How to Keep Goldfish? A Detailed Guide to Goldfish Keeping Techniques
Introduction to Goldfish Keeping Techniques
Goldfish have a long and storied history of being kept in China. As early as the Southern Song Dynasty, keeping goldfish in the courtyards of the imperial palace and the residences of high officials and nobles was already widely popular. At that time, goldfish were merely a luxury pet for the imperial family and nobility and could not yet enter the homes of ordinary people. With social development and the improvement of people's living standards, goldfish keeping spread to millions of households and, in modern times, has become a popular pet for the masses.
Home goldfish keeping can generally be divided into three types according to form and location: courtyard-style keeping, balcony and rooftop keeping, and aquarium keeping.
Courtyard-style keeping: This refers to creating small ponds in villa areas and family farms to keep goldfish, paired with ornamental stones and planted vegetation. It not only cultivates the mind and character but also beautifies the environment, making it pleasing to the eye.
Balcony and rooftop keeping: This method is generally used in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang region, where many people use it. Waterproofing must be done first to prevent pond water from leaking, and a sunshade must be set up to prevent direct sunlight in summer from making the water temperature too high. At the same time, a water storage tank and an operation passage should be designed beside the keeping pond.
Aquarium keeping: Goldfish enthusiasts generally prefer to choose aquariums for keeping fish. First, the price is economical and affordable; second, it is convenient for viewing. When the living space at home is not spacious, placing a fish tank in a corner can add a great deal of charm to the room.
Male and female goldfish are mainly distinguished by the following aspects:
(1) Differences in external morphology:
(1) Differences in body shape: Male goldfish are generally slightly longer in body shape, while female goldfish have shorter and rounder bodies. During the egg-bearing period, the abdomen of the female fish is more swollen than that of the male.
(2) Differences in the caudal peduncle: The male is slightly thicker and sturdier than the female.
(3) Differences in the pectoral fins: Careful observation reveals that the male's are slightly pointed and long, and the first fin spine of the pectoral fin is relatively thick and hard; the female's are short and round, and the first fin spine of the pectoral fin is not very hard.
(4) Differences in the genital organs: Looking upward from the belly, the male's genital organ is small and narrow and long, appearing concave; the female's genital organ is large and slightly round, protruding outward.
(2) Differences in color: Male and female goldfish differ slightly in body color. Males are generally brightly colored, while females are somewhat lighter. During the reproductive development period, the male's body color becomes even more vivid.
(3) Feel and movement: Gently supporting the fish's abdomen with your hand, the middle finger and ring finger can feel an obvious hard line on the male's abdomen, while the female's abdomen is softer. When walking past the fish pond, stamp your foot suddenly and observe: the male swims quickly and agilely, while the female moves more slowly.
(4) Star-chasing: As the temperature rises, goldfish develop a secondary characteristic during the spawning period -- star-chasing. This is the easiest and most accurate time to distinguish the sex of goldfish, and it is also the easiest method to master. In males, the star-chasing appears on the first spine of the pectoral fin and the edge of the gill cover. When abundant, every fin ray of the entire pectoral fin has star-chasing growths, with those at the front being obvious and those at the back requiring careful observation. These rough small white spots are the star-chasing.
To use the above identification methods, one must also rely on many years of keeping experience and usual careful observation in order to accurately distinguish male and female goldfish.