Ryukin

Looks how to spot one

Scaled fish with a short, deep body, a high shoulder hump, tall dorsal fin and divided triple or quadruple tail

The ryukin is a short, very deep-bodied twin-tailed goldfish with a fairly pointed head. Its signature feature is the back, which climbs steeply just behind the head to form a hump; the steeper and closer to upright, the more breeders like it. It carries a tall dorsal fin, and its three- or four-lobed tail can be short and neat or long and flowing, sometimes close to twice the length of the body.12

Personality what they are like

A peaceful, sociable goldfish that mixes happily with other fancy varieties. Ryukins are among the more active twin-tails, and like all goldfish they quickly learn feeding times and come to the front to greet their keeper.235

Daily activity how busy a day looks

Moderate to fairly high for a fancy goldfish. Short-tailed ryukins in particular are energetic swimmers, so give them plenty of open water. Their tall body shape means a deeper tank suits them better than a shallow one.26

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

Keep in a filtered aquarium or pond with weekly partial water changes of about 30%, using dechlorinated water at the same temperature. General goldfish guidance gives a water temperature of 10 to 21 C, with 20 to 22 C often cited as ideal, and a pH of about 6 to 8. A heater is not normally needed indoors.738

Home where they are happiest

Allow at least 60 litres of water per goldfish, with more being better, and choose a taller tank than for most fancy goldfish to suit the ryukin's deep body. FishBase suggests a tank at least 100 cm long for a group. Ryukins also do well in large commercial ponds, where some grow to their full size. Good filtration and a wide water surface are important.76813

Food basics what goes in the bowl

Omnivores. Offer a goldfish-specific pellet as the staple (not tropical flakes), which suits their need for less protein and more carbohydrate than many fish foods. Add chopped vegetables such as peas or spinach, and small amounts of daphnia or brine shrimp as treats. Feed two or three small meals a day, giving only what is eaten within two to five minutes, because goldfish will keep eating if food is offered.53

Company who they like around

Sources differ. The RSPCA notes goldfish can live alone, while other sources describe them as sociable fish that shoal, and FishBase suggests aquarium groups of five or more. They are very peaceful with each other. Keep them with other slow, twin-tailed fancy goldfish rather than fast single-tailed types, so everyone gets a fair share at feeding time.938

The story where it all began

The ryukin is Chinese in origin and is thought to have arisen as a mutation of the wakin, the double-tailed goldfish from which many fancy varieties descend. Its name points to its route into Japan: it is said to have arrived through the Ryukyu Islands, today's Okinawa Prefecture, reportedly around the 1770s, with written references from 1833. Early Japanese writings called it onaga, meaning long tail, or the Nagasaki goldfish, while English books used names such as Japanese ribbontail and fringetail. Japanese breeders went on to use the ryukin in other varieties; for example the oranda's Japanese line is described as longer-bodied than its ryukin forebears. Today the ryukin is one of the standard varieties listed by the Goldfish Society of Great Britain.110112

Recognised by the official bits

Goldfish Society of Great Britain (GSGB)

Listed among the society's standard fancy goldfish varieties, with a standard describing the shoulder hump and tail2

IUCN Red List

Parent species Carassius auratus assessed as Least Concern (2010)8