Lionhead (goldfish)
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| iLionhead goldfish | ||||||||||||||||
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| Carassius auratus auratus (Linnaeus, 1758) |
The lionhead is a variety of goldfish similar to the ranchu. Both lack dorsal fins, have a double tail, and compact, rounded bodies. The Lionhead is usually considered a Chinese variety, while the ranchu was developed in Japan.
In general, lionheads have more extensive headgrowth but less arch in their backs than do ranchus. They lack the distinctive "tail tuck" ranchus have. As breeders throughout Asia buy and sell breeding stock, a certain amount of overlap now exists between the two varieties.
Both types are prone to problems with their swim bladders. To avoid this, a high-quality diet of sinking pelleted food or gelatin-based food is optimal. Floating foods are high in ash content and are not a good idea for fancy goldfish (most serious goldfish keepers and breeders don't use flake food of any kind). Sinking foods allow less air to be swallowed and can reduce bloating as well.
When choosing fish, select one that can swim upright without losing buoyancy, explores the tank in an alert but relaxed manner, and doesn't have frayed fins or other body sores.
The lionhead goldfish is a comparatively hardy variety of the fancy goldfish and can be kept with other slower-moving fancy varieties such as the fantail, veiltail, pearlscale and oranda. They have also been kept in ponds with success, however they are not as hardy as single-tailed varieties such as the common or comet goldfish and are better suited to aquarium living.
One of the smaller varieties of fancy goldfish, lionheads rarely grow beyond 5 inches.
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