Gold fish are a common fish species that have been known in the hobby for quite a long time. Goldfish come in various species and they are a nice type of fish to keep in the aquarium due to their colorful and beautiful colors. It is interesting to note that goldfish average lifespan is more than 20 years with some being able to live even more than 30 years. It is from the original goldfish that the Fancy Goldfish were derived by breeders in Asia. You will not find fancy goldfish in the wild because they are not naturally occurring in the wild. Now, the fish come in a wide variety of over 125 varieties.
The ancestor of the fancy gold fish is said to be the Prussian Carp which mostly found in the Asian continent. What sets the fancy gold fish apart from the common goldfish is that it has a rounder appearance and has double tails which is long and flowy. The fancy comes in a wide range of colors and patterns but the orange color is very common in the fish. It is not uncommon however to find other striking colors like lavender, panda, and chocolate. What makes fancies to be interesting is that they can be manipulated to bring out some of the most amazing appearances by selective breeding.
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Appearance of Fancy Goldfish
The fish come in a wide range of shapes, colors and forms. The fish however have some few things that they share in common which include their rather double tails and rounder shape. As for coloration, the fancy fish come in varied colors and you can find some appearing yellow, golden, panda, chocolate. The orange color is usually the most common you will find in the fish. The fish are generally small in overall their body size.
Natural habitat and geographic distribution in the wild
There are no fancy goldfish found in the wild and the ones that are currently available in the hobby were bred by breeders in Asia. It is however said that the ancestor of the fish which is the Prussian Carp is a native of Asia specifically in Siberia.
Tank Requirements
The Fancy Gold fish are small and will not require a tank that is too big but if you can afford a big one it is just okay. Having a tank with a minimum capacity of at least 20 gallons (75L) for every fish is advised. Frequent water change is recommended for the fancy gold fish because the fish is highly sensitive to dirty water. Installing a high quality filtration system is a must to help keep the water clean for the fish. The fish are known to grow very fast and become big and therefore will produce lots of waste. The problem of waste in a small tank may make the levels of ammonia shoot up and be difficult to deal with. This may cause health problems to the fish and even interfere with their growth.
It is best to have a tank that is rectangular shaped as this helps to allow more oxygen to circulate in the water. Set the aquarium away from a place with lots of human traffic and also needs to be placed away from direct sunlight. When filling the tank with water just be sure that the water you are using is free of chlorine.
The base where you place the tank must be strong and sturdy to provide the much needed support. You can use gravel as the substrate which must be cleaned first before placing at the bottom of the tank.
For decoration purposes you can add furniture, plants, and rocks. Only add artificial plants because the fish will eat live plants. You can set the tank water to be between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. An aquarium heater will need to be installed to help in temperature control in the tank.
Feeding
They are omnivorous fish that feed on both plant matter and other small animals including worms, small insects and invertebrates. Giving the fish a balanced diet consisting of plants and animals is advised as this helps them to get the much needed nutrition to make them healthy and strong. For a more detailed insight into the diet of the goldfish please find out below:
- Healthy grade goldfish flake food
- Staple pellet food
- Zucchini
- Peas
- Kales
- Brine shrimp
- Mosquito larvae
- Bloodworms
Important point:
when giving the fish the food it is best to divide the food in small portions on different feeding sessions per day rather than giving them a huge bulk of food at once. You should feed them 3 – 4 times per day. Pellet food can be given once or twice a day while vegetables can be given just once per day.
Behavior/Breeding
The fish have funny and sometimes bizarre behaviors that really can interest you to watch at them for extended periods of time. For instance they easily get used to someone who feeds them on a regular basis and will readily rush towards the tank’s walls when the person gets into the room.
The fish are generally peaceful and will be peaceful to their tank mates although they sometimes may get a little aggressive during spawning. The male is known to chase the female around to force her to release her eggs for him to fertilize.
The female will spawn on the stems of the plants in the tank where the male will release his sperms to fertilize them. Please ensure to remove the fertilized eggs as soon as possible because they may soon be eaten.
The bottom line
Fancy Goldfish are some of the most interesting and beautiful fish available in the hobby. There are very many varieties of them but you will not get a naturally occurring fancy fish in the wild. They are fish that were introduced into the hobby by breeders in Asia where the fishes’ ancestor the Prussian Carp is native to.