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Breeding of Gold Fish

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Breeding of Gold Fish BREEDING OF GOLD FISH K.N. Mohanta S. Subramanian N. Komarpant A.V. Nirmale ~3Fjtl ICAR Fishery Sciences Section ICAR RESEARCH COMPLEX FOR GOA Ela, Old Goa - 403 402, Goa India 2008 Copyright © 2008, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) All Rights Reserved For reproduction of this document or any part thereof, permission of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi must be obtained. Published by: Dr. V S Korikanthimath Director ICAR Research Complex for Goa Ela, Old Goa - 403 402, Goa, India Fax 91-832 - 2285649 Phone 91-832 - 2284678, 2284679 Email [email protected] Web site http://www.icargoa.res.in Mohanta K N, Subramanian S, Komarpant Nand Nirmale A V (2008). Breeding of Gold fish. Technical Bulletin No: 16, ICAR Research Complex for Goa (Indian Council of Agricultural Research), Ela, Old Goa- 403 402, Goa, India K Chodnekar Sidharth K. Marathe Page No. 01 In the recent years, the art of considered that a community rearing and fish keeping in aquarium aqarium fish tank is not a complete has become a passion and major one unless it is having few varieties of hobby among millions of people gold fish. It was developed in China around the globe. To many more than 1000 years ago as a enthusiasts, watching these beautiful mutant arising from crucian carp. It creatures swimming gracefully in the can tolerate wide water temperature aquarium is a pure sense of joy and variations ranging from warm waters mental pleasure. It also adds to the in tropics to cold waters where aesthetic beauty of a house. The surface water freezes to ice during global trade of ornamental fish is winter. They feed on aquatic plants about $ 9 billion dollar of which 85% and small aquatic animals and easily are freshwater species and the rest interbreed with carps under normal are marine species. The ornamental conditions. fish is one of the fastest growing In recent years, due to advances sectors in fisheries with an annual in selective breeding and growth of over 10% in the world. The hybridization, numerous varieties domestic growth of ornamental fish with different colours, varied fin trade is also about 20% per annum. patterns and unbelievable shape and There are about 300 freshwater forms such as Coments, Calico, ornamental fish varieties that are Fantail, Orando, Pyukin, Lion head, available in the market and being Pearl scale, Bubble eye, Telescope, traded with different trade names. etc., are available in the markets and Among ornamental fish, gold fish has great demand both in domestic (Carassius auratus) is considered to as well as international markets. be the most popular and attractive pet fish due its many variations such as colour, finnages, tail, shape, size and body structure. Though similar in There are more than 100 varieties of gold fish that appeal to a appearance to carp (Cyprinus wide range of aquarium fish lovers. carpio), gold fish lack barbels and a dark spot at the base of each scale. It All these varieties are originated from is reported to grow up to 20-30 cm. It same species Carassius auratus. Some of the common gold fish are is the most common aquarium fish. and one of the oldest and best known listed as follows: fish. Many aquarium fish keepers Common gold fish silver body with red lips and fins but perfect placement of the red colour is This is typically a carp shaped very rare. fish with paired pectoral and pelvic fins and single dorsal and caudal fins. Ryukin (Metallic group) The body colours of the fish include The Ryukin is popular with metallic, red, orange, yellow, white professional fish breeders because and black. of its hardiness, ease of London Shubunkin (Nacreous management and the high group) percentage of good progeny which it produces. It is Japan's second most It has exactly the same body, popular variety of gold fish. The body head and finnage as the common is short, deep bodied and moderately gold fish. But it lacks the reflective compressed, often with a tissue and metallic shine. The pronounced hump at the junction transparent scales allow a multiplicity with the head. The fins are longer of colours to be seen. The than those of the wakin, the caudal background colour of the fish is bright region is forked and divided in to fins, blue, interspersed with patches of and the anal fins are also paired. This red, yellow, brown, violet and black, fish is suitable for rearing both in over which there is a black speckling. pond and aquarium. The colours are even spread into the fins. It is suitable for keeping both in Fantail pond and aquarium. This fish variety is the western Wakin (Metallic group) version of the Ryukin and found in both normal and telescope-eyed This is the common gold fish of form. The fan tail can best be Japan with a similar body shape to described as an egg-shaped fish. It is the common gold fish, but having not so deep bodied as the Ryukin and short fins. It has a double caudal fins. has no trace of hump on its back. This breed is found in a range of colours, Tikin (The peacock tail metallic including meta.llic self, variegated group) and calico. A very old variety developed from Demekin wakin. Apart from the caudal fin, the fins and body are the same as the 'Kuro Demekin is a velvety black wakin, although slightly compressed fish due to its excessive melanic vertically and some are·thicker in the pigment. Some tend to turn red with belly region. The best ones have a age. 'Aka Demekin' is the red metallic type.'Sansho Demekin' is the the veil tail have no indentation necarious form. The eye protrudes between the lobes. This square cut greatly from the head. The body tail and the very high erect dorsal fin shape and finnage is very similar to are the most characteristic features the Ryukin. of this breed. Veils are often very rare as only a small percentage of their Tosakin progeny develop in to true veil tails. Tosakin resembles as that of Moor Ryukin. But the main differences between these two varieties are that It is a telescope-eyed variety. the Tosakin has slightly shallower The colour of the fish is velvety black body and shorter fins along with a extending to the tips of the fins. The peculiar caudal fin. The lower lobes of body and finnage of this fish variety is the caudal fin are greatly extended identical to the veil tail in all respects. with up-turned outer edges, the fin It is mainly reared by British has the appearance of being aquarists. reversed and spread out in the Oranda direction of the head. This fish variety is suitable for aquarium only. Granda is a short bodied high- backed fish with long paired fins, a Comet high dorsal fin and a hood growth The comet is one variety of gold covering the head. The hood should fish which is produced in large ideally grow equally in all sections, numbers. It is readily available in the leaving only the eyes and the mouth market, very hardy and fares well exposed. However, the hood both in aquarium and pond. Yellow is development is generally occurred in the most usual colour of this fish, the cranial region. however, a deep reddish orange is Redcap Oranda and Redcap Lion more preferred. In pond environment, head it exercises its occasional turn of speed. The body of the fish is silver in colour and the hood is restricted to Veil tail the top of the head. The head colour This variety is available both in is red and hence, the name. It is normal and telescope-eyed forms. It suitable for pond or aquarium is one of the most exquisite and rearing. graceful fish among the different gold Ranchu -fish breeds. Its pointed head has no hood growth. The double tail fins of This fish was developed in Japan. It is a short, round-bodied fish having a in appearance with a deep belly and broad head covered with a generous flattish back. The fins are very similar head growth. All the fins are short with to those of Fan tail. The main the double tail fin being attached to features of this variety are the scales, the caudal peduncle at a sharp angle. which are domed. This raised area is The tail fin is held erect and can be usually white in colour and looks like fully divided or partially webbed. The a half pearl pasted to each scale, curvature along the back is a smooth thus the name pearl scale. The arch with a sharp angle downward as double tail fin is square cut like the it nears the caudal peduncle. vail tail. In the last few years, pearl scale has been seen with oranda Lion head head growth, long fins and larger It is considered to be the "King of bodies. pearl scale variety is also Gold fish". This breed has the largest found either in red or calico colour. head growth among all gold fish Pompon varieties. A double tail propels the short boxy body. The tail looks like It is a dorsal fin-less breed. It has butterfly wings, which is very a short, round boxy body like lion attractive. The back outline is head with short double tail fins. The straighter than found in the Ranchu, nasal septum dividing each nostril but still has a gentle, even curve, develops in to a fleshy lobe that which is carried right to the caudal resembles like a pompon.
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