The unique characteristic of the Shubunkin Goldfish is not their wild calico patterning, but that its pattern

is set on a blue background... a color which is quite rare in goldfish!

Shubunkin Goldfish Contents

Habitat: Distribution / Background Description Fish Keeping Difficulty Foods and Feeding Aquarium Care Aquarium Setup

Social Behaviors Sex: Sexual differences Breeding / Reproduction Fish Diseases Availability References

The Shubunkin Goldfish are beautiful fish that are almost always speckled or have a variegated color pattern. They are called Chuwen-chin in China. But in Japan, where they were probably developed in about 1900, they are called Shubunkin and this is the name that has stuck with them throughout the western world. A Shubunkin Goldfish can have so many colors to its pattern it is often referred to as the Calico Goldfish. These colors include yellows, oranges, reds, browns, blacks, purples, grays, and whites; and they are set on a blue background. Other descriptive names for this fish are Speckled Goldfish, Coronation Fish, and Harlequin Goldfish. The color blue is quite rare, which makes the Shubunkin a more valuable goldfish. There are two types of Shubunkins, the London type and the Bristol type. The London type is much more common than the Bristol type and is usually what you will find at pet stores. Both types of Shubunkin Goldfish, especially the London type, as seen above, are recommended as a beginner fish. They are one of the hardiest of the gold fish varieties. They are an easy fish to keep as they are not picky and will readily eat what is offered. They are active and strong swimmers. They are also very social and thrive well in a community. Other goldfish recommended for beginners include the Fantail Goldfish, Common Goldfish, and theComet Goldfish.

For more goldfish information and taking care of goldfish, see: Goldfish Care: Fancy Goldfish and Goldfish Diseases

Geographic Distribution Carassius auratus auratus

Habitat: Distribution / Background

The goldfish of today are descendants of a wild carp fish, known as the Prussian Carp, Silver Prussian carp, or Gibel CarpCarassius gibelio (syn: Carassius auratus gibelio) which was described by Bloch in 1782. For many years it was believed that goldfish had originated from the Crucian Carp or Golden CarpCarassius auratus auratus described by Linnaeus in 1758, but more recent research is pointing toward the former. These wild carp originated in Asia; Central Asia (siberia). They inhabit the slow moving and stagnant waters of rivers, lakes, ponds, and ditches feeding on plants, detritus, small crustaceans, and insects. In the early 1500's these fish were exported first to Japan and then to Europe and were developed into the wonderful colors and forms of gold fish we see today. The Shubunkin Goldfish, one of the more than 125 captive bred varieties, was probably developed in Japan around 1900.

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Scientific Name: Carassius auratus auratus Social Grouping: Groups IUCN Red List: NE - Not Evaluated or not listed - There are no wild populations of this captive bred variety.
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Description
The Shubunkin Goldfish is an elongated, flatbodied variety of goldfish. The head is wide but short and it has a smoothly tapering body shape from its back and belly to the base of its caudal fin (tail fin). The caudal fin is forked. Its fins generally stand fully erect and the edge of the dorsal fin is slightly concave.

Data provided by FishBase.org Scientific Classification

Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Cypriniformes Family: Cyprinidae

There are two types of Shubunkins, the London type and theBristol type. The London type is very similar to the Common Goldfish with virtually the same body and fin shapes. The Common Goldfish however, has a totally different body color, being a solid bright orange and it is also larger. The Bristol type Shubunkin has an enormous tail fin that is very wide, moderately forked with wellrounded lobes.

Goldfish colors Shubunkin Goldfish can have so many colors to its pattern. These colors include yellows, oranges, reds, browns, blacks, purples, grays, and whites; and they are set on a blue

background. The color blue is quite rare, which makes the Shubunkin a more valuable goldfish. Size - Weight The Shubunkin Goldfish is somewhat smaller than a common goldfish. The environment it is kept in is a determining factor on whether your pet grows to its full potential size. In an average 10 gallon tank, if well cared for and not crowded, they will grow up to about 4 inches (10 cm). In a bigger uncrowded tank they can grow larger generally reaching about 6 inches (15 cm), though some hobbyist report their Shubunkins reaching up to a whopping 13" (33 cm). Goldfish lifespan The average goldfish lifespan is 10 15 years, though living 20 years or more is not uncommon in well maintained goldfish aquariums and ponds. Maximum Size: 18.0 inches (45.72 cm) - This size is possible for fish in exceedingly well maintained large tanks and ponds. About five inches is a more likely adult size for the Shubunkin Goldfish. Lifespan: 20 years

Fish Keeping Difficulty

Shubunkin Goldfish are some of the hardier species of goldfish. They are very undemanding of water quality and temperature. They can do well in goldfish aquariums, a pond, or even a goldfish bowl when small, as long as the environment is safe and their tank mates are not competitive. Many people will keep goldfish in small one or two gallon goldfish bowls with no heater or filtration. But for the best success in keeping goldfish, provide them the same filtration, especially biological filtration, that other aquarium residents enjoy.

Aquarium Hardiness: Very Hardy Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

Foods and Feeding

Since they are omnivorous, the Shubunkin Goldfish will generally eat all kinds of fresh, frozen, and flake foods. To care for Shubunkin goldfish, keep a good balance by giving them a high quality flake food everyday. Feed brine shrimp (either live or frozen), blood worms, Daphnia, or tubifex worms as a treat. 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.

Diet Type: Omnivore Flake Food: Yes Tablet Pellet: Yes Live foods (fishes, shrimps, worms): Some of Diet Vegetable Food: Some of Diet Meaty Food: Some of Diet Feeding Frequency: Several feedings per day

Aquarium Care
Regular weekly water changes of 1/4 to 1/3 is strongly recommended to keep these fish healthy. Snails can be added as they reduce the algae in the tank, helping to keep it clean.

Water Changes: Bi-weekly

Aquarium Setup
Setting up an aquarium in a manner that will keep your fish happy and healthy is the first step to successfully fish keeping. Here are aquarium parameters to consider in choosing goldfish aquariums, filtration, lighting, and decor as well as temperature and water movement.

Minimum Tank Size / Length: The shape and size of the goldfish aquarium is important and depends upon the number of fish you are going to keep. Goldfish need a lot of oxygen and produce a lot of waste. Keep the tank size and shape in mind when you are buying your fish. o Tank Shape A large surface area of water will help minimize goldfish suffering from an oxygen shortage. Surface area is determined by the shape of the tank. For the same volume of water, an elongated tank offers more surface area (and oxygen) than a tall tank. In a goldfish bowl, filling the bowl to the middle offers more surface area than filling the bowl to the top. Always provide the maximum amount of surface area. o Tank size It's best to start with a 20 - 30 gallon tank for your first goldfish and then increase the size of the tank by 10 gallons for each additional goldfish. Providing a large amount of water per fish will help dilute the amount of waste and reduce the number of water changes needed o Formula: # of fish per gallon of water A general rule of thumb, but only for young fish, is 1 inch of fish (2.54 cm) per 1 gallon of water. This rule applies only to young fish and is not adequate as they grow. Larger gold fish consume much more oxygen than young fish so maintaining this formula for growing fish will stunt them, and can contribute to disease and even death. o Fish: size and growth To allow for growth, either buy fewer fish than the maximum number of fish (based on the formula above) or be prepared to get a larger tank. Larger gold fish consume much more oxygen than young fish so maintaining this formula for growing fish will stunt them, and can contribute to disease and even death Aquarium Lighting Most aquariums come with a cover that includes lighting. A cover for the tank is desirable as it reduces evaporation and though they are not prone to jumping, on occasion some gold fish will jump out. Lighting is not essential for goldfish, but does make the aquarium a nice show piece and lighting will help if you have live plants. Filtration Goldfish produce a lot of waste. Good filtration, especially biological filtration, is very helpful in maintaining the water quality of the aquarium. Filtration systems remove much of the detritus, excess foods and waste. This helps keep the tank clean and maintain the general health of the goldfish. Substrate Provide a gravel substrate to help create a natural and comfortable environment for your fish. A medium sized gravel works best.. Aquarium Decor You can add some decor, but make sure that all ornamentation is smooth with no protruding points or sharp edges. Smooth rocks or driftwood, should be used sparingly if at all. Aquarium plants would be the best choice of aquarium decor for goldfish, but unfortunately

these fish are diggers. Consequently live plants may be uprooted. Artificial plants make a good substitute and silk plants are safer than plastic ones. Temperature: Goldfish are a cold water fish and will do best at temperatures between 65 72 F (18- 22 C). The Shubunkin Goldfish are one of the most hardy varieties of goldfish and can tolerate temperatures a few degrees above freezing, as long as the cooling drops only a few degrees a day. A quick temperature drop can kill them, so if you live in a very cold climate a heater is advisable. Water Hardness: 5 - 19 dGH ph: 6.0 to 8.0 Water Movement: Moderate. Water Region: These fish will swim in all areas of the aquarium. Minimum Tank Size: 25 gal (95 L) - This fish is very active and very messy. It requires a lot of room to swim in and excellent filtration to keep it healthy. Substrate Type: Any Lighting Needs: Moderate - normal lighting Temperature: 65.0 - 72.0 F (18.3 - 22.2 C) Range ph: 6.0-8.0 Hardness Range: 5 - 19 dGH Brackish: No Water Movement: Moderate Water Region: All

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. LIke most fancy goldfish, they will thrive in both freshwater and tropical aquariums as long as there are no aggressive or territorial fish in the tank. Some good tank mates for fancy goldfish are the Chinese Blue Bitterling and the Northern Redbelly Dace.

Venomous: No Temperament: Peaceful Compatible with:

o o o o o
Same species - conspecifics: Yes Peaceful fish (): Safe Semi-Aggressive: (): Threat Shrimps, Crabs, Snails: Safe - not aggressive Plants: Threat - Goldfish will eat many kinds of aquatic plants, and their constant

search for food can end up uprooting plants that they don't eat.

Sex: Sexual differences

During the breeding season the male has white prickles, called breeding tubercles, on its gill covers and head. Seen from above a female will have a fatter appearance when she is carrying eggs. It is impossible to sex Goldfish when they are young and not in breeding season, but generally the male is smaller and more slender than the female.

Breeding / Reproduction

Shubunkin Goldfish are egg layers that spawn readily in the right conditions. See Breeding Freshwater Fish - Goldfish for more information on breeding Goldfish.

Ease of Propagation: Moderate

Fish Diseases
Goldfish are subject to the same diseases as tropical fish. A couple of the more common problems are Ich, Swim Bladder Disease, and external parasites including flukes, lice and anchor worms. For more in-depth information about goldfish diseases and illnesses, see: Goldfish Care; Fancy Goldfish and Goldfish Diseases.

Availability
The Shubunkin Goldfish are readily available in fish stores and on-line, but sometimes costs a bit more than other fancy goldfish.

References
Animal-World References Freshwater Fish and Plants Tropical Fish ~ Freshwater Fish ~ Aquatic Plants