Introduction to Goldfish

Goldfish seem to be quite a simple pet. They are small, live in fish tanks and swim around all day. In this blog, we shall learn a few things about goldfish covering various aspects of their life.

1. Origin

Goldfish are descendants of the Prussian carp, even though they look nothing like this silver-coloured fish. Interestingly, they were first bred in ancient China during the Song Dynasty, which was the period between 960 AD and 1279 AD.

2. Size

Goldfish are relatively small fish species, but in some cases, they can grow over 18 inches and weigh as much as 10 pounds. Their size, however, depends on the type of goldfish and the size of the tank they are being bred in.

3. Eating Habits

Wild goldfishes are considered omnivores, as they eat everything from aquatic vegetation to frogs and eggs. Pet goldfish, on the other hand, eat store-bought foods and supplements such as pellet fish food.

4. Cost

Some goldfish can cost up to 150$. Even though this type of fishes are generally considered inexpensive, but their prices vary from 15$ to over 150$, depending on their size, colour, and type. The most expensive kind of goldfish is the Rancho goldfish.

5. Lifespan

Don’t be fooled by the myth that goldfish don’t live long. They are in fact, one of the longest-living species of fish, as they can live from 20 to over 30 years if taken care of properly. The oldest goldfish that ever existed was 49 years old.

6. Presence in Asia

While the species originates from ancient China, most goldfish you can buy from pet stores come from commercial breeders located in different parts of Asia, including Thailand, China, and Japan.

7. Sleep With Their Eyes Open

You can never tell whether a goldfish is sleeping because they sleep with their eyes open. The reason being goldfish do not have eyelids, so they can’t close their eyes at all.

8. Memory

You’ve probably heard of the phrase “to have a memory like a goldfish.” There is a myth that goldfish can only remember things for three seconds, which is far away from reality. Scientific research has proven that goldfish can remember things that happened up to three months ago.

9. Intelligence & Skill

While some would say owning a fish is boring, goldfish are a completely different story. They are intelligent and can be trained to do small tricks, such as swimming through hoops or even releasing food from containers by pulling levers.

10. “A Troubling”

A group of goldfish is called “a troubling”, we guess they bring trouble wherever they go to in groups!

This was just an introduction to goldfish, keep following us to get a more in-depth understanding.