So, you may be wondering, where did goldfish come from? The history of the goldfish started in China around 1276 A.D. when a natural mutation in the color of the Crucian Carp resulted in a gold carp instead of the normal gray carp. Mutations are changes in the genetic makeup of an organism. There are many factors that influence mutations including environmental factors, mistakes in DNA replication, disease, and sometimes just spontaneous unexplainable events in the cell. The cells of an organism are constantly duplicating and if one little protein of one little mechanism isn’t working properly the whole process can be shut down or create a product that strays from the original. Not all mutations can be seen, in other words, some mutations don’t show up in the organism’s phenotype (as discussed in a previous installment). In the case of the creation of goldfish, a natural mutation occurred in the carp that led to a change in color. In order to carry on this color to later generations of carp the Chinese selectively bred for this new golden color. (Make sure to read the next installment to learn about selective breeding!)
Now, back to history…The Tang Dynasty was famous for keeping beautifully colored goldfish in big ponds, and according to legend the Emperor of China banned anyone but the royal family from keeping these newly bred carp called goldfish. Additional varieties of goldfish began to appear in China and in 1502 A.D. goldfish were introduced to the Japanese. The fish became very popular and new versions of goldfish were created including the ryukin.
In 1611 A.D. goldfish reached Europe where additional diverse types of goldfish were bred including the celestial which has no dorsal fin and eyes facing upward.In 1874 goldfish were exported to America where the tigerhead and the bubble eye goldfish were bred. For those who know their history, you may recall that in the 1870s the California gold rush brought a massive influx of foreign immigrants looking for work in the United States, including those from China.
Therefore we can conclude that all goldfish, no matter what shape or size, are related and are of the same species descended from the Crucian Carp. Just like a bulldog and a poodle are dogs and can mate, so different varieties of goldfish are carp and can also mate. Additionally, Koi are also related to carp but since they are a different genus of fish Koi are not goldfish. Koi and goldfish can be compared to horses and donkeys, in that they can breed but their offspring are sterile and have a very boring appearance.Goldfish continue to be a very popular pet even today. If their environment is kept clean and treated they can live for several years. Goldfish can be very flexible when it comes to quality of water, temperature of water, and the food they eat. Besides how easy it is to take care of them, they are fascinating to watch. No wonder they have such a long history!
Laramie
Life Science Assistant
“Resident Fish Expert”
