22 THE GOLDFISH 



scaled are some specimens that at the breeding season it is often pos- 

 sible to tell females by seeing the eggs through the translucent walls 

 of the belly. The main objection to the transparently scaled fish is 

 that the ribs or rays of the fins are rather weak. Soon after the fins 

 have attained a high degree of development the fish is no longer able 

 to hold them in a position where they will show to advantage. In the 

 majority of instances the dorsal and caudal fins (the latter hereafter 

 popularly referred to as "tails") commence to droop and sag in from 

 two to three years, while the scaled fish often maintains an admirable 

 stiffness of fins for years. 



Length of Life. Although millions of common goldfishes die 

 annually at an early age under the outrageous conditions of a minia- 

 ture fish globe, they are endowed by Nature for a long life. Under 

 fair conditions and proper management, they should live from ten to 

 twenty years in an aquarium. In ponds where not subjected to severe 

 winter conditions they will live at least thirty years, if not caught by 

 enemies. The Fish Commission at Washington has at this writing a 

 number of specimens over thirty years of age. Questions are fre- 

 quently asked regarding the length of life of fancy goldfishes, but these 

 are always difficult to answer satisfactorily. A large proportion die 

 under the age of 6 weeks. Of the remainder there are quite a few 

 which do not develop rapidly, always remaining "runts." A few of 

 these drop off from time to time during the winter, but in the early 

 spring months they, and all other weak fishes, go rapidly, so that very 

 few of the undersized fishes are left by the first of May. Those pass- 

 ing this period are generally good for a few months more, when the 

 death toll is rather heavy again. To answer the question in a general 

 way, it might be said young fancy goldfishes with a body length of 

 not over 1 inch in October (no matter when hatched) are quite unlikely 

 to live a year. Those from 2 to 23^ inches will average about 4 years 

 under good conditions. An3'where from six to twelve years can be 

 considered a long life for a fancy goldfish, although well authenticated 

 instances exceeding this are known. 



Development of Fancy Breeds. In breeding single-tail fishes 

 together in which there is no known double-tail stock, one will some- 

 times find a fish with the lower lobe of the tail double, making it a rea- 

 sonable supposition that this was the first "break" in form away from 

 the common stock. This is called a "tripod tail." The next higher 

 development is the "web-tail," in which both tails are fully formed 

 but joined at the top edge instead of being completely divided. From 

 these early "breaks" have been developed the fully divided tails, dou- 

 ble anal fins, ct cetera. 



