194 JUDGING GOLDFISH COMPETITIONS 



fact that nearly all winners of competitions were of the broad-tail type. 

 While the Veiltail is the more difficult to handle and to breed, it is ac- 

 cepted as the standard to be striven for. The word "veiltail" was adopted 

 by the author from the German Schleierschwanz, and is more truly de- 

 scriptive than "fringetail," a word more apt to describe the split and 

 ragged ends of the fins of a fish out of condition. 



In competitions goldfish are divided into the scaled and "scaleless" 

 classes, the latter being transparently scaled. The scaled fishes are col- 

 ored gold (metallic red), silver (metallic drab or smoke), pearl (metallic 

 white), and moors (blacks). The first should be of a deep shade of red. 

 The second is a transitory color and varies but little. As a color value it 

 ranks low. The pearl is a grade higher, but light colors in general are 

 not favored. Moors should be of a deep blue-black, free from the ap- 

 pearance of a white scum. These blacks are never completely black 

 under the belly. It is at this point that they usually begin to turn red, 

 which is liable to happen to a Moor at any age. 



"Sealeless" fishes are divided into red, white, mottled and calico. 

 The preferred shade of red is of the deep oxblood color. White ranks 

 lowest. Mottled is a combination of red and white, while the highest 

 prized is the calico, a combination of all the colors in finely divided spots. 

 In this class the all-important color is blue or lavender, the deeper the 

 better, and also the more the better. The ideal Calico has a body back- 

 ground of blue, red and white, over which is a sprinkling of fine black 

 dots. The black dots and some red ones are also freely distributed over 

 all the fins, which are otherwise white in these and all "scaleless" fishes. 

 The highest development of this color seldom occurs under the age of 

 from two to three years. 



There are special competitions for fishes under one year old. A 

 recent ruling in this connection is that a fish to be judged must have 

 a body as large as a half dollar. Also that the body of an adult must 

 be as large as a dollar. This is because many "runt" fishes, if judged 

 strictly on points, would carry off the awards, their development having 

 gone all to fins. 



With reference to Lionheads the main points are the hood and the 

 shape of the body. The hood should be as large as possible. It should 

 envelop the whole head and rise sharply at the point where the head joins 

 the back. While color is not an important feature, the preference is for 

 a brassy body and a deep red head. Pearl colored fishes with pale yellow 

 heads are also prized. Anals should be double and the tails fully divided, 

 but no credit is given for fin length. The body should be deep and 

 broad, the back well arched, without flatness in the centre. Orandas 

 require long fins, but not such chunky bodies. 



