I am willing to bet that almost every reader of Wild Facts is familiar with today’s animal. Yes, the Goldfish is one of the most popular fish species in the world since they are so easy to domesticate. I know I had a pet Goldfish when I was a kid and you probably did to…..even if it only lasted for a day or two. Today we get the chance to learn more about our first childhood pet so clean out your old aquarium and let’s reminisce  about our younger days.

A Long-Time Pet

The Goldfish is actually a member of the Carp family which was first domesticated in China during the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907), however, they didn’t become firmly rooted into the ecosystem until the Song Dynasty (960 – 1279). This all goes to show that people have been enjoying the company of those little Goldfish for a very, very long time. It wasn’t until 1850 that our beloved fish became introduced into North America but they quickly became a hit and spread throughout the continent rather quickly. I would love to see a list of the people throughout time that had a pet Goldfish.

Never Stops Eating

While you may think that the Goldfish feeds primarily on fish food purchased at your local pet store, the truth is wild Goldfish have a tough time purchasing this food. Therefore they have to rely on crustaceans, insects and vegetation to provide them with the necessary sustenance. The Goldfish is an opportunistic feeder and as such will never stop feeding while food is present. If you don’t believe me…go and dump the entire container of fish food in your Goldfish tank. Okay, don’t do that since over-feeding can be incredibly detrimental to their health as it typically blocks their intestines.

My Goldfish Loves Me More

Believe it or not, the Goldfish is a model student since they have very strong social and associated learning skills. Basically, they are easy to teach, which may have been one of the reasons they were domesticated in the first place. As well, the Goldfish has detailed vision that allows them to differentiate between individual human beings. It is not uncommon for a Goldfish to act favourably (swimming towards the glass, swimming in circles) when you are in the room, yet hide when your little brother strolls in. Although it may seem like your pet loves you more….they most likely have associated you with food, so when you enter the room they begin to beg for that tasty fish food.