Goldfish

ANIMAL:
Goldfish Carassius auratus

Type of Animal:
Cyprinid

Habitat:
Slow-moving/stagnant freshwater areas, ponds, water gardens, fish tanks, areas w/ lots of aquatic vegetation, muddy waters, rivers, streams, lakes, stagnant backwaters, reservoirs, cloudy dense hazy water, prefer pH of 6.5-8.5

Location(s):
Native to E Asia. Introduced & domesticated worldwide.

Appearance:
Come in wide range of colors & shapes, usually 2 sets of paired fins, no barbels on upper jaw, no scales on head

Food/Diet:
Fish flakes, fish pellets, fish gel, legumes, vegetables, greens, root/tuber vegetables, grains, worms, shrimp, krill, Daphnia plankton, insects, insect larvae, fruit, small fish (including fry of own species), bread, cereal, cheese, algae, eggs, snails, aquatic plant matter, leaves, plant roots, berries,

Status in Wild:
Stable. Domesticated throughout world.

Conservation:
Not applicable

Lifestyle:
Schools of 10-200

Additional Info:

Called:
Male
Female
Young: Fry
Group: School

Weight:
0.2-9 lbs

Gestation:
2-7 days 

Life Span:
5-25 years

Body Length:
4-12 in

Tail Length:
1.5-5 in

Main predators of adults are felids, canids, raccoons, herons, raptors, turtles, crocodilians, gulls, cormorants, ducks, kingfishers, otters, bears, mink, frogs, dragonfly larvae, snakes, rats, muskrats, opossums, beavers, corvids, & skunks. Rudd, tench, koi, larger goldfish, hydra, diving beetles, water boatmen, & backswimmers eat fry.
 
Originally kept as meat fish-they became more popular as ornamental fish & are now most popular pet fish in world.
 
Closely related to carp.
 
Row of tiny dots down sides gives ability to feel water pressure changes.
 
Growth often stunted when kept in tiny tanks/bowls.
 
There are over 300 different breeds of goldfish.
 
Females can lay over 1,000 eggs in 1 spawning session.
 
They’re invasive in many parts of the world.

Fun Fact(s):
1st brought over to N America around 1850.
 
They can recognize faces.
 
US President Grover Cleveland imported/kept hundreds of fancy goldfish in his ponds.
 
They can see more colors than humans but don’t have amazing eyesight.
 
Japanese researchers used 2 pieces of classical music by 2 different composers (Bach & Stravinsky)-half of goldfish trained to bite red bead during Bach’s music & other half to bite during Stravinsky’s music-if they bit during piece of music, they got food. 75% of the time they got it right.
 
1st selectively bred in Ancient China during time of Jin Dynasty between 265 & 420 CE/AD.
 
1st brought over to Europe in 1611 in Portugal.