Swell Red and Black Oranda Goldfish - 5cm

Red and Black Oranda Goldfish - 5cm OverviewEverything you need to know about Red and Black Oranda Goldfish, at a glance:Common Names: Hooded Goldfish, Bullhead GoldfishScientific Name: Carassius auratusMax Size: ~20cmTemperature Range: 18-25°CpH Range: 6.0-8.0, though 7.5 is idealCompatibility: Peaceful, though best suited to species-only aquariumsArea Of Origin: ChinaSuitable Foods: Variety of flakes, sticks and pelletsSpecial Requirements: Need a lot of fibre in their diets to combat common digestive problemsWhat is a Red and Black Oranda Goldfish?There are more than 100 types of Fancy Goldfish, and Orandas are amongst the most popular. These fish are technically goldfish, Carassius auratus, though they’ve been specially bred to look very different than their more common cousins.Orandas are characterised by their stout bodies, long, trailing fins and a prominent, bubble-like ‘hood’ (sometimes known as a wen) on their heads. They come in many different sizes and colours, from small to giant and platinum to chocolate. This red and black colour morph is characterised by the red and black splotches that cover its fins, body, and head.Some Orandas develop huge hoods as they age, and these are known as Jelly Head Orandas. These are some of the most sought-after fish in the Fancy Goldfish hobby – the larger and more colourful the hood, the more sought after they are!Not much is known about the origin of Orandas, but it’s thought that they were one of the first types of Fancy Goldfish to be created by breeders in China. Other types of Fancy Goldfish include Ryukins, Ranchus, Pearlscales, and Telescopes. All of these varieties are available to purchase from Swell UK.How do I care for Red and Black Oranda Goldfish?Orandas, just like other types of Fancy Goldfish, require a moderate level of care. They’re not quite as hardy as their Common Goldfish cousins and do best in large, heated aquariums, rather than outdoor garden ponds. Some Fancy Goldfish keepers do choose to keep their goldfish outside in large, raised tubs/ponds during the summer months, however.A single Oranda needs at least 75 litres of space, though more is always better. They also benefit from a heater, despite being known as ‘coldwater’ fish. They don’t require a lot of heat, but stable temperatures of ~20°C will keep them in tip-top health and help their bodies go through all of their natural biological processes. On hotter days where room temperatures exceed 20°C, heaters can be switched off to cut down on energy spend.Like other types of Fancy Goldfish, Orandas eat a lot of food and produce a lot of waste. For this reason, they need to be kept in an aquarium equipped with a powerful filtration system. The best kind of filters for Fancy Goldfish aquariums are external canister filters. These are capable of filtering large aquariums upwards of 150 litres and can process large amounts of waste thanks to the huge amount of mechanical, biological, and chemical media that you can pack into them.Moreso than Common Goldfish, Orandas and other types of Fancy Goldfish suffer from digestive problems, like constipation. To ease this common problem and help your fish pass a blockage, offer them some high-fibre foods like blanched green peas. The most common cause of constipation in Fancy Goldfish is poor diet and overfeeding, but a lack of exercise (from being kept in a small aquarium) and water that’s too cold can also contribute.To avoid common digestive problems like constipation, it’s important that you feed your Orandas some high-quality, specialist flakes/pellets. You can offer them some live foods now and again as a treat but be careful not to overfeed.Orandas are best kept in small groups or with other types of Fancy Goldfish. Avoid keeping them with faster swimmers, like Common Goldfish, who can easily outcompete them for food. Also avoid keeping them with fish known to nip fins. Fancy Goldfish have long, trailing fins and as slow, clumsy swimmers they can quickly become easy targets for fin nippers.How is this Red and Black Oranda Goldfish delivered?All of our aquatic animals are dispatched from our livestock distributor and delivered directly to your doorstep. Our distributor dispatches and delivers livestock packages Tuesday through Friday to avoid animals being in transit over the weekend. To further minimise time spent travelling, all livestock deliveries are made before 1pm on the day of delivery.After placing your livestock order, you’ll receive all the information needed to track your livestock order via email. If you have any problems regarding delivery, or concerns about the health/wellbeing of your animal(s) upon arrival, please contact us, Swell UK Ltd, immediately, or at least within 48 hours of receiving your livestock order. Any other, non-livestock items that you purchase alongside livestock will be sent via standard or express delivery and arrive at your delivery address in a different package. This means that, depending on when