Black cap oranda lost the black, but not the cap

[stoneydee]

My black cap oranda (fancy goldfish) is losing the black on his cap. Not the cap itself, and no fungus (I know bad water conditions can cause fungus). Ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates are zero, pH is 6.8, temp in the unheated tank stays about 70 degrees F.

He stills swims and eats normally and does not seem to be in any distress. There are no wounds to the cap (he shares a tank with three other fancies, but he's the only oranda). The only thing I can think of is that I do feed the sinking goldfish pellets that support the brilliant gold and orange colors. Could that cause him to lose the black color on the cap?

Any other goldfish keepers out there with some insight?

 

[jsoong]

I've never kept black cap orandas. From what I've read, however, goldies don't keep the black pigmentation too well. If you get baby goldies, there is no way to tell if they will grow up with the same colouration. The only oranda that keep the cap colour/contour is the red cap. Other cap colours may change as the baby grow.

If yours is an adult, it is possible that he is losing the black colouration due to old age - I know the black Moors often become brown as they age - I don't know if that also is true of black cap orandas.

Finally, a black background/gravel is supposed to encouraged goldies to keep the black colouration. But it might all be genetics. I bought what was supposed to be a calico fantail with really pretty black markings that grew up to be a gold metallic ryukin ... so you never know.

Hope this help some.

 

[Capt.Gorilla]

Goldfish are black when they are young and then change to glod or silver, as long as he is acting normally don't worry.

 

[stoneydee]

Thanks. These are really cool fish, and I hoping to have them for years. It's pretty easy to find information about keeping them alive, but not a lot on what to expect as they mature.

 

[Sati]

Stoney, I believe they can live a good 25 years! I'm hoping to have my 3 Orandas for a long time

 

[Allivymar]

Does your oranda get any sunlight? They will often lose their black caps if they don't get exposure to the sun. Orange comets will turn white without sunlight exposure, and red cap orandas will lose the red cap as well.

Heh and they sure can live a long time. Apparently the world record for a goldfish is 68 years!

 

[stoneydee]

The tank is not in the sun, but the shades are open on an east window, and if it's sunny, the room is bright enough to read without a lamp. I wouldn't say the tank gets no sunlight, but certainly not direct light.

Liberace looks bald (actually, real orange) without his black cap, but he's otherwise healthy as far as I can tell.

 

[jsoong]

When the books talked about sunlight for goldies, they mean outdoors in a pond. Even a brightly lit window is no match for that.

Actually, blacks in goldies fade to brown or bronze, so if Liberace is turning orange, he is likely changed from juvinile to adult color & there's not much you can do about that.

BTW - to find out about how goldies change as they grow, try books on breeding fancy goldfish. (I just borrow them from the library.) It is a pretty interesting subject, & the books usu. have something on how various traits develop as the fish matures.