Episode 71 - Ryukin

This is one of the 4 Ryukins in my aquarium.

It is a goldfish of Japan origin. A typical Ryukin has a mouse-shaped head, a round body and short tail fins.

This Ryukin is in silver white with red patches. According to a specialist book, this colour combination is not natural. The red patches were created by adding some sort of chemical to the skin of the fish when it was young.

I purchased all 4 Ryukins in one go from a pet shop in Prince Edward. This fish was the last one I bought. As there were nearly 100 goldfish in the water tank of the pet shop, I was confused after choosing 3 of them. I therefore asked the shop keeper to assist and he picked out this one for me. It turned out to be the best (in terms of colour, shape, balance of the body and fins) of the 4 Ryukins I have.