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Cyprinds
/ Goldfish
Goldfish
Carassius auratus | Pictures
Synonyms: Cyprinus
auratus
Physical description:
The common Goldfish has an elongated, stocky body.
The basic body color is green-gray to
orange with a variable iridescence in reflected light.
From this base, breeders have developed the numerous forms available
today.
Size/Length: Up to 18" (45 cm) is nature, although most domesticated breeds are considerably smaller.
Similar species: Carassius
and
Cyprinus species.
Habitat: Asia; originated in China.
Now distributed abroad.
S: bottom, middle
Aquarium: A 20" (51 cm) or 10 gallon (38 L) tank is sufficient for young Goldfish.
Large
Goldfish require a 36" (91 cm) or 35 gallon (132 L) tank.
The tank should include tough cold water plants.
The
Goldfish is a messy feeder.
Make frequent water changes.
Water chemistry: pH 6-8 (7.0), 4-25 dH (10), 46-68°F (8-20°C)
Social behavior: A peaceful species that is suited to a cold water community.
The Goldfish will eat soft and fine
leafed plants.
Do not keep the Goldfish with tropical fish.
Suggested companions: Weather Loach (
Misgurnus species), White Cloud, other cold water
species.
FOOD: Flake; pellet; tablet; vegetables; plant matter; live; insects, crustaceans, insect
larvae.
SEX: Males are slimmer and the rear of the anal fin is concave.
Breeding techniques:
A large tank with a neutral pH and a water temperature from 68-72°F (20-22°C) should
be used.
The tank should be clean.
As many as 1000 eggs are released.
The parents should be removed and the
eggs hatch in five days.
The young can be raised on small live and dry foods.
The young take nearly a year to develop
their coloration.
Breeding potential: 4.
An easily bred egg-laying species.
Remarks:
The Goldfish has been subjected to selective breeding for hundreds of years and the result
is countless body and color forms.
Among the most popular are the Comet, Moor, Shubunkin, Veiltail, Lion-head,
Oranda, Telescope, Pearl-scale, Celestial, and Fantail.
Goldfish are commonly used as feeder fish though they often harbor
parasites.
Difficulty of care: 1.
The goldfish is an ideal fish for the novice to expert aquariast.
The Goldfish is not a tropical species.
Recent articles about fish
Overfishing may hurt Amazon forest trees
(2/5/2008) Overfishing is reducing the effectiveness of seed dispersal by fish in the Brazilian Pantanal, reports Nature. The research suggests that fishing practices can affect forest health.
Scientists find fish that literally lives in trees
(10/17/2007) Scientists have found a fish that literally lives in trees, according to research published in The American Naturalist and highlighted in New Scientist Magazine.
Piranhas originated when Amazon was flooded by seawater
(12/4/2007) South America's piranha family of fish -- notorious as eaters of flesh -- can be traced back to a single ancestor which dispersed when the Amazon was flooded by seawater some five million years ago, report researchers from the Institut de Recherche Pour le Developpement (IRD). Today piranhas are exclusively freshwater fish found from the Orinoco River basin in Venezuela to the Parana in Argentina.
How to save the world's oceans from overfishing
(7/8/2007) Global fishing stocks are in trouble. After expanding from 18 millions tons in 1950 to around 94 million tons in 2000, annual world fish catch has leveled off and may even be declining. Scientists estimate that the number of large predatory fish in the oceans has fallen by 90 percent since the 1950s, while about one-quarter of the world's fisheries are overexploited, depleted, or recovering from depletion. Despite these dire trends, the situation is changing. Today some of the world's largest environmental groups are focused on addressing the health of marine life and oceans, while sustainable fisheries management is at the top of the agenda for intergovenmental bodies. At the forefront of these efforts is Mike Sutton, director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium's conservation program: the Center for the Future of the Oceans. The aquarium, which has long been recognized as one of the world's most important marine research facilities, is pioneering new strategies for protecting the planet's oceans. Sutton says the approach has four parts: establishing new marine protected areas, pushing for ocean policy reform, promoting sustainable seafood, and protecting wildlife and marine ecosystems.
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