Care And Feeding Of The Bubble Eyed Goldfish
The Bubble Eyed goldfish is somewhat of a misnomer. There’s little denying that this is a rather strange looking fish, at least in its mature state. Unnatural might be a better word. The first thing that comes to mind is that this must be one of the goldfish species that is somewhat pop-eyed. There are certainly several species of that type, but they by and large aren’t particularly unnatural looking.
The Bubble Eyed goldfish in fact has rather normal appearing eyes. What gives it its unnatural appearance are two bubbles growing out of its cheeks, one under each eye. These bubbles, more accurately called sacs, are filled with water. They are not present when the fish are first born, and usually do not become noticeable until the fish is at least 6 months old. At that age the little sacs, or bubbles, start to appear and grow larger over time. Eventually they can become so large that the vision of the bubble eyed goldfish becomes impaired.
Bubbles Affect Swimming And Sight – The large bubbles may even affect the swimming ability of the fish, although it is not a terrific swimmer to begin with. Instead of being sleek and slim, like a Comet goldfish for example, the Bubble Eyed goldfish has a rather rounded shape, almost an egg shape. In addition, it is one of several species of goldfish, the Lionhead goldfish being one other, that does not have a dorsal fin. The combination of having an egg shape and lacking a dorsal fin makes the Bubble Eyed goldfish a somewhat awkward and slow swimmer. While this species can be kept in the same aquarium with other goldfish species, it can have trouble competing for food at times, so there may be instances where it is best not to place it in the water with certain other species. The Lionhead goldfish is one species that makes a good match.
Avoid Sharp Edges – Also, special care needs to be taken to ensure there are not any sharp objects or edges in the aquarium. Objects or edges that would not present any particular danger to other goldfish could puncture the water filled bubbles, which are rather fragile. If that happens, the bubbles will grow back, though perhaps smaller in size than they were previously. The danger is that the puncture is a wound and there is always the possibility of an infection setting in. Any infection affecting a creature the size of the Bubble Eyed goldfish could easily prove fatal.
Speaking of size, the Bubble Eye usually grows to just under 6 inches in length, though larger specimens have been noted. It comes in a variety of solid colors and bicolors. The most common solid colors are red, chocolate and black, though blue is not uncommon. Bicolored fish are mostly red and black or red and white.
Care And Feeding – Care for the Bubble Eyed goldfish is similar to that for most other species of goldfish. It will eat fresh, frozen, or flake foods and, being omnivorous, will readily take to brine shrimp and blood worms as well as vegetation. Frozen food or flakes are often the better choice, as fresh food sometimes can contain parasites which may attack the fish. All goldfish do best in clean water, but the Bubble Eye is a little more delicate than some other species, and has a lower tolerance for polluted water. It will also do better in a container having a large surface area, rather than in a goldfish bowl having a small surface area, as it needs plenty of oxygen and produces a good amount of waste. As far as waste is concerned, either the water has to be changed regularly or a good filtration system needs to be in place. When keeping pet fish, it is never a good idea to replace all the water with clean fresh water at once, but to do it in stages, changing out about a third of the water each time. This avoids over stressing the fish. Finally, water temperature at or slightly below room temperature is best for this fish. The Bubble Eyed goldfish is a cool water fish, but the water temperature should not be allowed to go much below 60 degrees, and then only for a short time.