Dwarf Goldfish

[orange shark]

Are there such things or are they just miniture versions of the goldfish tht will get huge?

Thanks, orange shark

 

[GoldLenny]

No such natural thing but the way breeders are selectively inbreeding mutated goldfish to "invent" new types, I wouldn't doubt they will come out with a "dwarf goldfish" but if they are anything like their mutated cousins, they will have many health issues. Most of the fancy goldfish have all kinds of health problems compared to their non-genetically mutated "pure" cousins... the common goldfish.

I would say that fancy goldfish, comets, sarasas, etc., are considered "dwarf goldfish" since they grow to less than 1/2 the size of regular common goldfish. So anything smaller would be "Dwarf Pygmy Goldfish" or maybe "Double Dwarf Goldfish" or some other name that will make people buy them for high prices for sickly fish.

BTW... I keep a couple of fancy goldfish so I'm not just picking on goldfish keepers but rather the industry the feels compelled to breed these genetic anomalies that are now sold as "fancy goldfish".

 

[helterskelter]

The common body shaped goldfish can get to 12" if they have enough space.

However like whats been said already the cultavated strains are selected for the shape and size, with the smallest being i think are the pearl scales (golf balls) which are rarley seen over 2" but then you get many problem with most cultavated lives which have a destorted body shape due the swim bladder being destorted and ofballencing the fish, which there is no treatments for.

 

[OohFeeshy]

with the smallest being i think are the pearl scales (golf balls) which are rarley seen over 2"

I wouldn't really say that's true, one of my LFSs has a tank of 4/5" ones, MA has even bigger ones.

 

[helterskelter]

Rearly!!!!!! i never seen them that size..... must look like tennis balls!!!!

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

As far as i am aware, there are not any goldfish which will grow shorter than 5inches long- any goldfish you get which grow to less than 5inches long are mostly either likely to be very inbred/runt of the litter, or has experienced very bad stunted growth from being kept in a tank too small etc. The smallest growing goldfish i know of is the bubble eye goldfish, which grows 5-6inches long on average.
Pearl scales get a lot bigger than 2inches, they can grow up to 8inches long;

http/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearlscale

Pearl scales fall under the category of fancy goldfish, i would not keep a single fancy goldfish in anything less than a 20gallon tank. Most fancy goldfish will grow between 6-9inches long, while most non-fancy goldfish will grow between 12-15inches long or more.

 

[SnBMeg]

There is one type of goldfish that stays small: "Siamese Dolls." They're an albino variation of the blackmoor, and they retain a nymph body type (very small and dainty) and only grow to be a few inches long.

MOD EDIT: Please dont advertise other forums, thanks

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

There is one type of goldfish that stays small: "Siamese Dolls." They're an albino variation of the blackmoor, and they retain a nymph body type (very small and dainty) and only grow to be a few inches long.

Even so, one person there claims that their siamese doll goldfish grew to 8inches, while another person has a 5inch one, and another has a 3inch one (probably still growing, or has stunted growth).
I've never heard of this breed before, to be honest i think its either just a made up name or another name for globe eye goldfish. The "siamese doll" goldfish look exactly like globe eye goldfish to me;

http/www.bristol-aquarists.org.uk/goldfish/globe/globe.htm

http/www.bristol-aquarists.org.uk/goldfish/globe/globe.htm

As far as i am aware, globe eye's usually grow to at least 6inches, so not a small fish.

 

[OohFeeshy]

Indeed, I'd suggest that the potentially smaller size is due to environmental factors as opposed to genetics- it doesn't seem like this is a 'fixed' strain, so they probably had normal siblings, and white/albino fish often have poor eyesight which puts them at a disadvantage compared to their siblings.