Black Moor
The Black Moor rings in 2019 as January’s Fish of the Month. Originating in China from the early 1700’s, the Black Moor is a popular variety of Carassius auratus AKA goldfish. The breed is black with telescoping eyes and a twin tail. The name is thought to reference the North African Muslim inhabitants of the Al-Andalus region. Often called Black Telescope when imported or just Moor this variety has been perfected by breeders in the United States. Centreville Aquarium is proud to offer domestic Black Moor from a internationally recognized goldfish farm in Pennsylvania.
Although goldfish are traditionally kept in a bowl most hobbyist have little success without a continuously filtered aquarium. Give each goldfish at least five gallons of water. Provide small but regular feedings of high quality foods such as Tetrafin flakes for small mouths and Hikari Gold pellet for larger ones. Frequent snacks of fresh or even live foods such as brine shrimp and worms accelerate growth rates and make your fish show their best velvety black color. We do recommend augmenting the filtration with an air pump to guard against ammonia. Adding aquarium salt is a great way to protect your fish from unexpected levels of nitrite.
Black Moors are often housed with other lighter colored fancy goldfish to represent the balance of yin and yang. As the fish ages it is not uncommon for it to display colors such as white, copper, or even yellow possibly even loosing the black entirely. This color change is not a disease, reasons for the change include diet, water quality, lighting and genetics. Fortunately most treated aged tap water is very appropriate for goldfish keeping. Keep the water free of ammonia and nitrite with a pH of about 7.6. Prevent excessive nitrate levels by providing regular partial water changes and filter maintenance. With good care your Black Moor could grow to eight inches and live more than five years. Whether you keep your Black Moor inside or out in a pond, this fish is always fun to have around.
