#TELESCOPE GOLDFISH WITH THEIR LARGE EYES AND THEN LARGE GOLDFISH AND THEN LARGE FISH IN GENERAL

[outlying-hyppocrate]

i miss those little animal-shaped crackers that tasted so nice with soup ):

[aquaticfacts]

Black Moor Goldfish Care Guide: Breeding, Disease, Diet

The black moor goldfish is undoubtedly one of the most instantly recognizable breeds of goldfish. It is often associated with traditional fish bowls and stands out due to its distinctive features, particularly its prominent eyes, often referred to as "telescope eyes." These eyes contribute to the popular image of goldfish with big eyes. Scientifically known as Carassius auratus, the black moor goldfish is a peaceful species that originated in China. It is believed to be a descendant of carp. The black moor goldfish first gained popularity in Japan, where they are still highly regarded today. From there, they spread to other parts of the world and can now be found in many pet stores, often at an affordable price. Their ease of care, beautiful colors, and unique appearance make them a favored choice for both aquariums and individual fish bowls. The black moor goldfish adds a touch of elegance and charm to any aquatic setting, making it a beloved member of the fancy goldfish family.

Black Moor Goldfish: A Quick Overview

Feature Description Origin China Appearance Black, velvety scales; protruding telescope eyes Size Up to 12 inches long Temperament Peaceful and social Care Requires a large aquarium or pond with plenty of swimming space; clean, well-oxygenated water; temperature between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit; high-quality diet that includes both plant and animal matter Health Susceptible to swim bladder disease, constipation, and fin rot Lifespan Up to 20 years

Black Moor Goldfish Care Level

Black Moor goldfish are considered to be an easy-care fish, making them a good choice for beginner aquarists. However, they do require some basic care in order to thrive. Here are some things to keep in mind when caring for Black Moor goldfish: - Tank size: Black Moor goldfish can grow to be up to 12 inches long, so they will need a large aquarium. A 20-gallon tank is a good starting point, but you may need to upgrade to a larger tank as your fish grows. - Water quality: Black Moor goldfish are sensitive to water quality, so it is important to keep the water in their tank clean and well-oxygenated. You should change the water in your tank at least once a week, and use a water conditioner to remove chlorine and other harmful chemicals from the water. - Diet: Black Moor goldfish are omnivores, so they need a diet that includes both plant and animal matter. You can feed them a variety of commercial goldfish food, as well as live food such as brine shrimp and bloodworms. - Temperament: Black Moor goldfish are peaceful fish that get along well with other goldfish. They can also be kept with other types of peaceful fish, such as koi and shubunkin goldfish. - Health: Black Moor goldfish are susceptible to a number of health problems, such as swim bladder disease, constipation, and fin rot. It is important to monitor your fish closely for any signs of illness and to seek treatment from a veterinarian if necessary.

Black Moor Goldfish

Black Moor Goldfish Temperament and Behavior

Black Moor goldfish are peaceful and social fish that get along well with other goldfish. They are also relatively hardy and easy to care for. Here are some more details about their temperament and behavior: - Temperament: Black Moor goldfish are generally peaceful fish that do not show aggression towards other fish. They are also relatively docile and easy to handle. However, it is important to note that all fish have individual personalities, and some Black Moor goldfish may be more aggressive than others. - Behavior: Black Moor goldfish are active fish that enjoy swimming and exploring their environment. They are also known to be quite playful and may nibble at plants or other objects in their tank. - Social behavior: Black Moor goldfish are social fish that prefer to be kept in groups. They will often swim together and play with each other. If you are only able to keep one Black Moor goldfish, it is important to provide it with plenty of hiding places so that it does not feel lonely.

Black Moor Goldfish Appearance

Black Moor goldfish are a type of fancy goldfish that are known for their black, velvety scales and protruding telescope eyes. They have a round, egg-shaped body and long, flowing fins. Their eyes are large and protrude from their heads, giving them a unique appearance. Black Moor goldfish can grow to be up to 12 inches long. They are peaceful and social fish that get along well with other goldfish. They are also relatively hardy and easy to care for. Here are some tips for caring for Black Moor goldfish: - Provide a large tank. Black Moor goldfish can grow to be up to 12 inches long, so they will need a large tank. A 20-gallon tank is a good starting point, but you may need to upgrade to a larger tank as your fish grows. - Keep the water clean. Black Moor goldfish are sensitive to water quality, so it is important to keep the water in their tank clean and well-oxygenated. You should change the water in your tank at least once a week, and use a water conditioner to remove chlorine and other harmful chemicals from the water. - Feed a high-quality diet. Black Moor goldfish are omnivores, so they need a diet that includes both plant and animal matter. You can feed them a variety of commercial goldfish food, as well as live food such as brine shrimp and bloodworms. - Provide plenty of hiding places. Black Moor goldfish are not the fastest swimmers, so it is important to provide them with plenty of hiding places in their tank. This will help them feel secure and less stressed. - Monitor your fish closely. Black Moor goldfish are susceptible to a number of health problems, such as swim bladder disease, constipation, and fin rot. It is important to monitor your fish closely for any signs of illness and to seek treatment from a veterinarian if necessary.

Black Moor Goldfish Lifespan

Black Moor goldfish can live for up to 20 years with proper care. They are a relatively hardy breed of goldfish, but they are still susceptible to a number of health problems. It is important to monitor your fish closely for any signs of illness and to seek treatment from a veterinarian if necessary.

Black Moor Goldfish Diet

Black Moor goldfish are omnivores, so they need a diet that includes both plant and animal matter. A well-balanced diet for Black Moor goldfish should include: - Commercial goldfish food: Commercial goldfish food is a good source of both plant and animal matter, and it is available at most pet stores. When choosing commercial goldfish food, look for a food that is specifically formulated for goldfish and that contains a variety of ingredients, including flakes, pellets, and granules. - Live food: Live food, such as brine shrimp, bloodworms, and daphnia, can be a good addition to your Black Moor goldfish's diet. Live food is a good source of protein and can help to keep your fish healthy and active. - Vegetables: Vegetables, such as blanched zucchini, lettuce, and spinach, can also be a good addition to your Black Moor goldfish's diet. Vegetables are a good source of fiber and can help to keep your fish's digestive system healthy. It is important to feed your Black Moor goldfish a variety of foods to ensure that they are getting all the nutrients they need. You should feed your fish twice a day, and you should only feed them as much food as they can eat in a few minutes. Overfeeding can lead to water quality problems and health issues.

Black Moor Goldfish Family

Black Moor goldfish are native to China, where they were first bred in the 1700s. They were originally known as Dragon Eyes, due to their large, protruding eyes. They were later introduced to Japan, where they became known as Demekin. Black Moor goldfish are popular aquarium fish due to their peaceful temperament and hardy nature. They are also relatively easy to care for, making them a good choice for beginner aquarists. Here are some additional facts about Black Moor goldfish: - They can grow to be up to 12 inches long. - They have a lifespan of up to 20 years. - They are omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and animals. - They are social fish and prefer to be kept in groups. - They are susceptible to a number of health problems, including swim bladder disease, constipation, and fin rot. With proper care, Black Moor goldfish can make wonderful and rewarding pets.

Black Moor Goldfish

Black Moor Goldfish Tank Conditions

Here are some tips for setting up a tank for Black Moor goldfish: - Tank size: Black Moor goldfish can grow to be up to 12 inches long, so they will need a large tank. A 20-gallon tank is a good starting point, but you may need to upgrade to a larger tank as your fish grows. - Water quality: Black Moor goldfish are sensitive to water quality, so it is important to keep the water in their tank clean and well-oxygenated. You should change the water in your tank at least once a week, and use a water conditioner to remove chlorine and other harmful chemicals from the water. - Filter: A good filter is essential for keeping the water in your tank clean and well-oxygenated. You should choose a filter that is rated for at least twice the volume of your tank. - Heater: Black Moor goldfish are cold-water fish, but they still need a heater to keep the water in their tank at a consistent temperature. The ideal temperature for Black Moor goldfish is between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. - Decor: Black Moor goldfish are not very active swimmers, so you do not need to provide them with a lot of swimming space. However, you should provide them with plenty of hiding places. Some good options for hiding places include rocks, plants, and driftwood. - Plants: Plants can help to improve the water quality in your tank and provide your fish with places to hide. Some good options for plants for Black Moor goldfish include anacharis, hornwort, and java fern. - Food: Black Moor goldfish are omnivores, so they need a diet that includes both plant and animal matter. You can feed them a variety of commercial goldfish food, as well as live food such as brine shrimp and bloodworms.

Black Moor Goldfish Maintenance and Care

Black Moor goldfish are a beautiful and popular type of goldfish. They are easy to care for, but they do require some basic maintenance. Here are some tips on how to properly care for your Black Moor goldfish: - Tank size: Black Moor goldfish need a large tank. A minimum of 20 gallons is recommended, but a larger tank is always better. - Water quality: The water quality in your Black Moor goldfish's tank is very important. The water should be clean and free of ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. You should perform a water change at least once a week. - Filter: A good filter is essential for maintaining a healthy water quality in your Black Moor goldfish's tank. A filter will help to remove debris and waste from the water, and it will also help to keep the water oxygenated. - Food: Black Moor goldfish are omnivores, so they will eat a variety of foods. You can feed them flakes, pellets, or live food. It is important to feed them a balanced diet. - Decorations: Black Moor goldfish are not very active swimmers, so you do not need to put a lot of decorations in their tank. However, you should put some plants in the tank to help provide hiding places and to help improve the water quality. - Temperature: Black Moor goldfish prefer water temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. - Health: Black Moor goldfish are generally healthy fish, but they are susceptible to some diseases. It is important to monitor your fish for any signs of illness and to take them to a veterinarian if you notice any problems. With proper care, your Black Moor goldfish can live for many years. They are a beautiful and rewarding pet to own. Here are some additional tips for caring for your Black Moor goldfish: - Don't overfeed your fish. Goldfish are notorious for being gluttonous, so it's important to not overfeed them. Overfeeding can lead to obesity, which can lead to a number of health problems. - Avoid sharp objects. Black Moor goldfish have long, flowing fins that can easily be damaged by sharp objects in the tank. Make sure there are no sharp rocks, gravel, or other objects in the tank. - Keep an eye on the water quality. Goldfish are sensitive to changes in water quality, so it's important to test the water regularly and make sure it's within the proper parameters. - Be patient. Black Moor goldfish grow slowly, so don't expect to see them grow into their full potential overnight. With patience and proper care, your Black Moor goldfish will thrive and bring you years of enjoyment.

Suitable Tank Mates for Black Moor Goldfish

Here are some suitable tank mates for Black Moor goldfish: - Comet goldfish: These are similar in size and temperament to Black Moor goldfish, and they can make good tank mates. - Telescope goldfish: These also have large eyes and slow swimming speeds, making them a good match for Black Moor goldfish. - Rosy barbs: These are small, active fish that can add some excitement to a community tank. However, they can be aggressive towards other fish, so it is important to monitor their interactions closely. - Bubble eye goldfish: These are another type of fancy goldfish with large eyes. They are slow swimmers and docile in nature, making them good tank mates for Black Moor goldfish. - Zebra danios: These are small, schooling fish that are active and peaceful. They can add some color and movement to a community tank. - Dwarf gouramis: These are small, peaceful fish that are hardy and easy to care for. They can add some variety to a community tank. - Kuhli loaches: These are small, nocturnal fish that are peaceful and interesting to watch. They are not as active during the day, so they can be a good tank mate for Black Moor goldfish, which are also more active at night. - Hillstream loaches: These are small, fast-moving fish that prefer cooler water temperatures. They are not as well-suited for a community tank with Black Moor goldfish, which prefer warmer water temperatures. - Cherry shrimp: These are small, peaceful crustaceans that are a good addition to any community tank. They help to keep the tank clean by eating algae and detritus. - Mystery snails: These are large, colorful snails that are a good addition to any community tank. They help to keep the tank clean by eating algae and detritus.

Black Moor Goldfish Compatibility

Black Moor goldfish are peaceful and slow-moving fish that make good community tankmates for other similarly sized and tempered fish. They are not aggressive and do not require a lot of space, making them a good choice for beginners. Here are some of the best tank mates for Black Moor goldfish: - Other goldfish, such as fancies, comets, and shubunkins - Mollies - Platies - Zebra danios - White Cloud Mountain minnows - Corydoras catfish - Kuhli loaches - Bristlenose plecostomus - Dwarf gouramis It is important to avoid keeping Black Moor goldfish with any fish that are aggressive, territorial, or fast-moving. Some examples of fish that should not be kept with Black Moor goldfish include: - Bettas - Tiger barbs - Oscars - Red-tailed sharks - Flowerhorn cichlids

Breeding Black Moor Goldfish

Black Moor goldfish are relatively easy to breed. Here are some tips: - Set up a breeding tank. The breeding tank should be at least 20 gallons in size and have a gentle filter. The water temperature should be between 70 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. - Add a spawning mop or a piece of slate to the breeding tank. The spawning mop or slate will provide a surface for the eggs to attach to. - Add a pair of healthy, mature Black Moor goldfish to the breeding tank. The male will release sperm and the female will release eggs. The eggs will attach to the spawning mop or slate. - Once the eggs have been fertilized, remove the parents from the breeding tank. The parents will eat the eggs if they are not removed. - The eggs will hatch in 2-3 days. The fry will be very small and will need to be fed very small food, such as brine shrimp or crushed flake food. - The fry will grow quickly. They will need to be separated into different tanks as they grow.

Breeding Black Moor Conclusion

However, they are not a beginner-friendly fish and require special care. Here are some things to keep in mind when caring for a Black Moor Goldfish: - Tank size: Black Moor Goldfish can grow to be quite large, so they will need a large tank. A tank that is at least 20 gallons in size is recommended. - Water quality: Black Moor Goldfish are sensitive to water quality, so it is important to keep the water in their tank clean and well-maintained. A filter is essential, and water changes should be done at least once a week. - Food: Black Moor Goldfish are omnivores and will eat a variety of foods. A high-quality flake food should be their main diet, but they can also be fed frozen or live food. - Tank mates: Black Moor Goldfish are peaceful fish and can be kept with other peaceful fish. Some good tank mates include other goldfish, koi, and shubunkin. With proper care, Black Moor Goldfish can live for many years and bring you years of enjoyment. Check Tank Decoration ideas:- Read the full article

[charming-eel]

Would you reccomend any specific reading to someone interested in keeping fancy goldfish?

So sorry for the slow response, I usually use tumblr on mobile and I think the ask got buried U_U; Also.. this is gonna be long I could talk goldfish all damn day

I don’t have any specific pages to suggest, I’m not crazy about a lot of the care sheets out there, especially with like.. gallonage rules and that kind of thing. In general, I wouldn’t keep fancy goldies in anything smaller than a 4′ tank if you’re keeping them indoors. A 75 or 90g is a great place to start for a small group (5 or so) fancies. The best advice I can give is OVER FILTER the heck out of the tank. Something like a fluval FX4 or similar capacity canister filter is my go to for goldfish (again, kept indoors). Fluvals are just the least expensive canister that I still trust quality wise. Eheims are also excellent if you feel like spending a bit more. (I don’t have one of the newer models but I’ve used them for years and they’re great filters in general.)

As far as some other tips go...!

Substrate- I recommend using a fairly shallow (1.5-2″ ish) sand bed for goldfish. I also would use a lot of smooth river rocks in the tank for them to graze one.

Tank decor, plants, etc- Contrary to popular believe goldfish CAN be kept with plants, you just have to be selective about the ones you use! Thankfully all the ones I would use are SUPER low maintenance and easy to grow. Anubias and java fern can be anchored between rocks or on driftwood pieces- you can use driftwood with goldfish in a limited sense. You don’t want a lot of tannins and also don’t want super branchy pieces that they can scratch themselves on- something like ghost wood, manzanita stumps (not branches), mopani, or oak work well for some enrichment and spots for plants to attach to. In the substrate you can plant various vallisnera, crypts, and other rooted plants depending on your light level and if you want to fertilize heavily. Amazon swords are popular with goldfish but again, you’ll have to use root tabs for long term success with them. I DON’T like using plants like hornwort and cabomba indoors with goldies because they tend to pick at them and it can make a huge mess that will require a good bit of work on your part to keep from building up detritus. I’ve also used tiger lotus and non-lace aponogetons with goldfish indoors and they did fine with them. Duckweed is great for them to graze on, but some groups will eat it all before it can replenish itself, depends on the individuals. I have duckweed in several tanks so I just toss them a handful every week or so. Oh! Lots of people use marimo with goldies which CAN work, but they sometimes unroll them and pick at them relentlessly- use with caution.

Water temp: When kept indoors I like to keep them around 68-72F, which is about what my water temp is w/o a chiller in my house.

My fave types of fancies: Let me start off by saying that I DO think a lot of egg-shaped fancies can be healthy and robust. A lot of people are against fancies in general, but I think the vast majority of the breeds CAN be as healthy as your standard goldfish, especially since most of the long-bodied goldfish sold in store are culls.

FANCY GOLDFISH I RECOMMEND:

FANTAILS- Super hardy, low-maintenance fancy goldfish that come in pretty much all colors and scale types. EASY as can be! When picking out a fantail look for a smooth, egg shaped body with no kinks or harsh angles; clear eyes that aren’t bulgy or large, and strong fins. Here's a top view of one of my old fantails.

ORANDAS- Also very hardy (believe it or not), although the wen can be a concern for some keepers. I’ve personally never had an issue in my groups with wen overgrowth but it can happen, so it’s something to keep in mind. I recommend looking for orandas that have a smoother egg shaped body than the sharp angles b/t the spine and caudal fin that a lot of them have. There are many sub-types of oranda and some are bred to an “extreme” that can be detrimental to their overall health. Here’s one of my old Thai orandas

RYUKIN- Excellent choice as long as they’re not bred to an extreme. The characteristic hump back does not slow them down in the slightest and they are very robust and easy to keep. This was not one of mine, but I saw it at my fave LFS and GOSH this is such a nice ryukin body-condition wise.

TAMASABA - Uncommon breed, essentially a single-tailed ryukin (they tail can be short or long). Really cool goldfish to keep if you can find them. Pic below.

GOLDFISH I RECOMMEND FOR *LARGE* TANKS (6′ minimum):

SABAO - VERY similar to the tamasaba, and also uncommon. Essentially a single-tailed fantail. Egg shaped body with a single tail that can be short or long.

WAKIN- My ABSOLUTE FAVORITE FANCY GOLDFISH! They are a gorgeous, long bodied fish with a short-finned double tail. Best of both worlds if you ask me! Here are some of my old wakin.

WATONAI- Fairly uncommon at this point, but great candidates for large aquariums! Basically a wakin with long fins.

FANCY GOLDFISH I RECOMMEND KEEPING WITH CAUTION:

These are all fish that lack a dorsal fin, if you keep them DEFINITELY keep them only with other goldfish that lack dorsal fins. They can be outcompeted when kept fancies with more traditional body types.

Phoenix / Phoenix Egg- Essentially a long tailed variety of eggfish (true eggfish are exceedingly rare), does not have a wen. I only mention them because they’re becoming more popular and are available more often than they used to be.

Ranchu- Dorsal-less, double tailed, has a wen, typically has a sharply angled caudal fin in relation to the spine

Lionhead- OLD variety of goldfish, dorsal-less, double tailed, has a wen, typically have a more rounded body type with a less angled caudal than ranchus.

GOLDFISH BREEDS I DO NOT RECOMMEND:

I do not recommend the following goldfish for various reasons. Yes, individuals of the following breeds CAN be healthy and hardy, but I think most have large risks involved with keeping them that I don’t think are justifiable.

Pearlscale / Crown Pearlscale

Telescope, any breed with telescope eyes (these can be very healthy and hardy but the tank needs to be designed with caution because they are prone to eye issues)

Celestial Eye

Bubble Eye

Welp I kind of.. ended up making a basic care sheet for them whoops. Feel free if you have any other questions or want help designing tanks!

[pumpkinboo]

Merman Zenitsu Agatsuma: General headcanons

He was born the last of the brood and the only one. All of his unborn siblings were eaten by sea monsters, while his eggs rolled away in a thicket of seaweed.

Until a certain time, he was forced to take care of himself on his own, which formed a nervous and anxious personality, as well as a strong fear of loneliness.

In survival, he was helped by his amazing hearing (more precisely, echolocation).

He is a mermaid of the "goldfish" type, which is distinguished by a bright golden tail and the same bright eyes. However, his appearance was not the most suitable — despite the Golden eyes and tail, his hair and scales (as well as ear fins) were dark, which is typical for Butterfly telescope.

He was very complex because of this and had problems with socialization among young mermaids.

Goldfish are considered very beautiful when properly developed. For example, they tend to be overweight (which is an indicator of good health and a good hunter, thereby increasing the chance of conceiving and raising offspring), their appearance is characterized by a bright color scheme (they look more flashy, which makes them more attractive). Skin color varies depending on the waters, but most of them are light (they are descended from Japanese goldfish breeds such as wakin, ranchu, and ryukin).

However, Zenits had traits of the two species, which made his appearance strange (in a negative sense).

He lived alone for the first few months of his life before being found by a migrating group of mermaids who took him in.

He had a credulity and naivety that some mermaids used when using him.

However, he was too attention-hungry and fearful to try to fight back. The older mermaids weren't always there to protect him, so most of the time he was around his peers who didn't playfully tease him for his looks and character.

He would often come to the surface to observe the sky. Zenitsu had a strong desire to see the world beyond dangerous water.

Negative communication with his relatives strongly affected his self-esteem and attitude to others. He saw the trick and deception everywhere, but at the same time he was very needy for any praise and led.

Zenitsu often hides in seaweed. This came from childhood and is still the main escape tactic.

At a certain point, he met Jigoro (or Grandpa), who was one of the old mermaids who took him in as an apprentice. Grandpa was previously a fighter with monsters from the deep, but the time came (old age) and he stopped doing this, instead teaching the young. In addition to Zenitsu, the black mermaid Kaigaku was also trained.

One day while training, Zenitsu surfaced to watch the rain. Lightning struck near him.

In this way, his appearance became light and "natural" for his appearance. But he began to be terrified of lightning and thunderstorms, and whenever he felt ("heard") lightning nearby, he immediately swam away into the depths, but stopped, remembering the deep monsters, and hid in the seaweed.

He is not too happy about his training as a defender, because he considers himself too weak and useless, but tries his best not to disappoint Grandpa.

Kaigaku is annoyed by Zenitsu's weakness, but tries to help Him as an older student. They have no competition for the separation of status and there is a big difference, so Kaigaku doesn't feel too slighted.

But when Zenitsu cries and says that Kaigaku is so kind, after the older student takes care of him (for example, shares caught fish), Kaigaku says that he will hit him.

Zenitsu likes to swim up to ground buildings. He never gets too close for fear of ground monsters, but amazing places attract him and cause awe.

He doesn't live with Grandpa all the time. A group of mermaids lives in the depths, where it is too cold for Zenitsu and the risk of monsters is too high, so he (like all mermaids at risk) prefers to live in a higher area.

Zenitsu has great agility and is a very good earner. His diet consists mainly of small fish (since it is small in size, although very voracious, and prefers to be in warm water, where large animals rarely swim), crustaceans and algae.

He's terrified of monsters. He can't imagine his struggle with them. But at the same time, he is afraid of losing the trust of all the people dear to him. This is an additional source of stress for him.

Likes to collect beautiful things! Most often, he finds them near the shelters of land monsters, which he only swims to deep in the night to try to find new treasures. But sometimes the treasures come to him with the flow.

His favorite are the "golden flat things" that he likes to play with!

Golden scales that shimmer in the sun in different colors are also a very beautiful object for Zenitsu. He considers it the most beautiful part of his appearance and is very proud of it. The scales would also be part of his "marriage gift".

Zenitsu prepares the "marriage gift" very carefully. Even though he has yet to find a single mermaid to Woo, he thinks that a beautiful marriage gift will surely pay for his appearance. At least, he hopes so...

He will try to be a good parent, even his partner will prefer not to deal with him and will leave after the eggs are born. He won't let his babies be eaten! They will create a big strong family where everyone will feel loved!

Due to the long stay on the sand, his tail has acquired a more "earthy" shade, which he is in no hurry to get rid of, as the new coloring makes Zenitsu less visible.

Zenitsu likes to climb on warm rocks and bask on them. Sometimes he couldn't help but begin to doze off on them. Then he often gets burned, especially if he went to bed at noon.

He likes to listen to ground monsters. He doesn't understand what they are talking about, but their speech seems very interesting to him.

Mermaids talk to each other at frequencies that the human ear can't hear. This makes it easier for them to interact with aquatic animals and with each other.

Zenitsu loves animals! They seem beautiful to him, but frightening. He especially likes jellyfish, despite the fact that if you touch the glowing ones, then after them the skin hurts a little.

Zenitsu's body only has one scar on hts back. He doesn't like to talk about it.

Zenitsu once found a comb that the current brought him, and now he really likes to comb his hair.

When he feels tired, he lies down on the sand and looks through the water at the sky. He likes the way the image of the sky is refracted.

He would like to be able to fly like flying animals. What hides behind the other seas? What does the earth hide? How different is the life of the monsters that walk the earth from his life?

Sometimes he wonders if he will one day find out the answers to his questions?

[apod]

2019 November 17

Young Stars in the Rho Ophiuchi Cloud Image Credit: NASA, JPL-Caltech, WISE

Explanation: How do stars form? To help find out, astronomers created this tantalizing false-color composition of dust clouds and embedded newborn stars in infrared wavelengths with WISE, the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer. The cosmic canvas features one of the closest star forming regions, part of the Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex some 400 light-years distant near the southern edge of the pronounceable constellation Ophiuchus. After forming along a large cloud of cold molecular hydrogen gas, young stars heat the surrounding dust to produce the infrared glow. Stars in the process of formation, called young stellar objects or YSOs, are embedded in the compact pinkish nebulae seen here, but are otherwise hidden from the prying eyes of optical telescopes. An exploration of the region in penetrating infrared light has detected emerging and newly formed stars whose average age is estimated to be a mere 300,000 years. That's extremely young compared to the Sun's age of 5 billion years. The prominent reddish nebula at the lower right surrounding the star Sigma Scorpii is a reflection nebula produced by dust scattering starlight. This view from WISE, released in 2012, spans almost 2 degrees and covers about 14 light-years at the estimated distance of the Rho Ophiuchi cloud.

∞ Source: apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap191117.html

[thefinalcinderella]

Tsurune Book 2 Chapter 4-Unsolicited Statement (Part 2)

The only thing worse than kyudo terminology...is Shinto and Buddhism terminology.

In other words, please enjoy this long-awaited continuation of the chapter, where the boys go to the Amatsu Star Festival in their fancy getup and we learn that Ren is actually Masaki’s stepbrother (not like the anime didn’t already spoil that for us). Also Nikaidou and Fuwa show up (not at the festival)

Glossary here

Full list of translations here

Translation Notes

1. A sekitori is a sumo wrestler ranked in the top two professional divisions.

2. A multi-tenant building here ( 雑居ビル) is a building that houses a mixture of businesses, shops and residences

3. Aratama and nikitama are parts of the spirit (mitama) of a god in Shinto belief. The aratama is the rough and violent side of the god that must be appeased while the nikitama is its normal state. (Thanks yugioh wiki for leading me to the right place)

4. The jousou of a priest is worn at regular festivals. A kariginu is a traditional hunting robe worn by Heian nobles. Basically, what Masa-san is wearing here is what he wore in Episode 10 of the anime (when the boys visit the shrine) except it’s all white.

5. Issun-boshi is a Japanese folktale about a one sun (3cm) boy who kills an oni. It’s similar to Tom Thumb and you can read the gist of it here

6. Jaki (邪気) means maliciousness or evil spirits, and mujaki (無邪気, literally “no jaki”) means innocence.

7. So apparently tsumikegare is a complicated term. Tsumi is sin and kegare is impurity, but sometimes tsumikegare happens to you without you doing anything wrong. In any case it taints your energy and you have to cleanse yourself of it.

8. The ritual Masa-san’s mom is doing is the shubatsu, a purification ritual that takes place before a ceremony. Also, ooasa is more commonly known as onusa, apparently. See one here. The sakaki tree is an evergreen that’s sacred in Shinto and used in many rituals, as well as salt water (entou), which is rock salt dissolved in water.

9. The term kaji ( 加持) is used here. In Buddhism it corresponds to  Adhiṣṭhāna, which refers to receiving blessings from the Buddha. On a side note I pretty much had to guess the translation of this passage lol

10. Joue ( 定慧) is two-thirds of the Threefold Training of Buddhism.  定 is “right mindfulness” and  慧 is wisdom. The third one is  戒, which is virtue.

11. Momote Shiki is a kyudo ceremony performed for those who are turning 20 and becoming adults. It is conducted by the Ogasawara-ryuu, who dress in formal kimonos and shoot two arrows at a target. You can read about one in more detail here

12. A naorai is a banquet during a festival where the offerings made to the gods are eaten. It marks the end of a ritual. Read more about it here

13. A goldfish with protruding eyes is called a telescope goldfish or demekin

14. Nanao makes up the word pazarinko in Chapter 3 of Book 1, where apparently it’s supposed to mean “you’re welcome” It’s the furigana for “了解” which means “got it”

15. Yo-yo scooping is a popular festival game where you fish for small balloons with a paper string and a hook. The balloons you get act like yo-yos I think? 

16. Yakitori is skewered chicken that’s grilled over a charcoal fire.

17. A marebito is a word that refers to a divine spirit or being bringing gifts of luck and happiness from afar. They are usually welcomed with festivals. It’s lso the title of the next chapter

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Countermeasures against the heat were necessary for summer exercise. Kyudo was no exception.

Kazemai High School was located in a relatively cool region of Japan, and kyudo was blessed compared to outdoor sports, but it was still hot during daytime. Although there was a fan, the wind almost never reached them, and so the fan head desolately turned.

In summer, the kyudo equipment also changed due to the heat. Because it was easy for the bowstring to stretch and for the draw strength to weaken if it was a bamboo bow, one used different equipment for summer and winter. The heat had little effect on glass fibre bows, but one needed to be careful as they could deform if one left them inside a car under the blazing sun.

For kyudogi, there were ones used specially for summer in addition to year-round. As the kyudo uniform must not be directly worn on bare skin, an undershirt must be worn, and the style for the bottom was a hakama that completely covered the feet. It was difficult to say that it was a cool getup. People who sweated a lot and the like had their sweat dripping onto the floor during zasha.

At break, Ryouhei and Nanao flapped the sides of their hakama.

“Ugh, it’s so humid since there’s no wind today.”

“The floor’s so steaming hot it’s like there’s indoor heating. My hakama’s getting stuck to my feet with all the sweat, you know.”

“Can you wash hakama?”

“The hakama and obi we wear for practice are made of synthetic fibers, so you can put them in a laundry bag and wash them with a washing machine. If you take them to a dry cleaner’s, it’ll be expensive since they’ll undergo the traditional clothing treatment. Though, the hakama Masa-san wears when he needs to wear kimono is probably made of silk or wool, so I don’t think he can use the washing machine for that.”

“My underglove is also really damp from all the sweat.”

“I hate having a sweaty yugake, so I’m going to air it out when I get home. Although when I say that, I’m just going to spread it out in my room and turn it over. Apparently, it’s also good to put a drying agent in it.”

The two replaced their undergloves that had become damp with sweat with new ones. In the case that one’s grip became slippery with palm sweat, one could also use rice chaff ashes, called fudeko, or one’s own white powder on the left hand.

Seiya handed Minato a towel and a water bottle. The ice made a cool, rattling sound, and the barley tea disappeared in an instant.

“Minato, if it’s not enough I can give you more.”

“Ah, thanks. I’ll have more later.”

“Are you suffering from heat fatigue? It looks like your dad has a lot of business trips lately, but are you eating properly?”

“Mm, I’m fine.”

Kaito, who was next to Minato and Seiya as they talked, knitted his brows.

“Are you mothering Narumiya again, Seiya? Leave him alone, he’s not a little kid.”

“Isn’t it fine? It’s not bothering anyone, and it’s my purpose in life.”

“So you finally got serious.”

“What? Do you want me to mother you too, Kaito?”

“Not a chance!”

“I also don’t want to take care of a child with such a bad expression.”

“I’m not a ‘child’ with a bad expression!”

Kaito finished his water bottle in one go.

Hanazawa, Shiragiku, and Seo had on dumbfounded expressions that said, “Ah, here we go again.” They were completely used to seeing the sketch comedies that Kaito was associated with.

Tommy-sensei asked them to gather around.

“Were you all able to hydrate? Takigawa-san explained this the other day, but what is the method of breathing while shooting?”

Ryouhei answered.

“If you’re concerned about your breathing, it becomes more difficult for you to know how to shoot. Or rather, you can’t do both at the same time.”

“Exactly so. Since the way of dantian breathing used in kyudo is slightly different than the commonly stated dantian breathing, and it is difficult for those who hold the bow and still have a few years to go, it is good to store it as knowledge in a corner of your minds right now.”

“Yes.”

“If I have to be extreme, Japanese archery is lifting the bow up, parting it in both directions, and waiting to release the arrow—that is all it is. Even though just that should be good enough, people do unnecessary and pointless actions. First of all, let’s correct the major causes that produce difficulties for hitting the target. Because when you covet this-and-that, you will not be able to understand why.”

Ryouhei nodded deeply.

“Now then, it will be summer vacation soon and there will be a training camp, but before that, I will give everyone a mission. The gentlemen will be time warping back to the Heian era.”

“Heian era? Time warp? What does that mean?”

“For that, go there and enjoy what happens. The girls will be in charge of seeing that with their own eyes.”

Minato and the others blinked rapidly before Tommy-sensei, who was chuckling.

“Ah.”

Tsujimine High School’s Fuwa let out a sound without thinking.

The person before him was clicking their tongue.

Fuwa was at the bus stop in front of the hospital with his phone in one hand. A man with a muscular figure, on par with a sekitori (1), was in front of him in line, but he seemed to have decided something and left the line. Just when Fuwa was about to close up the gap and lifted his head, he saw Nikaidou right in front of him. They couldn’t see each other due to the large man hiding them.

Nikaidou opened his naturally large eyes even wider. Since their eyes met perfectly all the way here, his face that screamed, I didn’t know you were there at all, was extremely transparent.

He muttered to him, as though resigned to the situation,

“The bus is here. Let’s get on it, Fuwa.”

“…Right.”

They did not talk to each other even as they sat next to each other in the two-person seat. Fuwa still had his phone in hand, and Nikaidou was vacantly staring out the window. Neither of them said anything like, “What a coincidence,” or “What happened?”

The bus arrived at the nearest station fifteen minutes later.

Although Fuwa intended on naturally parting from him in this way, Nikaidou indicated his destination with his chin.

“Come.”

Without saying “What a pain,” he followed Nikaidou to the fast food restaurant on the first floor of the multi-tenant building. (2)

Nikaidou silently lined up at the register.

"Welcome. Will you be eating here today?"

"Yes."

"Then, may I take your order?"

"I'll have one of whatever is the most expensive thing in this store."

"Okay?"

The cashier was immediately bewildered.

As he was getting second-hand embarrassment from what he was seeing, Fuwa went to the second floor seats.

After a while, Nikaidou showed up carrying a tray. Apparently he couldn't carry it by himself, as employees were following him. The tray was piled high with food, so it did not look like it was for two people at all.

When the employees left, Nikaidou sat in his seat and spoke.

"Here, eat."

"Is that how you offer food to someone?"

"Just shut up and do it now!"

Forced by pressure, Fuwa reluctantly took a bite of a hamburger.  He had actually snatched food in the hospital room he had visited, so he was not at all hungry. When Fuwa finished eating one, Nikaidou looked relieved. He himself finally took the food as well.

Ah, so this is hush money?

Fuwa guessed.

It probably meant that he was not allowed to reveal that they ran into each other at the hospital. He couldn't ask anything about this matter. Furthermore, he is telling him to infer all of that. What a self-centered guy, he thought, but he stopped pressing it. Having him be quiet with this signified that Nikaidou trusted him greatly.

Nikaidou was hiding the fact that his uncle Shigeyuki was in hospital from the club members. Perhaps Shigeyuki asked him not to tell anyone. And Fuwa knew that Nikaidou had been visiting him frequently. That kind of thing would be divulged by someone close to him, and that information source was Nikaidou's younger brother. Because he knew, he was careful not so that they would not meet, but they ended up doing that regardless. In that sense, this whole situation was Fuwa's mistake.

Fuwa had a certain special quality.

It was the ability to get information even without seeking it.

Even though he wasn't extending an antenna from himself and collecting information, the things the people around him hid or wanted to hide entered his ears. He noticed that when he received a piece of coloured paper from his homeroom teacher at his elementary school graduation ceremony.

It was a collection of messages for the graduation ceremony, but among the trite and hackneyed phrases like "I'll do my best even after I graduate," he was unable to take his eyes from the words written by one girl.

Fuwa-kun has long ears, so bad things about Fuwa-kun are the only things I was afraid to say—.

He couldn't believe his eyes when he first saw that. He had no interest in the conversations of girls, so he never strained his ears for them. And in the first place, saying that he had "long ears" was in itself a loose-tongued thing to do. It may have happened that he did not notice the girl was hiding something and inadvertently said it aloud.

From then on, he began to be careful about his speech and conduct. He avoided topics that seemed like they would infringe on privacy as much as possible, and did not left out anything that he heard. It felt like the number of people who one-sidedly talked to him excessively increased, perhaps because he devoted himself to the listener's role. There were many people who wanted to talk, even without him asking. They could not help but vomit out the words that they kept close to their chests.

In addition, there were also many times when he accidentally overheard and learned something. The other day, he learned why Nikaidou often wore a white hoodie. When he went to the school infirmary, there was a health report there forgotten by the nurse. It was written that Nikaidou Eisuke was hypersensitive to light, and that if he was exposed to ultraviolet rays for a long time, it would cause skin inflammation.

And, there was another thing. He knew Nikaidou's secret—.

Ootaguro had also vaguely perceived it, and only Nikaidou himself thought it had not been found out. Ootaguro was not as meatheaded as Nikaidou thought he was. Nikaidou was smart, but lacked objectivity. He couldn't see himself very well.

Fuwa stuffed his mouth with his last bite, then washed it down with coke.

"Alright, it's all eaten."

"Ugh, I'm not gonna be eating hamburgers and fries for a long time."

When they exited the restaurant, Nikaidou pointed above his head.

"I'm gonna be stopping by the store up there."

"Oh, then see ya."

Nikaidou smiled, looking satisfied, and climbed the steps to the store.

Fuwa looked up at the sky.

The sound of a flute could be heard, and faint lights emerged.

At Yata Shrine, the summer festival called the Amatsu Star Festival was currently underway. Along the long stairs that stretched from the torii gate to the front shrine, bamboo tubes with the tops diagonally cut were arranged with lit candles inside them. The swaying flames were like whispers, enticing people to where the sounds were.

Sway, sway.

O marebito, o heretic gods.

Are you aratama tonight, or nikitama? (3)

Hanazawa, Shiragiku, and Seo, dressed in yukata, stopped at the top of the steps.

"Wow, the stairs of light are so beautiful!"

"Look at the interior. It's still continuing."

"Let's go."

The lights flickered, as though beckoning them. They passed between the bamboo tubes and looked back, and saw a river of light.

"Are the boys going to be here soon?"

Hanazawa confirmed the time.

"I wonder if they successfully completed the time warp."

"The girls' mission is to see it with our own eyes, after all."

The three giggled as they headed for the front shrine.

The five boys of Kazemai High School were also visiting Yata Shrine, but they could not afford to enjoy the festival. They first thing they did in the morning was to do an ablution ceremony by bathing in cold water (misogi). They also refrained from eating meat and fish since yesterday.

On this day, Minato and the others were wearing colourful kimonos and hakama, looking just like Heian nobles. Masa-san was dressed all in white. The ordinary vestments (jousou) of a priest was a dyed and patterned kariginu, a hakama in a colour that corresponded to the priest's social position, a cap called a tateeboshi, a ritual baton (shaku), and shallow clogs (asagutsu), but the kimono was all white with only a little decoration at the cuffs. (4)

In actuality, Yata Shrine was reviving the ritual "matoi" (target shooting), which had died out, and the Kazemai High School Kyudo Club boys were serving the roles of the archers.

Minato moved awkwardly in the clothes he was unaccustomed to wearing. The weights of the pure silk kimono and the practice clothes he usually wore were different, and he took care not to make it dirty.

"Masa-san, are we really going to be okay? We're wearing these flashy kimonos and hakama, and shoes made of wood. We're doing rissha, aren't we?"

"The target is big, and you'll be fine if you move as you practiced this morning. Exposing your chest in summertime is troublesome since your kimono sticks to you with sweat, but it works as a natural cooler."

"In the first place, why is it that except for the one priest, everyone else are boys from ages twelve to eighteen?"

"In ancient times, Yata Shrine was a shrine thatwas connected to the practitioners of Shugendou, and the purpose of 'matoi' was to exorcise vengeful spirits. As you can see from folk tales like Momotarou and Issun-boushi (5), 'douji' (boys) are said to have the power to exorcise demons--evil spirits. And in the ancient documents left at Yata Shrine, it is written that the archers are chigo, that is, young trainee monks with unshaven heads at Buddhist temples. The discussion of wanting to revive it has been brought up by the parishioners for a long time, but I only got enthusiastic about it when I talked about it with Tommy-sensei."

"So 'innocence' is the opposite of 'vengeful spirits'. (6) But why would there be young monks at a Shinto shrine?"

"Before the Meiji era, there was the syncretism of Shinto and Buddhism, in other words, Shinto and Buddhism weren't distinctly separated. Apparently, it wasn't unusual for priests to double as monks."

"Oh, I see."

When the festival music (matsuri-bayashi) ended, the archers and parishioners, with Masa-san at the head, stood before the shelves that held rice, salt, water, sake, fish and other offerings to the gods. The parishioners were serving as the kaizoes. The target (oomato) was made of flattened reeds that were woven together, and a piece of paper put on top of it had the character for "demon" written on it.

They received a purification rite from Masa-san's mother, who was a priest, to purify their sins and impurities (tsumikegare) of their mind and body. (7) She shook the ooasa, a rod of plain wood with shide (zigzag paper streamers) attached to it, left and right and left again, and then a sprig of sakaki tree was dipped into entou (salt water) and sprinkled. (8)

Masa-san walked a few steps ahead of the line, and then knelt (kiza) with a bow and white-feathered arrow in hand.

He chanted with a resonant voice.

Upon careful consideration, what one would call a treasured bow of divine empowerment (9), is something that strenuously exerts the virtues of joue (10), clears away the mob of hindrances,

And defeats the evil forces that block the way to samsara. Indeed, there is nothing that surpasses a divine bow and secret arrow for a vessel of expelling evil forces.

Now, the five great dragon kings have descended upon this dojo and will establish barriers that will block these evil spirits…

When he stood up, he had his bow and arrow in his right hand, and exposed his chest by slipping his kimono from his left shoulder. With both hands, he reverently held the bow parallel to the ground and then pointed it towards the target (mato-tsuki). He gripped the bow in a slanted position and drew it back to its limit, and then released the arrow.

His next arrow also hit the center of the target.

When Kaito, the oomae, lifted his bow, Ryouhei also lifted his own bow without missing a beat. After him, Seiya, Nanao, Minato and Masa-san imitated Kaito’s movements.

Kaito slowly brought the head of his arrow close to the target.

“Aiiiiiie!” After he shouted his yagoe, his arrow flew towards the target.

After him, Ryouhei also released his arrow with a “Yah”, and Seiya, Nanao, Minato and Masa-san followed.

Aiiiiiie, yah!

Aiiiiiie, yah!

The yagoes crawled along the ground, the sounds that violently cut through the wind being linked together.

When the six shootings were over, there was a big round of applause from the spectators.

“What was that? Were those Kazemai students who were shooting?”

“Holy crap, that was amazing! We can take pictures, right?”

The female high school students who were watching as a way to kill time were in high spirits. Hanazawa, Shiragiku, and Seo, who were watching over them, were also leaning forward in excitement.

“Since they called it a ritual, I was wondering what they were going to do, but wasn’t it pretty cool?”

“It really did feel like we time-warped back to the Heian era.”

“They were moving similar to the Momote Shiki of the Ogasawara-ryuu school.” (11)

While the worshippers were chattering noisily, Kaito drew his bow tightly once again. There was a dignified air surrounding him.

The yagoes were shouted one after the other.

Six voices.

When the last shot brought down the demon, a thunderous round of applause arose.

After they finished their greetings, Minato and the others changed into their regular clothes.

Tommy-sensei met them with a smile.

“You’ve all worked hard on your mission. Congratulations to everyone for safely returning to present-day. You all looked very handsome.”

The parishioners also gave them words of appreciation and gratitude.

“What a mystical ceremony it was, as though we became lost in an older world. Many of us parishioners are getting on in years, but the ones who will create the future are you young people after all. Now, now, eat up.”

“Then, itadakimasu.”

They took the food before them. At the naorai (12), Ren was also there along with the parishioners, going around pouring alcohol for each person. A naorai also had the meaning of cleansing the body obtaining the offerings to the goods through eating and drinking the offerings and sake at the end of the ritual, but at Yata Shrine it had a strong sense of a party given in recognition of a person’s services.

It was a long-awaited and precious festival. They also wanted to go around to see all the stalls.

After talking for a while, the boys stood from their seats, leaving the adults who were drinking.

It was a complete transformation from that refined world, and they flocked to the area lined with red lanterns. The scents of sauces and sugary things mingled together. Nanao was called out to by girls as they passed by him, and he answered them with smiles. They went halfway down the row of stalls, when Minato and Ryouhei decided to take on the target shooting stall.

“I think I’ll aim for the sweets on the right. What about you, Ryouhei?”

“I see. I’ll be aiming for that mascot ‘Reclining Kaehru-kun.’”

“Alright, then, it’s a match.”

The two carefully aimed and pulled their triggers. Despite Minato bombarding it with bullets, the small box of sweets did not fall down. He persistently continued to shoot, and when he thought that it finally fell, he was disappointed when he was told that “it doesn’t count if it doesn’t fall behind the shelf.” As Ryouhei declared, he got the “Reclining Kaehru-kun,” and handed it to Nanao.

“Oooooh, this is amazing! Thanks, Ryouhei. Let’s go over there next.”

The group went to the goldfish scooping stall next.

Nanao and Seiya, with Kaito between them, were standing by.

“Seiya, Kacchan is a master at goldfish scooping.”

“Oh really? Show me what you got.”

Kaito’s eyes glinted. A daring smile appeared on his lips.

He readied his scoop in his right hand and the bowl for the goldfish in his right, and then passed his scoop under the water. He quickly slid it sideways and got one fish at the start. He then got a second one, a third one, a fourth one, and then the bowl was filled with goldfish before they knew it.

“Good job, Kaito. Alright, I’ll try too.”

Seiya gently put his scoop in the water and chased the swimming goldfish, but the fish escaped before he could put them in the bowl.

“Aaah, it got torn.”

“Seiya is surprisingly crap at this.”

“Sir, one more turn.”

Seiya paid the fee.

“Kaito, teach me your secret.”

“Watch closely, okay? First, you gotta put the whole scoop into the water. You should scoop by aiming for the fish at the surface and moving horizontally as much as possible, and making sure that the tail is getting on the paper.”

As he was saying that, he caught another one. Even the man at the stall said, “Give it a rest, kid,” with a wry smile.  Perhaps because he listened to Kaito’s advice, Seiya got two fish this time.

Nanao kept aiming for the bigger fish, but at the end he did not catch a single fish. He returned his torn scoop to the man and pointed at one spot where the goldfish were crowding together.

“Kacchan, get that black fish with the stuck-out eyes buried under those red goldfish.” (13)

“Hmm, it’s big, and that location is ugh.”

“You can still do it, can’t you? Get it, get it!”

“Can’t be helped.”

Badgered by Nanao, he reluctantly attempted it, but his paper scoop got torn when he got close to the fish.

“Ooh, what a shame, kid,” the man at the stall said with a pleased face. They decided to bring back only three fish, and Nanao chose a fish to his liking. In the meantime, Minato and Ryouhei went to take a look at the neighbouring stall.

After they received their goldfish, Kaito looked around.

“Narumiya and Ryouhei aren’t at the stall next door at all?”

“Aah…, this happened a lot back then. Whenever those two are at a festival, they really get into it and disappear before you know it. Well, it’s fine.”

“Huh, it’s really ok? You not clinging to Narumiya, I mean.”

“Yep. Today, I’m sticking close to your side.”

Kaito recoiled from Seiya, who was smiling with his eyes narrowed.

“Hah? Why’s that?”

“In this kind of place, the possibility of you rather than Minato getting caught up in trouble is much higher. And you have even less self control when it comes to Nanao. As you wished, I shall specially take care of you today.”

“When did I wish for that!?”

Next to Kaito, who was scratching his head, Seiya was ready to burst into laughter.

“Okay, I texted Minato and Ryouhei our meeting location and time, so let’s walk around together.”

Nanao responded, “’Kay, pazarinko (14). Where should we go next? The turtle scooping stall?”

“Turtles, huh…those things get huge in the future. We can’t bring them back with us.”

“I wanna get big too.”

“Then, milk scooping?”

“Ooh, maybe! Moo-moo scooping~.”

“That’s not even a thing! If you’re talking about scooping, there’s yo-yos and gemstones.” Kaito answered, getting worked up and taking the joke seriously. (15)

The three disappeared into the crowd while jostling.

At the same time, Minato and Ryouhei had also noticed that they had lost sight of their friends, and looked at their phones.

"So we're meeting in front of the shrine office. There's still time until then. What do you want to do, Ryouhei?"

" I wanna eat yakitori. (16) You mind if I line up at that stand over there?"

"It's cool. I'll wait under this tree."

Minato left the lively avenue lined with stands, heading for the zelkova tree.

The rhythm of the festival music could be heard in the distance. Since from the morning he had been busy with the setup of the oomato and learning how to strip during a rissha ceremonial shooting, observing the festival from a little further away also wasn't bad at all. The flickering of the river of light pierced his eyes.

Just when he was about to twist off the cap of the plastic bottle in his hand, someone with their hand raised approached him from the front. At first he couldn't recognize their face since it was lit from behind, but it turned out to be Ren.

"Hey, Minato-kun. We sure do meet a lot."

"Ren-san, is it okay for you to be here?"

"Trying to drive me off, eh?"

"Ah, no, I was just wondering if it's okay for you to not be at the naorai."

"Oh, it's already in the final stage, so they probably wouldn't know if just one person is missing."

Ren stood next to Minato and similarly twisted the cap off his plastic bottle.

"How's it going with kyudo practice?"

"Thanks to having Masa-san teach us, I think everyone improved, as well as me."

"I heard that you were taught by a sensei who is famous in the kyudo world. Aren't you unsatisfied with Masaki?"

"That absolutely isn't true! Saionji-sensei and Masa-san are both my precious teachers. If I never met them both, I might not be shooting a bow today."

Ren suddenly laughed, but there was something cold about the way he did it.

"Really, that's good to hear. Masaki had been worried for a while. He told you that 'If you don't fix that bad habit, the more you shoot, the more it will hurt,' but he worried that he should have said, 'Once you fix that bad habit, you will get even better,' and that he made a mistake in how he should have said it. Thinking that there’s nothing good about a coach who lowers his athlete's motivation."

"Eh, he was?"

"Even for those who teach, there's actually a real anxiety about whether or not what they are doing is really okay. Masaki did kyudo for many years, but as a teacher, he's a beginner. Everyone's an amateur for the first time they're doing anything. Studying, exercise, the arts, work, raising children—everything has a first time."

"—That's true."

People wavered whenever they are doing something. Even if they weren't aware of it, even if they weren’t in pain or suffering, they were always making choices. Even after the time of the initial resolution, in the end they still didn't know what was the correct answer. One could only cast away doubts such as if there was another choice, and go the way one believed in.

Minato asked something he had always been curious about.

"Ren-san, you don't do kyudo?"

"Yeah, I don't. There was a time when I thought I'd try it, but I missed the timing."

"So Yasaka-sensei didn't encourage you to do kyudo."

"Uh huh. I was already a full-fledged adult, and I was the child of his daughter's second marriage partner, so he probably refrained from doing that."

"...What?"

"You know Masaki's mother remarried, don't you? I'm the kid from my dad's previous marriage. I'm not related to Mom and Masaki by blood."

The wind blew, and the flames swayed all at once.

The leaves rustled and wriggled.

Minato groped for something to follow up with.

"Ren-san, are you trying to surprise me again? Even I won't fall for it anymore."

"Oh, so Masaki didn't tell you. Well, maybe he didn’t bother telling his student about it. It's about unrelated people after all."

Minato very much remembered his thirst. The scar on his left flank ached.

Ren always spoke like there was a hidden meaning in his words, but he really couldn't see his true meaning this time.

"Minato-kun, I actually hate you a little bit. I thought that when Masaki finished his ten-thousand shots, he could be freed from our grandfather's binding spell, but he relapsed back into being bow-crazy. He was about to go on the same path as the grandfather he avoided so much."

"Is it bad to love kyudo?"

"I don't think it's bad, but I do think it's constricting and uncomfortable."

Minato wanted to refute him. No, you're wrong.

Masa-san, Shuu, and Minato were certainly struggling, and might be suffering, but those shouldn’t be all that there was.

"Masa-san's tsurune is really beautiful. I don't believe it's the sound of someone who is shooting in suffering. I enjoy shooting a bow. It's frustrating to not be able to do things as they go in my mind and not getting considerably better, but even so, I love kyudo."

Ren's eyes stayed the same, with only his mouth smiling.

"It is said that Yata Shrine's Amatsu Star Festival is perhaps for appeasing Amatsu-Mikaboshi, who is branded as a malevolent god. For my home, you are a marebito—a guest. Nobody knows if you are a good spirit or an evil spirit." (17)

"Ren-san..."

"Fufu, you are too amusing... It's a joke, I'll be leaving my little brother in your care."

Ren lifted a hand and left.

Ryouhei showed up in his place, bringing along Seiya, Kaito and Nanao.

Minato blinked his eyes from the dazzling, diffusely reflected light.

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[candoia-aspera]

Hi there! I was wondering if you knew anything about goldfish health issues and genetic issues. I've been researching and searching everything but can't find anything like that. Also maybe just breeds to stay away from? I'm really interested in starting an indoor pond one day in the very distant future

Sorry this took so long to reply too, I’ve been away so no tumblr!

Indoor ponds are a great idea, they’re a lot cheaper and easier to maintain than a glass aquarium and generally last a lot longer. As for health issues, goldfish in general are not the healthiest of fish. They’ve been inbred and linebred for so many generations that there’s never any guarantee of getting a fish that will stay perfectly healthy their whole life. 

Swim bladder issues are the most common; they can cause serious issues with swimming and balance, which in turn stresses the fish and leaves them prone to disease. It’s genetic, generally unfixable and ruins their quality of life. “Dropsy” is another common problem, although it’s a symptom rather than an actual illness. It’s visible as serious bloating and pineconing, where the scales of a fish stand on end, and it’s most often the result of organ failure. Susceptibility is mostly genetics-dependent again, but it can also be the result of a catastrophic bacterial or viral infection. Other than that, most genetic health issues are variety-specific.You should definitely avoid Pearlscales, Bubble eyes, Tosakin, Veiltails and Celestials/Stargazers.

All but the last one are extremely likely to develop serious problems, and Celestials are a bit delicate and require special care. They can’t be kept with most other varieties, which isn’t great if you want a mixed pond.Many fancy types share the same issues of swim bladder problems in very round/short-bodied fish, something which can be avoided by going for commons, comets, wakin, jikin or Bristol shubunkins. However, they need a lot of space so you’d be looking at a very, very large indoor pond of over 100gal to give them enough room. Fancies are a lot more forgiving space wise, but a lot of choice is dependent on the kind of personality you want.

Orandas and Ryukins both get very very large, but Ryukins lose a lot of their character when viewed from above and they can be very boisterous. Orandas are much more gentle, generally very friendly and give good top views. They’re among the easiest varieties to get hand-feeding, so if you want interactive fish, I’d definitely recommend Orandas.

Telescope/Butterfly/Moor goldfish also give good top views but are slightly more delicate on account of their large eyes. They can usually fend for themselves in a mixed-variety set up provided enough food is added to allow them time to find it.

Ranchu aren’t great - they give excellent top views but are bad swimmers and can be bloaty. The Lionhead is considered a different variety in the UK, one which has a straight tail instead of one that points downwards. Other than that they’re basically identical, so definitely go for Lionheads over Ranchu if they’re more your style.

Fantails are a good mixture of all of the best traits - good top views, friendly, hardy and get big but not absolutely massive. At the end of the day, the choice is entirely yours! 

[minuete-blog]

Philes’ Xmas Advent Calendar Prompt Days 22 and 23: reindeer and Santa Claus. Tagging @today-in-fic @txf-prompt-box @only-txf-fanart

Set sometime in Season 1, before all the minor character deaths occurred. Scully’s first time at Mulder’s apartment.

Significant Gesture

Scully takes a moment to take in the dated, brick brown building before stepping out of her car and being greeted by the mild late-November afternoon weather. Putting on her trench coat, she notices that there were some trees still hanging onto their gold-and-red colored leaves lining the building. She reads the address located above the archway of its main entrance: 2630 Hegal Place. A couple of residents exits the building without a passing glance her way as she stands aside for them before entering the main hallway, and passing by the row of mailboxes to the single elevator that services the complex. Scully pushes the number 4 button and waits for the elevator to slowly make its way up to the fourth floor. She steps out of the elevator and notices that the even-numbered units are on her left. Scully reaches unit 42 and knocks on the door. She notices that the number “2” is slightly askew, but before she has a chance to adjust it, Mulder answers the door. He is casually dressed in a long sleeve dark grey top with the sleeves rolled up and jeans.

“Hey, Scully. Thanks for swinging by after visiting your parents,” Mulder said as he ushers her inside.

“It’s no problem, Mulder,” she answers as she takes in Mulder’s apartment. It definitely has the bachelor pad ambiance with its eclectic furniture pieces. She notices a telescope propped beside a window nearby the entry to his kitchen. There’s an empty laundry basket atop his dining table with a basic turn-style kitchen timer beside it. He leads her further inside where she finds that he is in the process of cleaning his fish tank.

“Hold on just a moment, Scully. I’m almost finished…” Mulder trails off as he pours a large jug of water into the tank, sending his three goldfishes scurrying to one end. She watches as he tests the pH levels of the fish tank before replacing its top.

“Let me dispose of this,” Mulder said motioning towards a pile of wet towels and a bucket of dirty tank water he’d siphoned before she arrived. He quickly gathers the items and makes a beeline to the kitchen while shouting, “Oh! And welcome to my humble abode, Scully!”

He leaves her alone giving her a chance to observe his living room. She glances down at the coffee table and smirks at Mulder’s idea of a coffee-table book— Playpen magazine—next to an ashtray filled with empty shells of sunflower seeds. A cream-and-black afghan blanket with Aztec designs is haphazardly strewn on the black leather couch. Scully gathers the blanket and folds it, placing it neatly on the end nearest to the fish tank. She notices something red in the tank among the aquarium plant décor as she steps in closer to take a look.

“Think my fishes like their new neighbor?” Mulder asks returning from the kitchen. He stoops beside her to observe his fish tank, his left arm brushing against her right shoulder in the process.

“Santa Claus in a snorkeling outfit?” She gives him a sideways glance and sees his upturned lips in profile. His hazel eyes are shining brightly from the light illuminating the fish tank.

“I figured the fishes could be festive for me this year. It’s a shame; I couldn’t find any reindeer to keep Jolly Ol’ Saint Nick company.”

“Hmmm...guess there aren’t any snorkels that would fit a reindeer.” Mulder turns his head towards her giving her a lopsided smile. He stands upright and grabs the fish food from the second shelf. Scully watches the goldfishes madly swim up to the top fighting for the pellets scattered on the water’s surface.

“They act as if I never feed them.” He sets the fish food down on the shelf as he perches on the sofa arm rolling his shirt sleeves down. “Take note how much I fed them, Scully.” She arches her right eyebrow at Mulder. He gets up and walks over to his desk, and opens the drawer, briefly rummaging through it until he reveals a key. Scully looks at him questioningly.

“Here’s a copy of my apartment key, for when I need you to feed my fish.” He drops the key into her outstretched hands. Scully looks at the key and feels its ridges with her right index finger. This is a significant gesture, she thought to herself, another degree of trust. She glances up at him and must have had a troubled expression on her face, as he raises his hands upright as if in surrender.

“Hey, don’t think there’s any obligation nor pressure for you to return the gesture, Scully. I just figured since you’re my partner now…”

“No—right—I mean, it makes sense,” she stammers nodding her head, “It’s actually long overdue. I should’ve given you a copy of my key since Eugene Tooms’ incident.” She takes out her set of keys and threads his onto her key ring. “I’ll give you a copy of my key tomorrow at the office, Mulder.” He worries his bottom lip still eyeing her.

“Also, um…I was wondering if I can have you be my medical power of attorney if anything happens to me while on duty.” Scully nods.

“Yes, of course, I can be your medical power of attorney, Mulder.” She averts her eyes and starts to chuckle at the weight of it all. “Geez! Way to spring this all on me without even a proper date!” She glances back at him to see a surprised expression on his face. Oh. She feels her blush start to spread across her cheeks as she stuffs her keys back into her coat pocket, her eyes downcast in embarrassment. She didn’t mean it that way. Mulder lightly taps her on her left elbow to get her attention.

“Hey, I’ll treat you out tomorrow. Any place you like,” Mulder replies smiling softly at her once he recovered. “I can’t wait to tell my former ASAC that he’s completely off the hook to call the medical shots for my sorry ass. He’ll be jealous to hear that my partner is also a certified doctor.” Scully smirks.

“I’ll draft something up for each of us to sign, then. We can go over it during lunch at the Old Ebbit Grill.”

“Old Ebbit Grill?!”

“No take backs. You said any place I want,” she replies as she pokes his chest with her right index finger. Before he could respond, the timer buzzes from the dining area.

“I guess that’s my cue to head out,” Scully said looking at the front door as she drops her right hand to her side.

“I’ll follow you. The laundry room is located in the basement.” He grabs his keys off his desk and grabs the laundry basket off the dining table as the two head out to the hallway. Scully looks at him curiously when she sees him heading towards the stairwell instead of waiting for the elevator. He turns to look at her, his back against the stairwell door as he props it ajar.

“It’s just faster this way. I gotta make a run to retrieve my clean laundry before somebody else decides to leave it on the countertop. See you tomorrow, Scully! And thanks!” He shoots her a shy, boyish grin as she waves goodbye to him. The stairwell door closes behind Mulder. Scully reaches into her coat pocket for her set of keys. She looks at his key hanging next to hers and smiles.

[polarisuni]

RUSSELL COLLEGE

Russell College is the 'South' college, and accepts students from STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) departments. Students at Russell are typically those determined to get the most out of the excellent education offered at Polaris University — they can usually be found in the library, pulling all-nighters, or mapping the stars in the Polaris Planetarium.

Representative animal: Dolphin

Representative colour: Classic blue

Representative values: Knowledge & Curiosity

Traditions: Students joking about not needing to go to the gym because their college is located on top of a steep hill, other students joking that Southerners wear checkered shirts to the point where it might as well be their official college uniform, cleaning the goldfish tank with your buddy (there are various fish tanks located around the college building), everyone gathering to make food together in the communal kitchens and sitting down for a movie night, being invited to the Dean’s (boring) birthday party every year, +.

College building (exterior): Of all the college buildings, Russell College appears to be the most modern - built on sleek, straight lines of glass and metal. During its reconstruction, which lasted for two years, the students were housed temporarily in the other college buildings. Now complete, it’s one of the most eco-friendly, with: solar panels, a grey water collection system that recycles rainwater, and living walls. When ambient weather conditions are temperate, the building’s distinctive bronze blades can open and close, allowing the building to operate in a “breathable” natural ventilation mode. The college mascot statue is made of metal alloy sheets interwoven together- honestly, it’s “modern art” but all the other college students tease it for resembling everything but a dolphin.

College building (interior): The entrance hallway of Russell College leads straight into the open observatory - home of the Polaris Telescope and Planetarium. The floors of the observatory are open to the public on weekends, whilst Russell College students are able to access it whenever they please. With the floors made of a practical, easy-to-clean laminated surface and the ceilings made of bespoke ceiling panels which combine heating, cooling, lighting and acoustic functions in an innovative petal-leaf design, the overall feel of the interior is sleek and modern.

The students’ dorms fall in line with the central theme of eco-friendly efficiency, and are highly minimalistic in terms of what meets the eye. The student dorms are set in monochromatic colour schemes, with bunk beds to make room for larger tables and in-built shelves. The dorms are designed much like a study room, and all the lights installed in the rooms are designed to strain the eyes as little as possible.

The communal dining room is a simple dining hall, but one of the major perks of the dining system at Russell is that students can order room service - for their meals to be delivered directly to their rooms. This is done via an in-house college app that students can access to check the weekly menu and order meals to their rooms. This was designed in order to allow students to be as productive as possible, and as a result, the communal dining room is often empty. However, Russell College also boasts a state of the art communal kitchen free for students to use, and students often make their own meals in the middle of the night to pull all nighters.

The communal room designed for students of the college to gather for leisure is somewhat reminiscent of a combination of museums and aquariums. A large tank filled with tropical fish sits along the length of one wall, and the rest of the walls are covered in bookshelves and display panels. Inside the display panels lie various maps, and old scrolls. There are several reading tables for students wishing to study together, as well as a large whiteboard on wheels. One of the bookshelves contains a range of board games instead of books - battered versions of monopoly, chess boards, and the like.

[12setsofchopsticks]

A Post About Goldfish

To be clear: we are talking about the animal, not the delcious cheesy snack.

So. Kingyo--or Goldfish as we say in English--are my favorite animals. I’ve always kept them as pets and loved watching them in ponds. However, since moving to Japan I haven’t quite had the resources to start up my own tank. Sad!

Luckily, Japan loves goldfish too and I’ve had a whole bunch of really cool opportunities to see some really beautiful fish!

To give you a better understanding of my favorite fish, let me tell you a few things about them (For the sake of this blog post, I won’t be talking in scientific terms but will instead use more common language)! The first thing you have to understand about goldfish is that there are essentially three different “kinds” of goldfish that you typically see. Those kinds are:

Common goldfish, Fancy goldfish, and Koi

Common goldfish

(PSA to please not put your goldfish in a bowl like this!)

Common goldfish are exactly what you think they are. Just your regular orange fish, although they do range in color from black to olive to pale yellow and white and everything in between. These are the guys that you see at pet stores for about 15 cents each and they tend to have an (unfair!) reputation of being short-lived and disposable. This is probably because, due to their hardiness, availability and price, they are often used as feeder fish—meaning if you have a hungry predator pet (like a turtle) that requires live food to survive, you probably go to Petco a few times a month and stock up on those 15 cent lil guys. However, given the right conditions (AKA if your lil buddy is living in the proper sized aquarium rather than a miserable existence in one of those so-called “goldfish bowls”), it is not unheard of for regular goldfish to live many years and sometimes grow to obscenely and unusually large sizes. 

In Japan, these fish are also famously featured in the festival game 金魚すくい, 金魚掬い( Kingyo-sukui), which means “goldfish scooping.” It’s a common game for children where they use a paper net to catch as many goldfish as they can before the paper deteriorates in the water. 

Whatever the children can catch in bowl, they can then take home as their prize! I played this game once and it was a lot of fun, but surprisingly difficult. I did catch myself a friend, but I decided to release it back into the pool with the other fish because I didn’t have a cozy tank for it to come home to!

Fancy goldfish

Oh, these guys are my little loves! Fancy goldfish is kind of an overhead term that is actually comprised of many different varieties of strange-looking goldfish! They have been selectively bred over hundreds of years of fishkeeping to accentuate various bizarre deformations such as bulging eyes, brain-like growths on their heads, and many other unusual traits. However, almost all fancy goldfish can be distinguished by their split “fantail” and more egg-shaped body compared to their common cousins. Similarly to their common cousins, though, fancy goldfish also come in a vibrant multitude of colors, but my favorites are the red and orange ones. While some varieties of fancy goldfish appear kind of ugly and alien-looking, others can be supremely beautiful. I just love these little suckers.

These are the kinds of goldfish that I love keeping, partly because they are truly stunning fish, but also because they have really wonderful personalities (and YES, fish CAN have personalities!). Here is a picture of my beloved pet fancy goldfish (Ryukin variety!), Lips, may god rest his fishy soul RIP.

Fancy goldfish are everywhere in Japanese culture, specifically in art. I often see them on stationary, fans, and other textiles as well and, of course, I always buy things with goldfish on them because I am a huge sucker. Recently, I was super lucky to actually catch a fancy goldfish ART EXHIBIT with Shota!! It was called the Artaquarium (he really knows the way to my heart) and it was so so cool!! 

There were dozens of really intricate aquarium tanks with different species of fancy goldfish (there were other kinds of fish too) and I was super fangirling out over them. I don’t think Shota knew what the difference between a telescope eye goldfish and a celestial eye goldfish is (spoiler: Telescopes have bulging eyes that face outward whereas Celestials have bulging eyes that face upwards) but agreed that it was an awesome exhibit.

Koi goldfish

Finally, we have Koi. These are the super big and beautiful fish that you often see in garden ponds. While koi look just like bigger goldfish, they are actually considered an entirely different species that common and fancy goldfish! It’s true that they are both in the same family—goldfish and koi are both species of carp—however, their ancestral heritages are not at all the same! Goldfish were developed nearly two thousand years ago in ancient China by selectively breeding Prussian carp. Koi, on the other hand, were developed in Japan from the common carp and became a popular hobby in the 1820s. Today, there are over 20 recognized varieties!

SO, what is the physical difference? Well, of course if you have ever seen koi fish in a Japanese garden, you might know how enormous they can get. On average, a koi can reach up to about 3.3 feet in length, but goldfish, which are generally smaller, usually only grow to about a foot in length. Koi also have little whisker-like things called barbles at the corner of their mouths which they use to sift around the bottoms on ponds. Koi fish also have a reputation for being much longer-lived than their common and fancy cousins—likely due to the fact that people who have koi often keep them in large ponds with adequate filtration where they can live a happy life mucking about in the silt and detritus, versus your regular carnival fish that you put in a makeshift bowl made from a two-liter bottle of diet coke (yes I did this, but we all make mistakes). Generally, koi have a lifespan of around 50 years but with proper care they can live to be over 100 years old; the oldest koi fish on record was a fish named Hanako who lived to a be a whopping 225 years old! Maybe you are thinking that I am “full of carp” (LOL) because there is no way a fish could live that long! BUT her age was scientifically verified by counting the rings on her scales, similar to how you would count the rings on a tree to determine it’s age.

One time, I was with some friends of mine wandering around a part of Tokyo called Ueno and we just happened upon this enormous and wonderful KOI SHOW. Like, it was this whole giant area filled with 50 gallon tubs of water that all had between one and three koi in them and it was marvelous. 

These koi were slightly different than your run-of-the-mill koi that you might see in any old pond—these were competition-bred, show quality koi, meaning that, rather than the <$10 you might pay at a pet store, these guys can fetch a price tag anywhere between $1,000-$10,000. Of course, many things can affect this price, like color, pattern, age, and size. The most expensive koi fish was sold for today’s equivalent of 2.2 MILLION DOLLARS. Let that number sink in for a second. That’s the cost of my college education EIGHTY TIMES; or the cost of a house in my hometown—and a really nice one at that. Not sure if there were any fish of quite that caliber at this event I found myself at, but damn, that must have been some fish.

CONCLUSION / LIFE UPDATE 

OKAY so now y’all know everything about goldfish. Congrats on making it through this post, it took me a long time to write. SO LONG, in fact, that I have a very important edit/announcement to make since I began writing this post, and it’s that I finally splurged and got MY OWN fish tank here in Tokyo! Its 60 liters (Liters? What are those?) and it’s the new forever home for two very genki ryukin goldfish. The red and orange one is named Shippo, which means ‘tail’ in Japanese and the little calico is named Sprinkles, which means ‘jimmies’ in Bostonian. They are both slightly (re: very) naughty and love messing up my plants and have also eaten every cleaner shrimp that I have attempted to introduce into the tank ecosystem.

Welcome home, fellas!

[wishfishy]

Today's fish daydream: breeding and developing my own line of short-tailed telescopes. It's a very much "if I won the lottery" sort of daydream as it would entail large indoor ponds of some type, but it's a persistent one. I've seen the sort of fish I'm after online, occasionally referred to as "demekins", but I've never seen one in person nor do I know of any importers in Canada that carry them (heck, I don't even know if there are any quality goldfish importers in Canada at the moment. I know there used to be the fish sempai, but it doesn't look like they have updated their website in quite a while, so I don't think they're around anymore). So I wonder, could a breed my own strain? Then I start looking for information on the genetics of goldfish, specifically those effecting tail length, body shape and telescope eyes only to find very little information online, and what is there is frustratingly difficult to track down and incomplete. And then I think, what the heckidy heck am I doing I don't have the space to be breeding goldfish anyhow.

[galaxytale]

(Foreword, my realm of knowledge mostly involves fancy goldies and betta so I'll avoid touching too much on the regular goldfish)

As it's been repeated time and time again; goldfish and betta are NOT healthy, and to many fish keepers it makes them unappealing to support the production/growth of a type of fish that has been so selectively bred for these qualities that it actively hurts them to have.

I've seen betta talked about a bit in traits that are actively harmful to them, but desirable to people, but as far as goldfish go there hasn't been much said about some of their issues so here I go.

Telescope goldfish - the ones with the large eyes that hang off their head - commonly suffer from genetic issues that impair their sight and those large eyes are pretty fragile!

Bubble-eye goldfish - the ones with those big round bubbles under the eyes - too have eyesight issues and suffer from a trait that makes a part of them abnormally fragile. For bubble-eyes if the bubble is punctured there's also the possibility it may not heal correctly/completely or even at all! Personally, the appearance of this trait alone stresses me out and I would never consider owning one.

Goldfish with Large Wens (ex. Ranchu, Oranda, etc.) - Wens are pretty common and popular in goldfish keeping and show circles, and you can find mountains of examples of where the wen has overgrown so much that it covers the fish's eye and requires regular trimming to keep the fish from going blind. (I believe a similar issue effects dragonscale betta?)

Veiltail/Long Tailed Goldfish - Much like betta, while it is not as common in the fish I've been looking at while thinking about my purchasing options, goldfish with extra long tails can be weighed down by them and struggle to swim properly!

Goldfish in General - Actually, in general Fancy Goldfish need a bit of babying in their tank design, but especially so in some types, and swim bladder issues are more common in fancies than practically any other fish!

And that's all just the PHYSICAL/HEALTH aspects of owning a goldfish. Some of the financial aspects include: the tank size - 20gal for the first Fancy Goldfish, +15-20 for every subsequent goldfish (and remember, they're social fish so you have to get at least two!); the tank setup costs (you need a filter that can go through your entire tank at least 10x in one hour); and the cost of the goldfish themselves - which could simply be a few dollars from your LPS or go up to $100-200+ for Show Quality fancies or higher quality fancies from online breeders. And many of the betta I've personally been looking at have been in the ball park of $50-120 USD, even before including shipping, which could make that price skyrocket depending on where they're coming from.

Mind you owning goldfish is much more a long term commitment than betta, as when given proper care they can live from 20-40 years! Both these fish suffer from a chronic case of misinformation in the general public. Neither goldfish nor betta - despite them being "common, basic fish" - are fish with few health issues or requirements.

Additionally, I'm with @aquatictimes above! I like rare fish not only because they tend to be healthier (less selective breeding/inbreeding issues usually) - despite my future plans to own both betta and two fancy goldfish - but also just because it's super cool to get to see a new fish you've never seen before! I aspire to be a marine biologist so similarly I adore almost anything in the water (well, except mola mola and conch snails but... those are personal vendetta) and seeing new fish is exciting! Your common fish like neon tetras, guppies, minnows, shrimp, etc. are some of my favorite things to see and keep! But I'm also not a person who would be satisfied to only sticking to just the more common, and easier to keep, fish. I like learning new information about and keeping a variety of fish so really, for me keeping "exotic" fish is less about price and prestige and more about learning the required information and needs these fish have and being able to apply that knowledge in order to give them a happy, healthy, and long life!

((Also tbh I think it's a bit funny how anon used goldfish and betta as examples of common fish that are not status symbols as... they're both breeds of fish with actual dedicated show groups. Like, think of dog breed Conformation competitions, but for Goldfish and Betta and Guppies, I recently learned. ))

Why are people so obnoxious and entitled they need to find rare pretty fish instead of being satisfied with goldfish and bettas they are gorgeous and with the right tanks you can both make the whole space pretty and keep them living long healthy lives

i honestly have no clue

but i do feel there is some strange status symbol to owning rare fish compared to other exotics

[candoia-aspera]

How Do We Fix The Fancy Goldfish?

There’s been a lot of fishcourse going around about ye olde goldfish lately, so I thought I’d give a perspective from someone inside the fancy on UK standard breeds, their issues and their suitability for beginners. This is the warts-and-all version, I do not pull my punches when it comes to some of these varieties. Remember, as with most things in this hobby, the upper echelons of goldfish societies are overwhelmingly old white dudes, so don’t go blaming youngins for getting a particular impression of this mess of a hobby.

COMMON GOLDFISH or LONDON SHUBUNKIN:

The OG goldfish, parent of every other variety. Accepted in metallic red, white, yellow, orange, brown, blue and black self as well as variegated in any two of the above. Shubunkins to be calico only. Short fins only.

What’s wrong with it?

Pond-only fish as they always have been. Not something that needs changing. 

How do we fix it?

We leave it alone, they’re fine as they are.

As a pet?

Too big for beginners unless they have a pond, otherwise basically bombproof and very friendly.

BRISTOL SHUBUNKIN:

The king of goldfish, and one of the most beautiful fish available. Has distinctive long, rounded fins that exist in no other accepted variety. Can only be shown in calico colours, but metallic and matt miscolours exist and are just as breathtaking. Rare outside the UK.

What’s wrong it?

Slightly less hardy than their short-finned cousins, as it has a smaller genepool. Must be kept at cool temperatures when young or classic rounded fin shape will not develop. Not as large as commons, but still needs space to develop proper finnage.

How do we fix it?

Personally, I’d like to see metallic colour forms of the Bristol be recognised. Not only would it widen the genepool, it would be a fantastic opportunity to get people interested in the variety. Matts will always be a fault, but there’s no logical reason why metallics in the accepted colour forms for commons shouldn’t get their own seat at the table.

As a pet?

Extremely hard to get hold of and very expensive, but worth it if you do. An excellent fish for beginners who have the means to get them.

COMET:

Like a common, but with a distinctive long, deeply forked tail and flowing fins. Accepted colours are the same as metallic commons, as well as calico. Much more common in the US than the UK.

What’s wrong with it?

Again, less hardy than commons, and unlike Bristols, actually grow to a similar size so should realistically be kept in ponds. Breeders sometimes focus on finnage so much that they produce fish with weak peduncles that can’t support the weight of their own fins.

How do we fix it?

Stop mislabelling commons as comets so people actually get the chance to meet and appreciate the real deal. Keep to standards rather than breed for exaggerated fin length.

As a pet?

Too big for anything but ponds, but still very hardy and fun to watch.

WAKIN:

Similar to commons, but with a flattened double tail. All colours of commons are accepted. One of the oldest goldfish varieties around, they’re common in China and Japan but rare overseas.

What’s wrong with it?

Certain breeders go over the top with the flattened tail. The fish must still be able to swim well, as they are well known for their size and power. Pond-only.

How do we fix it?

Stick to the methods used by the Chinese and Japanese to breed these fish since the 16th century. They’ve essentially perfected the variety, there’s no reason to mess with it.

As a pet?

Too big for the aquarium, but tough and impressive.

JIKIN:

Closely related to the Wakin, but with a slightly shorter, more rounded body and unique butterfly-shaped tail. Accepted in only one colour variation, white with small amounts of red. Red lips and noses are highly regarded. Rare outside Asia.

What’s wrong with it?

Exaggerated body proportions are sadly becoming more common. This variety should show the same power and speed as a Wakin, it is not meant to look like a mutant fantail. 

How do we fix it?

Stop trying to turn them into fantails. Crossbreeding with deep-bodied varieties is a mistake, leave them be!

As a pet?

Good for ponds, if you can get them. Hardy and unusual.

FANTAIL:

Chubby-looking double tail. Accepted in all colour varieties. Should have a smooth outline with a slightly rounded appearance.

What’s wrong with it?

Idiots breeding for the roundest, chubbiest shape possible. It’s important to remember that a goldfish’s organs do not change size from variety to variety. Continually breeding for smaller, more scrunched up bodies is what has led to the current epidemic of fatal fantail bloat. A slightly round shape is not a problem so long as the body is of a comfortable length to accommodate the fish’s organs in the correct placement.

How do we fix it?

Stop breeding for little round bauble fish. Fatal bloat was not an issue in these fish 50 years ago, nor was waddle-swimming. Proportional fins, body length and natural, graceful swimming ability are a must, not a suggestion. 

As a pet?

The ultimate beginner fancy, almost everyone will own one of these at some point in their life. 

PEARLSCALE:

Unmistakable, literally looks like a golf ball with fins. Accepted in all colour varieties. Making an unfortunate comeback after a long decline. 

What’s wrong with it?

Ay, where do I start? Extremely poor swimmers that are shockingly prone to bloat, because they’ve been bred over the years to be so round that they no longer bear any resemblance to an actual fish.  Contrary to popular belief, the scalation is not what causes the shape at all! Almost none of them will make it beyond about 5 years of age due to poor breeding. They are almost entirely hand bred, as they struggle to perform any sort of breeding chase. They are among the least hardy of all goldfish and struggle to survive in cooler temperatures that their cousins thrive at.

How do we fix it?

Overhaul the pearlscale standard completely. There’s no reason we can’t have pearlscales as Wakin-style double tails with an interesting pattern of scalation. The dome scales are a genetic trait, the bauble body was selected for - it can easily be selected against.

As a pet?

Not good for beginners, or anyone else really. Far too fragile and hideous to bother with, save yourself the heartbreak and get a decent fantail instead.

RYUKIN:

I may be slightly biased here, as it was Ryukin that got me into fancy goldfish in the first place. Similar to a fantail, but with a tall body, tall, distinctly forked and powerful tail and pointed head. A very old breed that is accepted in all colour varieties, but red and white is by far the most popular. They are easily the biggest of the aquarium fancies, and are exceptionally hardy.

What’s wrong with it?

Too many things. A good Ryukin should give an impression of size and power - not of a flabby lump that can barely move and looks like it may have swallowed a side-plate. Unfortunately, breeders from China and Thailand have a nasty habit of breeding for excess, which results in massive humps, massive bellies, tiny fins and a stupidly short body. Annoyingly, this is beginning to catch on in Europe and the US as well. Forcing such an active variety into such a shape that it struggles to swim is plain old cruelty.

How do we fix it?

Actually stick to the goddamn standard, maybe! A well bred Ryukin should reach a length similar to that of a Bristol, sporting a slightly pronounced hump and a slightly pronounced belly, similar to the fantail. The tail must be of similar height to the fish itself - short fins or overflowing broadtails are absolutely useless for swimming and lead to the infamous wobble-swim, which is both unpleasant to look at and stressful for the fish. 

As a pet?

A little more boisterous than other varieties and in need of a lot of room, but they are very hardy and do well with beginners who can give them the correct space.

VEILTAIL:

The fish most people think of when you say “fancy goldfish”. Another large variety, with a rounded shape and extremely long, flowing fins. The Philadelphia Veiltail is famed for being excessively round and a horrible swimmer. Accepted in all colours.

What’s wrong with it?

Yet again, too many people are breeding for shorter, rounder bodies which means less room for the fish’s internal organs. Veiltails are notoriously fragile, being very sensitive to water quality and temperature fluctuations. Fry are also unusually prone to bloat, as they develop their rounded body shape very early. Excessive finnage in many fish is also a problem, especially as the fish gets older. Damage to the long, delicate fin rays is common and usually irreparable.

How do we fix it?

Breed back to hardier, longer-bodied varieties to give them a healthier body shape and reduce excessive fins. Stop accepting Philadelphia types because they’re just ridiculous, honestly.  

As a pet?

Fragile, and not suitable for beginners. 

MOOR:

Similar to a veiltail in shape, but with big googly eyes. Accepted in all colours. They were actually named for the place they were developed, like the London and Bristol shubunkins, not after a racist slur as wikipedia would have you believe. Generally called Telescopes or Butterflies in the US. Contrary to popular belief, their eyesight is usually fairly good in well-bred fish.

What’s wrong with it?

Pretty much all the same problems as the veiltail, with the added issue of gigantic, excessively protruding eyes. While this is considered a fault in the show circuit, breeders always seem to be trying to produce fish with the largest, most stuck-out eyes, which often leaves them completely free-floating, not anchored to the actual eye socket and almost always resulting in some form of blindness. 

How do we fix it?

Get the “extreme traits are cool” gremlins to leave them alone! The eyes of a Moor should be proportional to the body and firmly anchored to the skull. You’d think this would be obvious.

As a pet?

Good for beginners, provided there is nothing in the tank they might shank their eyes on. Much more hardy than an actual veiltail.

ORANDA:

One of the big favourites in the hobby at the moment. They are essentially large fantails with a wen, a kind of harmless headgrowth that looks a bit like a raspberry. Accepted in all colours, and various different types of headgrowth. They are the second largest aquarium fancy.

What’s wrong with it?

All the same problems as your regular old fantail, plus the wen. While it doesn’t actively harm the fish in any way, it can sometimes grow to cover the eyes and gills, and would require dangerous and expensive surgery to correct.

How do we fix it?

Either aim for small, close-cut wen growth, growth only on the top of the head, or do away with it entirely. 

As a pet?

Big and full of character, they are ideal for beginners with lots of space. Gentler than Ryukins and hardier than Moors.

TOSAKIN:

A thankfully rare fish with extensive, curled over tail fins and a rounded body. Exceptionally fragile, they require specialist care to survive. Accepted in all colours but calico.

What’s wrong with it?

They can barely swim! Their tail fins are no longer usable, and every Tosakin that ever lived or will live shares the same awkward waddle-swim as they have to use their pectoral fins to move. They are the epitome of breeding for form over function and struggle to survive even in a regular tank environment.

How do we fix it?

We don’t. There’s no fixing that tail issue save for breeding back to fantailed or single tailed fish, and doing so would remove the only defining trait of the variety. They’re extremely rare and expensive outside of Japan anyway, so thankfully unlikely to ever gain a real foothold.

As a pet?

No. Just no. You’d be wasting £100 plus on a fish that won’t retain it’s traits in a proper aquarium, and will struggle to thrive anywhere that isn’t a shallow, round pond.

CELESTIAL:

The infamous choten gan, stargazer or celestial goldfish. Egg shaped body, no dorsal, and protruding eyes similar to a Moor, only the eyes should always face upwards. Accepted in all colours. Eyesight is not as bad as you’d expect, but is very much restricted to only looking up.

What’s wrong with it?

The same eye exaggeration issue as Moors. While again it is considered a fault, too many breeders think it’s cool to produce fish with stupidly big eyes that free float. A decent Celestial doesn’t require any special care you wouldn’t give a Moor besides lighting, but unfortunately well-bred specimens with proportional eyes are becoming rarer.

How do we fix it?

Breed for smaller eyes! Several winners at GSGB shows over the past few years have had fish with proportional eyes that barely protruded at all. These fish had demonstrably better eyesight than their peers and also much smoother movement. Moving them away from eyes that stick out completely would be better, as they are active swimmers who would benefit from having y’know, normal eyes.

As a pet?

Not for beginners, as they do best in well planted or dimly-lit aquariums and are prone to nipping at fins out of curiosity. Inquisitive and prone to schooling.

POM PON:

Also called a pompom or velvet ball. An interesting variety that comes in two forms - the Japanese hanafusa type, a fish with a tall dorsal fin and veiltail type body, and the traditional Pompon eggfish, which looks very similar to a Celestial but with normal eyes. The variety gets it’s name from a mutation of the nasal membrane that causes it to fluff up in a manner similar to an oranda’s wen. This does not appear to cause any issues for the fish, both forms of which are active and hardy. Accepted in all colours.

What’s wrong with it?

Similar problems with excessively round body shapes to the fantail and similar varieties. Curled under tails similar to those of ranchu are a serious fault, as the variety is meant to display a naturally positioned caudal fin.

How do we fix it?

Aim for longer, more slender body shapes and nasal growths proportionate to the head size of the fish.

As a pet?

Good for beginners, if you can get hold of one! Hanafusa are much more common than true Pompons, but both are hardy and curious. 

LIONHEAD:

Distinct from the ranchu as having a wen that covers the entire face and a naturally positioned tail. This variety also lacks a dorsal fin and has a rounded body. Accepted in all colours.

What’s wrong with it?

 A combination of breeding for excessive roundness and excessive wen growth. Lionheads are second only to orandas when it comes to headgrowth related problems.

How do we fix it?

Longer bodies, less extreme wens.

As a pet?

Good for beginners, but more prone to bloat than normal as they are voracious eaters. Soak sinking pellets for a few seconds before feeding to keep them from surface gulping. Keep an eye on wen growth to make sure it stays out of the eyes and gills. 

RANCHU:

A smaller, slightly worse Lionhead with a little less wen. By far the most popular breed in the hobby currently. Usually shown in two forms, Side-View and Top-View. The main distinction is that the caudal peduncle curves under the body, leading the tail to point downwards. Accepted in all colours.

What’s wrong with it?

THE TAIL. Top-View ranchu are significantly worse in this, but having a caudal peduncle bent the wrong way makes it very difficult for the fish to swim. Some have tails that cannot be moved as a result. As they are a dorsal-less variety, this forces them to propel their bodies through the water using only their tiny body fins. They have all the same problems as a lionhead, too, and are less hardy.

How do we fix it?

No more altering tail positions! Bad, ugly, terrible! Fish have their fins where they do for a reason! Less round, less wen, proper tail position!

As a pet?

Not for beginners, as cute as they may seem. Like lionheads, have big appetites that make them more likely to bloat, plus the issues with swimming which is a bad combination.

BUBBLE EYE:

I saved the worst till last, naturally. Probably the trainwreckiest trainwreck of any domesticated animal since the pug. Almost exactly the same as a Celestial, but instead of the eyes protruding, they have very delicate, fluid filled sacs. They are one of the most fragile goldfish kinds of all. Accepted in all colours.

What’s wrong with it?

EVERYTHING. ALL OF THE THINGS. These terrible little disasters combine all the worst possible traits of the goldfish in one sad, fragile bundle. The eye sacs are easily torn, punctured, crushed, sucked into filters or otherwise damaged, which is a great way for the fish to get a horrible infection and die. They may regrow if damaged, provided the fish actually survives the experience. Many of them cannot swim properly due to the size and weight of these stupid, unnecessary sacs. 

How do we fix it?

We don’t. We do this Tosakin style, let them die out and then burn the standard. These are living, feeling animals that don’t deserve to spend their lives like this. 

As a pet?

Absolutely not. Don’t do it. And don’t go creating demand for these poor little messes because you feel sorry for them, either!

[arthropodgardens-blog]

I'll be redesigning my 30-gallon aquarium soon. It's a tank full of rescued misfit fish; "misfishts." 🤣 The focal point of the tank is a large adult female angelfish that thinks she's a guppy. She was bullied so badly in her original tank that she couldn't even lay her eggs. She's since laid a few batches and is doing great. Because she was picked on, she's friendly with all the other fish. Her best frind is a telescope goldfish that follows her around. His eyes keep growing, but his body doesnt. He's only 1.5" long and looks ridiculous... Then there's a lone panda cory cat who doesn't like being around others, and two female platys that were being bullied. They're huge now, and look like balloon-bellied mollies bc they never stop eating! They're trying to make up for lost time and lost meals, I guess. 😂 I just got my tax return, so I'll be adding more Eco-Complete (substrate) and a few more plants, with perhaps a large piece of decorative wood. This is the "before" photo. 😊 I can't wait to get rid of all that hair algae! I just purchased an albino bristlenose pleco to help out with some of the algae.

[headjournals-blog]

Fancy Goldfish

Fancy Goldfish Aquarium Wallpaper Fancy Goldfish wallpapers The Fancy Gold Fish Aquarium features selected goldfish species like the Lionchu Goldfish, Crown Goldfish, Chinese Goldfish, Telescope eye Goldfish, Tamasaba Goldfish, Ryukin Goldfish, Black Moor Goldfish, Shubunkin Goldfish, Bubble eye, Fantail, Lionchu, Oranda, Panda Moor, Pearl scale, Pompom, Ranchu, Ryukin, Telescope Eye, Tosakin,…