Variations
3 kinds · tap one for a closer look
Golden orfe
Active schooling fish that jumps and needs plenty of swimming space; not suited to small tanks.
- Golden orfe eats animals up to about 8 cm. Neon tetra only grows to 2.5 cm.
- Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 21–22 °C.
- Golden orfe eats animals up to about 8 cm. Cardinal tetra only grows to 3 cm.
- Golden orfe needs cool water and makes a lot of waste, while Cardinal tetra is tropical.
- Golden orfe eats animals up to about 8 cm. Black neon tetra only grows to 3.2 cm.
- Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 21–22 °C.
- Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 21–22 °C.
70 species in our list are a good match.
Care and water
Behavior
Active schooling fish that jumps and needs plenty of swimming space; not suited to small tanks.
- cool
- current
Food
Floating pellets, flake and insects.
Tap a food to see what it is.
Male or female
Health
Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.
Breeding
Egg-scatterer · Hard
Spring spawner in large ponds; rarely bred at home.
Group of 5+ adults.
Large pond with gravel and plants.
Spring temperature rise.
Thousands of adhesive eggs.
Fry feed on plankton then fine pellets.
- Small ponds
- Low oxygen
Where it lives in the wild
The story of the golden orfe
A fast-swimming European pond fish kept for its golden colour. It needs a large pond and plenty of oxygen.
Linnaeus described the ide in 1758 as Cyprinus idus. The golden orfe is an ornamental form selectively bred for its orange colour. It is a popular pond fish thanks to its surface-feeding habits.
First described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758.
- The wild form, called the ide, is silver-grey.
- It often swims in schools near the surface in ponds.
- It can grow to over 50 cm.