{"product_id":"red-and-white-comet-carassius-auratus","title":"Red And White Comet | Carassius auratus","description":"\u003ch2\u003eDescription\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Comet is the classic single-tailed goldfish — streamlined, lightning-quick and enormously hardy. This red-and-white form (often called a Sarasa when heavily red-marked) is a pond and large-aquarium favourite. Be aware it is a big, fast, long-lived fish that can reach 25–30 cm, so it needs serious space rather than a bowl.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch2\u003eNatural Habitat\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eCarassius auratus is a domesticated form of a hardy East Asian carp, and fancy varieties like this one exist only in aquaria and ponds. Wild goldfish inhabit slow, cool, weedy waters, so they appreciate a spacious tank or pond with gentle flow, robust filtration and cool, well-oxygenated water rather than tropical heat.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch2\u003eAppearance\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA slim, torpedo-shaped goldfish with a single, long, deeply-forked tail that can be nearly as long as the body. The red-and-white patterning varies from fish to fish. Built for speed and endurance, comets are far more athletic than the round-bodied fancy varieties.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch2\u003eTemperament and Compatibility\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003ePeaceful but extremely active and fast. Comets are social and best kept in groups, but their speed and appetite mean they should only be housed with other single-tailed goldfish or pond fish — they will easily out-swim and out-compete slow fancies at feeding time.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch2\u003eFeeding\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eAn omnivore with a big appetite. Feed a quality goldfish pellet or gel food as the staple, supplemented with blanched vegetables, and occasional frozen bloodworm, brine shrimp or daphnia. Soaking dry foods before feeding helps prevent the swim-bladder and buoyancy troubles that round-bodied fancies are prone to. Feed small amounts and never overfeed this heavy waste producer.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch2\u003eCare Requirements\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis is a pond-scale fish. Provide a very large aquarium of 200 L or more, or ideally an outdoor pond, with powerful filtration to cope with its heavy waste. Keep it cool at 18–24 °C, pH 7.0–8.0 and moderately hard water. Plenty of open swimming length matters more than depth.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch2\u003eBreeding\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eGoldfish are egg-scatterers that spawn in spring as water warms, chasing among fine-leaved plants or spawning mops where the sticky eggs are laid and abandoned. Sexing is difficult outside the breeding season, when males develop small white tubercles on the gill covers and pectoral fins. Fry are easy to raise but the varied fancy forms rarely come true to type.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch2\u003eSpecies Information\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003ctable\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eScientific Name\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCarassius auratus\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCommon Name\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eComet Goldfish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOrigin\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDomesticated (ornamental form; wild ancestor from East Asia)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMaximum Size\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAround 25–30 cm\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLifespan\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e10–20 years with good care\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTemperament\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePeaceful\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDifficulty\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBeginner\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMinimum Tank Size\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e200 L\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRecommended Tank Size\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLarge aquarium or garden pond\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDiet\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOmnivore: goldfish pellets, gel foods, vegetables, frozen foods\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWater Temperature\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e18–24 °C (coldwater)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003epH Range\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e7.0–8.0\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eGH Range\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eModerately hard to hard, around 8–20 dGH\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSalinity\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNot applicable (freshwater)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSuitable For\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLarge, cool, well-filtered aquariums or ponds\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eReef Safe\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNot applicable\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePlant Safe\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNo (goldfish nibble, dig and uproot soft plants)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003c\/table\u003e \u003ch2\u003eSuitable Tank Mates\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eBest kept with other goldfish of similar type and swimming speed. Slow, round-bodied fancies mix best with other fancies (fantails, orandas, ryukins, moors), while faster single-tails suit comets and shubunkins. White cloud mountain minnows and hillstream loaches are cool-water companions in larger set-ups.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch2\u003eAvoid Keeping With\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eAvoid tropical community fish that need warmth, nippy species such as barbs and tiger barbs that pull at flowing fins, and any fish small enough to be swallowed. Slow fancy goldfish will be out-competed for food, so avoid mixing the two body types.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Nick's Aquarium Oceanarium Terrarium","offers":[{"title":"Small (1-5cm)","offer_id":55232821821731,"sku":"AA1381-S","price":6.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Medium (5-10cm)","offer_id":55232821854499,"sku":"AA1381","price":9.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Large (10-15cm)","offer_id":55232821887267,"sku":"AA1381-L","price":14.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false},{"title":"X-Large (15-30cm)","offer_id":55351969513763,"sku":"AA1381-XL","price":19.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0972\/7236\/5347\/files\/red-and-white-comet-carassiu-43091451314467.webp?v=1790306577","url":"https:\/\/nicksaquariumoceanariumterrarium.com.au\/products\/red-and-white-comet-carassius-auratus","provider":"Nicks AOT","version":"1.0","type":"link"}