|
| |
|
FAQs About Goldfish Varieties
Related Articles: Goldfish
Varieties,
Bubble Eye Goldfish
by Spencer Glass, Goldfish in General,
Goldfish
Systems, Goldfish Disease, Goldfish
Mal-Nutrition,
Related FAQs: Goldfish in
General, Goldfish Behavior, Goldfish
Compatibility, Goldfish Systems, Goldfish Feeding, Goldfish
Disease, Goldfish
Breeding/Reproduction,
Closely related... Koi... Cyprinus carpio... same species as the common
carp. |
|
|
Fancy goldfish show in
Singapore 9/28/08
Bob
Pics from a local goldfish show. Attached is the champion for the Metallic
Ranchu category. More pics to follow once I sort them out and sorry for
the amateurish shots. I took these photos with a cheap digital camera.
Perry
<Very nice. Thank you for sending along. BobF>
|
 |
More
from Perry Chong at the Sing. Goldfish Show
9/29/08
This one is the champion of the Ryukin short tail category
<Beauty>
& This beauty won the Grand champion
<Very nice> |
 |
|
I don't think what I
got was what it was labeled... 2/4/08
My mother and I bought two of these fish that were labeled as Fancy
Tail Goldfish... However I do not think that they are.... In the tank at
Wal-mart all of the similar fish were in the same tank and the girl that
was scooping them up did not know much about them... she said there was
a koi fish in the tank with the gold fish but wasn't sure which one.
<These all appear to be Goldfish, Carassius auratus. Koi, Cyprinus
carpio, can be distinguished most easily by looking at the mouth: Koi
have a pair of barbels, Goldfish do not.>
My question is about the large gold colored fish that we bought... It
does not act like any fish I have ever seen. It does not swim... It sits
on the bottom of the tank right on the gravel. It also from time to time
will suck up the rocks and spit them out... It also seems to suck at the
fake plants we have in the 10 gallon tank. When I was trying to get a
picture of it.. it did start moving around the tank.. I'm not sure I
would call it swimming...it went sideways for a bit and then did all
manner of flip-like movements and was trying to hide like...
<Likely constipated and desperate for some proper food. Don't use
"goldfish food" as a staple -- it's very bad for them when used all the
time. Most days, give them green foods. Read this article:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/gldfshmalnut.htm
And change the feeding accordingly.>
Also it's mouth opens up huge...! I mean it almost looked like it two
mouths... which couldn't possibly be, but still. I have never seen any
supposed gold fish do that. It has a flat head, a fat bulbous body and
the fancy fins and tail are up from the body... I looked at all manner
of fancy goldfish and the one that looks closest to it is the Ryukin.
However ours does not have the bump on it's head that the ones in the
pictures had. The ones in the pictures also were al of mixed white and
gold scales, ours is solid gold. It seems to be getting along with the
little gouramis and the other supposed spotted fancy tail goldfish:
(which has a completely different body shape.. It is more oval in shape
and slender with the fancy fins and tail, the body is longer and it's
spots are orange, and black with a mostly white body) we also have a
tiny little cat-fish like thing (algae eater) in the tank that doesn't
really swim. It stays in the barrel decoration we bought.
<Hmm... bit worried here. The "algae-eating catfish" is like
Pterygoplichthys spp, a TROPICAL species that will die in a coldwater
aquarium. It gets to about 45 cm in length and cannot possibly be kept
in a 10 gallon aquarium. If the "catfish" is actually the Chinese Algae
Eater Gyrinocheilus aymonieri, then that's even worse -- this fish eats
little algae, and as it grows to a maximum size of 30 cm becomes
incredibly territorial and aggressive. It can, will suck at the sides of
slow-moving fish, rasping away at the mucous, and causing much damage in
the process. There are coldwater catfish, such as Ictalurus spp., but
these are rarely in the trade. Most become huge (50 cm+) and are highly
predatory.>
I'm just concerned about what kind of fish this is... if it starts to
get very large I am afraid it might eat the other fish and I don't think
I could handle that...Besides... We live in a small apartment and I'm
not sure what we would do with a very large fish...
<Which is why your identify the fish BEFORE you buy it, not afterwards.>
Any help is greatly appreciated. I have attached pictures of the gold
fish and one of the spotted fish. Hopefully you can tell what it is...
they are the best I could do.
<Sorry, couldn't make out much from all of those pictures, though they
do seem to be standard issue Goldfish. Cheers, Neale.> |
|
 |
Odd asymmetrical Ryukin tail?
12/11/07
How common is it to have extra tail 'lobes' on a goldfish? "Fancy" has three
on the left side of her tail, and only 2 on the right, and has been like that
since I got her; it doesn't seem to affect her swimming (nor appetite!). The top
paired lobes are essentially symmetrical, though the right bottom lobe is
slightly larger than the left bottom. Doesn't look like there's anything
"missing" from the right side of the tail, but I've never seen this tail anatomy
before. Have you guys?
<Greetings. What you describe is quite common. The difference between fancy
Goldfish sold in pet stores and the "deluxe" sort kept by aficionados largely
comes down to this: conformity with the ideals of the breed. That's why
enthusiasts will spend tens if not hundreds of times more on pedigree,
show-quality fish compared with the buck or two the average aquarist spends on a
fish that needs to be nothing more than a nice pet. There's nothing wrong with
your fish, and indeed this odd mutation will likely add to its charm in your
eyes. So enjoy your fish! Cheers, Neale.>
Goldfish,
type... 11/16/07
hello, nice to ask questions again!
<Nice for whom? Please pay attention to capital letters, grammar,
abbreviation and so on to make questions nicer for us to read and share
with other Wet Web Media visitors.>
i bought two Ryukin goldfish 2 weeks ago, but now am frustrate if both
of them are Ryukins or not, here are the pics...
tnx!
<They both look like some sort of Ryukin to me. Do bear in mind that
quite what people mean by 'Ryukin' tends to vary. But yours do have the
right basic shape and fins. Either way, no reason to be frustrated.
Enjoy your new pets. Cheers, Neale.> |
|
 |
Fancy
goldfish identification - help! 5/29/07
Hello to everyone at WWM,
<Howdy Oliver>
I have a little bit of a problem I would like your advice on. Your site
has been excellent in giving me advice so far - I have been a long-time
lurker but this is the first time I've needed to get in touch (as it's
the first time I haven't found the answer to my problem archived
somewhere).
<Good>
I have had my fancy goldfish for a few months now, in a 50 litre tank
(11 UK gallons) and he is a good four inches long now. Obviously this is
far too small
<Yes>
and I'm looking to get a much bigger tank. I think 30 gallons would be
okay for him, but I'm thinking about getting a larger tank, about 50
gallons (is that about 240 litres?), so I can get another fish to keep
him company.
Is this size good for him, or is it even too big?
<No such thing... I have four goldfish in a ninety...>
I also don't know what kind of fish he is. I was told he's a Pearlscale,
but he doesn't have the traditional domed scales, neither is he the
right sort of golf-ball shape.
<Yes... but not high-bodied like a Ryukin... I make this out to be a
Calico (due to the mixed color of the body) Fantail...>
My local store suggested he might be a cross-breed,
<All goldfish varieties are the same species, actually di-hybrid
crosses>
but I thought I might as well try and find out. I was wondering if you
could look at the attached picture and identify him for me? Apologies
for the picture quality, he won't co-operate to be photographed!
<Heee!>
There was one other small point. He has always had sort of red staining
under his buccal cavity (I think), or what I would less technically
describe as "under his chin"! Is this normal?
<Mmm, maybe not... likely so-called petecchia... called septicaemia at
times... due to changeable, slipping water quality... Again, the larger
volume...>
You can kind of see it in one of the pictures I sent. His water quality
is perfect (zero nitrites and ammonia, nitrates around 5mg/l, pH stable
at around 7.5) and his tank is clean, but I'm a bit concerned that it
might be a bacterial infection nonetheless as a small patch has appeared
near his right eye too - however, that's only been there a couple of
days and could just be a scrape.
Once my fish has been identified (or not?) could you please let me know
what kind of fish would be compatible with him?
<Is posted on WWM:
http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwlivestkindex.htm
Scroll down to the gold line...>
My reading is conflicting. I'm told that all goldfish can live together,
<Usually yes... though the less fancy varieties (Comets, Shubunkins...)
can too-easily out-compete, out-grow the more fancy (rounder) types...>
but also that some fish, e.g.. Celestials, have to be kept separately.
<Ah, yes>
I'd quite like a Black Moor (about the same size as my current fish
would be a good idea, I think), but do you think that's a good idea?
<I do think this is an excellent choice (I have two myself)>
Thank you very much for your help and for the site, which has been of
great help to me in the past and I'm sure will be in the future!
Oliver
<A pleasure to share eh? Bob Fenner>Re: Fancy goldfish identification - help!
And tank weight 5/30/07
Hello Bob-
<Oliver>
Thank you very much for your quick response, it was tremendously helpful and
it's nice to finally be able to put a name to my fish!
<Ah yes>
I do have one further question to ask - based on your response, around fifty
(UK) gallons would be appropriate for my current fish and a similarly-sized
Black Moor. However, I do live on the first floor of a block of flats (less than
10 years old) and so I'm a little worried about the load-bearing ability of the
floor, as such an arrangement would weigh around 600 pounds (I estimate). I was
planning on getting a Rio 240 aquarium from Juwel, which comes with a stand and
that would hopefully distribute the weight quite well, but I don't know what you
think of putting this on the first floor; would it be too heavy? I have checked
the relevant material on WWM but there's nothing about a 50G tank (the lowest
was 75G). Am I worrying about nothing? I am going to cycle the tank for a month
or so before putting my fish in anyway, so it's not the fact that my fish would
be at risk (as wouldn't the floor show signs of stress almost immediately?),
more the worry that the people downstairs will wake up to a rather large tank
crashing through the ceiling one morning!
<Mmm, not likely a problem... as your flat is new... likely well built... And
the Juwel products are well made... and have the mass of the stand spread out
quite a bit. If this were an older building, and you had present issues with
furniture leaning toward the centre of floors, I would suggest applying a piece
of plywood (cut to fit the stand bottom/legs) and shimming this up in turn... to
spread the weight out, make the tank level and planar)>
I'd really appreciate any advice you have about this. Obviously calling in a
structural engineer would be fairly expensive (I'm a student) so I'd like to
avoid that if possible - still, on the other hand, nothing's too much to keep my
fish happy and he does need that new tank; my girlfriend and I have already
agreed to move flats if that's what it takes!
<Wow!>
Once again, thank you very much for your help; hopefully with your answer to
this I can return to lurking around the Freshwater pages (and where the Jumbo
Parrot Cichlid is at the pet shop, I saw him the other day and now I want one!)
and not trouble you again for a while.
Oliver
<Heeee! Be chatting! BobF>
|
|
.JPG) |
Black moor; orange fantail(?)... goldfish var.s 3/1/07
This post is for my curiosity and basic knowledge. You are acquainted with
my fish Seigried, who is definitely a Black Moor, Fancy Goldfish. I've looked
at a lot of photos on the net, and he is easy to distinguish.
<Hi Debbie, Jorie again. Yes, black moors are readily identifiable - very
unique, neat looking fish in my opinion.>
His brother, Roy, who died in January, was solid orange in color, had
exactly the same body shape and size, but he had "normal" eyes. They did not
sit outside of his face, like Seigy's. I have looked everywhere to find Roy's
"breed" and he fits none of the photos or descriptions. Does anyone in The Crew
have any idea what Roy's type was? He looked like a huge orange potato!
<LOL! A swimming orange potato - what a great mental image! Check here to see if
you can match Roy to one of these -
http://www.kokosgoldfish.com/ftypes.html
Since you said Roy was like Seigy, with non-protruding eyes, am I correct that
he (Roy) had a double tail and a dorsal fin? If so, my guess would be he was a
fantail...>
Thanks again for being there,
<Anytime.>
Debbie and Seigy
from Baltimore
<On another note, check out the celestial near the bottom of the link I gave you
- that's my all-time favorite goldfish; I can't wait to have one, one day when I
have room for yet another tank...
Best regards, Jorie>
White fish ID needed 2/5/07
Dear crew,
<Pansy>
My mom came back with 2 fishes and I have no idea what they are! I have
attached a photo of them - they are white with shiny scales, about 15 cm
long, one of them having a distorted spine. I have no idea what to do
with them and I do not have enough tanks at the moment! I currently have
1 guppy tank, 1 tetra tank and a goldfish tank. Will I be able to put
them with the goldfishes??
Thanks,
Pansy
<Mmm, should be able to live with not-too fancy varieties (like Comets,
Shubunkins) for a good long while. These appear to be Koi
Carp/Nishikigoi... ornamental Cyprinus carpio... get quite large... Bob
Fenner> |
|
|
Re: white fish ID needed 2/5/07
Thank you Mr. Fenner for the prompt reply, will do the necessary ASAP!
Yours sincerely,
Pansy
<Real good my young friend. BobF> |
A goldfish by any other name...
Thanks Bob,
What is the difference between a Pond Comet, goldfish and Koi? Is Pond Comet a
fancy name for gold fish?
<All Goldfish are the same species (dithered actually, Carassium auratus X C.
goeblio)... the "Comet" is a variety (sport mutation), the only one
developed (thus far) in the United States... Koi (Nishikigoi) are of the same
family (the Minnows, Cypinidae), different species, genus: Cyprinus carpio...
though the same species as "common" carp found in lakes most anywhere
humans are. There are crosses (sterile, like the book of y) called Golden Orfes.
Bob Fenner>
Pop Eye or Late Blooming Telescope on Fantail
- 8/10/2006
I have sent two of these in about two weeks time so I am attempting
to use this e-mail I found in your FAQs on FAQs. I DEEPLY apologize
if you have gotten the previous two and just been very busy.
<Mmm, have not seen. Thank you for sending this here>
Shellie
_________________________________________
I have three goldfish and one pleco in a 55 gallon long tank. Two are
fantails and one is a comet. All of them act normal and get along for
the most part. There is some nipping and chasing but it never seems
to be serious. We have had them since Nov 1st, 2005. My question is
on the smallest fantail. He is a beautiful fish but his eyes are
starting to protrude.
<I see this>
I first noticed about two weeks ago and I have been watching them
very carefully daily if not several times a day. We are very
attached to these fish. If it helps, they were babies when we bought
them, only 1-2 inches including tails. I belong to a pet forum and
have posted about this issue before but I get conflicting
answers. Can you tell from this picture if Sara has pop eye or his
Momma had an affair with a telescope eye?
<Really believe it is the latter... Seem uniform, the fish looks like
it's in good health>
Sorry about the name, my son named them and we didn't know he was
male until he got the white dots on his gills. I really hope you
can help.
By the way, my water parameters are all within the normal ranges. I
know the tank is small so I change the water every third day, including
cleaning the canister filter. I can send a different picture if
this one doesn't help.
Shellie
__________________________________________
I sent this once and waited about 48 hours before
re-sending. If you just have not had the time to get to my
e-mail I deeply apologize.
At this point I am going to assume it was lost and re-send with a
receipt so I know you get it. Thank you.
Shellie
<I would not be concerned here. Bob Fenner> |
|
 |
Re: Your response to Re: Pop Eye or Late Blooming Telescope on
Fantail 8/11/06
I wrote to you about my fantail, Sara. He either had pop
eye or was simply a late blooming telescope eye. I just wanted to
thank you for
your reassurance and send you a couple of photos of my
babies. Despite being in an aquarium, they are very vibrant and I
am proud of them.
Thank you once again.
<Ahh, thank you for this>
P.S. I was inordinately pleased that I was not asked to correct my
mail.
Having been out of school for several years I figured I would have many
errors.
Shellie
<Heeee! Make a few myself... daily. BobF> |
|
 |
Koi/goldfish ID 7/25/06
I was wondering how to tell a difference between a koi and goldfish?
<<Koi are generally much more streamlined in appearance, grow more quickly, and
have more noticeable barbels. Koi and goldies also inter-breed, creating what
are called 'Orfes'. Koi:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/pondsubwebindex/koiselart.htm>>
Thanks,
Regina
<<Glad to help. Lisa.>>
Goldfish varieties - 05/10/2006
Hi Guys and Gals,
<Lance>
I can't seem to find the answer I'm looking for. I have a 500+ gallon outdoor
pond with Koi and what was referred to as Comets or "Common Goldfish" at
PetSmart. I've seen advertisements for Pond Comets and Red
Comets etc on the net which are really attractive fish and I would like
to have some. However, I'm curious if the fish I bought are the same
variety and will develop the same physical appearance as the ones I've
seen on the net. Please a little help in distinguishing between what I have and
what is being advertised. Thanks
Lance
<Mmm, all comets are comets... this is a variety (the only one) developed in the
United States... all goldfish are the same species... sort of like domestic dog
varieties... some have more bold color, some have other color than "gold" (e.g.
shubunkins)... there are subvarieties with longer unpaired finnage... Bob
Fenner>
Goldfish in a bathroom, varieties 1/21/06
Hi,
I am thinking about getting two goldfish and I was wondering about a couple of
things!
Firstly, is it ok to keep the tank in a bathroom, it's quite light but it gets
very steamed up if I have a shower or something.
<No worries... the tank water itself will not change appreciably>
Also, I was told that a 60cm tank would be ok for two goldfish and this is
exactly the amount of room I have, do you need more room than that, do things
attach to the outside of the tank etc? or is that size of tank not big enough?
<Should be fine>
and lastly (!) what's the smallest breed of goldfish? I've been doing research
but there are varied answers!
Thank you very much!
<Mmm, likely Ryukins or Lionheads. Bob Fenner>
Mystery Goldfish - 11/10/2005
Hi
<Hello.>
I have contacted you in the past and you have been a great help. I
thought you wouldn't mind hearing about my weird fish:
<Sure.>
I have a small pond (100 gallons), and had a bit of trouble getting it
established early this year, and having lost a few fish early on, my neighbour
has kindly put a few of his babies into my pond. Also recently my
local source of pond stuff was selling off little fish, all claimed to be
goldfish. One of them was very dark, with shiny metallic edges to the
fins. I was assured they were all goldfish. Recently I
have noticed that the smallest orange goldfish has a weird tail.
(Weird fish 1) Like it is on 90 degrees the wrong way round
(horizontal), but with half a tail (top half) where it should be - vertically. Looks
like the tail of an airplane!
<Hmm, excellent description.>
It is the smallest fish, and I wondered if this may be why? It seems
to swim ok but with a weird wriggling action. My books all tell me
that deformed fish should be culled. I do not want to do this, and
wondered if you thought it was an acceptable abnormality.
<This could just be injury-related.... I would prevent this fish
from breeding, though, to be on the safe side.>
<<Could this be some sort of koi/fancy goldfish cross?
MH>>
Will it affect it long term, or should I just wait and see?
<Probably is a permanent condition, but if you are partial to the animal, I
see no reason to cull/kill it, as long as you can prevent it from breeding when
it becomes mature.>
The very dark fish with metallic bits (Weird fish 2) - can this really be a
goldfish?
<Possibly.>
I have been reading about Koi and am concerned it might be a ghost koi. How
can I tell the difference in a koi and a comet goldfish?
<Pretty simple, once you've seen many of both.... I urge you to go
see some of both in person and compare them to your animal. Pay
especial attention to the small "whiskers" under the chin of koi.>
The fish is about 2 1/2 inches long tail included, and now that it is colder
outside I rarely see it, mostly perhaps because it is nearly black (other than
shiny edges). If it so happens to be a koi, how big do they grow,
<Very. Very, very very big. If you're ever in San Jose,
look up Tse Koi. Wander your way through the maze of statuary in the
back to the REALLY big pond (or just ask to see the BIG fish). There
are animals in that pond that could easily swallow my fist....>
<<On the order of 3’+. Good thing they don't have
"teeth"! MH>>
<<<Much, much larger, my friend.... -SCF>>>
and should I be trying to find it a new home?
<Eventually. They are slow growers, so you have plenty of time to
determine what he is.>
Your help and advice is much appreciated.
<Glad to be of service.>
Wendy
<Wishing you well, -Sabrina>
Fancy Goldfish Sales Sites? - 10/21/2005
Hey, do you guys know any good sites that sales veiltails and tosakin goldfish?
I'm really interested in have one of each for my own.
<I'm sorry, I don't know of any.... nor do I know of anyone that does know. You might try asking your local fish stores what they can order for you; otherwise, your best bet would be to see if there are any local fish or goldfish clubs in your area, and ask other hobbyists that you meet there. Wishing you well, -Sabrina>
<<Yes! There are sites, though many (if not most) seem to
originate in China. A general Google should net you good results.
Marina>>
Is an Orfe Really an Orfe? Of Courfe! Or is it? 10/12/05
Orfes are not Cyprinus carpio: they are Leuciscus idus. Part of cyprinid family but not able to hybridize with koi/goldfish. FYI and thank you.
Eric
<Mmm, a bit of a mixed-use term... you can see that there are crosses: Goldfish/Koi
cross and the use of the name... in crosses twixt goldfish and koi/carp. Thank you for this, and sorry
for ( likely furthering) the confusion. BobF>
Re: large-ish man-made pond - Or! An Orfe is an Orfe of Courfe, of Courfe 10/13/05
Bob,
<Eric>
Indeed, the fishes in question are not always aware of our rules of speciation/hybridization (or common names) and do as they please. Thanks
for a speedy reply.
Cheers, Eric
<And you for your shared humour, intelligence and wit. BobF>
Panda Oranda's Wen 7/27/05
We have had a Panda Oranda for close to 8 months that we purchased from
Petco.
<That might just be a record for a PetCo fish.:-) >
Around two weeks ago we noticed that the cranium looking part of
its head
<Its "Wen">
was growing faster than it had in the past.
<Normal.>
A week ago the growth covered one of its eyes.
<Normal. Grotesque but normal.>
Over the weekend, the growth started to
cover its other eye.
<Normal.>
It is now sitting at the bottom of the tank.
<Abnormal.>
The pet shop said this was normal
<Eye coverage, yes. Bottom-laying, no.>
and that they can see through the growth.
<False, unless they have X-Ray vision, which would make for one cool fish.>
I find this hard to believe.
<That's common sense talking.>
I am concerned that it is not swimming
<Ditto.>
like it used to and its appetite has been effected.
<If it does not eat, I get worried. Re-test your parameters, make sure they all
check out.>
Can you give me some advice on how to proceed?
<Test water, act accordingly.>
Thank you
<Welcome>
Greg Dunbar
<Mike G>
Re:
Panda Oranda's Wen 7/27/05
Hello Mike,
<Hello>
Thank you for your advice.
<Any time, my friend.>
Are you saying that this variety of fish
then becomes blind once the Wen grows over its eyes?
<Quite possibly so.>
How do they find food and how do they move about the tank?
<Lateral lines, "smell," other sensory processes.>
Should I remove the rock in
the middle of the tank that they like to swim through?
<I wouldn't>
Thanks,
Greg
<Mike G>
Black Moor Goldfish
Hey Guys,
<Ryan>
I have a couple questions for you about my Black Moor,
Ellen. When she was purchased, she was completely
black, as Black Moors are supposed to be. Since then,
she has lost all of her black color and appears to be
just a regular Fantail Goldfish.
<Does happen>
I was wondering if
they can change color over time due to diet or
possible water temperature or something else?
<Yes to these influences, and of course genetics... The last reigns supreme
here. Some black moors are just destined to be not-so-black Moors>
I was
also worried about one of Ellen's eyes. It appears to
have formed a clear sac bulging from it. I can tell
that this is not part of the normal eye because the
other eye is not bulging at all. Do you have any
ideas as to what might be happening with my fish?
<Good observation... but likely, hopefully this is simply a swelling due to
a physical trauma (again, very common with goldfishes), and will heal of its
own accord>
Thanx,
Ryan
peanuts for now and cashews for later
Do you know anyone else with this address?? EXACTLY
<Mmm, no>
p.s. you could email me back, or you could, ya know, brush your teeth and
drink orange juice.
just a thought
<Yes. Bob Fenner>
Effects of Light on Goldfish Pigment - A Paper
Dear Mr. Fenner,
I am doing a Biology assignment in my final year at school in Australia and I am doing the affect of light on goldfish pigment. I have placed 5 fish in a dark room and they have now been in there for about 10 days and I don't see any pigment changes. Is this likely to a long time for their pigment to change as my assignment is due in about three weeks.
<Mmm, not likely for this species/cross to change in color over this period of time... much of color due to long-"lasting" reflective elements...>
Do you have an suggestions on how I could quicken the process or is it unlikely to occur in this period of time?
<Mmm, no... if I had chatted with you previous to the experiment I would have encouraged you to use another test species/model... likely zebra danios...
Brachydanio rerio, as much has been done with these... they're readily available, cheap...>
I have read that the colour change can take three years and I also have read that it can take five to ten days. Thank you for you time.
Elspeth
<Goldfish are of the previous group... likely not easy to discern any color change for months. Bob Fenner>
We Finally get to Meet Albert & Teena (the Italian
Goldfishes)!
>Hi Marina. I hope you're doing well.
>>Yes I am, thank you.
>This is Marcellino. I've sent you pix of Albert and Teena. If you saw
them, can you tell me what species they are?
>>They are both (not so good) examples of the lionhead goldfish. All
goldfishes are of the species Carassius auratus.
>I thought of Albert a lionhead and Teena an Oranda but I am not sure.
>>Neither fish has a dorsal fin, this is a defining trait of the lionhead.
Orandas have dorsal fins, as well as the fleshy growth on the head. However,
neither fish shows the typical fleshy growth about the head, which is also
typical of good examples.
>The brown algae keep growing all over, should I wait or should I clean
it?
>>The algal growth I see in your photos is perfectly normal, you'll have
to use an aquarium scraper or sponge to remove it - welcome to the wonderful
world of aquarium-keeping!
>For the rest I followed your advice about live food, daphnia, bloodworms
and it seems Albert is doing better with his swim bladder. What do you think
about their look?
>>The shot of Teena's back end is priceless. However, I'm going to send
you a link to
http://www.kokosgoldfish.com -
this site appears to have excellent information, as well as some of the BEST
examples of each breed. The more I peruse (they even have a link called
"goldfish poop"!), the more I believe you can find great/more specialized
information. Honestly, as good if not better than what I can provide you
here (but don't take that to mean that we don't like hearing from you).
>Do they look healthy to you?
>>QUITE, although Teena's poop indicates a wee bit of constipation (it's
long) - stop feeding her for a couple of days, go with green peas/greens
to help alleviate. They are fat, shiny, clear eyes, skin and scales.
>You can see [in some photos] his [Albert's] throat area to have this
sparkles and redness. He always had that but what is it?
>>Perfectly normal coloration. The redness is his blood in the gills. Your
fish are normal and healthy my friend.
>How old could they be?
>>I believe they're likely young, probably less than a year, but this is
only an educated guess. Be prepared for at least ten years with them.
>I thank you very much, Marcellino
>>You're very welcome. Marina |
|
  |
Goldfish name
I have a question about the history of naming the goldfish. Why are they called goldfish when they are orange?
Ismael Villafañe Jr.
<Mmm, suspect it has something to do with the relative worth of an orange and gold. Bob Fenner>
Goldfish Business
Dear sirs,
We are Fun Bubbles and Four Bubbles Goldfish Development Co, Ltd. Knowing
that your company is large-scaled and also fully experienced in goldfish
breeding and marketing, we take this opportunity to write to you with a view to
strengthen the communication and cooperation between us in goldfish development.
<Okay>
Our company has bred a brand-new goldfish breed exclusively, ¡°four bubbles
goldfish¡± through thirty years¡¯ effort. To meet the demands of goldfish
distributors, goldfish raisers and goldfish hobbyists, now we supply ¡°Red four
bubbles goldfish¡± fries, one variety of ¡°four bubbles goldfish¡± in a large
quantity for the first time in the market.
<Neat>
For more information, go to our website, www.chinatz.cn. Hope that we keep in
touch, and please reply at your earliest convenience.
<Thank you for this notice. Will post on our site, www.WetWebMedia.com
Bob Fenner>
Photo Album from Linda: Moor than it seems?
I realized the file size was very large on the pics I sent. Hope these resized
ones are better for your examination. By the way the moor is getting blacker
but he seems active and happy being separated from the cannibal. Hope to hear
from you soon.
Tanks in advance...
Linda & Heather
< The moor getting blacker is not a surprise. Many of these fish carry a black
genetic marker that carries over and can be expressed as the fish gets
older.-Chuck>
You're invited to view these photos online at Ofoto!
Just click on View Photos to get started.
http://www.ofoto.com/I.jsp?c=2y99e7up.4czpfjih&x=0&y=5c4yjc
Oranda Overgrown his Own Eyes
My Oranda has reached about the size of a fist. Recently his wen has gone
through a sudden growth spurt and eclipsed both eyes leaving him completely
blind. Will his body catch up later? Can I do anything to slow the growth or
move it from his eyes? He is eating OK (the tank is a 60 gallon octagon and food
collects in the corners where he waits for it.) and seems happy otherwise.
< Try reducing the food or at least change it. This may genetic or a response
to a diet that is too rich in fats and proteins or just plain too much food. Try
a vegetarian flake for awhile and see it there is any difference. Feed only
enough food so all of it is consumed in a couple of minutes each day.-Chuck>
Oranda Cap Growth
Hello! I have recently just gotten into this whole fish thing. I fell in
love with Goldfish, especially Orandas. I have a 30 gallon tank, that currently
has one Black Moor, as well as one Red Cap Oranda. I have been trying to find
out any answer towards a typical amount of time that an Oranda grows his cap. My
Oranda appears to be currently pretty small, I would say 2-3 inches in length. I
was wondering if you could give me an answer for this, as my prior research has
indicated anything from 3 months to 1 and 1/2 yrs. of age. My Oranda at time of
purchase already had indications of cap growth, but I was hoping that you could
give me a more specific, if possible, answer. Thank you so much!!!! Danielle
<<Dear Danielle; Sorry, there are no specific answers :P First, congrats on
falling in love with fish, and for NOT overstocking! Second, growth rates are
determined by a few things. The first is water quality, the more often you
change your water, the faster your fish (and his hair) will grow. Second is
food, a well-balanced diet, high in fibre will help your goldfish grow fat 'n
sassy. Third is genetics, which kind of incorporates the fishes' character as
well as the physical. Stronger character means more a dominant fish which will
generally out-grow the runts...they get all the food :P Either way, one thing we
all learn is patience. Enjoy your fish as they grow, and don't worry, your
Orandas will be sporting kewl headgear in no time! -Gwen>>
Goldfish Colors 2/29/04
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
I just got 6 goldfish today. One is really big and the other 5 are
medium size. I've noticed ones like a white color and the other 2
have an interesting black stripe running down their back at the top. Do
I have to be concerned about this? It's really freaking me out that
they might be sick. Please answer my question and what I can do to help.
<The black is a normal coloration of your goldfish. It may fade as
it gets older. What freaks me out is that you have so many fish &
bought them all at the same time. Goldfish need at least 10 gallons
each at under 3" & 20gal each when larger. Either you have a
very large tank or your fish are severely overcrowded. Goldfish are
very dirty/heavy waste producing fish. Even at the stocking levels
just mentioned, 80-90% weekly water changes are recommended to keep the ammonia
levels down to non-toxic levels. Adding that many fish to any sized
tank at one time, will result in the death of most, if not all of your fish. Please
try to do something to remedy this, like get a much larger tank, or return some
of these fish to save the others. I apologize, if you really do have
a huge tank. ~PP>
Bubble Eye Goldfish
My bubble eye got his sack stuck in a filer tube we had to put it out however
the sack did not break a week goes by, and the sack is not looking to
good. It is white with blood inside and deflated. What should I do is the sack
bad for the fish or should I remove it from the body. Will it grow back on its
own. Thank You
<Leave the bubble attached to the fish but isolate the fish into a quarantine
tank and treat with Epsom salts. For more information go to http://www.wetwebmedia.com/PondSubWebIndex/goldfish.htm
and http://www.wetwebmedia.com/PondSubWebIndex/gldfshvars.htm
and follow the related links. Ronni>
Black Moor (Not so black no more)
Dear Bob,
Can you explain why my black moor is now almost a goldfish colour. The fish is
in a tank with a comet and a fantail who is so gold. David Copperfield eat your
heart out. Nature is the winner.
<Mmm, this just happens (where's my leggy model-wife?)... and can
"simply" reverse itself... more common in overheated situations, poor
nutrition... but even happens (along with "whiting out", mottling of
sorts) to the "best of the breed". Bob Fenner>
Thanks
Jim Patterson
| |
|
