TRD: Institute for animal production: Aquaculture: GOLDFISH
Goldfish (Carassius auratus)
Goldfish
(Carassius auratus)
Description
The goldfish, Carassius auratus, was one of the earliest fish to be domesticated, and is still one of the most commonly kept aquarium fish. The specific name auratus comes from Latin word auratus meaning gold. Body stout, thick and short; dorsal fin long-based. Mouth small without barbels. Head without scales, broadly triangular. Color equally variable, wild color metallic olive- bronze; orange or red with white, black yellow are the most common domestic colors. Males are thinner than females.
Distribution
Found in a few scattered localities mostly around large towns. Known sites include the Cape flats area, Breë River near Robertson, Baakens River (Port Elizabeth), Grahamstown, Apies River (Pretoria district), Umsinduzi River and Chinhoyi Caves, Zimbabwe. Natural range uncertain.
Biology
Feed on a wide range of food including plants, small crustaceans, insects and detritus. Gold fish are not tropical. Typically goldfish will survive in water temperature ranging from freezing to about 28 °C. They do much better in a cooler water temperature. Goldfish are multiple spawners. During spawning male develop tubercules (white spots, not to be confused with the disease: white spot). Goldfish lay eggs on submerged vegetation. Spawning occurs in shallow, weedy coves during spring and summer in the wild. Valued as ornamental fish for ponds and aquaria; edible but rarely eaten.
last modified: