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Bubble Eye The Bubble Eye is a variety of goldfish, characterized by the fluid-filled sacs it has underneath either eye. It is a 'fancy' variety, its unusual shape the result of many years of selective breeding. Like certain other fancy goldfish, the Bubble Eye lacks a dorsal fin, and has a double tail. It occurs in a number of colors, including gold, red, black, and calico. Its eyesacs typically start small, and then grow as the fish does, partially occluding its vision. Bubble Eyes can reach up to 6 inches (15 cm) in length. Care While Bubble Eyes are as inexepensive and easy to find as other fancy varieties, they are not recommended for beginning fishkeepers because their delicate eyesacs can be easily damaged by rough or sharp surfaces. A Bubble Eye should never be kept in a tank with anything abrasive, such as most rocks. Should the eyesac become punctured, it is important to treat the water with an antibiotic immediately to stop the puncture from becoming infected, as this can cause blindness in the fish. A punctured sac will eventually heal and grow back, although it may come back a darker color. Additionally, because their eyesacs can grow quite large and hamper their swimming somwhat, it is important that Bubble Eyes only be kept with other slow goldfish (other Bubble Eyes and Celestial Eyes are optimal, but many of the fancy varieties are fine as long as the individuals are not aggressive). Bubble Eyes prefer tanks with little or no current. They should be kept in a miniumum of 10 gallons (38 litres) of water per fish, although 20 to 50 gallons (75 to 200 litres) may be optimal, depending on the size of the fish. They are cold water fish, and prefer that water temperature be kept between 68 and 72 °F (20 and 22 °C). Warmer water temperatures can lead to oxygen deprivation and eventual death. As with most aquarium fish, water changes should be performed every week, and if the water seems excessively dirty, it is likely that the tank is too small. Being a large-bellied 'fancy' variety, Bubble Eyes can get intestinal problems if they eat too much food, and should generally be fed sinking pellets to avoid excessive ingestion of air. History The Bubble Eye goldfish variety was first developed in 1908. Links * Goldfish, Part 2 - An excellent article on keeping Bubble Eyes, as well as fancy goldfish in general
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