What’s the first pet you ever had? Whenever we ask this question, most answers are “a fish,” especially a goldfish. Yes, we have all had a goldfish at a point in our lives, and that was our training pet given by our parents to see if we could handle a moving, active pet.
In this article, we will talk about the same goldfish but a different breed. You must have had a red or orange goldfish, but have you ever seen a black one? Yes, a black goldfish! Surprising, right? Let us take you on this fascinating journey of black moor goldfish.
Fancy Goldfish Black in Color
If you have ever been to a black tie event or seen one, you definitely know that everyone’s there to make an impression. This is the case for fancy goldfish who are there in your fish tank just to make a fabulous impression. Their unique physical features make them fancy.
Talking about black-tie events, two black goldfish actually stand out among other fancy goldfish—the black fantail goldfish and the black moor goldfish. But even among these goldfish, only one is much more unique. Want to know which one? Let’s have a look!
1. Black Fantail Goldfish
Fantail goldfish are very common in many fish tanks. Its main feature is its double fin which looks like some expensive fans. They come in different colors like orange, white, red, black, etc.
2. Black Moor Goldfish
Black moor goldfish(Carassius auratus) has a striking coal-black color, a flowier double fin, and telescope eyes. They come in only one color, making them a unique aquarium pet.
So, which one do you think is more unique? We believe the black moor goldfish because of its telescope eyes and magnificent velvety coal-black color. Who can even beat that?
Basic Information on Black Moor Goldfish
Black moor or Chinese moor may be a totally new goldfish breed you’ve heard of, so we decided to help you know everything. Of course, there will be some things we might miss, but we will be covering most of the breed’s information. If you want a touch of goth in your fish tank, here’s your fish for the purpose!
Origin History
We’re excited to tell you about the black moor breed’s origin history. There are over 30 breeds of goldfish species now, and the black moor is one of them. You won’t find them in the wild because their sole breeding purpose was to be show goldfish. Well, there are other reasons, too, for their non-existence in the wild. We’ll get to them later.
It all started in China in the 1400s. At that time, black moors were called “dragon eyes” or “dragon fish” for their bulbous eyes. But later on, in the late 1900s and the early 2000s, they became a popular goldfish competition fish in Korea and Japan.
Although people had brought them to the US in the 1800s, they couldn’t hold the crown as the most popular fish. A real bummer! But that doesn’t matter anymore because now they’re very popular among fish keepers.
Oh! We almost forgot to tell you how they got created. Genetical breeding between the red telescope goldfish and the veiltail or fringetail goldfish produced the black moor goldfish.
How Big Do Black Moor Goldfish Get?
An adult black moor can grow 6 to 8 inches in length. But, a male black moor is smaller and slimmer than a female. Did we mention that they have much rounder bodies than other goldfish?
How Long Do Black Moor Goldfish Live?
If you’re just starting fish keeping, you will be happy to know that a black moor lives from 10 to 15 years old. Their lifespan increases up to 20 years when adequately fed a balanced diet and with exceptional tank maintenance and water quality.
Black Moor Goldfish Care Guide
If all our information has hyped you up to get yourself a black moor goldfish, there are much more things you must know, especially how to care for one. No worries! We are always here to help. The two most important things to know about are their food diet and aquarium setup. Let’s jump into it!
What Do Black Moor Goldfish Eat?
Food is the secret to any relationship, even forming a bond with pets. Moreover, maintaining an excellent balanced diet will help your new pet black moor stay healthy and live longer by your side.
Full-Size Black Moor Goldfish Feeding & Diet
Black moors need a healthy protein-based diet to grow. Their breeding parents mainly eat insects, snails, detritus, algae, plants, etc., in the wild. They have these exact food needs but in a more refined manner.
Black moors are omnivorous, so you must give them nutritious plant-based and animal-based food. Your new pet will also enjoy munching on aquarium plants, algae, snails, worms, and shrimps. Aside from that, their everyday balanced diet should include high protein food, live or frozen prey, and green plants.
If you are thinking of giving black moors fish flakes or fish pellets, you should ensure it’s the best kind. The first ingredient of the food must be protein.
Moreover, if it’s hard for you to find such food, go for slow sinking fancy goldfish food when buying fish food. They are designed explicitly for fancy goldfish breeds like fantails, butterfly tails, oranda, etc. But don’t overfeed them because round-bodied goldfish like the black moors are prone to obesity and swim bladder disease.
Another thing you must remember is fish food shouldn’t be the only thing you are feeding them. Give them frozen or live brine shrimp, ghost shrimp, tubifex worms, bloodworms, and daphnia as supplements. And, for veggies, they will love eating lettuce, peas, cucumber, broccoli, and algae wafers.
Remember to feed your pet fish twice daily and give them enough food to eat for about 2 minutes each session. Not less, not more!
What not to feed: Any wild insects, snails, shrimps, etc., are off limits for black moors or even any fish. The wild prey can have parasites leading to your fish getting sick.
You may also like: Freshwater Invertebrates as Aquarium Pets
Black Moor Goldfish Tank Setup
Remember the intro where we talked about our parents giving us goldfish to test us? Yes, because they are hardy and easy to keep! But all that comes to an end in the case of black moor goldfish.
Unlike the standard variety of goldfish, black moors are more sensitive to the water parameters and other settings in your fish tank. So, when you get one, you need to set up your aquarium correctly; otherwise, they won’t survive.
So, let’s set up a black moor goldfish aquarium. We have everything from water parameters to tank decorations briefly explained. Just follow them, and you are good to go.
Tank Size is Important
Never, we mean, NEVER buy a tank without researching about the type of fish you plan to keep in it. This is the number one mistake many new fish keepers make, which causes their pets to become stressed and later die.
Black moor goldfish need a minimum tank size of 20 gallons(76L), but a 30-gallon (113.5L) is much better. Moreover, you have to add 10 gallons more for every extra fish.
Black moors have poor eyesight and slow swimming movement. A shallow, rectangular tank is great for them, so they can swim easily without bumping into other fish and will get enough oxygen, as goldfish need more oxygen than you thought. You must not forget to get an aquarium lid or cover because occasional jumps can occur, although they aren’t acrobats.
Tip: A goldfish bowl is too small with little oxygen. So, avoid it.
| Why does tank size even matter? It matters because when you first keep baby fish in a small tank, they look fine. But, soon, they outgrow the tank, and the place becomes unsuitable for living, causing algae growth, cloudy water, etc. Your fish won’t stay healthy unless you transfer them to a bigger tank. Moreover, the transfer takes a long time as you’ll need to cycle your tank first. Some fish may meet death in this long process. |
Tank Water Parameters
Black moors love to live in cooler freshwater from 65℉ to 72℉ water temperature(18-22℃). They need the water pH level to stay between 6.5 to 8, and the water hardness should be in the 5 to 16 dGH range.
Moreover, the nitrite and ammonia content should be 0 ppm, which is a bit hard to maintain as goldfish produce tons of waste. On the other hand, nitrate levels need to be under 20 ppm.
You must check your water conditions weekly with an aquarium thermometer and liquid aquarium water test kits. Another thing to remember is to change 25%-30% of water with distilled water and clean the gravel.
Good Quality Filter
Goldfish are actual poop machines! They can quickly get your tank dirty in a day or two. So to avoid any foul water, a good filter should be your top priority.
The filter should have biological and mechanical media to extract solid wastes and toxins. You can also get one with chemical filter media to filter the heavy metals or other toxins. Your fish tank filter should also be able to circulate water in the tank about four or more times a day.
You must not forget that goldfish are clumsy, and they will accidentally swim into a filter. To avoid this mishap, get a filter system with an adjustable outflow valve feature.
| Do Goldfish Need a Bubbler? If you keep them in a small tank, they will surely need a bubbler for additional oxygen. However, bigger aquariums won’t need it as they will already have enough oxygen, but we still prefer to have one. |
Plants and Decorations
Provide a cave or wood for your pet black moor goldfish to hide in. It’s hard to keep plants in a black moor tank as they often nibble on them. But if you still want to add some greenery, get Hornwort, Cabomba, Tapegrass, Java Fern, and Anubias. But we can’t guarantee that they won’t nibble on these either.
Black Moor Goldfish Tank Mates
Black moors have poor eyesight and lousy swimming skills but are very peaceful fish. Their best tank mates would be other friendly and fancy goldfish. Avoid fin nippers or tiny fish, as they will become your black moor’s dinner.
If you want to dive into various fish realms, plecos are an excellent addition to goldfish tanks. They will help keep the water clean and avoid hurting your goldfish.
Small invertebrates aren’t suitable for a goldfish aquarium, but apple snails and larger shrimp breeds can add some magic to your fish tank. Oh! An essential part is to try finding fishes that can stay in cool water and are larger than your fish.
Why is My Black Goldfish Turning Orange?
One day you wake up and go near the aquarium only to find your black moor goldfish changing its color. You panic and keep doing it for hours because you have no idea why it’s happening.
Let us tell you the three reasons for the color change in black moors to relieve you from future panic attacks.
- The black color of black moors’ scale becomes orange or red-like as they age. This is very natural; after all, they’re goldfish who will likely change to orange with time.
- Another reason your black goldfish turns orange is poor living conditions, poor water quality, insufficient light, and the presence of toxic chemicals in the tank. You can easily tackle all these. So, don’t worry.
- Many diseases such as columnaris, ich, and velvet are some common reasons for color change in goldfish. If you can notice them early, your fish will soon recover fully.
Jazz Up Your Tank
Black moor goldfish are exceptionally beautiful, and there’s no doubt they make excellent pet fish. You are ready to get one now that you know the basic information, care, tank maintenance, and more. All you need now is a little more research after getting one.
We hope our article helped you and stay with us for more great content. Have an awesome day ahead!
