Goldfish Varieties

Goldfish have been bred in China somewhere between 1000 and 1500 years, and were then exported to Japan and Korea, where more livestock led to an increase in the number of varieties available. For the top amateur goldfish, body types, finnage and unique characteristics of goldfish may seem useful to defy classification.

Several years ago, the Goldfish Society of America (GFSA) has developed a classification system for goldfish. This system distinguishes the fish into three broad categories on the basis of the tail and dorsal fins type. These three categories are:

• Simple tail fish with dorsal fin

• Double tail fish with dorsal fin

• Double tail fish without dorsal fin

Of these 3 categories of fish, the GFSA recognized in the following varieties of goldfish.

1. Simple tail with the dorsal fin

• The goldfish

• Comet goldfish

• Shubunkin

2. Double tail with the dorsal fin

• FANTAIL

• Ryukin

• Pearlscale

• Veiltail

• Eye Telescope

• Oranda

3. Double tail without dorsal fin

• Lionhead

• RANCHU

• Bubble Eye

• heavenly

There are several other fish that could fit into these categories, such as Tosakin and Wakin, but they are not considered sufficiently abundant to recognize as a race at that time. The GFSA will probably consider adding new varieties as their popularity rises.

A general understanding of goldfish characteristics is useful, before a detailed examination of varieties is started.

1. Scalata - Four basic types occur in Scalata goldfish: metal mat, and Pearl nacreous Scale ..

a. Metallic - Has a bright, reflective surface, like a metal object, hence the name metal. The shiny appearance is caused by the presence of guanine in the scale.

b. Matte - Balance who are not reflective layer guanine, leading to a dull or non-appearance of reflection.

v. Nacreous - A type of range that combines the characteristics of the metal mat and scale patterns, often in uncertain proportions, causing a mixture of reflection and non-reflective scales on a fish.

d. Pearlscale - an inlay on each scale fish, causing at seem to have a small dome in the center. In the best specimens, beadwork occurs on the body of the fish, and surrounds the entire fish completely.

2. Color - Goldfish come in a number of distinct colors, including combinations of colors. Goldfish common colors are: red, orange, white, black, blue, chocolate brown, yellow, red and white, black and red, black red and white calico (a combination of colors, including red, white , Black and blue).

3. Eyes - Goldfish have several types of eye, as follows:

a. Normal eye types

b. Telescope eyes - eyes that are mounted atop a cone-shaped protrusion on both sides of the head.

v. Celestial eyes - Similar to a telescope with red eyes but the eyes are pointing upwards at the end of the "telescope" of

d. Bubble Eyes - the eyes of a bubble with red eyes are actually considered normal type. The particularity of this fish is the large, fluid-filled bag that forms on each side of the face directly in front of the fish.

4. Queue types - Goldfish have a lot of variation in the caudal or tail fin, as indicated below.

a. Simple tail - The most common type of tail, which is moderately forked and rounded at the edges.

b. Comet tail - more than the single variety tail (about 2 - 3 times) with a fork, and the tail tips.

v. Shubunkin type tail (mainly in the Shubunkin Bristol) - a long tail, similar in size to the tail of comet type, but with the edges rounded tail, which tend to break the tail on board, causing the tail to consider more complete than the comet.

d. Double tail - a tail that has two distinct components or lobes, and is not attached 2/rd3s along its length, and has rounded edges tail. The size of double tail can move 2/3rds the length of the body to double the length of the body, depending on the variety goldfish.

e. Lionhead RANCHU or tail - Similar to the double tail, but is allowed to separate. In general, double the tail or RANCHU Lionhead is ¼ to 3 / 8 of the length of the body.

f. Tosakin tail a variation on the twin tail, where the tail is not only joined, but rounded edges, producing a type appearance in the curlicue tail of a fish.

g. Jikin tail - apparently similar to the Rancho Lionhead or tail, and forming an X shape when looked behind, because of the angle of the tail is attached to the caudal peduncle.

h. Veiltail - An amendment of the variety to double tail, in which the tail is 2-1/2 to 3 times the length of the fish, and where the fork is non-existent, producing a tail of a line of hence the name "veil" tail.

5. Head growth - Some varieties of goldfish, including Oranda, Lionhead, and RANCHU have a growth on the head known as the "wen". This growth looks like a raspberry, and causes a particular appearance, like a lion's mane, view of the fish. Several varieties of head growth are recognized.

a. Goose head - growth mainly limited to the top of the head, with little or no "wen" occurring on the cheeks or lid.

b. Tiger Head - Head growth that appears on top of the head and cheeks of fish.

v. Lionhead - Full head of growth, which appears on top of the head, cheeks, and seal.

6. Dorsal fin characteristics - the fin located on the back of the fish is known as the dorsal fin. Some varieties (RANCHU, Lionhead, heavenly, and Bubbleye), the dorsal fin is not present. The backbone-less varieties can be sub-divided into RANCHU and Lionhead profile type of back.

a. RANCHU profile in the back, back slightly arched, until it reaches the caudal peduncle, when he strongly angles down and answered queuing at an angle of 45 degrees.

b. Lionhead profile in the return type (which is also shared with the heavenly and Bubbleye), the rear is much more right than the RANCHU, and joined the queue at an angle which is much less severe than in the type RANCHU Tail-.

7. Other characteristics of growth of goldfish. Goldfish have been selectively bred for growth characteristics over the centuries. A partial list of these features below.

a. Narial bouquets - a tuft of growth type series on the narial (nose) of fish, which in specimens fully developed like a leader of the pom-pom.

b. Pearlscale - an inlay on each scale fish, causing at seem to have a small dome in the center. In the best specimens, beadwork occurs on the body of the fish, and surrounds the entire fish completely.

v. Out-turned lid - with a fish fillet plates become more, so that the gills are revealed.

8. Characteristics of body shape - Body shape features are varied between types of goldfish, and are difficult to classify briefly, since the shape of the body can vary within the same variety (for example, Oranda May and have a FANTAIL Veiltail or conformation).

a. Streamlined body shape - this form is on the common goldfish, Shubunkin and Comet varieties. This is the basic form torpedo common to most types of fish.

b. FANTAIL form - This form of the body is more egg-like, and produces a rounded profile in fish. This body type is commonly seen in the FANTAIL, some varieties of telescope Oranda some bodies (especially on the Cap Rouge), some Pearlscales and on the bubble and the heavenly eyes.

v. Veiltail Body Type - this body type is similar to the Ryukin without the hump on his back. It is more rounded than the FANTAIL, body and the depth is about ¼ to 1 / 3 deeper than the traditional FANTAIL. Such a body is found on some telescopes, some Oranda, Pearlscale, Veiltails, and some ribbon tails.

d. Lionhead or RANCHU Body Type - A very rounded body type, with a depth that is ¼ to 1 / 3 higher than the variety Veiltail. The body seems Chunky. Especially in the field of caudal peduncle, which does not flare up at the meeting of the tail as in most fish, but more like a body part.

About the author: Peter is a member of the American Association Goldfish, and is certified judge goldfish and koi judge candidate. He is the author of Spike's Guide Goldfish, and frequent articles on the goldfish and koi. Please visit the website at AGA http://www.americangoldfish.org for more articles on the goldfish.