PETS 2016 - GOLD FISH

Goldfish (Carassius auratus)

Goldfish is among the most frequent pets in the world and the most favourite one in aquariums. It originates from Eastern Asia while first documents on its breeding originate from China, from the 3rd century. At the beginning of the 17th century seafarer brought them to Europe where their breeding began at first in garden lakes, and then also in bowls. All this contributed to today’s diversity in colours so that today goldfishes can be white, yellow, orange, red, brown and even completely black. Equally, the shapes of their body, head, eyes, fins and tail come in many variants. So, we have common goldfish (short body and double tail), telescope goldfish (pop-eye and double tail), red riding hood (white with red point on head), pearl goldfish (scales in the shape of pearls), lions head (with outgrowths on head), as well as all of them already mentioned and many others with normal or prolonged fins (this shape is called comet or butterfly, if the tails are double). Goldfish is classified among cold-water fish, which means that it does not demand a precise water temperature and also no special hardness or chemical composition of water. Because of these features goldfish is the most common in home aquariums, since it needs for life just several tens of litres of water in any kind of bowl. During many yeas goldfishes were agonized in small, round glass bowls containing just a few litres of water but in the last decade more and more states forbid such way of keeping goldfishes. They reproduce by spawning and a female can lay up to several thousand sticky fish eggs (depending on its size, and it can grow up to 30 cm or more). After fertilisation the eggs stick to water plants and after several days fishes hatch from them. The feed on larvae and plant food and grow fast in first weeks. Goldfish is the one “fulfilling” three wishes, but also without putting questions it will bring us joy and cheerfulness if we keep it as a pet.

Boris Cebović Small Animal Breeder