Black Moor Goldfish Care Guide - Tank Setup, Feeding & Breeding

The Black Moor is a striking fancy goldfish recognised for its deep black colouring, rounded body and prominent telescope eyes. Its flowing fins and velvety appearance make it one of the most recognisable goldfish varieties, although young fish may develop their final colour gradually and some adults show bronze or orange tones as they age.

Unlike the streamlined common goldfish, the Black Moor has a compact body and modified swimming style. Its telescope eyes give it a distinctive, somewhat comical expression, but also mean it is less agile and has poorer forward vision than many other goldfish.

Black Moors are generally peaceful, inquisitive fish that spend much of their time exploring the lower and middle levels of the aquarium. They are social without being strict shoaling fish and often become familiar with their keeper, especially when they associate movement near the aquarium with feeding.

In the wild, goldfish ancestors inhabit slow-moving and still freshwater environments such as ponds, marshes and gentle streams. Selective breeding has produced the Black Moor's unusual body shape, finnage and eye structure, making it a specialist fancy variety rather than a wild-type fish.

The Black Moor is a domesticated ornamental variety of the goldfish, Carassius auratus, whose wild ancestors originated in East Asia, particularly China. The variety was developed through selective breeding rather than occurring as a natural wild population.

Provide at least 110 litres for one adult Black Moor, with roughly 40 litres or more for each additional fancy goldfish; a pair is best housed in around 150 litres or more. Prioritise a long aquarium at least 90 cm in length, with generous floor space and efficient filtration, rather than a tall, narrow tank. Use smooth sand or rounded gravel that cannot damage the eyes or be easily swallowed, and decorate with hardy plants, smooth rocks and driftwood with no sharp edges. Leave open swimming areas and ensure the filter creates good oxygenation without an excessively strong current.

Up to around 15–20 cm (6–8 in) in body length, excluding the tail. Females are often slightly larger and rounder than males, particularly when mature.

Offer a varied diet based on a quality sinking fancy-goldfish pellet or gel food, supplemented with blanched peas, spinach, courgette and occasional treats such as daphnia, bloodworm or brine shrimp. Sinking foods are preferable because they reduce surface gulping and allow these less agile fish to feed comfortably. Feed small portions once or twice daily and remove uneaten food promptly.

Black Moors are peaceful community fish and can be kept with other fancy goldfish of a similar size and swimming ability, including Orandas, Fantails, Ryukins and Ranchus. Avoid housing them with common, comet or shubunkin goldfish, which are usually faster and may outcompete them for food. Tropical fish, fin-nippers and boisterous species are also poor choices, while very small fish may be swallowed and large or aggressive fish may injure their eyes or fins.

Black Moors breed by external fertilisation, usually during a seasonal rise in temperature. A well-conditioned group can be moved to a separate, spacious breeding aquarium with dense spawning mops or fine-leaved plants, where the male chases and nudges the female to release eggs. Remove the adults after spawning, as they readily eat the eggs. The eggs typically hatch in several days, and the fry need very small foods such as infusoria or commercial fry food before progressing to baby brine shrimp.

Sexes are difficult to distinguish outside the breeding season. Mature males may develop fine white breeding tubercles on the gill covers and pectoral fins and tend to be slimmer, while females are usually fuller-bodied, especially when carrying eggs.