Eziofezio
New Member
This is an article I wrote on goldfish please give feedback:
Beginnings:
The legend is that thousands of years ago there was a great drought Shanxi Province, China, so great that people began to starve and die. King Pingwang told his people to pray together with him for the Goddess of heaven for help, this worked, she gave life again to the springs of the towns and cities thus saving the people, some of these people noticed a rocky basin that had filled up with water and Goldfish, so the Chinese believe the Goddess gave us the Goldfish, as a symbol of fertility.
Goldfish at the very beginning were simply called red-scaled fish that with time changed to word Goldfish due to the gold reflections created by the red scales in the sun.
About 2 thousand years ago in the Yangtze River basin of China Crucian Carp were collected to be bred for food and bait, they are silver in color but while breeding or occasionally as nature works some are born with a gold or red color; these different colored ones were noticed, collected and put aside to begin the history of Goldfish. There exists an ancient important document from the three kings Kingdoms period 265-420, the document illustrates that people had already discovered Goldfish in that period.
Buddhism during the Tang Dynasty (618 to 907) had a very important role in popularizing Goldfish. Towards the end of the Western
Han Dynasty Buddhism started to expand due to its positive philosophy that teaches to do good and to purify oneself, not kill and
followers are invited to release animals into the wild. So Buddhist temples started to build freeing pools where people could release
red Goldfish. Due to this healthy and safe environment the fish improved in quality. This tendency of building large ponds was
brought forward in the Tang Dynasty.
King Gaozong Zhao Gou of the Southern Song Dynasty 960 y 1279; is accredited as being the first King to have Goldfish and a key
player in the domestication of Goldfish. The king had a keen interest in birds and Silver Crucian Carp. When he moved the capital to
Lin’an he ordered the "Deshou Palace" to be built, including a large pond for golden Crucian Carp to be collected and released into
the pond, with time he ordered other ponds to be built in order to collect the other types he had found around China. The king
took it so seriously that there were even official positions for Goldfish keeping!
Ming Dynasty 1368 y 1644. This period had a profound impact on breeding and presentation.
Breeding had become more economical so many more people could afford them, breeding
and keeping them became also easier by using newly found containers like pots and tanks
that could be kept indoors. Smaller containers like pots force Goldfish to swim slow, body
changes started to appear like larger tails, this is the period the four-leaf tailed appeared
together with the dragon-eyed Goldfish.
Japan
It is thought that the Goldfish was introduced to Japan in 1502, at that time the hobby was
exclusively for rich and powerful but like with everything novel and new comes common right
after , it trickled down to the Samurai and Clansmen as the aggressive side of Japan calmed
down thus bringing free time for the hobby, also a hobby called kingyo-sukui (goldfish scooping)
became popular in towns in the Edo period (1603 – 1868) and thus spreading goldfish
even more. It’s territory was also apt for rearing as japan was full of pools and high quality water,
one of the key ingredients towards quality fish like color. Goldfish spiecies from Japan are
thought to be around 30 and include: Ranchu, Oranda Shishigashira (Japanese orchid lion head),
Jikin, Tosakin, calico, Shubunkin and others.
Thailand
It is thought that they entered this asian country through royalty in the Ayutthaya period around
1370-1489. Lionchu variety, Lion head goldfish Siam (Siamese lionhead) The Lionchu or
lionhead-ranchu (Thai: สิงห์ลูกผสม) is a fancy Goldfish that has resulted from crossbreeding lionheads
and ranchus. The Lionchu or lionhead-ranchu (Thai: สิงห์ลูกผสม) is a fancy Goldfish that has resulted
from crossbreeding lionheads and ranchus.
Europe and Americas
1911 is the year Europe received the Goldfish in the 17th centaury, specifically Portugal and in
America in the 19th Centuary.
Why goldfish are so popular
Humanity, together with nature create living art, the Goldfish is a beautiful example of this kind
of teamwork. Two thousand years of passion, generations and special dedication that have
contributed towards forming the most famous fish of them all into true pieces of art. We can
find about 200 species of Goldfish in pet shops around the world. Goldfish are some of the few
fish that you can keep both indoors or outdoors so they cater for people that only want outdoor
fish so more demand. They are also popular as they are small in size, colorful and are hardy fish
that contribute to their desirability.
Shape and color
If we compare Goldfish to the rest of fish we keep as pets, we find more varieties and shapes.
This is because they are the first pet fish and so there has been more time for artificial breeding
and hybridization.
In the beginning the fish were kept in ponds or pools, in occasions taken out and put into vases
or ceramic bowls for guests to view. With time purposely made large ceramic painted tubs
became fashionable between the rich. One would have to look from above to be able to see the
Goldfish, so improving the fish started from this view (top view), Glass bowls were extremely
expensive so avoided.
Many fancy varieties look “fat” or plump, this is an ancient introduced trait some varieties have. Fish usually don’t have an abundant amount of food in nature so they tend to be slim, like the most ancient variety of goldfish also called the common goldfish, but humans have a tendency to spoil their pets, goldfish were feed too much and developed these fatty parts like on the head that many found attractive and a compliment to their aesthetics so this trait was conserved. Also keep in mind that goldfish are a cold water fish and like salmon have a natural tendency to accumulate some fat since fat offers good protection against the cold.
Through extensive breeding techniques like water quality and generations of families breeding Goldfish we can now find many colors in goldfish like orange, red, gold, black and even blue. The fancy goldfish one can purchase today are really as the Chinese say: fairies of water, while they slowly swim around their beautiful fins dance through the water resembling flags in the wind. They have truly become amazing fish to observe.
To obtain these superb fish high quality water is needed, as the Chinese saying goes: “Raise the water before you raise the Goldfish” so water quality is priority. Those who are lucky to have access to the Yangtze river in China are still using its water as it has the right minerals and ph for high quality Goldfish.
The future
Due to improvements in chemicals, tools, filters, Genetic Modifying using AI where people will be able to order the shape and colors they want, including words, and to globalization where there are potentially more people dedicated, we will find more varieties in the future including more colors, there will be deeper colors and metalic colors including bronze that will be introduced. We will also find the fish with larger fins and elongated bodies. The sea is the limit!
Thanks for reading this far!
Copyright Ezio Kroll October 2021
Citacions:
References: https://www.city.yamatokoriyama.nara.jp/overseas/english/kankou/kingyo/001461.html
http://biobubblepets.com/blog/why-are-goldfish-orange
https
/wow-j.com/en/Allguides/other/tips_manners/01647_en/#:~:text=Goldfish Wonderland 2019-,History in Japan,of aristocrats and the wealthy.&text=From then on until today,familiar fish for Japanese people.
http://www.bristol-aquarists.org.uk/
https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1600002608968708949&wfr=spider&for=pc
www.cngoldfish.cn
This article gives a brief history of the Carassius auratus fish species that today is popularly known as Goldfish;
the beginning, why it’s so popular,the various shapes and colors and finally the future.
the beginning, why it’s so popular,the various shapes and colors and finally the future.
Beginnings:
The legend is that thousands of years ago there was a great drought Shanxi Province, China, so great that people began to starve and die. King Pingwang told his people to pray together with him for the Goddess of heaven for help, this worked, she gave life again to the springs of the towns and cities thus saving the people, some of these people noticed a rocky basin that had filled up with water and Goldfish, so the Chinese believe the Goddess gave us the Goldfish, as a symbol of fertility.
Goldfish at the very beginning were simply called red-scaled fish that with time changed to word Goldfish due to the gold reflections created by the red scales in the sun.
About 2 thousand years ago in the Yangtze River basin of China Crucian Carp were collected to be bred for food and bait, they are silver in color but while breeding or occasionally as nature works some are born with a gold or red color; these different colored ones were noticed, collected and put aside to begin the history of Goldfish. There exists an ancient important document from the three kings Kingdoms period 265-420, the document illustrates that people had already discovered Goldfish in that period.
Buddhism during the Tang Dynasty (618 to 907) had a very important role in popularizing Goldfish. Towards the end of the Western
Han Dynasty Buddhism started to expand due to its positive philosophy that teaches to do good and to purify oneself, not kill and
followers are invited to release animals into the wild. So Buddhist temples started to build freeing pools where people could release
red Goldfish. Due to this healthy and safe environment the fish improved in quality. This tendency of building large ponds was
brought forward in the Tang Dynasty.
King Gaozong Zhao Gou of the Southern Song Dynasty 960 y 1279; is accredited as being the first King to have Goldfish and a key
player in the domestication of Goldfish. The king had a keen interest in birds and Silver Crucian Carp. When he moved the capital to
Lin’an he ordered the "Deshou Palace" to be built, including a large pond for golden Crucian Carp to be collected and released into
the pond, with time he ordered other ponds to be built in order to collect the other types he had found around China. The king
took it so seriously that there were even official positions for Goldfish keeping!
Ming Dynasty 1368 y 1644. This period had a profound impact on breeding and presentation.
Breeding had become more economical so many more people could afford them, breeding
and keeping them became also easier by using newly found containers like pots and tanks
that could be kept indoors. Smaller containers like pots force Goldfish to swim slow, body
changes started to appear like larger tails, this is the period the four-leaf tailed appeared
together with the dragon-eyed Goldfish.
Japan
It is thought that the Goldfish was introduced to Japan in 1502, at that time the hobby was
exclusively for rich and powerful but like with everything novel and new comes common right
after , it trickled down to the Samurai and Clansmen as the aggressive side of Japan calmed
down thus bringing free time for the hobby, also a hobby called kingyo-sukui (goldfish scooping)
became popular in towns in the Edo period (1603 – 1868) and thus spreading goldfish
even more. It’s territory was also apt for rearing as japan was full of pools and high quality water,
one of the key ingredients towards quality fish like color. Goldfish spiecies from Japan are
thought to be around 30 and include: Ranchu, Oranda Shishigashira (Japanese orchid lion head),
Jikin, Tosakin, calico, Shubunkin and others.
Thailand
It is thought that they entered this asian country through royalty in the Ayutthaya period around
1370-1489. Lionchu variety, Lion head goldfish Siam (Siamese lionhead) The Lionchu or
lionhead-ranchu (Thai: สิงห์ลูกผสม) is a fancy Goldfish that has resulted from crossbreeding lionheads
and ranchus. The Lionchu or lionhead-ranchu (Thai: สิงห์ลูกผสม) is a fancy Goldfish that has resulted
from crossbreeding lionheads and ranchus.
Europe and Americas
1911 is the year Europe received the Goldfish in the 17th centaury, specifically Portugal and in
America in the 19th Centuary.
Why goldfish are so popular
Humanity, together with nature create living art, the Goldfish is a beautiful example of this kind
of teamwork. Two thousand years of passion, generations and special dedication that have
contributed towards forming the most famous fish of them all into true pieces of art. We can
find about 200 species of Goldfish in pet shops around the world. Goldfish are some of the few
fish that you can keep both indoors or outdoors so they cater for people that only want outdoor
fish so more demand. They are also popular as they are small in size, colorful and are hardy fish
that contribute to their desirability.
Shape and color
If we compare Goldfish to the rest of fish we keep as pets, we find more varieties and shapes.
This is because they are the first pet fish and so there has been more time for artificial breeding
and hybridization.
In the beginning the fish were kept in ponds or pools, in occasions taken out and put into vases
or ceramic bowls for guests to view. With time purposely made large ceramic painted tubs
became fashionable between the rich. One would have to look from above to be able to see the
Goldfish, so improving the fish started from this view (top view), Glass bowls were extremely
expensive so avoided.
Many fancy varieties look “fat” or plump, this is an ancient introduced trait some varieties have. Fish usually don’t have an abundant amount of food in nature so they tend to be slim, like the most ancient variety of goldfish also called the common goldfish, but humans have a tendency to spoil their pets, goldfish were feed too much and developed these fatty parts like on the head that many found attractive and a compliment to their aesthetics so this trait was conserved. Also keep in mind that goldfish are a cold water fish and like salmon have a natural tendency to accumulate some fat since fat offers good protection against the cold.
Through extensive breeding techniques like water quality and generations of families breeding Goldfish we can now find many colors in goldfish like orange, red, gold, black and even blue. The fancy goldfish one can purchase today are really as the Chinese say: fairies of water, while they slowly swim around their beautiful fins dance through the water resembling flags in the wind. They have truly become amazing fish to observe.
To obtain these superb fish high quality water is needed, as the Chinese saying goes: “Raise the water before you raise the Goldfish” so water quality is priority. Those who are lucky to have access to the Yangtze river in China are still using its water as it has the right minerals and ph for high quality Goldfish.
The future
Due to improvements in chemicals, tools, filters, Genetic Modifying using AI where people will be able to order the shape and colors they want, including words, and to globalization where there are potentially more people dedicated, we will find more varieties in the future including more colors, there will be deeper colors and metalic colors including bronze that will be introduced. We will also find the fish with larger fins and elongated bodies. The sea is the limit!
Thanks for reading this far!
Copyright Ezio Kroll October 2021
Citacions:
References: https://www.city.yamatokoriyama.nara.jp/overseas/english/kankou/kingyo/001461.html
http://biobubblepets.com/blog/why-are-goldfish-orange
https
/wow-j.com/en/Allguides/other/tips_manners/01647_en/#:~:text=Goldfish Wonderland 2019-,History in Japan,of aristocrats and the wealthy.&text=From then on until today,familiar fish for Japanese people.http://www.bristol-aquarists.org.uk/
https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1600002608968708949&wfr=spider&for=pc
金鱼之家 - 国粹金鱼爱好者交流园地
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