# Other Aquarium Forums > Freshwater Fauna >  Any tips on Ranchu?

## portisfish

Hi all, I am planning to keep some ranchus and will probably get some small Thailand bred ones to start with. Anyone knows any good place to purchase them? 

Thanks in advance.

Cheers
(Hope to meet some ranchu lovers too)

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## rain

hi there portisfish  :Smile:  ,

im new to ranchus too  :Smile:  but they r so cute arent they [ :Grin: ] . currently i have two ranchus, one tea coloured and the other orange/red with white. bought for $12 qianhu and $16 typ 69 respectively.

im still not quite sure how to choose a good one, but accordingly to my bf, one of the most impt thing to chk is the spine of the fish must be in a smooth curve. the face, u like can already [: :Smile: ] [: :Smile: ] 

both of them r pigs in water, i tell ya!!! and they r forever hungry [ :Grin: ] [ :Grin: ] and they response like carps too (and as told by bf, they belong to the carp family too so very sociable).

hope u'll find nice, fat, cute and hungry ranchus soon  :Razz:

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## portisfish

Hi rain,

Hi rain, nice to meet u.

How big are the ranchus now? By the way did u mean u got one of the ranchus from toa payoh blk 69? I used to go there very often  :Smile:  as I just stay round the corner. 

I do not know how to select ranchu too, am trying to get hold of a book or mag which illustrates them.

Do you keep them in a glass tank or fibre tank?

cheers

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## rain

:Smile:  nice 'meeting' u too.

yes i got my red/white ranchu from typ 69 abt 2/3 weeks ago for $16. that fella very cute and round [ :Grin: ]. 

bought from the lfs that had just changed owners *but i bought the ranchu before the change* i have being there recently too, and realised that they dont carry anymore ranchus but louhans and some other common fish and arowana now.

i will eventually house the two ranchus in a shallow 4' glass tank. is ranchu ur first fish?? why them?? just curious [: :Smile: ]

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## rain

my tea coloured ranchu is abt 10cm while the other one is abt 12/13cm.

u looking for how big a ranchu?

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## francis

saw some nice ones at bioplast.have kept them before but that was years ago.
cheers.

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## portisfish

> ----------------
> On 5/17/2002 2:02:00 PM 
> 
> i will eventually house the two ranchus in a shallow 4' glass tank. is ranchu ur first fish?? why them?? just curious [:] 
> ----------------


Do you mean u gonna custom make a shallow 4' for the ranchus? Like the one at rainbow at serangoon north? I pretty like the black ranchus there, but kinda of ex.... will check qianhu this weekend.  :Smile: 

Ranchu could be my first fish when I was much younger. hehe... I do keep some altums and dwarf cichlids like apisto now.  :Smile: 

cheers

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## portisfish

Hi Francis,

We've met right?  :Smile: 

Bioplast? Where is it exactly huh?

Will love to check out the ranchus there.  :Smile: 

Thanks

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## rain

u sound like ur under the influence of simon hoohohohoho [ :Grin: ]

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## francis

> ----------------
> On 5/17/2002 2:52:28 PM 
> 
> 
> Hi Francis,
> 
> We've met right? 
> 
> Bioplast? Where is it exactly huh?
> ...



Yes ,long time no see[ :Grin: ] [ :Grin: ] 
Bioplast
blk 22 boon keng rd.
you moving away from apisto?

Rain,Portisfish into apisto much earlier than Simon.our sifu in apisto. :Razz:   :Razz:

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## portisfish

> ----------------
> On 5/17/2002 3:57:06 PM 
> 
> you moving away from apisto?
> 
> ----------------


No exactly moving away, am still trying to breed those few I have. In fact wanted to get some from TOH this weekend but was told they only have agassizii for sale now...... 

I am thinking of breeding ranchus  :Smile: , at least there is a market for them as feeder fish to feed arowana or LH. hehehe

cheers

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## francis

what happen to yr other cichlids?as long as the feeder fish is not apisto......hehe :Evil:

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## portisfish

Hi Francis,




> ----------------
> On 5/17/2002 4:52:10 PM 
> 
> what happen to yr other cichlids?
> ----------------


Lost and gave away the rest of my tanganyikans, too difficult for me to breed those tropheus and they are really fierce. So I am only left with 12 altums and some dwarfs for cichlids.

Do let me know if you have any apisto for sale.  :Smile: 

Cheers

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## rain

dont breed ranchu as feeders .... [ :Embarassed: ]

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## wks

Hi portisfish, u may want to try Mainland fish farm, they have many tanks of ranchus and other types of goldfish. Its a paradise for goldfish lovers.

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## foxemty

I heard that ranchus are supposed to be appreciated from the top like a koi, is it true?

hehe thought of breeding them too as feeders for my aro [ :Grin: ] so that can cut down on my cost.

read that they need pretty drastic temp changes to breed in order to imitate the different seasons.

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## foxemty

Here a brief article on the standard of ranchus

http://www.showranchu.com/eng/knowledge/

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## portisfish

> ----------------
> On 5/17/2002 11:58:57 PM 
> 
> I heard that ranchus are supposed to be appreciated from the top like a koi, is it true?
> 
> hehe thought of breeding them too as feeders for my aro [] so that can cut down on my cost.
> 
> read that they need pretty drastic temp changes to breed in order to imitate the different seasons.
> ----------------


Hi, 

Yeah, I think they are preferably appreciated from the top, reason maybe are to view the way they swim, their markings (for those gold (red) and white ones) and their tails. And looks like most people keep them in shallow water, am not too sure the reason why, maybe for the top viewing too. But one thing for sure they are not too smart in getting the fish food.....

Yeah, maybe you should try breeding them. Cos no matter wat you need to cull them.  :Smile: 

I think many fish triggers into breeding mood when the water temperature turns abit lower, just to simulate the rain in the nature....

cheers

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## portisfish

> ----------------
> On 5/17/2002 11:40:01 PM 
> 
> Hi portisfish, u may want to try Mainland fish farm, they have many tanks of ranchus and other types of goldfish. Its a paradise for goldfish lovers.
> ----------------


Hi, will do that this weekend as last weekend was spent in the west. Thanks.

Cheers

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## kidi

hi, 

I am a ranchu lover too, but due to work commitments i have to give up my ranchu hobby for a while. There are basically, 2 types of ranchus, Thai/china, and Japanese ranchus.

Japanese ranchus are viewed from the top, their body structure is different for Thai ranchus. Jap ranchus are more &amp;quot;rectangular&amp;quot; when view from top, ie their body is &amp;quot;straight&amp;quot; at the side, tail is spread open, &amp;quot;backbone&amp;quot; near the tail should be thick. And they swim very &amp;quot;smoothly&amp;quot;. Scales condition are also better.. Price is definitely higher!!

Thai ranchus are best viewed from the side. they are more&amp;quot;chubby&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;fat&amp;quot; with nice curved back...

I have a link which stores my jap/thai ranchus photos. you guys can take a look  :Smile:  
http://members.tripodasia.com.sg/Ranchu_Kid/index.html
comments are welcome..  :Wink:  

And also, do not be &amp;quot;conned&amp;quot; by local fish shops that they are selling japanese ranchu!! i am a victim years ago in sergangoon fish shop! Actually, only very few(~2) shops selling TRUE Jap ranchus.. So, dont' let history repeat on you.. 
 :Razz:   :Razz:

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## foxemty

kidi, had you bred them before? where can you get jap ranchus?

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## portisfish

Hi kidi,

I think we've spoken on the phone. Eddie here, remember?  :Smile: 

Last weekend I've visited a few shops selling ranchus, the Japan ranchu shop, qianhu and straits, I still don't know how to select a decent one, the price varies just too much, from $3 to more than $1500!!! Kinda of tricky here. 

cheers

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## kidi

Hi eddie!!

yeah, i just come back Singapore, this Sunday i am available, you want to visit my jap ranchus? 

You can forget about the $3 jap ranchu fish, don't even bother, try the thai ranchus, they will look nicer than $3 jap ranchu. the S$1500 ones could be those limited &amp;quot;show grades&amp;quot;. Actually, the name &amp;quot;show grade&amp;quot; is vvery mis-leading.. Once you know how to identify a good ranchu, you do not need people to tell you what grade it is, or whatever name you want to call it.

I have sold my other &amp;quot;lower&amp;quot; quality ranchus away, or else i can show you the difference. The RED/WHite ranchu costs me S$1500, and the white is $1000 lasr year. the quality difference is there, the Red/White is definitely better. And you need to keep them in a &amp;quot;tub&amp;quot; instead of tank, orelse your $$ will go down the drain!! and they do not need powerful filters.. just airpump.. 


I have never breed jap ranchus before. first, i dont know how. Second, (or most important) you need the parents to be &amp;quot;top-of the line&amp;quot; before you breed them, so the ranchu &amp;quot;kids&amp;quot; will be good, or you may be wasting your effort. But, &amp;quot;top-of the line&amp;quot; also means EXPENSIVE.. [ :Grin: ] [ :Grin: ]

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## rain

> ----------------
> On 5/21/2002 10:27:42 AM 
> 
> ............And you need to keep them in a &amp;quot;tub&amp;quot; instead of tank, orelse your $$ will go down the drain............
> 
> ----------------


hi there kidi, what do u actually mean as above?? does the shape of the ranchu change if u keep them in a tub or tank?? or other factors that ur discussing abt ??

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## rain

and fyi, i keep my ranchus in tanks and not tub, although i realise most lfs sells ranchu in &amp;quot;tub&amp;quot;. but whats the point when i cant even see the face of my ranchus ?? they r so cute and the way they swim ard usually bring smiles to my face [ :Grin: ]

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## kidi

Rain,
Basically, good jap ranchus are expensive, and when you decided to buy them, you will want them to exhibit their best colours and behaviour.

First, 1 to 1.5 feet(ht) tub is required with at least 2x3 feet(lenght x breadth), with minimum current if you insist to use a filter. When you have a power filter the fish will have to struggle against the current, and their body growth could be affect, and you may end up a ranchu with a tail spread open 1 side, and &amp;quot;bend-in&amp;quot; the other side, or the ranchu swimming side ways, or even the ranchu swimming with it's head down!!! Note this features if you intend to buy jap ranchus. Also, the ranchu &amp;quot;sleeps&amp;quot; in the night, stationary. if there is current, they have to swim against hte current,--&amp;gt; stress..

I personnaly believe this theory applies to tank as well. if you need a good aeration, then put in a air pump. No strong currnt.

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## rain

kidi, my bigger (13cm) red/white ranchu is sleeping with its head pointing towards the gravel, is there anything wrong with it?? he is still as round a s a tennis ball though

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## rain

and my ranchus r definitely not from japan but they look so much better than some 'quality' ones that i have seen in the net and also in certain lfs whose selling jap ranchus from $60 onwards. but its the adorable or blur-looks that gets the points from me  :Smile:

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## kidi

rain,

I actually have 1 tub, and 1 tank. ==&amp;gt; tub for my jap ranchus, Tanks for my thai ranchus. Thai ranchus are appreciated from tanks, and they are cute!! 

Jap ranchus are appreciated from top, the way they swim, and their colours+scales (provided you know how to take care, orelse the colours fade..). and when the jap ranchus colours glow, i am very sure you can;t see the same in the thai ranchus!!! 

check out my web for my jap ranchu colours!!!

 :Cool:   :Cool:

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## rain

yupe still have tons to learn abt ranchus [ :Grin: ] 

wheres ur site kidi???

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## rain

yupe still have tons to learn abt ranchus [ :Grin: ] 

wheres ur site kidi???

PS I FOUND IT!!!!  :Cool:

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## kidi

Rain,

i also like 'round' thai ranchus!! i jus sold my fav away  :Sad:  
I will definitely agree with you on the $60 True Jap ranchus, no point buying these, may as well keep the thai ranchus!! All the $60 ranchus are very low quality, either cannt swim straigth, body not straight, eye looking up, tail not good, or small back bone... 

another possiblity: $60 jap ranchu = fake, ie from thai/china [:0] 

Does you ranchu swim head down or jus sleep head down?
Do you have a strong current?
How big your tank, with how many fish?

my site:
http://members.tripodasia.com.sg/Ranchu_Kid/index.html
any comments are welcome [ :Grin: ] [ :Grin: ]

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## portisfish

> ----------------
> On 5/21/2002 10:27:42 AM 
> 
> Hi eddie!!
> 
> yeah, i just come back Singapore, this Sunday i am available, you want to visit my jap ranchus? 
> 
> Hey, are you sure the QianHu, straits is true jap ranchu?? I don't think so. But Qianhu do have some nice thai/china ranchus, but you need to quarantine them first!!   
> ----------------


Hi Kidi,

Sunday sounds good. 

Yes, those at Qianhu and straits ones are from Thailand. I bought two black ones from Qianhu, $20 ea., only $5 discount for the two fish.

Looking forward to meet you. Please call me at 97479166 to arrange.

Cheers

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## rain

do 'report' back for nice ranchus in qianhu [ :Grin: ]

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## kidi

portisfish,

nice meeting you! after we left, i went to serangoon, wanted to get a PH meter from there. 

also went to rainbow, saw some of their &amp;quot;japanese&amp;quot; ranchu (wat they claimed to be.. ??)cost $1200 [ :Knockout: ] [ :Knockout: ]. anyway, i think you can tell whether it is jap or thai, or maybe a &amp;quot;Thai&amp;quot; babe posing as a &amp;quot;Jap&amp;quot; babe..  :Evil:   :Evil:  
you can check those out whn u hav time

i wonder why some people try to sell off a thai for a jap fish.. ?? in the long run people will not trust them.. some lfs are better or more honest, they just tell you they are thai, and the price is $800/1000.. simple. 

may go QH to look see look see tml.. they have some nice thai ranchus, and good aros.. better than staying home watch tv..  :Wink:   :Wink:  

kidi

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