Comet (goldfish) 1865195 224974653 2008-07-11T07:22:48Z Panek 7387760 pl: {| border=1 cellspacing=0 align="right" cellpadding=2 |- align=center bgcolor=pink !Comet goldfish |- align=left |[[image:comet-pond.jpg|180px]] |- align=center bgcolor=pink !Country of origin |- align=center |[[USA]] |- align=center bgcolor=pink !Type |- align=center |Single tailed |- align=center bgcolor=pink !Breed standards |- align=center |[http://www.bristol-aquarists.org.uk/goldfish/comet/comet.htm BAS] |- align=center bgcolor=pink |} The '''comet''' or '''comet-tailed goldfish''' is the most common variety of fancy [[goldfish]] in the [[United States]].<ref name="Johnson">"Fancy Goldfish: A Complete Guide to Care and Collecting" by Dr. Erik L. Johnson, D.V.M. and Richard E. Hess, Weatherhill, Shambala Publications, Inc., 2006 - ISBN 0-8348-0448-4</ref> ==Origins== The comet-tailed goldfish is an [[United States|American]] development.<ref name="Johnson"/><ref name="Andrews">"An Interpet Guide to Fancy Goldfish" by Dr. Chris Andrews, Interpet Publishing, 2002. - ISBN 1-902389-64-6</ref> The first one appeared in the ponds of the U.S. Government Fish Commission in Washington in the early 1880s. It has been developed from '''[[common goldfish]]''' stock by [[Hugo Mulertt]], a government worker. Mulertt was the first person to place the comet onto the fishkeeping market in quantity.<ref>[http://www.ggw.org/gvpakc/NewsLetters/may_2003.htm Genesee Valley Pond & Koi Club Newsletter, Vol. 7, Issue 5, May 2003]</ref><ref name="McCord">[http://www.victoria-adventure.org/water_gardening/png/1-3/vol1_No3_001_021.pdf "Fancy That! - Goldfish Keeping: 'Best Pond Pick for 1999 - The Comet'" by Vivian McCord, (Cody, Wyoming), from Helen Nash's Pond & Garden "Creating Backyard Heavens" Magazine (Publisher: Pond & Garden, Inc., 1999), Vol. 1, Issue 3, page 12]</ref> Comets are known as '''kometto''' in [[Japan]].<ref>[http://www.hagen.com/usa/aquatic/more.cfm Nutrafin Aquatic News, Issue #4, 2004, Rolf C. Hagen, Inc. (USA) and Rolf C. Hagen Corp. (Montreal, Canada)]</ref> ==Description== [[Image:WhiteCometGoldfishRodsan18a.jpg|thumb|left|270px|A white comet goldfish.]] The comet goldfish can be distinguished from the [[common goldfish]] by its long, single and deeply forked tail fin. Comets with yellow, orange, red, red-and-white color are common. Due to the comet's hardy and active nature, and the relative ease in caring for them, they are best suited to ponds and outdoor pools.<ref name="Andrews"/><ref name="Johnson"/> Comet-tails can grow up to 12 inches in length.<ref name="Johnson"/>Sarasa Comets have long flowing fins and are very hardy fish. They can be kept with koi in an outdoor pond.These comet goldfish have a natural life of approximately 7 to 14 years and there are chances to live much longer in excellent conditions<ref>[http://petcaretips.net/comet-goldfish.html Free Information Keeping Comet Goldfish<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>. ==Variants== *'''Sarasa comets''' are characterized by their red-and-white coloration and resemble the [[Kohaku]] color pattern in [[koi]].<ref name="McCord"/> The word '''sarasa''' is of [[Japanese language|Japanese]] origin.<ref name="Johnson"/> *The '''Tancho single-tail''' is similar to the comet-tail but it has a silver-colored body and finnage with a red patch on the head.<ref name="Andrews"/> ==Goldfish farming market== {{main|Goldfish}} Goldfish are commonly bred on fish farms in many parts of the world such as the Far East, Middle East, Europe and the United States. In most instances, the millions of fish produced each year end up in pet or aquarium centers for sale to aquarists. However, in North America, there is a demand for goldfish used as bait or "feeder fish" to other fish by [[anglers]]. <ref name="Andrews"/> Due to the relatively inexpensive prices of comets and the common goldfish, they also become toy prizes in carnivals or other places of entertainment. This practice was intended to be made illegal through a bill such as the [http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/pages/item.php?news=366 Animal Welfare Bill] (July 14, 2004) in the United Kingdom, but was unsuccessful.<ref>[http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/pages/item.php?news=547 "Fairground Goldfish Will Remain Legal" by Matt Clarke, Website Editor, Practical Fishkeeping, date retrieved: May 25, 2007]</ref><ref>[http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/pages/item.php?news=366 "New Animal Welfare Laws Will Affect Trade" by Matt Clarke, Website Editor, Practical Fishkeeping, date retrieved: May 25, 2007]</ref> == References == {{reflist}}This fish also needs to stay in a 20 gal. tank. ==See also== {{Goldfish breeds}} [[et:Komeet (kala)]] [[ja:コメット (キンギョ)]] [[pl:Kometa (ryba)]]