82 



THE AQUAEIUM, JANUARY, 1894. 



THE COMMON GOLDFISH. 



Carassius auratus. 

 Der Goldfiscli . Poisson rouge. 



This prime old favorite, for so many 

 years cultivated in ponds and aquariums 

 for the sake of ornamentation, is, para- 

 doxically as it may appear, widely 

 known, yet little understood. 



It is a native of China, where it is 

 extensively cultivated, and the crossing 

 of the different species is there made a 

 scientific study. They are kept as 

 domestic pets, and under patient train- 

 ing learn to come to the sound of a 

 whistle, to receive food. The most 

 beautiful varieties come from a lake in 

 the province of Che-Kyang. The first 

 introduction of the goldfish into Eu- 

 rope is variously dated ; the years 1611 

 A. D., 1091 A. D., and 1728 A. D., 

 each having claims for that honor. 



The Common Goldfish. 



The first seen in France were those 

 imported for Madame de Pompadour, in 

 the reign of Louis XV. Soon after- 

 wards they became tolerably common, 

 as it was found that they throve well in 

 the waters of southern Europe, es- 

 pecially in Portugal, where they sprung 

 from a few small fish, said to have es- 

 caped from a vessel newly arrived from 

 China. It was not long before several 

 of the streams in the neighborhood of 

 Lisbon absolutely swarmed with them, 

 and it is from this source that all Eu- 

 rope became stocked with them. From 

 Europe the fish was brought to Amer- 

 ica and quickh"^ won its way into favor. 



The body of the fish is elongated and 

 entirely covered with a coat of uni- 

 formly sized scales. The head is short, 

 the lips well developed and without 

 barbies. The color is generally an 

 orange yellow with a golden hue, and 

 sometimes marked with black ; the ab- 

 domen may be either yellowish or white. 

 The name of the entire family, of 

 course, had its origin in the prevailing 

 golden color of the species. The dorsal 

 fin is long, reaching from the middle of 

 the back, iiearly to the tail ; specimens 

 with a shorter dorsal fin are deformed. 

 This species has also, sometimes, two 

 anal fins ; the caudal fin or tail is on 

 the lower side, sometimes divided, giv- 

 ing the tail, if viewed from behind, the 

 shape of a reversed letter " j." 



The fish when full grown measure 

 eighteen inches in length by six inches 

 in height, and are known to live to an 

 age of one hundred years. Goldfish 

 enjoy a warm temperature best, are very 

 hardy, and thrive under circumstances 

 that would be fatal to many others. 

 They are thus particularly well adapted 

 for life in the aquarium, specimens 

 having been successfully kept in good 

 health and condition for from ten to 

 sixteen years. 



The goldfish feeds upon almost all 

 kinds of vegetable matter, insects, 

 worms, etc., and will also prey upon 

 small fish, even devouring its own 

 spawn and young. If kept in an aqua- 

 rium, the best diet for them is prepared 

 fish food, wafers or crackers, with now 

 and then some finely chopped raw beef 

 or earth worms. 



The method of reproduction and the 

 season at which it occurs is identical 

 with that of the carp ; the eggs, like- 

 wise, are adhesive. 



The size of the fish has nothing 

 whatever to do with the ability to 



