48 GOLDFISH VAEIETIES A^B 



SEX IN GOLDFISHES 



The chief indications of a male fish ("buck") in the breeding sea- 

 son — about January till August — are the small tubercles appearing on 

 the gill plates. These are a little smaller than pin-heads and the fish 

 must be viewed at a certain angle in order to see them. (See illustration 

 on page 27 and lower photograph on page 56.) 



The female fish ("roe") is usually shorter and fuller of body, par- 

 ticularly when carrying spawn. The spawn as a rule is more on one 

 side of the fish than the other, so that in looking directly down on the 

 fishes' back it may be found to be curved to one side. After spawning 

 is over this deformity often remains. In a female which has spawned 

 the vent is always a little protuberant. The eggs can often be seen 

 through the translucent skin of females of the scaleless type. 



Early in the year the young males will begin swimming after the 

 females, following close to the vent. Without observing any of the fore- 

 going rules the sex may often be told in this way. 



BREEDING 



The breeding of fancy goldfishes is one of the most fascinating of 

 diversions. There are many difficulties to be encountered and even the 

 oldest fanciers sometimes have new troubles to face. Goldfish, possibly 

 more than any other creatures, draw their characteristics from far- 

 removed ancestors. Or again they may become a counterpart of either 

 parent. This makes a considerable element of uncertainty, since the 

 characteristics of their preceding stock has for the most part contained a 

 great deal of variety, due, no doubt, to experimental crosses. This 

 produces a most interesting and sometimes annoying variation in a lot 

 of young goldfish. As the fish gets beyond the small fry stage the breeder 

 becomes intensely absorbed in daily observation of points of form, color 

 and size as they appear. 



The percentage of fancy fish coming true to type is usually small. 

 Ten per cent, of fish to pass the critical inspection of the fanciers' eye 

 is not considered bad. Besides these about fifty per cent, of the batch 

 will come true, but will be qualified by slight defects. The balance may 

 be anything at all, single-tail fish from double-tail parents being the 

 principal disappointment. These percentages are averaged from general 

 breeding, but are liable to wide variation. Sometimes there is no fish in 

 a hatching to approach the quality of either parent; sometimes a large 

 percentage is better than both parents. If a strain is carefully watched 



