Types of GoldfishGal's Goldfish
Shubunkin
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The Shubunkin has a single tail. It is a colourful fish that has nacreous scales. According to Wikipedia, "Only nacreous scales are accepted by the Shubunkin breed standards. When two fish with nacreous scales breed together, the offspring will on average include 1/4 with metallic scales, 1/4 with matte scales, and 1/2 with nacreous scales. "
Shubunkins are classified into 3 types - Japanese/American; the London and the Bristol. The Japanese/American Shubunkin Goldfish type has a longer tail with long fork which contrast with the London Shubunkin Goldfish, which has a shorter tail and a thinner body with rounded fins. The Bristol Shubunkin is easy to identify as it has a wide tail which if you look at the end from the side, has the shape of the capital letter “B.”
Our Shubunkins are the Japanese/American type. As they grow into adults, their fins lengthen too.
We have some gorgeous lemon on blue matte scale shubunkins, but we also have metalic and also the nacreous scale variety too. In the photo above, he fish at the bottom has both nacreous and matte scales while the fish above that is mainly red, has mainly nacreous scales.
Shubunkins are classified into 3 types - Japanese/American; the London and the Bristol. The Japanese/American Shubunkin Goldfish type has a longer tail with long fork which contrast with the London Shubunkin Goldfish, which has a shorter tail and a thinner body with rounded fins. The Bristol Shubunkin is easy to identify as it has a wide tail which if you look at the end from the side, has the shape of the capital letter “B.”
Our Shubunkins are the Japanese/American type. As they grow into adults, their fins lengthen too.
We have some gorgeous lemon on blue matte scale shubunkins, but we also have metalic and also the nacreous scale variety too. In the photo above, he fish at the bottom has both nacreous and matte scales while the fish above that is mainly red, has mainly nacreous scales.
Fantail (long & short finned)
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Fantails have round (ovoid) body shapes and double anal and caudal (tail) fins. Fantails can have either short fins, or they can have a longer fins. The long finned/tailed Faintail is sometimes mistakenly referred to as a Veiltail, but this is not correct. Veiltails do not have a large fork in the sides of their tail as the Fantails possess. In the photos above, the short-finned Faintail is on the right which can be compared with the long-finned Faintail on the top right.
Demekin (Telescopic Eye)
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In the Japanese language, 'deme' is used as a short form of the word for 'pop eye' and 'kin' is an abbreviation of 'kingyo' which means goldfish. So, in Japan, the term 'demekin' refers to any 'pop eye' goldfish, including the Black Moor. It is different however, in western countries, where the name 'demekin' most often refers to a telescope/pop eye Ryukin (a high shouldered Fantail goldfish). The telescopic-eye goldfish pictured above, are not ryukin goldfish.
Black Moor
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The Black Moor has a black, velvet-like appearance , double caudal (tail) and anal fins and telescopic eyes. In Japan, but not in western countries, the Black Moor would be considered to be a demekin.
Originally, Black Moor goldfish had short fins like a Fantail, but they were bred to develop longer fins and today Black Moors have been bred with butterfly tails, broadtails and ribbon tails. As with all genetics, throw backs will occur and sometimes breeders of Black Moor goldfish will find that the fry are black but they don't go on to develop telescopic eyes at 4-6 months of age as most Black Moor goldfish do.
Originally, Black Moor goldfish had short fins like a Fantail, but they were bred to develop longer fins and today Black Moors have been bred with butterfly tails, broadtails and ribbon tails. As with all genetics, throw backs will occur and sometimes breeders of Black Moor goldfish will find that the fry are black but they don't go on to develop telescopic eyes at 4-6 months of age as most Black Moor goldfish do.
Panda (Black & White Moor)
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The young Panda Moor above has black and white markings. It has the telescopic eyes just like the Black Moor but this fish has white with black colouration and a short, double tail and double anal fins. The colours are most striking in contrast from the ages of 6-8 months. Most, if not all Panda Moor goldfish go white as they mature.
Oranda
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The Oranda has a double tail like the Fantail but it also develops a 'wen' - a fleshy growth on its head. In the photo on the left, the wen is not fully developed because the fish is still young. The red oranda (male) goldfish on the right, centre, is also young but the wen is developing though in this photo, it is not very easy to see. Some orandas develop a wen so large that it needs to be trimmed so as to avoid weighing the fish down and obstructing its view.
Ryukin
Young Ryukin (background, large fish) compared with a Fantail (front, smaller fish)
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Two colours create a tobiano effect on this young Ryukin whose shoulder is just starting to develop. It has short fins.
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This young Ryukin's caudal (tail) fins are long and flowing.
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Ryukins have a large dorsal hump or shoulder. The belly is deeper than a Fantail's belly which combined with the high shoulder gives the fish a rounded body shape. The size of the dorsal hump can vary from extremely high to just slightly higher than the Fantail's shoulder. Depending on the size of the dorsal hump, the face area can appear a little pointed rather than rounded.
The Ryukin has a split caudal/tail fin. The caudal fins can be in three forms.
Overall the shape of the Ryukin is egg-shaped - a very deep body,
When Ryukins were originally bred, they were red coloured, but as breeding has progressed, Ryukins can now be found in various other colours including: blue, black, white, chocolate, calico, and in a two-colour, tobiano type of colouration (as seen in the photo). As adults, Ryukins can grow to be from 15 -25 cm (6 to 10 inches) in length.
The Ryukin has a split caudal/tail fin. The caudal fins can be in three forms.
- Short-tail: short fins;
- Long-tail: long, flowing caudal fins (tail), (ribbon tail)
- Broadtail: squared caudal fins that don’t droop down (like a ribbon tail does).
Overall the shape of the Ryukin is egg-shaped - a very deep body,
When Ryukins were originally bred, they were red coloured, but as breeding has progressed, Ryukins can now be found in various other colours including: blue, black, white, chocolate, calico, and in a two-colour, tobiano type of colouration (as seen in the photo). As adults, Ryukins can grow to be from 15 -25 cm (6 to 10 inches) in length.
Nymph
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The Nymph is not usually bred on purpose, but it is thought to be a recessive throw-back from the Fantail. The Nymph has a deep, rounded (ovoid) body like a Fantail goldfish, but unlike the Fantail goldfish, the Nymph only has a single anal and caudal fin. The dorsal fin is high. The eyes can be the usual size but they can also be telescopic.