26 GOLDFISH VARIETIES A^D 



THE SHUBUNKIN 



One of the more recent introductions is the Shubunkin. This is 

 simply a .transparently scaled, highly mottled, common goldfish. All 

 breeders of fancy stock occasionally get fish which are known as "sports'' 

 v;hich have reverted back in form, but not in color to the original type. 

 The Japanese have now fixed them as a breed, and export a fair number 

 of them. They are of the most striking variation in color, and make a 

 hardy, attractive aquarium or pond fish. The colors most sought after 

 are blue backgrounds, sprinkled and mottled with dark red, brown, yellow 

 and black. 



The Japanese stock has quite short fins, but those bred in America 

 are a little more developed in this respect, the illustration showing the 

 American style. 



THE FANTAIL GOLDFISH 



This is no doubt the early type of double-tailed goldfishes and is the 

 kind most frequently met with in pet shops. Enormous quantities of them 

 are annually raised in Japan, China, United States and Germany. Being 

 long of body, with fins not highly dev&loped they make good breeders and 



Fig. 12. The Fantail 



agile swimmers. This means that in the contest for life they are able in 

 most cases to hold their own with the hardy single-tailed variety. Since 

 the price for "fantails" is considerably in advance of that for "commons," 

 it would seem a better commercial venture to invest a little more money 

 at the start for "fantail" breeding stock. However, none should go into 

 the raising of fish of any kind as a commercial enterprise without first 

 obtaining actual experience in a smaller way. 



The anal fins, as well as the tails, should be double and clearly 

 divided. 



