Red & White Ryukin Goldfish – Medium
Carassius auratus is the scientific name of the ancestor of all the types of goldfish that are around today. From this original fish there has been well over 100 goldfish varieties that have been created through selective breeding. Some have stayed true to the carp like body shape while others have developed larger bodies, lost their dorsal fins. have over sized eyes and some have elongated fins. The Ryukin goldfish is an interesting variety, which actually was first bred in Japan. The Ryukin has a very deep body, almost as deep as it is long. They have high dorsal fins on their arched backs that make them look even rounder. The higher the hump on their back, the better the quality of Ryukin. Other finnage can be rather long and flowing. When feeding these fish keep in mind that they will need large amounts of vegetative matter to stay strong and healthy. Generally flake food that is designed for goldfish is sufficient enough to meet their dietary needs. For variety, live plants such as Anacharis or Hornwort can be thrown in to allow the goldfish to naturally graze. As can be derived from their dietary needs keeping these fish in a planted tank is generally going to be a poor idea if the plants are desired. Tankmates for these fish should generally be other goldfish. They will produce large amounts of waste material and can add to the ammonia level in the aquarium which can be very detrimental to other tank inhabitants. If other tank inhabitants are desired extreme care should be taken in choosing them.