Celestial Eye Goldfish

[SirMinion]

The story (myth?) is that celestials were originaly bred in China by a breeder who was ordered to create a fish worthy of the Emperor's ponds & bowls.
This was in a time when fish were kept in earthernware bowls that meant the fish could only be viewed from above.
The breeder's response was to breed a fish which eternally looked at the Heavens which he presented to his Emperor with the words "See how even the fish recognise your magnificence, for they cannot take their eyes off you".

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Hm, i dunno realy. nice story, but still cruel; i think they're quite ugly too, no offence mean't.

 

[SPLiSH]

That's an interesting idea, SirMinion... they must have been pretty clued up on genetics...

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Imagine what would happen if they got the pop eye desease though...I don't think they've got any space left in those eye sockets to not lose their eyes from somthing like that.

 

[SirMinion]

That's an interesting idea, SirMinion... they must have been pretty clued up on genetics...

Nah, it's just a question of selective breeding.
The story is that it took the breeder 30 years to do it!

 

[wrs]

theyre kinda cute, but freaky at the same time. I do think though that they should try to brred them so that they eyes are normal, not always looking up, because that must be hard to swim without knowing where your going.

 

[SPLiSH]

Nah, it's just a question of selective breeding.
The story is that it took the breeder 30 years to do it!

Yeah... you've got to wonder what the parents were. It's weird to think all these variations (ranchus, moors, lionheads) came from the wild, common goldfish.

 

[Fishy411]

i will never buy goldfish and this is the reason. They are bred to have all these mutations which are probly not too great to have in a fish. Why do u need a fish to look up. Why do they need those growths on their foreheads. It is just wierd to me

 

[sylvia]

Though I too think they should never have been bred in the first place, I accept and appreciate them as I think they have a uniqueness unparalleled in the fish world. What other species besides the goldfish shows so much variation? As for those of you who don't like them, I can see why as many look quite bizarre; if not disturbing.

However, I'd like to draw a comparison between these and the domestic dog - how cruel is it to breed dogs with a hole in their skull (the apple-headed tiny teacup chihuahuas) or that cannot naturaly give birth (british bulldogs which need to have their pups delivered by c-section)? At least goldfish varieties don't have problems like these and usualy their strangeness does not limmit their lifespan.

But it isn't just dogs and goldfish. Humans have always tried to manipulate and take control of nature. What are we to make of munchkin cats (no serious problems but their short legs make it more difficult for them to move around), hairless rats (sphynx rats have shortened lifespans because of their lack of fur and being prone to disease), fancy budgies (which have been so very aggressively selectively bred that they have lost years off their lifespan as a concequence) or lab mice (which after so much in-breeding, are almost guaranteed to have cancerous tumours at some point during their very short lifetime)?

 

[SPLiSH]

Why do they need those growths on their foreheads.

Why are some bettas crammed into tiny cups which are so small that they can't swim comfortably? Why are some livebearers inbred so extensively that they have a weakened immune system? Simple: looks.

It's quite sad, IMO.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Yes, yes there are many crueltys in the world and this is just one. It may be a goldfish but it still has as much right to live happily as any other living creature- just because it may seem insignificant to other animals doesn't mean it shouldn't have the same rules/rights applied to it.
Just being alive must be very stressful for that fish with its eyes constantly being pointed up to the light 24/7.
The fish would have never ever occurred naturally in the wild like that and probably wouldn't survive long if you did put one in the wild either, which i think is justifyable to say that its a man-made freak of nature.

 

[sylvia]

Firstly, the fish was born like this so having its eyes pointing upwards isn't stressful for it. It might be at a disadvantage but you can only become stressed if something changes to stress you - the fish knows no better. That's sad in itself but you get the point.

Also, I wasn't saying other animals deserve more - I was simply saying the goldfish' condition isn't unique and that, in many cases, goldfish are not as badly affected. I don't mean to argue with you BTW (I agree with you), I just want to make it clear - that is not what I said (I think you were reffering to my post). I agree that fish should be awarded the same respect as other creatures.

As for them not surviving in the wild, that's true. But, going by the same principle, the domestic dog couldn't survive in the wild, neither could cows, domestic sheep and most other truly domestic animals. If someone were to force your human neighbour to live in the wild - would they be able to (granted for different reasons but it's pretty much the same thing)? I think all this is just a product of human selfishness and there's realy nothing we can do about it. Great shame though it is - I would just hope people will finaly choose to learn from their past, irreversible mistakes for the sake of the future (so far they haven't been though).

Forgot to mention that the fishies in the pics is cute

Oh and that pop-eye image... eww

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Ah im sorry sylvia i missed your point a bit at first- but i totally agree with you now

 

[Synirr]

As for them not surviving in the wild, that's true. But, going by the same principle, the domestic dog couldn't survive in the wild, neither could cows, domestic sheep and most other truly domestic animals.

Actually, some farm animals like cows and sheep can manage pretty well in the wild... so much so that it can cause a huge problem. Domestic goats and sheep have gotten loose in some areas in the world and are out-competing the native species which fill the same niche. The dingos of Australia reportedly started out as domestic dogs imported from China
It all depends on what the animal has been bred for, really. Working-class dogs could survive pretty well in the wild, assuming they traveled in a pack, and domestic cats do okay for themselves, too. The domesticated animals that don't do well in the wild are usually the ones bred for looks.... *cough chihuahuas cough*

Just to clarify, I'm not debating the point... just sharing some info I think is interestng

 

[guppygirl]

Aww, poor things.