Pearlscale Goldfish

Looks how to spot one

Spherical twin-tailed goldfish with thick, domed pearl scales

A ball-shaped goldfish, often compared to a golf ball or an orange, whose scales are raised into little domes with a soft, pearly shine. It has a dorsal fin and a fantail-style double tail held slightly above level. Some fish have a smooth head, others an oranda-like hood or a pair of bubble-like domes on top.12

Personality what they are like

Gentle and peaceful. Its round body makes it a slow, bobbing swimmer, so it does best with other relaxed fancy goldfish.12

Daily activity how busy a day looks

Low to moderate. Prefers calm water and open space rather than strong currents.13

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

Needs a good filter, regular partial water changes with dechlorinated, temperature-matched water, and routine tests showing zero ammonia and nitrite. Feed modestly and keep the pH steady, as pearlscales prefer stable water.34

Home where they are happiest

Keep in a filtered aquarium, not a bowl. Aqueon suggests at least 40 litres (10 US gallons) per adult fancy goldfish, while the RSPCA advises at least 60 litres per goldfish, with wider tanks giving more stable water. Fancy goldfish are comfortable at about 20-23 °C (Aqueon gives 68-74 °F); keep pearlscales at 13 °C or warmer. A pH of roughly 6.0-8.4 is fine (FishBase gives 6.0-8.0, Aqueon 7.0-8.4).435

Food basics what goes in the bowl

Omnivore. Offer a goldfish flake, granule or sinking pellet once or twice a day, only as much as is eaten in two to three minutes, with frozen or live foods as occasional treats. Small, regular meals suit its compact, round body.45

Company who they like around

A sociable fish that likes company; FishBase suggests goldfish in groups of five or more. Pairs well with other round fancy goldfish such as ryukin and orandas.54

The story where it all began

The pearlscale was developed by goldfish breeders in China and Japan, where it is known as chinshurin. Selection for an ever rounder body and raised scales has produced several forms, including the ping pong, crown and Hama Nishiki types.1

Recognised by the official bits

Goldfish show standards

Show standard sets a minimum body length of 5.5 cm; body depth should be more than two-thirds of length, with a single dorsal fin and a forked tail held above the horizontal1

Taxonomy

Round-bodied twin-tailed fancy goldfish with domed, pearl-like scales2

IUCN Red List

The parent species Carassius auratus is assessed as Least Concern5