Black Moor Goldfish (Carassius auratus auratus)

Black Moor Goldfish are very popular in the hobby, and you can find them in collectors tanks worldwide. Their hardiness and ability to live in colder temperatures make them excellent pets. Black Moor Goldfish are ideal for outdoor ponds. However, even though the Black Moor Goldfish are hardy enough to withstand colder climates, you must make sure that the cooling drops only a few degrees a day.

Black Moor Goldfish are considered great beginner Goldfish. However, unlike the similarly egg-shaped Ryukin Goldfish and Fantail Goldfish, you should not keep the Black Moor Goldfish with highly competitive tankmates as their telescopic eyes can cause them to see poorly. For this reason, the Black Moor Goldfish does not compete well for food and is also subject to injury and infection. Ideal tankmates for these Goldfish would be the equally handicapped but less hardy species such as the Telescope Goldfish, Celestial Goldfish, and Water Bubble-Eye Goldfish.

Black Moor Goldfish will typically reach about 10 cm in length, though some hobbyists have reported that their Black Moors have grown up to 25 cm. The average lifespan of this species is 10 to 15 years, though it is not uncommon for them to live 20 years plus in a well-maintained Goldfish aquarium or pond.

Black Moor Goldfish have rounded or egg-shaped bodies. Their rounded shape is heightened by large bulbous eyes protruding from the sides of their head and their long, flowing fins. In addition, these fish have deep velvety black metallic scales, and the juveniles have a dark bronze colour with dull eyes. As they mature, they turn black, and their eyes begin to telescope. The Black Moor Goldfish is essentially a black version of the Telescope Goldfish; however, their eyes don't protrude quite as far.

While most Black Moor Goldfish stay black in various environments, some individuals may change colour with age, fading to grey. They can also regress to a metallic orange when kept in warmer water. Black Moor Goldfish is available with a beautiful veil tail; however, today's individuals can also have a butterfly tail, a broad tail, or a ribbon tail.

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Feeding

In the home aquarium, the Black Moor Goldfish will readily accept most good quality dried foods such as granules, flakes and sinking pellets. These modern food products have been developed to provide all adequate nutrition to maintain your fish's health and dietary requirements.

Providing additional foodstuffs such as live, frozen, and freeze-dried meals such as bloodworm, daphnia, and tubifex once or twice a week will provide additional benefits to your fish's health and well-being but is not a must for this fish.

It should be noted that bloodworms should only be given as an occasional treat and should not be used as the staple diet as they are difficult for fish to digest and can potentially cause blockages.

This fish is an omnivore in the wild, meaning it will consume some vegetable matter. Although most modern fish foods take this into account and include them in their products, you can still supplement your fish's diet with blanched vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, and zucchini. Ensure you do not overfeed your fish and remove any leftovers the following day.