A docile fish species with a characteristic black coloration, unique appearance, and peaceful temperament, turns out there’s a lot more to Black Moor Goldfish than meets the eye.
Their ease of care alone makes them a highly sought-after species within the fishkeeping community.
And if you think about their resilience in captivity, you will know that you are dealing with an exceptional Goldfish variety that’s an incredible addition to modern aquariums.
Have you ever imagined how an entirely black Goldfish could instantly transform your home aquarium? This guide will help you understand it better.
You will learn everything about Black Moor Goldfish care, including average size in captivity, appearance, diet, tank mates, behavior, breeding, and more.
Species Overview
Every Goldfish has something unique to offer to the aquarium community. And for the Black Moor variety, it’s all about their characteristic appearance and bulging eyes.
| Category | Rating |
| Family | Cyprinidae |
| Color | Black |
| Lifespan | 10-15 Years |
| Care Level | Easy |
| Behavior & Temperament | Peaceful |
| Compatibility | Peaceful fish community |
| Food and Diet | Omnivores |
| Size | 6-8 Inches |
| Tank Setup | Freshwater: Plants and swimming space |
| Tank Size (Minimum) | 20 Gallons |
That’s why as a beginner-level aquarist, you won’t experience many cuter moments than having your beautiful Black Moor friend stare at you passionately, with their gorgeous, telescopic eyes.
Like many Fancy Goldfish varieties, the Black Moor Goldfish are members of the Cyprinidae family and were first developed in China and Japan long ago.
Over the years, their simple care requirements have contributed to their steady rise to the ranks of the most popular Goldfish varieties.
Today, the Black Moors have acquired even cuter nicknames in the aquarium community, including the Moors, Telescopes, Dragon Eyes, and Demekins, with every moniker referencing their large, protruding eyes.
Lifespan
If you keep them in home aquariums, you can expect the Black Moors to have a respectable lifespan of about 10-15 years. In some cases, this can easily stretch to 20 years if they get ideal tank water conditions.
By now, you should be aware that the easiest way to reduce the fish’s lifespan is to deprive them of necessities such as quality water, a balanced diet, and enough swimming space.
But we will cover that in the forthcoming paragraphs.
Appearance
You may already predict that the Black Moors will have a characteristic solid black coloration all over their bodies, from their name alone. But it shouldn’t be unusual to find similar species with orange patches that are just as beautiful as the regular dark patterns.
However, the color patterns in these fish tend to vary according to age. The juvenile Black Moors have more faded or dark bronze coloration, becoming completely black in maturity. On the other hand, adult fish will have black or gray shades all over their bodies.
The “black fish with big eyes” is a term commonly used by some aquarists to refer to the Black Moor Goldfish, and it’s easy to see why.
Even if you’ve never seen the Moors before, their showy, telescopic eyes will tell you that you are dealing with a special Goldfish variety. Usually, they have two big eyes that appear to pop out of the socket and are more noticeable in maturity.
Of course, we can’t fail to mention the Black Moor’s round, egg-shaped bodies, which are beautiful from every view.
Unlike their long and free-flowing anal and tail fins, the Black Moors will have large pectoral and dorsal fins to balance their bodies when swimming.
Size
An ordinary Black Moor Goldfish measures between 6-8 inches in captivity, and this is the standard length they can reach if you maintain the best conditions inside their habitats.
Black Moor Goldfish Care
We mentioned that the blackmoor fish have large, protruding eyes that have made them quite likable in the entire fishkeeping community. But in a classic account of irony, these fish have poor vision compared to most other Goldfish varieties.
Consequently, they need protection from more aggressive species and other fast-moving fish known to increase the stress levels inside the aquarium.
Also, the poor eyesight impedes the fish’s swimming ability, and they may often stumble upon objects when navigating through the tank water. With that in mind, your biggest concern will be sharp objects, which can create multiple injuries to the fish’s body.
Remember, the Black Moor Goldfish is no longer found in the wild. So, in terms of tank elements, you will want your aquarium to mimic the conditions inside the Wild Carp’s habitat.
The following section will break down the care guidelines in detail.
Tank Size
To begin with, a single Black Moor needs a minimum tank size of 20 gallons to stay healthy in captivity. But you should remain flexible in this regard by first understanding the tank water conditions and the actual number of fish in the aquarium.
A simple, unconventional rule dictates that you should include an additional 10 gallons for every new fish you will keep in the same tank.
You may be tempted to keep these fish in glass bowls as some aquarists do, but that’s an outright terrible idea.
Instead, you should focus on setting up a befitting habitat using a regular, high-quality water tank with the right components.
Water Parameters
Like any freshwater fish, the Black Moor Goldfish depend on quality food and suitable tank conditions to thrive.
And this is what we meant when we said these fish could thrive in a Wild Carp’s original habitat.
- Water Temperature: 50-75°F
- pH Levels: 6.5-7.5
- Water Hardness: 4-20 dGH
Investing in a water heater is not mandatory if you maintain the water temperature within the above-mentioned range. However, proper aeration will be vital to keep a thriving community.
What to Put in Their Tank?
Firstly, proper oxygenation will be key to keeping a healthy community at home. This means investing in the right filtration system is a requisite for keeping a thriving Black Moor population.
Aside from that, these fish do well with standard aquarium lights, so you won’t have to worry about investing in new lighting systems.
Fine sand or moderately-sized gravel is the most suitable substrate to include at the bottom of the tank because that’s where your Black Moor friends will want to spend much of their time in the aquarium.
Generally, substrate choice remains a personal decision, and you can tailor your option to suit the fish’s specific needs and behavior in captivity.
As you may probably guess, the Black Moors have a close relationship with natural plants and may occasionally nibble the soft leaves if they want to.
What’s more, the Moors’ delicate nature makes them extremely wary of their surroundings, and they will want enough hiding spots to feel more comfortable and secure in a home aquarium. Floating plants such as hornworts are some of the best options here.
To conclude, artificial decorations such as bogwood and rocks can also act as great hiding spots if you need an aesthetically appealing theme to compliment your aquarium.
Common Diseases
Black Moors are hardy fish that won’t give you many problems if you keep them at home. However, swim bladder is one of the most common diseases you will want to keep away from your healthy Goldfish community.
The swim bladder disease is linked to constipation and bacterial infections, with the infected fish always showing obvious symptoms like buoyancy.
If your Black Moor contracts the swim bladder disease, they will either spend much of their time floating on the water surface or sitting at the bottom half of the tank, wholly detached from their new habitat.
Also, the symptoms of the swim bladder disease can be persistent even after medication, so you may need to seek an expert’s advice to bring sanity inside the tank.
What’s more, common skin infections like the velvet disease will also bother captive-bred Black Moor Goldfish. These are classic examples of parasitic and bacterial infections with variable signs and symptoms.
However, the most obvious signs will be spots all over the fish’s body and discoloration. Simple medications will help you alleviate such symptoms, but the first step is to improve the tank water quality.
Despite their resilience, the Black Moor Goldfish can be a delicate species to deal with. So, you should pay more attention to the tank water parameters and the fish’s diet in captivity.
Plus, ensure you isolate the affected fish as fast as possible to prevent the disease from spreading to the healthy community.
As a happy pet owner, your primary goal should be to maintain clean, high-quality tank water by adopting a few helpful strategies, such as changing at least 25% of the tank water every week.
What Do Black Moors Eat?
Black Moor Goldfish are perfect omnivores and have plenty of food choices in captivity. Their standard diet is highly diversified and can include anything from dried pellets to flakes and protein-rich live and frozen foods such as tubifex worms, daphnia, brine shrimps, and bloodworms.
Also, they can eat larvae, small pieces of vegetation, tadpoles, and small insects. Green vegetables should be part of their diet to provide additional nutrients and help maintain an intact digestive system.
Here, you should prioritize high-quality sources such as spinach, broccoli, and lettuce to reduce the risk of constipation.
Overfeeding is a persistent problem in captive-bred Black Moor Goldfish. Luckily, you can avoid it by restricting your fish to small amounts of food using a twice-a-day dietary plan.
Behavior & Temperament
Now, shall we talk about the excitement that comes with keeping the Black Moor Goldfish in captivity? Usually, these are gentle community fish that will cohabitate peacefully with similar species or equally less aggressive and slow-moving fish.
The only time you will see a distressed Black Moor Goldfish is when you introduce a wrong tank mate to the same habitat or force them to compete for resources with the fast-moving species.
Otherwise, these fish will be the true definition of tranquility, giving you much-needed peace of mind when caring for your little pet friends.
Black Moor Goldfish Tank Mates
Black Moor Goldfish are peaceful species but fragile at the same time. Not to mention their seemingly poor vision and reduced swimming ability.
If you combine these traits, you will understand why choosing the most suitable tankmate is a significant aspect of quality life in this Goldfish community.
For the record, the Black Moors won’t fancy their chances against large, aggressive bullies such as the Cichlids.
Also, they can’t match the agility of small, fast-moving fish in the same aquarium. Under such circumstances, your Black Moor Goldfish will be bothered by high competition for resources and may even die from constant exposure to stress.
That being said, here’s the complete list of Black Moor Goldfish’s compatible tank mates:
- Oranda Goldfish
- Neon Tetras
- Mollies
- Cherry Barbs
- Zebra Danios
- Angelfish
- Kuhli Loaches
- Glass Catfish
- Bristlenose Plecos
- Otocinclus
- Dwarf Gouramis
It’s worth reminding that the Black Moors can also live peacefully with common invertebrates such as Amano Shrimps, Nerite Snails, Ghost Shrimps, and mystery snails.
Plus, they enjoy their own company and will have no problem living together in small groups, provided they have enough swimming space.
Breeding
Like many Goldfish varieties, you can breed the Black Moor Goldfish in captivity with minimal effort.
Because the spawning period usually occurs in the spring season, you may need to adjust the water parameters to suit such conditions.
You can start by slowly increasing the water temperature by 3°F a day as you monitor other parameters. Then, keep it constant at 75°F.
The female Black Moor will lay a whopping 10,000 eggs to begin the breeding process. Of course, you should put the adult fish in a separate breeding tank during this period while monitoring them closely to be sure they are safe from intruders.
The eggs will take just a few days to hatch, and at this point, you can feed the baby Black Moors on iron and protein-rich foods until they are old enough to eat proper fish food.
Final Thoughts
Black Moor Goldfish are relatively easier to manage if you understand all the care guidelines from the start.
They are an excellent choice for beginner-level aquarists and advanced hobbyists and will always do well with the right diet and tank decorations.
If you keep them together with other fish, it’s important to pick the most suitable tank mates that encourage peaceful coexistence in captivity. Aside from this, be sure to give them the right tank conditions, and you won’t get enough of their distinctive traits.
