Black Moor Goldfish

Carassius auratus

Animalia›Chordata›Actinopterygii

Variety of Fancy Goldfish · black moor

📍 Captive-bred (hybrid)

A fancy goldfish variety recognized by its velvety jet-black coloration and distinctively protruding telescope eyes, which make it more vulnerable to injury and infection. It is a slow swimmer best kept with other fancy goldfish rather than fast pond varieties, in an unplanted tank with smooth decorations.

Size7"

Min Tank20g

peaceful

Zonemid

Care Guide

Diet

Black Moors are omnivorous and should be fed high-quality sinking goldfish pellets as their staple diet, supplemented 2-3 times weekly with blanched vegetables like peas, zucchini, and spinach. Offer frozen foods such as bloodworms and brine shrimp 1-2 times per week. Feed only what they can consume in 2-3 minutes, once daily, as overfeeding causes water quality issues and health problems.

Behavior

Black Moors are slow, deliberate swimmers that spend much of their time foraging along the bottom and mid-water levels. They are peaceful and social fish that do best in groups of other fancy goldfish varieties, though they can be kept singly. Their poor eyesight due to protruding telescope eyes makes them vulnerable to injury, so they should never be housed with fast, aggressive, or fin-nipping species.

Breeding

Breeding Black Moors in captivity is possible but challenging and rarely achieved by hobbyists. They require cooler water temperatures (around 60-65°F) to trigger spawning, along with dense plants or spawning mops. Fry are difficult to raise due to their small size and specific dietary needs, making successful breeding uncommon in home aquariums.

Tank Mates

Fancy Goldfish

Ideal companions with similar size, temperament, and water requirements; share the same slow swimming pace

excellent

Gold Mystery Snail

Peaceful scavenger that helps with algae and debris without competing for food or harassing the goldfish

good

Ramshorn Snail

Small, peaceful snail that aids in tank cleaning and poses no threat to the Black Moor

good

Nerite Snail

Hardy snail that grazes algae without reproducing excessively or being eaten by the goldfish

good

Common Diseases

Ich (Ichthyophthirius multifiliis)

Symptoms

White spots on body and fins, flashing against decorations, rapid breathing, lethargy

Treatment

Raise water temperature gradually to 74-76°F, perform 25% water changes daily, use aquarium salt (1 teaspoon per 5 gallons) or commercial ich treatment; maintain for 10-14 days

Fin Rot

Symptoms

Frayed or deteriorating fins, discoloration at fin edges, fin loss

Treatment

Perform 25-50% water changes immediately, improve water quality, add aquarium salt, use antibiotic treatment if severe; remove any sharp decorations that may cause injury

Eye Infections/Cloudy Eye

Symptoms

Swelling or cloudiness of the telescope eyes, discharge, difficulty seeing

Treatment

Perform frequent water changes to reduce ammonia and nitrite, use antibiotic eye drops or broad-spectrum antibiotics; ensure smooth tank decorations to prevent eye injury