Ryukin
Encyclopedia
| Ryukin |
|---|
| Country of origin |
| China China Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture... |
| Type |
| Other tailed |
| Breed standards |
| BAS |
The ryukin is a short deep-bodied fancy goldfish
Goldfish
The goldfish is a freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae of order Cypriniformes. It was one of the earliest fish to be domesticated, and is one of the most commonly kept aquarium fish....
with a characteristic hump in the shoulder region.
Description
The ryukin is a hardy and attractive variety of goldfish with a pointed head and has a pronounced hump on the back behind the head. It may be long-finned or short-finned with either a triple or quadruple tail. The dorsal finDorsal fin
A dorsal fin is a fin located on the backs of various unrelated marine and freshwater vertebrates, including most fishes, marine mammals , and the ichthyosaurs...
is high while the caudal fin is often twice as long as the body. The caudal fin may also have three or four lobes.
Ryukins come in deep-red, red-and-white, white, iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
and calico coloration.
The ryukin is a fine aquarium fish that can reach up to 8 inches (21 centimeters) in length.
History and origins
The ryukin has been so named because it was said to have arrived in JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
through the Ryukyu Islands
Ryukyu Islands
The , also known as the , is a chain of islands in the western Pacific, on the eastern limit of the East China Sea and to the southwest of the island of Kyushu in Japan. From about 1829 until the mid 20th century, they were alternately called Luchu, Loochoo, or Lewchew, akin to the Mandarin...
which lies between Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. There were historical references that the existence of ryukins dates back to 1833, but it is said to have arrived in Japan in the 1770s. Early Japanese literature refers to the ryukin as the onaga (longtail) or the nagasaki goldfish. In English texts, they are also referred to as the Japanese ribbontail, the fringetail, the fantail or the veiltail.
Variants
- Yamagata kingyoTamasabaThe Tamasaba or Sabao is an uncommon Japanese variety of goldfish with a body shaped similar to the Ryukin and a very long, flowing, single tail that is similar to that of a mackerel, hence its other name, Mackerel Tail. This attractive and strong goldfish variety makes a very suitable pond fish...
(yamagata goldfish) or sabao (mackerel tail) or tamasabaTamasabaThe Tamasaba or Sabao is an uncommon Japanese variety of goldfish with a body shaped similar to the Ryukin and a very long, flowing, single tail that is similar to that of a mackerel, hence its other name, Mackerel Tail. This attractive and strong goldfish variety makes a very suitable pond fish...
- a hardy single-tailed variety of the ryukin that has been developed in the Yamagata PrefectureYamagata Prefecture-Fruit:Yamagata Prefecture is the largest producer of cherries and pears in Japan. A large quantity of other kinds of fruits such as grapes, apples, peaches, melons, persimmons and watermelons are also produced.- Demographics :...
of Northern Japan. - Tetsu onaga (iron-colored longtail) - a rare iron-colored variety of the ryukin.
External links and further readings
- ChinaGoldfish.com
- Bristol-Aquarists.org
- The Ryukin, Koko's Goldfish World, KokosGoldfish.com, retrieved on: 4 June 2007.
- Types of Goldfish, Koko's Goldfish World, KokosGoldfish.com, retrieved on: 4 June 2007.