🐟 Shubunkin Goldfish Care Guide

Shubunkins are beautiful single-tailed goldfish famous for their distinctive calico colouring.

Their colours can include combinations of:

• Blue

• Black

• Red

• Orange

• White

No two Shubunkins look exactly the same, which makes them particularly attractive aquarium and pond fish.

Shubunkins are active, hardy swimmers and can grow much larger than many people expect.

Adults can reach approximately 20–30cm or more with correct care.

They can live for 10–20 years or longer, making them a genuine long-term commitment.

🏠 Aquarium Size

Shubunkins need plenty of swimming space.

They are not suitable for long-term keeping in:

• Fish bowls

• Tiny aquariums

• Small unfiltered containers

Young Shubunkins can initially be kept in an appropriately sized aquarium, but you must plan ahead for their adult size.

For long-term indoor keeping, think in terms of a large aquarium of several hundred litres, particularly when keeping multiple adults.

Larger is always preferable.

The aquarium should provide:

• Plenty of open swimming space

• Powerful filtration

• Good oxygenation

• Digital thermometer

• Safe substrate if used

• Suitable plants and decorations

• Clean, treated water

Always plan for the adult fish rather than the size it is when purchased.

🌳 Excellent Pond Fish

Shubunkins make fantastic pond fish.

Their active swimming style and eventual adult size make a properly designed outdoor pond an excellent long-term environment.

A suitable pond can provide:

• Large swimming areas

• Natural enrichment

• Plants

• Good oxygenation

• Natural seasonal changes

• Plenty of space for adult growth

The pond should be:

• Appropriately sized

• Deep enough for seasonal conditions

• Properly maintained

• Well oxygenated

• Filtered where required

• Protected from predators

Never release unwanted Shubunkins into natural waterways, lakes, canals or ponds.

📏 Adult Size

Shubunkins can reach around:

20–30cm or more

depending on:

• Genetics

• Age

• Diet

• Water quality

• Environment

• General husbandry

That little Shubunkin you bring home can eventually become a substantial adult fish.

💦 Water Quality

Excellent water quality is essential.

Goldfish produce a considerable amount of waste.

Poor water quality can contribute to:

• Stress

• Gill problems

• Skin problems

• Fin damage

• Disease

• Poor growth

• Reduced lifespan

Remember:

Clear water isn't necessarily safe water.

Harmful ammonia and nitrite can't be judged by looking at the aquarium.

🔄 Cycling the Aquarium

The aquarium should be properly cycled before adding your Shubunkin.

Beneficial bacteria establish inside the filter and process waste through the nitrogen cycle:

Ammonia → Nitrite → Nitrate

Aim for:

Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm

Nitrate is controlled through regular water changes, good filtration and sensible stocking.

Cycling a new aquarium can take several weeks.

Simply filling the tank and running the filter for a few days doesn't mean it is cycled.

🧪 Testing Your Water

Use an appropriate aquarium water test kit.

Regularly monitor:

• Ammonia

• Nitrite

• Nitrate

• pH

Water testing is particularly important:

• In new aquariums

• After adding fish

• Following filter problems

• If fish become unwell

• After significant changes to the aquarium

If ammonia or nitrite is detected, investigate immediately.

🚿 Tap Water

Tap water should be treated with a suitable aquarium water conditioner/dechlorinator before being added to the aquarium.

Chlorine and chloramine can be harmful to fish and beneficial filter bacteria.

Always follow the manufacturer's instructions.

🌡️ Temperature

Shubunkins are coldwater fish.

A general temperature range of around:

🌡️ 15–22°C

is suitable for indoor keeping, provided conditions remain reasonably stable.

They don't normally require an aquarium heater in a typical UK home.

Avoid placing the aquarium:

• Beside a radiator

• Next to a fire

• In direct sunlight

• Anywhere experiencing dramatic temperature changes

Stable conditions are preferable to rapid fluctuations.

🔄 Filtration

Shubunkins require powerful filtration because of the amount of waste goldfish produce.

Choose a filter capable of comfortably handling the aquarium volume and fish load.

Suitable options can include:

• Powerful internal filters

• External canister filters

• Appropriate combinations of filtration

Good filtration should provide:

• Mechanical filtration

• Biological filtration

• Good water circulation

The filter should normally operate 24 hours a day.

Don't routinely switch it off overnight.

🧽 Cleaning Your Filter

Beneficial bacteria live within established biological filter media.

Avoid repeatedly washing biological media under untreated tap water.

When cleaning is necessary, reusable media can generally be gently rinsed using water removed from the aquarium.

Avoid replacing all established filter media at the same time unless genuinely necessary.

🚿 Water Changes

Regular partial water changes are essential.

An established Shubunkin aquarium may typically require around:

20–30% weekly

However, the correct amount depends on:

• Water test results

• Aquarium size

• Number of fish

• Size of fish

• Feeding

• Filtration

Heavily stocked setups may require larger or more frequent water changes.

Use your water test results to guide your maintenance routine.

💨 Oxygenation

Shubunkins appreciate well-oxygenated water.

Good surface movement from the filter encourages gas exchange.

Additional aeration can be provided using:

• Air pump

• Air stone

• Bubble bar

Extra aeration can be particularly useful during warm weather because warmer water naturally contains less dissolved oxygen.

🪨 Substrate

Suitable options can include:

• Bare-bottom aquarium

• Suitable aquarium sand

• Appropriately sized smooth substrate

Avoid sharp materials that could injure your fish.

Shubunkins naturally enjoy investigating and foraging along the bottom.

🌿 Plants & Enrichment

Shubunkins are active, inquisitive fish.

Provide an interesting environment while maintaining plenty of open swimming space.

Suitable enrichment can include:

• Aquarium plants

• Large smooth rocks

• Safe aquarium wood

• Suitable substrate

• Different areas to explore

Remember that goldfish may:

• Dig around plants

• Uproot plants

• Eat softer plants

Avoid sharp decorations that could damage fins or scales.

🐟 Keeping Shubunkins Together

Goldfish are social fish and generally benefit from compatible goldfish company when sufficient space is available.

Suitable companions can include other similarly sized, active single-tailed goldfish.

However, every additional fish creates:

• More waste

• Greater space requirements

• Increased filtration requirements

• More maintenance

Don't overcrowd the aquarium simply to provide company.

Adequate space and water quality come first.

🍽️ Feeding Your Shubunkin

Shubunkins are omnivorous.

A good-quality complete goldfish food should form the foundation of their diet.

Suitable foods can include:

• Quality goldfish pellets

• Appropriate flakes

• Suitable gel foods

• Appropriate frozen foods

• Suitable live foods from safe sources

• Selected vegetables

Variety can provide additional nutrition and enrichment.

🥣 Pellets & Flakes

Both can be suitable when they're good-quality foods designed specifically for goldfish.

For larger Shubunkins, appropriately sized pellets can be particularly useful.

Avoid relying entirely on cheap, low-quality foods simply because your fish eagerly eats them.

🥬 Vegetables

Suitable vegetables can provide additional variety.

Small amounts can include:

• Shelled peas

• Courgette

• Spinach

• Other suitable soft vegetables

Remove uneaten fresh foods before they begin to spoil.

⏰ How Often Should I Feed?

Adult Shubunkins can generally be fed once or twice per day in sensible portions.

Young growing fish may require appropriately sized meals according to age and size.

Only provide an amount your fish can consume within a short period.

Don't continue adding food because the fish still appears hungry.

Goldfish are very good at begging!

⚠️ Don't Overfeed

Overfeeding can cause:

• Excessive waste

• Poor water quality

• Increased ammonia

• Digestive problems

• Obesity

• Filter problems

If uneaten food is regularly lying on the bottom, reduce the amount being offered.

🚫 Foods to Avoid

Avoid:

• Bread

• Dairy products

• Processed human foods

• Salty foods

• Sugary foods

• Mouldy food

• Inappropriate fatty foods

• Wild foods from contaminated water

Use foods appropriate for aquarium fish.

🎏 Shubunkins & Other Goldfish

Shubunkins are fast, active swimmers.

They generally mix most easily with similarly active single-tailed goldfish, such as:

• Comets

• Sarasa Comets

• Other Shubunkins

Many fancy goldfish varieties are considerably slower.

This can create competition at feeding time.

If different types are mixed, make sure every fish is:

• Getting enough food

• Swimming comfortably

• Maintaining good condition

• Not being continually outcompeted

👀 Daily Checks

Take a few moments each day to observe your fish.

Look for:

• Normal swimming

• Normal appetite

• Clear eyes

• Healthy fins

• Smooth scales

• Normal breathing

• No unusual spots

• No wounds

Daily observation helps you notice problems early.

🩺 Health

A healthy Shubunkin should generally:

• Swim actively

• Respond to food

• Have clear eyes

• Hold its fins normally

• Breathe normally

• Maintain healthy-looking scales

• Maintain good body condition

Learn what's normal for your individual fish.

⚠️ Signs to Watch For

Seek experienced aquatic or veterinary advice if you notice:

• Persistent refusal to eat

• Unusual bottom sitting

• Gasping at the surface

• Very rapid breathing

• Clamped fins

• White spots

• Cotton-like growths

• Red or inflamed areas

• Open wounds

• Raised scales

• Severe bloating

• Persistent abnormal swimming

• Repeated rubbing against objects

• Significant weight loss

If a fish becomes unwell, one of the first things you should do is test the water.

Check:

Ammonia – Nitrite – Nitrate – pH – Temperature

Poor water conditions can cause or contribute to many apparent health problems.

🧂 Don't Automatically Add Treatments

Don't immediately add medication, salt or chemicals simply because your fish looks unwell.

Different problems require different treatments.

Incorrect treatment can:

• Stress the fish

• Affect beneficial filter bacteria

• Alter water chemistry

• Delay appropriate treatment

Test your water and identify the likely problem first.

🦠 Quarantining New Fish

Where practical, quarantining new fish before introducing them to an established aquarium or pond can reduce the risk of introducing parasites or disease.

Never knowingly add an unwell fish to an established healthy group.

🧹 Cleaning

Every Day

• Check your fish

• Check temperature

• Check filter operation

• Remove uneaten food

• Remove obvious waste or dead plant material

Regularly

• Test the water

• Carry out partial water changes

• Clean viewing glass

• Remove accumulated waste

• Maintain filtration when required

Avoid completely stripping and sterilising a healthy established aquarium unnecessarily.

❄️ Outdoor Winter Care

Healthy adult Shubunkins can live outdoors year-round in a properly designed UK pond.

The pond needs sufficient depth and water volume to remain stable during cold weather.

During winter:

• Feeding naturally reduces as temperatures fall

• Don't continue heavy feeding when fish metabolism has slowed

• Keep the pond healthy and well maintained

• Ensure appropriate gas exchange

• Don't smash ice violently if the surface freezes

Pond suitability depends on its size, depth, filtration and local conditions.

Ask us if you're unsure whether your pond is suitable.

🏡 Bringing Your New Shubunkin Home

Before collecting your fish, the aquarium should already be:

• Fully set up

• Filled with treated water

• Properly cycled

• At a suitable temperature

• Equipped with powerful filtration

• Providing good oxygenation

• Tested for ammonia and nitrite

• Ready with appropriate food

Aim for:

Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm

Properly acclimatise your new fish rather than simply tipping it straight into the aquarium or pond.

Allow it time to settle.

📈 Remember – Shubunkins Grow!

That small colourful fish can eventually become a 20–30cm+ adult.

Before buying, consider:

• Adult aquarium size

• Pond size

• Number of fish

• Filtration requirements

• Water-change requirements

• Long-term running costs

Don't plan around the little fish you're taking home.

Plan for the adult fish it will become.

👨👩👧 Is a Shubunkin Right for You?

Shubunkins can make fantastic long-lived pets when provided with the correct environment.

Before buying one, remember that they:

• Can live for 10–20 years or longer

• Can reach 20–30cm+

• Need plenty of swimming space

• Aren't suitable for bowls

• Produce considerable waste

• Require powerful filtration

• Need a properly cycled aquarium

• Require regular water testing

• Need regular water changes

• Benefit from good oxygenation

• Require a varied diet

• Can make excellent pond fish

A Shubunkin should be treated as a large, long-lived goldfish, not a small temporary pet.

❤️ The Most Important Things to Remember

A happy, healthy Shubunkin needs lots of swimming space, excellent water quality, powerful filtration, good oxygenation and a varied diet.

Remember:

🏠 Never keep Shubunkins long-term in a bowl or tiny tank.
💧 Maintain excellent water quality.
🔄 Use powerful filtration.
🧪 Regularly test ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.
🚿 Carry out regular partial water changes.
💨 Maintain good oxygenation.
🍽️ Feed a varied, good-quality diet.
⚠️ Don't overfeed.
🌳 A suitable pond can make an excellent adult home.
📏 Plan for a fish that can reach 20–30cm or more.

Have the aquarium fully set up, cycled and running correctly before bringing your Shubunkin home.

🐟 Roxy's Pet Shop

Need help with your Shubunkin?

Whether you're choosing an aquarium, pond equipment, filter, air pump, water conditioner, test kit, food, substrate or decorations, please ask us. No question is too small or silly – we'd much rather you ask.

We recommend having your complete aquarium fully set up and cycled before collecting your fish.

Roxy's Pet Shop
Bloxwich High Street, WS3 3LA
☎️ 01922 492521
🌐 roxyspetshop.co.uk

This care guide provides general husbandry information and does not replace professional aquatic or veterinary advice. Requirements can vary depending on the individual fish, aquarium or pond, stocking level and filtration used. If you're concerned about your fish's health, seek advice from an experienced aquatic professional or fish-experienced veterinary professional.