Hi all! I'm a newbie here - I found this get website while doing some research about ponding, as we just had a hole dug out for us yesterday in the backyard. Our septic system went kaput, and we had to connect to the town sewer system. While the contractor was here with his backhoe, we asked if he would dig out a pond for us - he said "no problem" and didn't even charge us for it! So, now we have a gaping hole that is 14 x 16 x 3 1/2 feet!!! I'm so excited, and am doing lots of research to be prepared for spring when we can work on it.

I have a few fish indoors that were in a bathtub pond outside last summer. When I bought them, they were in a tank at PetSmart that was labeled "Fancy-tailed goldfish". But... now that I've been reading up, I think at least one of them might be a ryukin. I wasn't able to get a picture of the largest one, but will keep trying.

Can someone please tell me what types I have here?

Is this a calico ryukin or a red and white ryukin, or something else?
1)

What are these?
2)
3)
4)

and a blury picture of all 3 (sorry!)
5)

They appear to be regular calico fantails to me; their backs are quite streamlined, as opposed to the large hump that ryukins usually display. They're very beautiful nonetheless -- I bet they'll love that new pond!

Thanks for your response, Nenn!

I'm just wondering... the one in the first picture seems to have a raised top to it, doesn't it?

It's slight but with a ryukin you'd definitely see that large bump, especially when they get bigger their humps are huge XD

the first one might be a ryukin. all the rest look like fantails except the all orange one in the 3rd photo. That one is a comet.

this is my ryukin. notice the hump



btw,

Thanks Bzoink and Fuzzy peaches!

I love that picture - I had seen it earlier today - noticing the differences in goldfish is very interesting!
I knew the one was a comet - I actually have a few good sized ones. I "inherited" a 39 gallon tank last September from a friend in a gardening forum who is moving, and it included an 8 inch comet! I've never seen one so large in a house-tank before! This guy fascinates me - I'll try and get a picture tomorrow.

By the way... would someone please tell me what a "wen" is? Thanks!

Wens are the fleshy growths that are bred for in orandas, lionheads, ranchus, etc. Sometimes they can be small and look like one or two fleshy bubbles on the top of the head or they can grow very large and look like an afro! Hehe.

Usually young Ryukins may not show the distinctive hump but has a shorter, rounder body. I'll say that they are all fantails.

I'll agree with the above in that they look like fantails. Young ryukins may not have the distinctive bump, but they still seem to mostly have a more "gathered" look (for lack of a better word) between their nose and dorsal fin as well as a steeper incline from the nose to the dorsal. My powers of description are not very good, so I don't know if that makes any sense, but I'm pretty sure you have fantails