The  Ranchu originated in China many years ago. They are one of the oldest types of fancy goldfish to date. In the 1800’s, these fancy goldfish were introduced to the Japanese in hopes of further developing the breed.

The Ranchu is highly sought after for goldfish competitions, especially in China and Japan. These fancy goldfish have a round and chubby body shape that is similar to that of the Lionhead or the Oranda. In fact, they resemble the Lionhead so closely that they are often mistaken for them. The Ranchu goldfish breed lack a dorsal fin which is one of the reasons for their restrictive swimming abilities.