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Goldfish are an ideal start for the beginner but if you really want to see the beauty of this fish you need to be an advanced aquarist. We import goldfish every two to three weeks including the ever-popular Lionheads, Ranchus, Telescopic Eyes, Bubble Eyes, Butterfly Fantails, Comets, and many more.
Experts believe that Goldfish have been kept as pets for over a thousand years. Originally kept near temples in China, Goldfish were soon in demand by travelers across the world. By the mid-1800s they were introduced into the United States. With the advent of selective breeding, new varieties of Goldfish emerge every year. Currently over 120 varieties of Goldfish exist.
Goldfish are hardy and easy to care for, which has helped make them the most popular pet fish in the world. A well cared for Goldfish will live 15 to 25 years. The oldest known goldfish lived to be over forty years old.
Common Goldfish
This is the age-old staple of fish-keeping history, the common goldfish. Sturdy and easy to care for, they can be identified by their single caudal (tail) and anal fins. The tail fin is relatively short with somewhat rounded tips. Commons come in a variety of colors, including orange, yellow, red, brown, and black.
Comets are very similar to Common goldfish, but have much longer fins and a more slender body. Most notable is the long caudal (tail) fin that is deeply forked and has pointed tips.
The popular fantail goldfish has a caudal (tail) fin that is both divided and forked (meaning it is split into two portions, each of which has a fork in it). The tail is held straight out when swimming, and if viewed from the top resembles a fan.
Veil tailed goldfish has a long full tail that is not forked. The pelvic and pectoral fins are also long, and complete the flowing appearance of the fish.
This species of goldfish is not only very popular, but very recognizable. Moors sport the large protruding eyes that are seen in telescope-eye varieties of goldfish. They are always black, although with age they take on a distinctive golden-black hue.
Shubunkins are one of the single-tailed varieties of goldfish. This specimen shows the typical calico colors that ideally include red, orange yellow, blue and violet, in addition to a sprinkling of black spots. The long flowing tail is indicative of the Bristol variety of Shubunkin. London varieties have a shorter tail (or caudal) fin.
The Ryukin is a Japanese import, named after the Ryukyu Islands. One of the larger Goldfish, it can be distinguished by the steeply sloping back from the dorsal (top) fin to the head. Red and silver Ryukin, such as this pair, are highly prized by the Japanese.
This variety of goldfish shares the absence of a dorsal (top) fish, with the Lionhead, Oranda, and Celestial goldfish. What sets these fish apart are the large fluid filled sacs around the eyes. This specimen is a calico, the color extending right onto the eye bubbles!
Orandas were developed by crossing the lionhead with the veil tail. This Oranda is showing only slight hood development, quite common in bronze colored Orandas. The long slim pelvic fins and flowing tail are typical of a veil tail.
Lionheads, Orandas and Ranchu all have hoods, and a bumpy growth on the top of the head that can extend around the eyes and over the gill covers. How can you tell the three varieties apart? Orandas are the only one that possesses a dorsal (top) fin. Both the Lionhead and Ranchu have no top fin.
What's different between the Lionhead and the Ranchu? The back of the Ranchuthat curves sharply and points down by the time it reaches the tail.
Like the Lionhead, Ranchu lack a dorsal (top) fin and develop a hood that can grow on the top of the head, as well as around the eyes and gill covers. However they are readily distinguished by a steeply arched back, most noticeable near the caudal (tail) fin. The arch can be sufficient to cause the tail to point downward when at rest. This Ranchu has calico coloration coupled with black spots, similar to the Shubunkin.
The scales on this fish have a pearl-lke appearance: this is due to each scale having a domed, or raised, center. These fish are usually metallic or calico in color, and in most other respects, the strain appears to conform to the usual rounded body shape and "double" anal and caudal fins of the twin tailed group of goldfish.
The panda moor is a fancy goldfish with a characteristic black-and-white color pattern and protruding eyes. Panda moors have delicate projecting eyes, deep bodies, and long flowing finnage. Like any other moor goldfish, pandas can grow very large. They are metallic-scaled and veiltailed. Young moors resemble bronze fantails and their protruding eyes gradually develop with age. They sport a velvety appearance in maturity. However, they may loose this velvet-like appearance with increasing age.
The Lionchu, or lionhead-ranchu, is a result from crossbreading a lionhead and a ranchu. A fancy goldfish criteria for the lionchu brings together the traditional side view characteristic of both the ranchu, and the lionhead. The deep body, curved back and tail placement of the ranchu have merged with the lionheads large headgrowth. Lionchus also lack a dorsal fin.
The fancy Celestion eye goldfish have a pair of characteristic telescope eyes which are turned upwards. Celestial gold fish are part of a realtively small group of goldfish without a dorsal fin. They can vary widely in color, with either metallic of nacreous scales. Due to many issues that the upward oriented eyes, celestial gold fish are best kept in a tank with out celetial eyes. Young Celestials will have normal eyes that protrude slightly sideway and then over a period of 6 months will turn upwards.
Tosakins are a more rare breed of goldfish that are typically found in Japan. With a body shape like the Ryukin, the Tosakins tail fins open and spread flat causing the front ends to curl under.
Tosakin goldfish are best viewed from above, showing their pointed head, round trunk, and flat half circled tail that curls under.
Tosakin goldfish can be found in the following colors:
* Red
* Red and White
* Iron Black
* Calico
Very similar to the Ryukin, the Telescope Eye has the obviously enlarged projecting eyes. The telescope eye goldfish has a deep body and long flowing fins. Also know as Demekins, Telescope eyes can grow quite large, and are available in the following colors:
* red
* red-and-white
* calico
* black-and-white
* chocolate
* blue
* lavender
* chocolate-and-blue
* black
A fancy goldfish, Pompoms have bundles of loose fleshy outgrowths on each side of the head, between the nostrils. With a similar body shape and finnage to the lionhead, the pompom supports it's nasal outgrowths and not the headgrowth of the lionhead. These outgrowths are developed through selective breeding of the pompom. |
