Details
Carassius auratus
The lionhead goldfish is a domestic form of goldfish with a freshwater, omnivorous ancestry. Selective breeding has emphasized a rounded body and fleshy head growth.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
Its ancestry lies in Palearctic freshwater fishes, while kept fish need quiet ponds or aquaria. In naturalized settings, still freshwater most closely fits its needs.
Length is about 10-20 cm and weight about 50-300 g. A rounded body without a dorsal fin, short tail, and fleshy hood over the head are key traits.
It is not a fast swimmer and moves through the lower and middle water in loose groups. It responds to food by day and night but handles strong current poorly.
It is omnivorous, eating algae, soft plants, small bottom animals, and prepared foods. The mouth picks through fine material on the bottom.
In warm seasons it lays sticky eggs on plants or other surfaces. Parents do not guard eggs, so young depend on shallow cover after hatching.
Its status is listed as Least Concern. As a cultivated ornamental form it is best kept responsibly, and releases to natural waters should be avoided.
