Shubunkin fish Care Guide: Tank Size, Tank Mates, Lifespan, Diet

We tell you all about the shubunkin fish

We welcome you to our portal specialized in one of the most colorful fish you can have in your aquarium, the Shubunkin fish, with a great variety in color, a lot of vitality and especially easy to breed.

Care Level:	Easy
Temperament:	Peaceful
Color Form:	Calico
Lifespan:	15 Years
Size:	12 Inches
Diet:	Omnivorous
Family:	Cyprinidae
Minimum Tank Size:	75 Gallons
Tank Set-Up:	Planted Freshwater
Compatibility:	Other Peaceful Fish

Good companions in the fish tank

As you can predict, the name these fish receive comes from Japanese, meaning intense red mixed with different color. Checking as one of its characteristics are its red dots joining other types of colors. This species has varied greatly over the years giving rise to other subspecies that mix black or blue spots, instead of red features.

Shubunkin fish are the perfect companions to have in the fish tank and join them with other Goldfish species as they are very calm and friendly, especially with those who also live better in cold water. Although they do not usually attack other species,it is convenient that they are not joined with smaller fish, because you will see them as a possible food, so if there had to be a catch, it could be this.

They like to socialize a lot with other Shubunkin, swimming all over the fish tank without there being at any time a hierarchy or attacks between them.

Maintenance of Shubunkin fish

If you are starting in the world of aquarium we advise you to have the Shubunkin fish in your fish tank since they are usually very resistant and you will not have problems in taking care of them properly since they can live in extreme temperatures inside the aquarium and with very variable water conditions. The biggest demand they will have when living in an aquarium is that they are large enough so that they can swim a lot, since they are very active fish and love to have space to move from one place to another. So you have to have at least one fish tank of more than 100 liters.

On the subject of food you will not have to worry either, since they can eat anything being omnivores and are not at all delicate with food.

How to care for Shubunkin fish

To have a Shubunkin fish in good condition for more than 10 years, you have to know how to take care of them, preventing them from having lethal diseases for them.

Tips for the care of Shubunkin fish

This is an ideal fish for any type of person, from beginners to the world of aquariums, since they give many facilities in their maintenance, as for experts who seek to have fish that last a long time. They are also ideal for children because of their variety of colors, how they grow over the years and because they are very sociable.

Shubunkin fish love to move from one place to another, coming to live perfectly in certain extreme conditions inside an aquarium. The quality and pH of the water recommended for them is from 6.5 to 7.5. When it comes to having an optimal temperature it is preferable that the water is quite cold, being able to be both in temperatures with less than 10 degrees,up to a maximum of 25.

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The Shubunkin fish can live in fish tanks in which there is no filtration system, although it will be difficult to grow with this quality and with the concentration of nitrites, so it is recommended as long as you have installed a filter that is able to move the water constantly, helped at all times by an oxygenation system.

Care with the bottom of the fish tank

When caring for a Shubunkin fish you have to pay special attention to what you place at the bottom of your aquarium since they will enjoy removing it again and again, being able to make the plants that are attached to the bottom end up letting go. Shubunkin fish are going to be especially friendly with their own species and even with different ones but you should keep in mind that any other fish that has a size smaller than its mouth, will take it as a prey and attack it until it swallows it.

If you comply with all the care that we have told you it is very easy to maintain them finding cases in which they have come to live up to 20 years in perfect conditions, so if you really like them and take care of them perfectly you will have a pet for a long time.

Breeding of the Shubunkin fish

If you have a pair of Shubunkin fish and want them to raise, you can easily do so as long as you take care of some important factors.

Reproduction of the Shubunkin fish

Having Shubunkin offspring is quite simple, as long as you have a good fish tank and it is also in good hygiene conditions. When we talk about the size of the aquarium it has to be quite large, since in itself these fish move a lot, having a lot of activity, when it is breeding season they are much more so especially when it comes to chasing and harassing the female to spawn.

It can be done in different ways, being always important that there are more males than females to make fertilization safer.

When spring is approaching, which is when they usually begin to reproduce, it is convenient that weeks before you lower the temperature enough so that little by little you go up until the ideal time arrives.

It is also important that the aquarium is free of decoration or even gravel or plants to make it easier and cleaner. To improve the adhesion of the eggs to the bottom, you can try to put some net scourers so that they do not move.

Fertilization and hatching of fry

In courtship the male will constantly chase the female, inciting her to lay the eggs on the floor of the fish tank, when this occurs, which is usually when dawn the male sprays with his sperm the more than 5000 eggs. Those that look yellow are the ones that have finally been fertilized, having to wait between 5 to 8 days for them to hatch and come out of the egg.

You have to be very careful with them when they are born until about a month since the quality of the water affects them a lot,having to be cleaner than usual and free of nitrites. In this first month you should give them food for fry that you can find in any store, and at least feed them about 6 times each day.

When they pass this period they will be able to eat like an adult, although in smaller quantities.

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Fish tank for Shubunkin fish

These fish need conditions in the aquarium in which they are found that you must know so that their life expectancy increases.

A large fish tank for Shubunkin fish

Shubunkin fish are animals that like to be on the move for as long as possible, feeling uncomfortable when they are in a fish tank of less than 100 liters. For this reason if you are thinking of getting some of these fish you have to always opt for one of 100 or much higher,since over time they can exceed 15 centimeters, taking space away from other species you have in the aquarium.

Apart from this quality that the fish tank must have, they resist very well all temperatures including those that are around 10 degrees or even less, but as long as it does not exceed 25 degrees maximum. In the same way they can withstand the pH of the water extremes, although it is convenient as long as it is around 6.5 to 7.5.

Although these fish can live with a moderately clean pond, it is preferable that the water change is done regularly since in this way we will prevent them from getting sick and have greater durability.

Water care

It is important to put a good filter so that they can have optimal oxygenation, they do not need to like other fish a high quality filter, but if you want them to be well, we recommend that you make a commitment to a good filtration system as well as a competent oxygenation system since it will improve the quality of the water, avoiding the nitrites generated by marine plants.

Water changes should not be radical, that is, do not change the entire water since they can get sick by not being used to the change, so it is recommended that it be done partially every week.

The decoration should be scarce since in this way they will be able to move more freely and enjoy the space more. When putting live plants, always remember to hold them very well to the base, since they are very voracious and can tear them out of rennet from the ground. If you want to try a type of plants, try duckweeds or foxtail.

Types of Shubunkin

So that you can choose the best type of Shubunkin fish for your fish tank, we analyze each of the variants that you can find in the market.

The Japanese origin of the Shubunkin fish

The origin of this type of fish has been dated in Japan, although it has evolved a lot over the years, finding an endless number of variants, especially because of the export made by the English, taking it to England and mixing them with other Goldfish, giving birth to very characterized subspecies.

Although it is the original species of the Shubunkin fish, the Japanese type is one of the most complicated to find today. It has a very large dorsal fin that covers almost the entire back of this fish, and has a very characteristic coloration, preserving the reddish spots on a usually white body. The rest of the fins he uses for swimming are very long, ending all in point. Unlike other species, the Japanese Shubunkin fish has only one anal fin.

The most common variant and that you can possibly find in any specialized store is the Shubunking London. These are able to reach if you take care of them correctly the 15 centimeters long, so you should keep in mind a large aquarium for them. They can look a lot like a type of aquarium fish called Carasius, but with the difference that these have mottled skin. The fins have a dark, almost black tone, and the caudal with different colors that it shares with the rest of the body.

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Other variants you can find

If the Japanese Shubunkin fish was going to have a hard time finding it, it is possible that the Bristol type will become a challenge for you, having to get hold of it the first moment you see it. It has a very long and much wider caudal fin, in addition the colors are presented in colored stripes, being very beautiful the effect it gives in the water. This tail is divided into two, being much more colorful than the London type.

Finally also comment on one of the variants of Shubunkin fish called comet, for the type of body, since it is thinner, having dark colorations, reaching brown or black.

What Shubunkin Fish Eat

If you have any questions about the feeding of the Shubunkin fish, we will clarify what they eat and how their diet should be.

A varied diet for Shubunkin fish

This little one is able to devour everything in its path, paying special attention to the fry that we could have breeding in our aquarium as well as the plants we have to decorate. The Shubunkin fish is omnivorous, which means that it can put anything in its mouth, from meat, small larvae or worms,to all kinds of vegetables and vegetables.

Usually you will have no problem accepting fruits or vegetables if you chop them very well, making them like a small pasta. You can eat from spinach, cucumber, apple, peas, carrots. It is important that they have a lot of fiber in their diet and carbohydrates that come from these vegetables.

It is preferable that you feed them several times a day with a smaller amount, that you give them everything in a lot since they will devour everything and when a few hours pass they will feel hungry, and they will be able to raze what they have nearby. The amount will also vary according to the season in which they are and also according to the temperature of the water, eating more in summer than in winter.

Live food as a contribution of proteins

In addition to fiber and carbohydrates you will also need plenty of protein to help them grow much bigger and look healthier. The most effective and enjoyable way is with live food,you can give it mosquito larvae, earthworms, bloodworms, shrimp or small prawns, flies, all this can enter the diet of your Shubunkin fish. If you want to make a balanced and very varied diet,try grinding fresh fish with a little vegetables, they will be eating everything.

Despite being able to eat dry food, which we can find in pet stores, it is recommended that it be supplied very little, or before giving it to soak for a few minutes, since this can cause the dreaded swim bladder.