Comet goldfish
Country of origin
USA
Type
Single tailed
Breed standards
BAS

The comet or comet-tailed goldfish is the most common variety of fancy goldfish

Goldfish

The goldfish is a freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae of order Cypriniformes. It was one of the earliest fish to be domesticated, and is one of the most commonly kept aquarium fish....

 in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. It is similar to the common goldfish

Common goldfish

Common goldfish or hibuna are a type of goldfish with no other modifications from their ancestors other than their colour. Most varieties of fancy goldfish were derived from this simple breed...

, except slightly smaller and slimmer, and is mainly distinguished by its long deeply forked tail.

Origins

The comet-tailed goldfish breed was developed in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 from the common goldfish

Common goldfish

Common goldfish or hibuna are a type of goldfish with no other modifications from their ancestors other than their colour. Most varieties of fancy goldfish were derived from this simple breed...

 by Hugo Mulertt, a government worker, in the 1880s. The first comet goldfish was first seen in the ponds of the U.S. Government Fish Commission in Washington

Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....

. Mulertt later became a propagator of goldfish and an author of books on goldfish. He was the first person to place the comet onto the fishkeeping market in quantity.

Description

The comet goldfish can be distinguished from the common goldfish

Common goldfish

Common goldfish or hibuna are a type of goldfish with no other modifications from their ancestors other than their colour. Most varieties of fancy goldfish were derived from this simple breed...

 by its long, single and deeply forked tail fin. Under optimum conditions, the tails can grow up to 12 inches in length. Comets with yellow, orange, red, white, and red-and-white coloration are common. The red coloration mainly appears on the tailfin and dorsal fin, but can also appear on the pelvic fin.

The Comet is more active than most other goldfish breeds. It is not unusual to see a Comet dashing back and forth in his tank, racing around in a playful manner. Due to the comet's hardy and active nature, and the relative ease in caring for them, they are the breed best suited to ponds and outdoor pools. They are often kept with koi

Koi

or more specifically , are ornamental varieties of domesticated common carp that are kept for decorative purposes in outdoor koi ponds or water gardens....

 in outdoor ponds. Comet goldfish have a natural life span of 7 to 14 years and may live even longer in optimum conditions.

Variants

• Sarasa comets are characterized by their red-and-white coloration and resemble the Kōhaku color pattern in koi
  Koi
  or more specifically , are ornamental varieties of domesticated common carp that are kept for decorative purposes in outdoor koi ponds or water gardens....
  
  . Sarasa Comets have long flowing fins and are very hardy fish. Although the Sarasa Comet is originally from China, the word 'sarasa' is of Japan
  Japan
  Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
  
  ese origin.

• The Tancho single-tail is similar to the comet-tail but it has a silver-colored body and fins with a single red patch on the head.

Goldfish farming

Goldfish are commonly bred on fish farms in many parts of the world. In most instances, the fish produced are offered for sale to aquarists. However, in North America, there is a demand for goldfish used as bait or "feeder fish" to other fish by anglers. Due to the relatively inexpensive prices of comet goldfish, they may also be used as prizes in carnivals or other places of entertainment. The use of goldfish as bait, feeder fish and carnival prizes is controversial, and animal rights activists have attempted to make the practice illegal, albeit unsuccessfully.