Ryukin
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| Carassius auratus auratus (Linnaeus, 1758) |
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This article or section may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please help improve this article or replace this tag with a more specific message. This article has been tagged since August 2006. (help, talk) |
The Ryukin is a variety of fancy goldfish sometimes considered a Japanese version of the Fantail Goldfish. They differ in that they have an extremely high back and a wider caudal fin than the fantail.
The most notable feature of the Ryukin is a hump in its back immediately behind its head. The higher and more pronounced the hump is, the better the quality of Ryukin. The Ryukin's body is typically triangular in shape with a fat belly and a deep body which is almost as deep as it is long. The head of a Ryukin is more pointed than that of other varieties of goldfish.
Ryukins have two evenly paired anal, ventral and pectoral fins. Caudal or anal fins may be doubled. The caudal fin shape may be longfinned, short tailed, ribbon, or butterfly, the last one being particularly attractive when viewed from above. Short tailed ryukins and some ryukins cross-bred with fantails are called "man-yu's".
Ryukin Goldfish are relativly hardy for fancy goldfish and are recommended as a beginner fish.
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[edit] History
In 1682, some goldfish were exported from China to Ryūkyū Islands where the goldfish rearing and breeding industry was established. The descendants of these goldfish were imported into Japan some time between 1772 and 1788 and became the most widely bred variety of goldfish in Japan. The Ryukin is one of the few goldfish developed outside of China. The Japanese are very shy when it comes to letting their breeds out of the country[citation needed], and despite of that the ryukin has turned into one of the more widely known and popular fish in the U.S.
[edit] Care and feeding
Due to the modifications bred into this variety, they do not swim quite as well as other, less modified varieties such as the Shubunkin and Comet (goldfish). However, Ryukin have no eye-modifications, and thus they are at an advantage over such varieties as the Telescope Eye, Black Moor, and the Celestial Eye. When choosing tankmates, this should be taken into account, as more robust goldfish may overeat on food intended for a tankmate. Orandas, lionheads and ranchu are good companions for the ryukin.
Along with the Black Moor Goldfish, Fantail Goldfish, and the Shubunkin Goldfish, the Ryukin Goldfish can be kept at temperatures close to freezing. Their hardiness and ability to live at colder temperatures makes them ideal for outdoor ponds.
Since they are omnivores, the Ryukin Goldfish will generally eat all kinds of fresh, frozen, and flake foods. To keep a good balance give them a high quality flake or pellet food everyday. As a treat, frozen foods like unsalted cocktail shrimp, krill, brine shrimp (either live or frozen), bloodworms, daphnia, tubifex worms, the veggie group like spirulina flakes (soaked), algae, zucchini, lettuce, peas, and yes, aquatic plants. It is usually better to feed freeze-dried foods as opposed to live foods to avoid parasites and bacterial infections that could be present in live foods.
[edit] Tank Requirements
Like many other goldfish breeds, the Ryukin grows rather large, up to 8-10 inches with good care and enough water. The minimum requirement when it comes to tank size is at least 10-15 gallons for a small Ryukin, and 20 gallons and up for an adult sized fish. With his deep body he produces a lot of waste and ammonia and will not grow to his full potential in a small or overcrowded tank. Ryukin are cold tolerant and therefore good candidates for outdoor ponds.
[edit] Temperatures
Recommended temperatures for Goldfish is 65°-72° F (18°-22° C).
[edit] Color Options
First only available in red, the ryukin has lately been bred into a very wide variety of colors, among them red, red/white, pure white, greenish, blue, calico and chocolate. Calico ryukin are for some reason very hard to breed with the characteristic high hump. A calico ryukin with a well developed hump is rare and valued. The ryukin is also now avalible in a very fetching tri colour.
[edit] Size and Weight
Both Fantail Goldfish and Ryukin Goldfish grow to about 15 cm (6 inches).
[edit] Swim Bladder Issues
With any deep bodied fish, a swim bladder problem is always a possibility, so certain precautions have to be taken. These should begin when shopping for a ryukin. Stay away from any that are already obviously floating or head standing, since this is a sign of already progressed and most likely irreversible swim bladder problems. A ryukin should be a very strong swimmer literally pushing the water aside when swimming. When bringing your fish home make sure he gets the proper diet right from the start to prevent any problems in the future. Nitrates should be kept below 20 ppm, since constantly higher nitrates are thought to be part of the swim bladder problem.
[edit] Social Behaviors
Goldfish are very social animals and thrive in a community. Not only are they a great community fish but they are great scavengers as well. It is really not necessary to add other scavengers or other bottom feeders to the aquarium when you have goldfish.
[edit] Sexual Differences
Although is it impossible to sex Goldfish when they are young and not in breeding season, the male is usually smaller and more slender that the female. In the breeding season the male has white prickles, called breeding tubercles, on its gill covers and head. Seen from above the female will have a fatter appearance and will look round, as she is carrying eggs.
[edit] Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom
These fish will swim in all areas of the aquarium.
[edit] Breeding/Reproduction
Ryukin Goldfish are egg layers that spawn readily in the right conditions. See Breeding Freshwater Fish - goldfish for more information on breeding Goldfish.
