Gold Fish

Among the most common fish in the aquarium hobby, goldfish belong to the Family Cyprinidae and are native to Eastern Asia. They are not the same, but related to carp, and were first domesticated from food fish in China over 1,000 years ago. Goldfish can be distinguished from koi and common carp by the absence of barbels or "whiskers" in the corners of their mouth. Through selective breeding, many "fancy" goldfish strains sporting different body shapes, colors and fin types are available today. They include comets, shubunkins, fantails, orandas, ryukins, moors, telescope eyes, celestial eyes, bubble eyes, butterfly tails, pearlscales, wakins, lionheads, ranchus and many more. Orandas, lionheads and ranchus develop a crown of fatty tissue, called hood growth, over their heads that in mature fish may completely cover their eyes! Fancy goldfish can become stunningly beautiful and command high prices. All varieties of goldfish are the same species - Carrassius auratus. When properly cared for, goldfish can live over 20 years in captivity.
Natural Habitat for Goldfish
Goldfish are ubiquitous in nature and can be found in rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, reservoirs and virtually every freshwater habitat on the planet from temperate to tropical environments. They have been introduced to many parts of the world to control mosquito populations.