LA
Fist-size fantails are definitely eye-catching specimens.
Fantails: Ah, the humble fantail goldfish -- an
economical starter fish for many first-time aquarists. Fantails get
a great deal of abuse, because their low price makes them available to
people who know nada about keeping fishes alive. However, in
spite of extreme adversity in their early years, some of these tough
cookies survive and grow into impressive specimens.
LA
Different colors, different sizes, different fin shapes all on these
fantails.
Lotsa Color: Fantail goldfish come in very bright
colors with a great deal of variety -- particularly in the calicos.
Then you throw in the reds, the whites, and the redundant black moors and
you come up with a combination of colors that’s difficult to beat.
LA
Small dorsal, short tail, nacreous scales on this calico fantail.
LA
Opposite side of the same fantail. They are variable. Two little
angels getting in the way.
Calico Comments: In addition to splashes of colors
-- whites, reds, oranges, yellows, blacks, and blues -- calicos are also
splashed with those reflective nacreous scales. Quite a bit of
variety in one fish.
LA
Scales on this fantail or not?
More Calico Comments: Here we see pinks and white
with a few sprays of blues. Do you see any scales on this guy?
You see lots of variety in calico fantails.
LA
Lots of ryukin blood in this fantail.
Ryukin Roots: Ryukin fantails sport very high
backs, very tall dorsal fins, and impressive double tails. We’ve
seen brighter colors, but this one makes a good contrast with the brighter
colors.
LA
Two very different calico fantails.
Calico Fantails: No two calico fantails are
exactly alike -- like snowflakes, except for the taste. Even more
interesting, they never look the same on their other side.
LA
Is this fantail wearing lipstick?
Red & White Fantails: Notice that fantail
goldfish with patches of white and patches of red nearly always carry
brighter reds than the solid color “reds.” Red fantails
are usually really orange (or tangerine colored).
LA
Nothing to do with color, but this guy insists in getting into the bag on
this potted plant.
LA
Good old red fantail with finnage feathering out into an attractive white
edging.
Red Fantails:
Severe nick in that dorsal, but not every fantail looks good upon your
second inspection.
LA
The flip side.
Other Side:
Note the missing gill cover. This congenital defect will never
repair itself. Still, he looks good at least half the time.
LA
Attractive white fantail with obvious ryukin ancestry.
LA
Another good looking white fantail with some algae on its glass.
White Fantails:
Not your average goldfish, white fantails add an excellent contrast to a
tank of gold, calico, or black fantails. Lots of finnage on this
exceptional specimen. True ryukins have a higher back and a higher
dorsal fin. Good looking fish.
LA
Here's a black moor with prodigious finnage.
Black Moors:
We called them redundant earlier because moor is an old word for
black. Remember Othello? Never mind. This guy above has
a huge fantail. You see a flash of orange on him. He’s
actually solid black. The orange is a reflection from the
flashbulb.
LA
Nice finnage on this chocolate and his tank mates.
Chocolates:
About half-way between a gold and black color, the chocolate and sometimes
blues show up from time.
LA
Another white fantail. He's six inches plus the tail.
Size: Big
fish always impress you. However, they can be hard to move.
Note all the missing scale on this guy and all the tears in his
tail. These moving wounds may or may not heal. If you
carefully slide an one-gallon plastic bucket (ice cream container), you
can capture large goldfish without harming them.
LA
Six-inch red plus tail. He refused to stand still for his portrait.
More Moving Info:
When you catch these biggies in a net, they flop around a lot. Your
tendency to put your hand underneath them increases the damage to their
body -- note the missing scale.
Last Words:
Expect to see more comments here as we encounter more fantails. LA
For
more info go to Fantails.
©
2005 LA Productions

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