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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. |
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fantail comet, var.
8/26/2009
i bought a regular large comet gold fish he is long skinny body but has
two tails or a fan tail but is just a regular comet gold fish feeder his
tail is straight it is shaped like a fan tail but not pointing down just
straight back is it a birth defect?
<Simply a normal long-tail rather than fan-tail Goldfish; doesn't sound
like a defect, and in fact provided his spine is nice and straight and
he can swim about happily, I wouldn't worry about it at all.>
he also swims great!!!!!
<Glad to hear it>
thank the Albrights
<Cheers, Neale.>
what kind of Goldfish? Crosses 8/8/09
I bought 2 dozen 1 inch "feeders" several months ago to stock my economy
125 gallon preformed Lowe's garden pond. A month ago I tired of cleaning
it out and changing the water every few days so I dug a larger 350
gallon pond closer to the house and used a liner. I moved all of the
"feeders" plus I bought 4 itty bitty Shubunkins and the larger ones that
were on sale for $1.99 ea. Last week I was told that to 30 or so fish in
my 350 gallon pond were overcrowded and I needed to cut the population
in half.
<Mmm, not for a few years, really>
The water does get ugly pretty fast despite the 40 Large Trap Door
Snails, the Water Lettuce and the other plants I have added. The $100
dollar filter in the bottom of the pond doesn't seem to help that much
either.
<There are a few things one might do here... Read:
http://wetwebmedia.com/PondSubWebIndex/pndfiltrovr.htm
and the linked files above>
I don't know if I feed to much or what (twice a day) at any rate I have
started culling and have pulled these out and put them in a 20 gallon
tank till I can find them a home. My question is, what are they?
<Goldfish... akin to domestic dogs, all goldfish are the same species
(actually dihybrid cross)... and mix genetically... these are comet X
Shubunkins>
1 of them looks like it might be a common but I'm not sure about
anything, Do Comets have tails this big and a couple of them have little
bumps on their faces, what's that?
<Yes and likely prenuptial tubercles... see WWM re>
Any info would be gratefully appreciated.
Thanks.
Phil
<Enjoy the learning. Bob Fenner>
Veggie Clip Use, GF fdg. (also, mixing Fancy Goldfish
varieties) 5/4/2009
I have a fairly new, 26 gal. system (5 weeks)and a large Chocolate
Oranda about 2x4 in., I had a smaller one and lost him, I think due to
diet from all I have read as I was only feeding flake food, by the time
I knew about feeding peas and such it was too late for him. I started
feeding my remaining Oranda one pea a day and pellet or flake food for
the second feeding.
<Sounds great.>
Yesterday I purchased a veggie clip, put a small piece of peeled
zucchini in this and he loved it....anyway, The little glutton has just
about eat that small piece as I left it in there. How long can I leave
this in and can I
give him this on a reg. basis?
<You can leave plant food in the tank as long as you want. It won't harm
water quality. By all means pipette out (turkey basters are ideal) any
bits that are messing up the tank visually, but otherwise, don't worry
about it.
It's a good idea to have some thing green for these fish to nibble on
365 days of the year. If you can't manage that, don't worry. Just so
long as your Goldies get some greens two or three times a week, they're
fine.>
I guess My main question would be what would you consider a well balance
diet for a large choc. Oranda?
<Difficult to say, because they're total omnivores, like humans, and
adapt to most anything within moderation. It's when we give them *just*
dried foods things go wrong. I'd say 2-3 days of flake/pellets, and the
rest green foods would be about right. But feel free to mix it up a
little. If you're away on vacation, dump some Elodea (pondweed) in the
tank, and leave your Goldfish to graze on that for 2 weeks. He'd be just
fine on that.>
I want to get him a friend when the local shop get some more. I didn't
realize they would be so hard to come by.
<Some of Fancy Goldfish can be hard to track down! But good pet shops
should be able to order in specific fish for you. By all means mix
varieties, provided you keep varieties that are similar in
boisterousness and swimming ability. I'd consider single-tail Goldfish
best kept together (Standards, Comets, Shubunkins) and apart from Fancy
Goldfish. Within the Fancy Goldfish, the "hardy" Fancy varieties like
Moors and Fantails work well together, but the more "delicate" varieties
such as Orandas, Ryukins and the like are better mixed-and-matched
amongst their own kind. The really delicate Fancies, such as Celestials,
Bubble-eyes and Ranchu are difficult to mix, and do best in single
variety tanks.>
He is a beautiful orange and black named "smooch" as he will eat from my
fingers!
<How sweet!>
Thanks for any advice!
Glenda
<Cheers, Neale.>
Telescopic goldfish, var., sys. – 04/12/09
i just bought 3 telescopic goldfish and after i put them in my tank i
noticed that one of them have a lot smaller dorsal fin is this normal ?
is it bad ? and this is a stupid question will it grow back ?
<Assuming that these were store-bought rather than pedigree Goldfish,
yes, this is probably nothing other than variation. Won't grow back, but
not a problem either. I hope you have a nice big tank, and that it's
already cycled and adequately filtered. Telescope-eye Goldfish get to
about 20 cm in length and three specimens will need at least 125
litres/30 gallons.
Funnily enough, I've just answered a couple of queries today from people
with sick Goldfish in too-small tanks. In the meantime, do see here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/goldfish101art.htm
Cheers, Neale.>
Re: telescopic goldfish – 04/12/09
have two more question. i only have a 10 gallon tank right now plan on
getting bigger is this ok for now ?
<No.>
and my water wont stay clear why tank to small?
<Precisely so. Goldfish need at least 20 gallons when small, and 30
gallons or more as adults. They are schooling, messy fish -- so don't
skimp on filtration!>
when should i get another tank ?
<As/when the pet stores open in your area. It's Easter Monday tomorrow
here in the UK at least, and that's a bank holiday. But Tuesday the
shops should be open. Buy a big aquarium with a heavy-duty filter. Don't
get mislead by using small, weak filters just to save a few bucks; trust
me, you'll regret it. Cheers, Neale.>
Goldfish Questions, sys, sel.
of varieties... – 04/12/09
Hello,
I was recently thinking of purchasing goldfish,
<Make sure you read first, and are prepared to buy a big aquarium; at
least 125 l/30 gallons, and ideally more, and with a serious filter to
boot, not some poky hang-on-the-back unit.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/goldfish101art.htm
Most folks get small tanks, often kidding themselves they'll upgrade
later;
the end result is invariably a sick or dead Goldfish.>
but I didn't know which type of goldfish that I should get. I was
wondering what type of goldfish would live long and fits a beginner like
me.
<Most any, provided the tank is sufficiently large. Comets and
Shubunkins for example are fast and active fish and need plenty of
space, while Black Moors don't get so big or swim so much.>
I was actually thinking of choosing an orange Oranda, but when I
searched it online, I saw really big Orandas with large things on their
heads. The one I saw at the pet shop (and the one that I was hoping to
buy) was way smaller and cuter, and the lump on the head was smaller.
Does that mean that the ones that i saw were babies?
<Likely; all Orandas will get fairly large, 20 cm/8 inches upwards.>
Or were they a different kind of Orandas?
Also, what kind of tank size would 2-3 Orandas need?
<See above.>
Thank you for reviewing this e-mail and I hope to hear from you again
soon.
:)
--
Sincerely,
Shirley
<Cheers, Neale.>
Re: Goldfish Questions – 04/12/09
Hi again.
About the goldfish question...
After I read your reply, I was thinking of buying a more smaller type of
fish. I can purchase a big tank for the Oranda goldfish, and provide it
a lot of care, but i was thinking of a smaller fish, that doesn't grow
too
big. And when i mean my smaller fish, I do not mean the little 1-inch
fish, but fish that are at least 10 cm. Also, a fish that lives more
than 2-3 years is fine. I searched on your website, but none of them
caught my
interest. What do you recommend? />
--
Sincerely,
Shirley
<Have written about stocking relatively small tanks here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_5/volume_5_3/stocking.htm
Unless you're an expert fishkeeper, don't waste your time or money (or
fish lives) buying a system less than 15-20 gallons in size; 10 gallon
and smaller tanks are [a] difficult to stock properly; and [b] difficult
to
maintain. We get dozens of messages each week from people who have made
this common mistake, and it's very depressing for me to read them all!
Bite the bullet, get a 20 gallon tank (which takes up little more space
than a 10 gallon system, and doesn't cost much more either) and start
keeping fish the sensible way. If you're thinking about an aquarium
smaller than even 10 gallons, then think about getting a vase, filling
it with water, and sticking in some cut flowers. Seriously. This will be
better for everyone!
Very small tanks rarely work unless you're an expert fishkeeper and know
precisely what you're doing. Cheers, Neale.>
Goldfish, var.s, sel., sys.
02/06/09
Hello all, hope things are going well for you there. I have
a question about goldfish please. I have a 75 gallon f/w tank that is just about
finished cycling (fishless) and keep going back and forth in my choices about
which fish to keep. I went into a local pet store today to buy dogfood and
strolled over to the fish area. I saw some goldfish and went
over to
investigate. I never realized there were so many types, some very beautiful.
Please tell me the main differences I would have to acclimate to if I decided to
go with goldfish, as well as which types you would recommend and which ones
might mix with regular tropical fish, if any.
Also, if you feel it is not a
good idea to fool with goldfish please let me know that as well. Thank you,
James
<Goldfish are indeed lovely fish. I've often said that if they cost
hundreds of dollars, people would fall over themselves to keep them. But because
they're cheap, we tend to ignore them. The reality is that Goldfish are
colourful fish well worth keeping. The problem is that they need space, but if
you 75 gallons to play with, you're fine. The main issues to deal with are
these: Firstly, it's not a good idea to mix Standard and Fancy Goldfish.
Standard Goldfish are any with a single tail, not just "Common Goldfish", but
also things like Shubunkins and Comets. All the Standard Goldfish are
fast-moving fish, and they tend to be boisterous and sometimes bullies. They mix
great with one another, so if you like them, by all means mix them. I have a
great fondness for the Koi-like Shubunkins, and I know Bob F. is a fan of the
Comet, one of the few truly American varieties of Goldfish. Either way, these
are spectacular fish. In recent years a lemon yellow version of the Common
Goldfish has appeared in the UK trade, and it's a lovely animal as well. Now, on
to the Fancies. There are two classes here, the "hardy" ones and the "delicate"
ones. The hardy ones are things
like Fantails and Black Moors; while they
have forked-tails and crooked backs, they are otherwise fairly robust, and with
care can even be combined with Standards, provided you make sure everyone gets
fed. The "delicate" ones are the varieties with odd deformities (for want of a
better term) to the head or abdomen, missing dorsal fins, and so on. Examples
include Celestials, Ranchus, Bubble-eyes and so on. All these varieties are best
kept in groups of a single variety per aquarium. Otherwise they are prone to
being damaged, bullied or otherwise losing out at feeding time. I'm not wild
about mixing Goldfish with tropical fish, but you certainly can mix some
varieties (Standards and hardy Fancies) with *subtropical* fish when maintained
around 20 C (68 F). Things like Corydoras paleatus and Florida
Flagfish work
quite well. Paradise fish are another option, though some Macropodus species are
more aggressive than others, so take care here. The main thing is to avoid
keeping nippy species (e.g., Rosy Barbs, Mosquitofish) with Fancy varieties, and
obviously don't keep anything "bite size" with big Goldfish (e.g., White Cloud
Mountain Minnows, small Danio species). Hope this helps, Neale.>
Re: Goldfish 02/06/09
Thank you Neale. From what you say it seems that if I wanted a more slower
moving group in the tank the fancies would be the way to go?
<If you want
Fancy goldfish, then yes, an aquarium just for them is best.>
Also do most
varieties of the fancies get along together?
<As stated, it depends. Ones
that "merely" have the round body and double fins, like Black Moors, Ryukins and
Fantails, can be mixed. But the more delicate forms, like Orandas, Pom-poms,
Celestials, Bubble-eyes, Lionheads,
Ranchus and Pearlscales are all best
kept in single-variety tanks. At the very least, the aquarist has to evaluate
each fish on a case-by-case basis.
Oranda and Ranchus might be kept
together, but Celestials shouldn't be mixed with anything. Essentially, ask
yourself this: is the deformity of variety X such that it couldn't compete for
food with, or be likely to bossed about by, variety Y.>
What would be the
maximum number to put in a 75 gallon tank?
<A safe approach is to allow 20
gallons for the first Goldfish, and then 10 gallons for each additional fish,
assuming commensurate filtration and water changes. Fancies do tend to be
smaller than Standards, but that bit more sensitive to water quality issues. So
let's say 6-7 specimens.>
I have a sand bottom and some artificial plants
along with some java fern.
Will these fish root up the artificial plants or
eat java fern?
<Yes, they dig up sand. But Java fern attached to bogwood
should be fine.>
One of the main things I wanted to ask I forgot to. I have
read that these are extremely messy fish, putting off more waste than tropicals
and also putting off a lot of ammonia. I guess this will mean more tank
maintenance than usual?
<"More maintenance" depends on filtration. Beefy
filtration, i.e., water turnover 6-8 times the volume of the tank per hour,
should keep water changes and tank cleaning down to normal levels.>
And if I
did not keep any tropicals with these would I even need a heater at all?
<Goldfish are fine at comfortable room temperatures. Slightly cooling in winter
is no problem, though Fancy varieties cannot handle frosty conditions and get
Finrot easily if allowed to get cooler than, say, 15 degrees C (59 F).>
Thank
you again for your help.
James
<Cheers, Neale.>
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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>
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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> |
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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.> |
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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.> |
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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>
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.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> |
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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> |
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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> |
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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 |
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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
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