then just before christmas i got a very big regular goldfish(named mango)who is about 6in long…i had two minnos also.but mango decided to eat one.the aquarium is 5 gallons with a few decorations with river rocks as the gravel.i am planning on getting a larger aquarium.Any suggestions?? now i have three questions->
1)how do i sex them?
2)is this a proper environment?
3)and are all of these fish suitable with eachother?
thanx for ure help.
,jake
Jan 7th, 2010 at 6:02 pm
my fish are finally recognising me.wen i got home and went to feed them they swam to the top and were freaking out.(thinking that they were gonna eat.which they did)
Feb 26th, 2010 at 12:59 pm
Quote Sonia:
Hi
Can someone help! we are very worried about our new fancy fishies…Kalu and Moto!
We bought them two days ago and they dont seem to be getting on in the tank that we have. Moto, The Red and White Fantail keeps chasing and trying to bite the black Ranchu!
We are very concearned that they are not compatible, however, they look amazing together! Should we seperate them?
Secondly, Moto keeps coming to the surface to blow bubbles and gasp for air! Is she ok? we have a medium size glass fish bowl (with 10 litres of water) and also have a plant in there that we bought along with the fish for oxygen. We are really worried that the fantail is going to attack the ranchu and we are going to wake up to find ranchu dead!
Help!
End Quote
I don’t know too much about how these fish get along together but gasping for air at the top of the tank (for extended periods of time) usually is because of too much ammonia in the tank…
this plagues goldfish in smaller containers because these fish crate more waste than other fish of a similar size. For this reason most experienced aquarists reccomend at least 10 gallons for any goldfish container and some kind of oxygen (a $10 air pump with an airstone should suffice) and or filtration is a good idea.
If you for some reason can’t get a larger container try changing the water often, remove chhlorine, and let water stand before putting fish in.
Mar 12th, 2010 at 9:28 am
how can i tell my fantail’s age?
Apr 3rd, 2010 at 1:38 pm
I have had goldfish for about 4 years without any problem but all of a sudden every thing a gone a mess. I had a white pond goldfish(not sure what kind) Snow flake for about 3 years and she just died about 6 months ago. I had had her from about 1/2 inch until 3 inches long. she had a little friend that my husband killed,so we got her another friend, Bubbles, Sadly to say we lost snow flake about a year after that.but the Bubbles was doing fine.these past 6 months she has lived alone and has done fine until about 2 months ago. she started to act very strange not eating, was not interseted in chasing my finger on the outside of the tank, kinda sad. so we got her a friend, Nemo, a fantail. for about a month they had no problems, Bubbles seemed to chirp back up and was herself. then Bubbles started to stop moving her fins and get red streakes around the mouth and scales. soon we lost her at about year and 1 1/2 and from 1 1/2 inches to 4inches. we were sad so we got another fantail,Fish to replays Bubbles for the kids. but Fish died only a week after. Now Nemo is starting to get the samething. I have looked this problem up and found that the amonia (cant spell) levels are high but if anyone has any helpful suggestions on tbhis matter please help us.
thank you
Apr 18th, 2010 at 7:52 am
HELP !! I got 2 lovely fantails yesterday ( Orange & White and Black 7 Gold) Their names are Mario And Luigi but after about 2 hours of being in their new tank luigi started to act strange e.g lying on the bottom of the tank. I went to bed and when I woke up he was upside down and after observing him for ages he seems not to be able to control his body (he cant turn over or move where he wants) Now Mario is lying at the bottom but is movement is fine and he will move every so often toward the reef in the tank. Luigi got stuck under the bridge today too
I have done some reasearch and it sounds like swim bladder desise i gave him a frozen pea but he is not better. He can turn round now but almost instanly floats rond and sinks and he cannot get to feed :O I set up my tank the day I got them, I added Tap water crystals to stop dirty water harming them, I kept them in the bag they came in and put them in the water for 15 mins before releasing them out the bag, I have a filter, Gravel and a plant (fake Plastic 1) Theyare lying at the bottom right corner of the tank now together and lugi is on his back but Mario canmove if he needs to. These is my first Fish and I’m really looking foward to caring for them. I HOPE THEY DON’T DIE
If you want i can film the fish put it on youtube and give you the link
If they do *tears* Do you recomend common Goldfish as I have had a bad experience ( Please note: The man in the pet shop helped me pick them and said they looknice and healthy how about them and I agreed as they has shiney scales and there fins and stuff where up right and the generly looked well darting about the tank. ) I got them home put them in the tank and they wre happy playing with their new filter ( the swan up to it and it pushed them down like a shout) they done this 2 times each then the swan around the plant a few times and finally swam happily about their new tank, I was delighted The man at the pet shop said not to feed them that day as he had already done it. I was really looking foward to a long happy relationship with the boys (the pet shop guy identified they were boys) Please tell me waht i have done wrong and give me some tips Contact me on JS96@gmx.com or if you have MSN jordan96-@hotmail.co.uk THANKS
May 17th, 2010 at 5:15 pm
Hey its me again!
and after 1/2 a year saving for a tank, I finally got one!
its 40 gallons, gravel, decorations, plants, and 2 bio wheel filters/pumps =D My fish have grown, I still have the fantail fanta and the other regular goldfish Mango, and a few others that were wounded and I rescued. They all get along great and are very active!But sadly fantas tail was damaged because i caught two bluegills in with them and i guess my fish were on the menue, I removed them from my tank and fanta is healing now.
but i noticed fanta and mango have been inhaling the gravel in the aquarium, but spitting it back out. Are they simply cleaning them or are they slowly piling up in their tummys?
should I be concerned? Email me at-> vernn8er@att.net
thank you!!
Sep 7th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
I got 2 fantail goldfish today, they are small (only about 1 inch not including the tail.) I have a 10 gallon tank and ran the filter for 2 days before I got them, the water temperature is fine, all the levels are fine, the waterfall from the filter is supposed to put oxygen in the water. I floated the bag for 15 minutes before releasing them into the water trying to keep as little of the bag water as possible from entering the tank. Six hours later one was dead.
I took him back to the pet store and some water. They tested the water and all the levels were fine! They gave me a new fish and he is pretty active. Only now the second fish is laying lazily on the bottom of the tank. The guy at the pet store assures me I did everything right. What’s going on??? Did they just give me sick fish? Or is there something I am missing??
Oct 11th, 2010 at 4:15 pm
Hi
I have 2 fan tail goldfish, i have had them for about 3 years. One of them is silver/orangy in colour but i have suddenly noticed that his(or her) tail is going orange - it this right? is it just him/her getting older?
Anyone have any ideas?
many thanks
liv
Oct 11th, 2010 at 4:15 pm
sorry i forgot to say his/her tail has always been silvery…
Nov 17th, 2010 at 12:36 am
Hi there. I bought my son a fantail about a year ago. Its seems like over night he/she tripled, if not more, in size??? How big is this thing gonna get. All I have is the 20 dollar walmart size tank its been in for a year…..
Dec 22nd, 2010 at 5:21 pm
@keri:: It will probably get to be about 5-8 in.
Dec 22nd, 2010 at 5:30 pm
@keri:: It will probably grow 5-8 in. you might want to get a bigger tank.
Dec 24th, 2010 at 1:05 pm
my God, i thought you were going to chip in with some decisive insght in the end there, not leave it
with ‘we leave it to you to decide’.
Dec 26th, 2010 at 5:43 am
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thanks !! very helpful submit!
Feb 4th, 2011 at 11:09 am
I actually surely need to think far more in that way and find out what i can do about that.
Feb 12th, 2011 at 9:16 pm
Well, that is certainly great, however how about additional options we’ve got here? Would you mind making one more post regarding them too? Cheers!
Mar 3rd, 2011 at 10:48 am
Hm, Now i am happy with this nevertheless not entirely sure, thus i am gonna research a little more.
Apr 4th, 2011 at 1:51 pm
I bought two baby female fan-tail, that are now a few years old They are very healthy! They have always been in a very big
fish bowl. My secret is…I keep the water very clean! Add the water conditioner (for goldfish)and change a few cups of water apox. every 8hrs. Feed twice a day. The quiet water is perfect.
I have aquariums all my life. The gold fish get thrashed around and die. They are my favorite. No more hastle with aquariums.
Goldfish are rugged and do well in a cooler climate like N.Y. Don
Apr 19th, 2011 at 10:01 pm
I just got two telescope eye goldfish. I’m feeding them goldfish pellets but they won’t eat. Is it that they can’t see the food? Or is it normal for new fish not to eat right away?
Apr 22nd, 2011 at 4:42 am
Hi, this may come across as a stupid but can Fantail goldfish be aggressive? i started off my tank with 2 normal goldfish they were fine and about 2 weeks later i decided to buy a new fish and i bought a very beautiful fantail goldfish i then put them into the tank. they were fine for about a week and then all of a sudden my two original goldfish died? so i went to the pet store and they said it was probably my water but the fantail is still alive and well. soo i waited about 2 weeks and decided to buy a new goldfish i put the new one in and overnight the fish died? ive tried this another 2 times to the same result the new fish are always dying but the fantail is still alive and well..
Apr 30th, 2011 at 3:38 am
[…] Fantail goldfish Mar 10, 2008 … We have 13 beautiful fantail goldfish in a pond – from 6-10″ long. Ten are orange/red, and 3 multi … […]
Jul 7th, 2011 at 12:44 pm
I purchased 3 fantail goldfish yesturday. This morning I noticed that one (Fuzz) was bullying one of the other ones (Fifi). Fuzz ended up killing Fifi. I removed Fuzz from the tank so he wouldn’t go after the other fish. Would it be safe to reintroduce Fuzz to the tank?
Jul 14th, 2011 at 7:05 pm
No Fantail fish gold fish are omnivorous! they will eat other fish if not careful!! i put my fantail in my tank with my butterfly koi and i love him! they like to chase each other and its so much fun to watch i have 42′ flat screen tv i haven’t turned on since i got him, hope he doesnt end up like the lady’s fish i read about that lie on there back and have no movement! My little sister named my fish Fruit Slice cause half his body is White and the Other half is a BRIGHT beautiful almost Neon orange(:
Sep 26th, 2011 at 3:19 pm
I am doing a science fair project and I trained my fantail goldfish how to swim through a hoop and many other trick! It’s amazing how they learn with a little food and some patience. Can someone please tell me how I can breed my fantail goldfish?
Oct 13th, 2011 at 2:13 pm
I have two new fantails - about 4 1/2in from nose to tail. I think I have accidently gotten a mail and a female - one has a rather flat body while the other has a fatter “tummy” which I read are descriptions of a male and female. Also the flat body that I assume is the male is always chasing the other one with his nose right in her back end (hope this is not too much info) Is this a sign that he’s a male, chasing her like this. I do NOT want babies as I only want the two I have (plus I have a Pleco). Also, just a question - is it normal for fantails to have shiny scales on their bodies? Does not look like Ick. Any info - much appreciated
Nov 2nd, 2011 at 2:11 pm
HI,
I just bought a single orange fantailed goldfish and from what ive been reading i’ve was completely miss informed by the sales individual at the pet store. I live in a dorm and the sales man told me my fish would be fine in this small bowl at room tempature. What changes do I need to make to it’s living enviornment so that it is suitable for my poor fishy.
Thank you!
Nov 4th, 2011 at 3:59 pm
I had 2 fantail babies! They where born from one of my fishes when I got then from PJ’s Pet Express but it happened on Friday I got them on Sunday but then till Friday they where born!
Nov 4th, 2011 at 4:03 pm
Every time I get goldfish they never eat. My dad said they usually test the things in there aquarium before the eat the meal.
Nov 11th, 2011 at 10:33 pm
I only have two fantails, is that ok? A white one with black and orange spots is small and named “Rudolph.” The other one is orange with black spots and a white stripe, it is named “Stripe.” Are they boys, girls, or is one a boy and one a girl?? Please help. I would like to know. Thank you!
Nov 13th, 2011 at 9:06 am
So I have what I think is a male fan-tailed goldfish. He eats fine and is doing well. I have a few questions though:
1) He was orange and white but the orange had disappeared in a matter of weeks and he is now completely white, should I be concerned about it, or is it just a thing that happens naturally?
2) I used to have another fan-tailed gold fish, it was just as perky as the one I have now, but it suddenly died in a matter of months. Four months later, we decided to get some Black Mores because we have had them and fan-tails before and they have lasted for at least 3 years+ . But those also died in a matter of weeks of getting them. We have bought the different fish at different places. Now I only have one fish left from the 4 we bought. My question is, is the surviving fish just stronger than the others, or is it my tank, or is it the surviving fish bullying the other fish?
I only have one fish now, and I want to get more. Should I think of getting more fish?
Thanks, Joanna.
Dec 9th, 2011 at 4:04 am
Hi Joanna, how big is your tank? Do you put anti-chlorine and aquarium salts inside the tank? Aside from adding the two above, I also add Methyline Blue to prevent sickness everytime I change water. Also remember to store old water for changing tank. Don’t use the water straight from the tap. When u introduce new goldfish in your tank, better separate the new fish inside the tank by putting a net container inside the tank. Let the new and old fish familiar to each other at least one week before putting them together. You can occassionally put them together for few minutes only during the feeding time to let them get to know each other better. My two old oranda goldfish is almost 2 yrs by next year of March. And my new oranda goldfish will be one yr this Dec. 23. I did that procedure like what I mentioned above and they never fight. They are still in very healthy condition now.
Dec 28th, 2011 at 10:43 am
We have a fantail that my one year old recieved at a birthday party. We originally had a bowl but after a year we switched to a bigger aquarium. We take good care of her and my son is now 8.
Jan 1st, 2012 at 6:03 am
Hi i bought an Oranda fantail (Anastaca) about 4 months ago and added another Oranda lionhead, (ariel)(bigger than the fantail) in a week later from buying the first fish, over the last couple of weeks the Lionhead one keeps nudging and chasing the fantail fish, is the lionhead bullying the other fish?? The fantail’s tail isn’t looking like it should and not flowy -splitting (if you know what i mean), is it ok? I took advice from the shop i bought them from and was told to change my tank from a 14L to 28 L so they both have more room. But is still doing it.
Please help i’m worried about my fantail fish.
Jan 13th, 2012 at 6:31 am
you should be worried its not a good sign