When kept in small indoor aquariums, goldfish tend to stay about 1 inch (2.5 cm) to 2 inches (5.1 cm) long. Koi and common carp may also interbreed with goldfish to produce sterile hybrids.Ī wild Prussian carp ( Carassius gibelio)

Goldfish can hybridize with some other Carassius species of carp. auratus have fewer than 31 scales along the lateral line, while crucian carp have 33 scales or more. auratus, this tail spot is never present. Juvenile crucian carp have a black spot on the base of the tail, which disappears with age. gibelio often has a grayish/greenish color, while crucian carp are always golden bronze. auratus have a more pointed snout, while the snout of C. auratus are differentiated from other Carassius species by several characteristics. auratus that are native to Southern China. However, modern genetic sequencing has suggested otherwise, and that modern goldfish are domesticated varieties of C. Previously, the goldfish was believed to be either a subspecies of the crucian carp ( Carassius carassius), or of the Prussian carp ( Carassius gibelio). There has been considerable debate about the taxonomy of the goldfish. Goldfish were first introduced to North America around 1850 and quickly became popular in the United States. This tradition quickly died, as goldfish became more available, losing their status. It became a tradition for married men to give their wives a goldfish on their first anniversary, as a symbol for the prosperous years to come. In 1611, goldfish were introduced to Portugal and from there to other parts of Europe.ĭuring the 1620s, goldfish were highly regarded in southern Europe because of their metallic scales, and symbolized good luck and fortune. In 1603, goldfish were introduced to Japan. The first occurrence of fancy-tailed goldfish was recorded in the Ming Dynasty. ĭuring the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), goldfish also began to be raised indoors, which permitted selection for mutations that would not be able to survive in ponds.

The occurrence of other colors (apart from red and gold) was first recorded in 1276. This is probably the reason why there are more orange goldfish than yellow goldfish, even though the latter are genetically easier to breed. By this time, people outside the imperial family were forbidden to keep goldfish of the gold (yellow) variety, yellow being the imperial color. In 1162, the empress of the Song Dynasty ordered the construction of a pond to collect the red and gold variety. On special occasions at which guests were expected, they would be moved to a much smaller container for display.īy the Song dynasty (AD 960–1279), the selective domestic breeding of goldfish was firmly established. People began to selectively breed the gold variety instead of the silver variety, keeping them in ponds or other bodies of water. A natural genetic mutation produced gold (actually yellowish orange) rather than silver coloration. Some of these normally gray or silver species have a tendency to produce red, orange or yellow color mutations this was first recorded in imperial China, during the Jin dynasty (266–420).ĭuring the Tang dynasty (AD 618–907), it was popular to raise carp in ornamental ponds and water gardens. Various species of carp (collectively known as Asian carp) have been bred and reared as food fish for thousands of years in East Asia. Ryukin goldfish, Plate XIX in Goldfish and Their Culture in Japan, by Shinnosuke Matsubara

Types of telescope goldfish