| Goldfish are known to be the most common and | | | | |
| popular choice for pets. But why do people | | | | The Birth of the Goldfish |
| bring home Goldfish? They can't run or let | | | | |
| out a squeak leave alone express themselves | | | | It all began in Ancient China when the |
| and they definitely can't play catch. All | | | | goldfish as we know it today was bred from |
| they will do is just swim and swim and swim | | | | the gibel carp which is found in slow moving |
| and yet they manage to make that connection | | | | waters in South China. The first evidence we |
| with us and we love them for it. If you ask a | | | | have is in the year 265-415 when the Chun |
| Goldfish lover what makes them great, the | | | | dynasty recorded the gold hue of this fish. |
| answer would be - they are great because they | | | | From then on documents show that the goldfish |
| just are! | | | | were raised in ponds within Buddhist |
| | | | monasteries and mostly in the houses of |
| Are Goldfish really gold? | | | | royalty and other aristocrats. |
| | | | |
| One of the probable reasons why people are | | | | It was during the reign on the Ming Dynasty |
| attracted to Goldfish could be because of | | | | that records show the Goldfish being raised |
| their golden hues. It gives them that exotic | | | | in bowls as indoor pet. This in fact helped |
| and different look. However, they aren't | | | | the Goldfish to evolve double tail and anal |
| really golden - more a combination (or | | | | fins, red and white coloration and even |
| absence) of the two or three types of pigment | | | | dispense with their dorsal fins. Goldfish |
| cells black, yellow and red - that give the | | | | became linked to prosperity, fortune and good |
| Goldfish a variety of color effects. Goldfish | | | | luck and even inspired art in China which was |
| can be golden, red, white, bronze and even | | | | reflected in the goldfish motifs used in |
| blue and black. In fact, when Goldfish are | | | | silks, ceramics and jade carvings. |
| born they are neither gold nor orange. They | | | | |
| are a very tan or olive kind of shade and | | | | Soon they began to become more commonly |
| sometimes they can be pretty dark. It's only | | | | available and made their first trip out of |
| when they grow that they begin to change | | | | their homeland to Japan in 1603. In 1611- |
| their color. | | | | 1691 goldfish were exported to Europe. It was |
| | | | in 1874 that Goldfish made an entry into |
| Essentially a wild species, Goldfish probably | | | | United States of America. The 19th Century |
| acquired their color over the ages and thanks | | | | sawthe demand for aquariums and goldfish |
| to genetic mutations and selective breeding | | | | grow. The world's first public aquarium |
| we have Goldfish that can range from silver | | | | opened in London in 1853. |
| to gold, red to orange, with a single tail or | | | | |
| a fantail and some with pop eyes and without | | | | Today's modern Goldfish has its very own |
| dorsal fins! The color of goldfish depends on | | | | definition: "A small reddish golden Chinese |
| the environment it is bred in as well as the | | | | carp kept for ornament" (Oxford Dictionary, |
| light it is exposed to. Goldfish is one | | | | American Edition, Oxford University Press). |
| species that has been bred, crossbred and | | | | Its official biological name is Carassius |
| changed quite a bit and this has been going | | | | auratus and but it's commonly known as the |
| on since more than hundreds of years. But | | | | golden carp or simply the goldfish. |
| when did it all begin? | | | | |