Hello everyone, I hope you’re having a fantastic day. In this blog, we’ll explore Gold fish, a captivating variety in freshwater aquariums. We’ll delve into their rich history spanning over a millennium, unveiling crucial facts for potential owners.
Domesticated Gold fish boast an ancient lineage, with their domestication dating back to 960 AD in China, and they’ve undergone extensive selective breeding by the Chinese and Japanese over centuries, evolving from drab Prussian carp ancestors into a diverse array of colorful, exotic-looking fish. Among these, the celestial goldfish stands out. With over 100 varieties, some may be region-specific. Beginners often start with robust types like Comets, Fantails, and Moors before venturing into the more exotic ones like Water Bubble Eyes, Lionheads, and Celestials.
Goldfish come in a myriad of colors, reflecting the diversity of their scale types. While metallic is common, nacreous and matt scales also exist. Their colors span the spectrum, from black to white, red, or various combinations, with orange and red-orange being the most prevalent. Notably, the Common Goldfish retains the fins of its Prussian Carp ancestor, unlike other varieties shaped by selective breeding.
Gold fish have three basic fin variations.
#1 Single caudal. (The Common, Comet, Bristol, London, and American or Japanese Shubunkins are common to single-finned varieties).
#2 Twin caudal fins
#3 Twin caudal fins and no dorsal fin.
There are variations within each of these forms such as length, fullness, and shape.
There are three basic body forms in gold fish:
#1 Long and streamlined. These varieties have single caudal fins (Comets, Shubunkins).
#2 Short and rounded. These varieties all have twin caudal fins with deep rounded bodies (Orandas, Moors, and Veiltails).
#3 Short and rounded but not as deep as the varieties mentioned above. These varieties lack a dorsal fin (Celestials, Water Bubble Eyes, Lionheads).
There are four basic eye types in gold fish.
Goldfish display diverse eye types: normal, telescopic (Moors), upward-facing (Celestials), and fluid sacs under the eyes (Water Bubble Eyes). Don’t mix normal-eyed goldfish with others, as they often dominate feeding.
Goldfish are omnivores, needing plant and animal-based foods for health, especially shorter, rounder varieties. Feeding depends on season, age, and breeding. Overfeeding dry foods is a top cause of death due to water pollution.
Goldfish tolerate very cold or hot water with gradual changes. Their ideal range is 55-80°F.
They mirror water temperature, so avoid swift changes exceeding 5°F.
Goldfish require ample space, about 24 sq inches per inch of body length, more for deep-bodied types.
Adaptable to diverse water conditions, they can’t endure low oxygen from pollution or overcrowding. Filters help.
They scatter eggs among plants, males fertilizing them. After breeding, no parental care.
Maintaining water quality is vital. Overfeeding dry foods pollutes water; change water and add salt if needed.
Diverse diets are key, including flakes, granules, live/frozen foods, vegetables, and peas. Feed moderately 2-3 times daily.
Goldfish eat at all levels but favor small floating pellets for cleanliness and fair distribution.
Avoid fatty meats in cold water. Regular water changes, conditioning, and gravel vacuuming maintain quality.
To sum up, knowing eye types, a balanced diet, temperature control, space, and water quality are essential for healthy, enduring goldfish.
Goldfish can be kept indoors or outdoors.
If keeping them outdoors, the pond or container needs to be big enough to avoid large temperature changes at night.
It is perfectly acceptable to keep goldfish indoors in a 15-gallon aquarium where the temperature will not drop markedly during the night.
If a 15-gallon container is used outside, the temperature drop in some seasons will be too great too quickly. An outdoor pond should be at least 80-100 gallons.
Goldfish kept outside must be covered to protect them from birds and cats. Their bright colors make them an easy target for birds.
If you train your goldfish to come to a certain spot for feeding, your cat will love you for it.
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Gold fish: Interesting facts.
