43 GOLDFISH VARIETIES AND 
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 
