Goldfish
📖 Overview
Adults inhabit rivers, lakes, ponds and ditches with stagnant or slow-flowing water . They occur in eutrophic waters, well vegetated ponds and canals . Live better in cold water. Feed mainly on plankton, benthic invertebrates, plant material and detritus . Goldfish lay eggs on submerged vegetation. Females spawn multiple times during the spawning period . Oviparous, with pelagic larvae. They last long in captivity . Maximum recorded salinity is 17 ppt , but unable to withstand prolonged exposure above 15 ppt . Used as an experimental species . Valued as ornamental fish for ponds and aquaria; edible but rarely eaten . Aquarium keeping: in groups of 5 or more individuals; minimum aquarium size 100 cm . Reported individual hooked by an angler in a lake in Poole, Dorset measured 40 cm (16 in), weighing 2.3 kg (Practical Fishkeeping, 2010).
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 3 - 4; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14 - 20; Anal spines: 2 - 3; Anal soft rays: 4 - 7; Vertebrae: 30. Body stout, thick-set, caudal peduncle thick and short . Head without scales , broadly triangular , interorbital space broad, snout longer than eye diameter, maxillary reaching posterior nostril or not quite to eye , barbels lacking on upper jaw . Lateral line complete. Dorsal and anal fins with serrate bony spines, pelvic fins short, broad and thoracic. Nuptial tubercles of male fine, on opercle, sometimes on back and a few on pectoral fins. Hybridize readily with carp, hybrids intermediate in most characteristics . Caudal fin with 17-19 rays . Last simple anal ray osseous and serrated posteriorly; no barbels . Pigmentation: Wild-caught specimens, olive brown , slate olive, olive green, with a bronze sheen , silvery, grayish yellowish, gray-silver , through gold (often with black blotches) to creamy white ; yellowish white or white below. Cultured forms vary through scarlet, red-pink, silver, brown, white, black and combinations of these colors .: fusiform / normal; Cross section: oval.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Goldfish is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
Diet information for Goldfish is currently being compiled.
🥚 Reproduction
Cold water temperatures during the winter months are necessary for proper ova development . Spawning takes place in shallow water among weeds, often where willow roots grow exposed in water , also meadows inundated by spring flood . Spawning activity begin just before dawn , to midafternoon . Individual fish spawn 3-10 lots of eggs at intervals of 8-10 days . Juveniles need high temperature to grow. Eggs are sticky, attached to water plants or submerged objects . Females spawn multiple times during the spawning period .
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Freshwater; brackish; benthopelagic; pH range: 6.0 - 8.0; dH range: 5 - 19; potamodromous ; depth range 0 - 20 m . Subtropical; 0°C - 41°C ; 53°N - 22°N East Asia, China and Japan (Ref.
🌿 Ecology
plankton, benthic invertebrates, plant material and detritus (Ref
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🍽️ Edibility & Flavour
"Goldfish is an edible species."
- Clear, bright eyes — cloudy eyes indicate age
- Firm flesh that springs back when pressed
- Fresh ocean smell, never strong or ammonia-like
- Bright red or pink gills, not grey or brown
- Shiny, moist skin with scales tightly attached
- Cloudy or sunken eyes
- Strong fishy or ammonia odour
- Soft, mushy flesh that doesn't spring back
- Discoloured or dry flesh
⚡ Nutrition
Detailed nutritional data for Goldfish is currently being compiled from USDA FoodData Central.
🔬 Mercury Safety
Mercury data for Goldfish has not yet been assigned. Please consult FDA/EPA guidance for general seafood safety advice.
🌿 Sustainability
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
| Language | Common Names |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧English | Gold carp · Goldfish · Prussian carp · gibel carp · Carp · Crucian Carp · Edible Goldfish · Gold Crucian Carp · Goldcarp · Golden Carp · Native Carp · New Zealand |
| 🇸🇦Arabic | سمك ذهبي |
| 🌍AZE | Qızılı balıqcıq |
| 🌍BOS | Zlatna ribica |
| 🌍BRE | Pesk-aour |
| 🌍BUL | Шлаер |
| 🏳️Catalan | Carpí daurat · carpí vermell |
| 🌍CES | karas stříbřitý |
| 🌍CYM | Pysgod Aur · pysgodyn aur |
| 🇩🇰Danish | Guldfisk · Sølvkarusse |
| 🇩🇪German | Giebel · Goldfisch · Silberkarausche |
| 🌍ELL | Κοκκινόψαρο · Χρυσόψαρο |
| 🌍EPO | Orfiŝo |
| 🌍EST | Kuldkala |
| 🌍EUS | Urre-arrain |
| 🌍FAS | ماهی قرمز |
| 🇫🇮Finnish | kultakala |
| 🇫🇷French | Carassin doré, Poisson rouge · Poisson rouge · carassin · cyprin doré · gibèle |
| 🌍GLA | Òr-iasg |
| 🌍GLE | Iasc órga |
| 🌍GUJ | ગોલ્ડફિશ |
| 🌍HEB | דג זהב |
| 🌍HIN | सुनहरी मछली (गोल्डफिश) |
| 🇭🇺Hungarian | Aranyhal |
| 🌍ISL | Gullfiskur |
| 🇯🇵Japanese | Kingyo · キンギョ · キンブナ |
| 🌍KAN | ಗೋಲ್ಡ್ ಫಿಷ್ (ಹೊಮ್ಮೀನು) |
| 🌍KAT | ოქროს თევზი |
| 🇰🇷Korean | 금붕어 · 붕 어 |
| 🌍LAV | Zelta zivtiņa |
| 🌍LIT | Auksinė žuvelė |
| 🌍MAL | സ്വർണ്ണമത്സ്യം |
| 🌍MKD | златна рипка |
| 🌍MSA | Ikan mas |
| 🇳🇱Dutch | giebel · goudvis · steenkarper · Goldfish |
| 🌍NNO | gullfisk |
| 🌍NOB | gullfisk · sølvkaruss |
| 🇵🇱Polish | karaś złocisty |
| 🌍RON | Caras auriu |
| 🇷🇺Russian | Золотая рыбка |
| 🌍SLK | Karas striebristý |
| 🇪🇸Spanish | Carpín dorado · carpa dorada |
| 🌍SQI | karasi i artë · peshku i kuq |
| 🌍SRP | Златни караш |
| 🇸🇪Swedish | guldfisk |
| 🌍TEL | గోల్డ్ ఫిష్ |
| 🌍TGK | Моҳии заррин |
| 🌍THA | ปลาทอง · ปลาเงินปลาทอง |
| 🌍TUR | Japon baligi · Japon balığı |
| 🌍UKR | Карась китайський |
| 🌍VIE | Cá vàng |
| 🌍YID | גאלדפיש |
| 🇨🇳Chinese | 土鲫 · 金鱼 · 鲫仔 · 鲫鱼 |
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 713 records indexed .
👥 Community & Contribute
No observations yet - be the first to log one!
View all observations for Goldfish ↗Spotted incorrect or outdated data? Submit a correction and our editorial team will review it. Approved edits go live within 48 hours.
Found a factual error, broken data, or inappropriate content? Let us know and we will investigate promptly.