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Paintings Of Goldfish
By peace | December 18, 2006
Paintings Of Goldfish 
The goldfish, Carassius auratus, is the world’s most popular pet. It is also the world’s most abused pet. This latter situation is a result of the virtues that make the goldfish a good pet. It is a hardy species. It can adjust to and survive in conditions that kill most other species.
It is a hardy species. It can adjust to and survive in conditions that kill most other species. These creatures are often confined in unsuitable containers with poor water quality. Because the goldfish survives for such a long time in such an appalling habitat, the owner surmises that the fish must be happy and healthy. However, the fact is that the fish just took a long time to die.
Goldfish owners must understand the basic essentials of good fishkeeping. They must know it is important to keep the water clean and well oxygenated and to choose a tank large enough to allow straight-line swimming. In this way, their fish not only live longer, but also look healthier and are more pleasant to watch. 
The goldfish, Carassius auratus, is the domesticated form of the wild Crucian carp, Genus Carassius, found in slow-moving waters in southern China. No one knows for certain when the process of domestication began, so conclusions are drawn from early Chinese art and literature. Based on this criterion, the goldfish is a modern pet compared to the domestication of dogs, cats, and even mice.
Chinese art features many examples of fish. However, the ornate nature of the products makes it difficult to identify the fish species. Coloured fish are depicted on pottery dating from about 200 AD. Most authorities agree that the goldfish was developed later, from 800 AD onward. Selective breeding produced a number of colour varieties by the time of the Sung Dynasty (circa 960 - 1379 AD). During that time, goldfish were first exported to Japan. It is likely that the first colour mutations in carp appeared in stock farmed for food. Such novelties would have appealed to breeders. Hence, a trend developed toward improving such colours. As colour mutations became well established, there was greater interest in retaining the best fish, both for further breeding and aesthetic appreciation of the colours. Even greater interest was aroused as fin and eye mutations appeared.
History Of Goldfish
It is generally believed that many of the basic modifications to the goldfish had been observed by the end of the Ming Dynasty. Further development of varieties moved from China to Japan, home of the famous koi carp, after 1650. The goldfish also became widespread in many other Far Eastern countries. Since Europeans were then developing strong trade links with the East, it was only a matter of time before goldfish journeyed to Europe.
They appeared in Europe during the 1700s and on American and Australian shores the following century. During these early years goldfish were kept in ponds. The hobby of keeping fish in tanks in the home did not become popular until the late 1800s.
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