Common Goldfish

It is probable that Goldfish have been around in the Far East as "Pets" for thousands of years, most likely in ponds around Temples or the homes of wealthy merchants. We don't know for certain, but most are likely to have been what we nowadays call the "Common" Goldfish, although some more exotic varieties were already appearing when the Americans discovered them in the mid 1800s. Since then new varieties have been appearing almost every year until today we have more than 100 varieties.

Their No.1 spot as the world's most popular pet fish is due to their hardiness and ease of care. They can live a long time, 20 to 30 years, although not in an unfiltered bowl. It is important to recognise that Goldfish need exactly the same requirements as any other fish, tropical or otherwise.!

The common goldfish has beautiful metallic scales, usually a single colour of Red, Gold or Yellow. Variegated coloration, also known as Calico, but having the same shape and fin configuration, is often referred to by UK fish keepers as a "London Shubunkin".

Much like pedigree dogs, there is actually a breed standard for Goldfish published by the Bristol Aquarists Society and is as follows ...

• Depth of body to be between 3/7ths and 3/8ths of body length
• Pectoral and pelvic fins to be paired, dorsal and anal fins to be single
• Caudal fin to be single and width of spread not greater than 1¼ body depth
• Length of lobes of caudal fin to be no greater than 1/3rd of body length and to be slightly rounded at the ends
• At least 25% of the body to be blue (London shubunkin only)
• Minimum body length to be 7.5 cm (3 inches)