#we always got goldfish and black moors too | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

blindbatalex · 3 years

Text

an instalment in the carraville royalty au, courtesy of the raisin anon! (usual cws for referenced past character death and discussions of war)

Gary finds him in the garden, secluded in between rosebushes and neatly trimmed hedges, sitting on the bench dead centre in front of a fountain with two faceless soldiers as its centrepiece. The water flows from beneath their feet and continues downwards into three different levels before it ends up in a pond, where goldfish are swimming around, happily ignorant to the misery the man staring at them is feeling.

As far as hiding spots go, it’s a rather poor one, but Gary doubts Jamie sits in front of the fountain specifically commissioned to honour their dead loved ones in order to hide. More likely, Jamie knows he would be left alone.

A pang of guilt hits him for his reaction to learning the truth of David’s death if this is what it did to his husband. He needed to get out, needed to clear his head in peace, but he hadn’t been quite in his right mind when he rode out alone to the stronghold several days’ ride away to visit David’s crypt. Or when he continued on to the estuary, to the place one of the last bloody battles of the war had been fought. Where Jamie had plunged his sword through David’s middle.

He didn’t know what he hoped he would get from the excursion. Perhaps a sense of closure, perhaps he half expected David’s ghost to pop up somewhere along the way, perhaps he just had a desperate need to do something , and riding to his late husband’s place of death was the only thing he could think of. What he got instead was his heart screaming at him to go home, to see Jamie, to face this pain, like all others, head on together.

And so go home he did.

Jamie’s face looks gaunt and drawn from what he can see, his shoulders hunched and his fingers are clutching tightly at his tunic, in what Gary suspects is an attempt at stopping them from shaking. He looks, almost like he did the first few weeks after the wedding, when his guard was down and feelings raw, coming to the realization that this was to be for the rest of his life. The lost, empty look in his eyes did not suit him, and Gary despised of often it used to make an appearance. He finds himself now hating it more than ever.

The gravel crunches underneath his feet as walks towards him, and Jamie’s head shoots up to see who dares intrude on his miserable solitude, a command to leave him be ready almost even before he can register who it is.

“Hi, James,” he says, not entirely sure what to expect. A few days ago, Jamie would’ve been searching for forgiveness. What he is now Gary does not know. After disappearing for days on end without much of a word neither here nor there, he would not deem a cold shoulder entirely unfair.

“Thought you might be here”, he continues on and takes a few steps closer to the bench where Jamie’s sitting.

Jamie keeps looking at him with wide eyes, bloodshot and tired, almost like he expects Gary to be a mirage soon to disappear into thin air.

“You’re back”, he croaks out eventually, his voice hoarse from what might be days of being unused. It most likely is.

“Yeah”

Gary sits down beside him, keeping a careful distance, and stares at the two figures in the middle of the fountain. It was one of the first things they had worked together and agreed on, this little private memorial of their late husbands. It was a symbol of their old lives, their old selves, but somewhere along the way, Gary had come to appreciate it as the beginning of their lives together, and that from even the most broken and bruised beings, beautiful things could learn to grow.

“Where d’you go?” Jamie asks. Gary looks at him, but Jamie’s not meeting his eyes, rather looking at his fingertips and willing them to stop shaking. Gary reaches out without realizing it and takes Jamie’s hands between his own and keeps them still.

“To the crypt, and then to the West Bank,” he says but chooses not to elaborate. He can explain his travel route later and he doesn’t need Jamie to know how many tears he’d shed over the past few days anyway.

“James, listen. I am sorry for leaving as I did. I needed to clear my head, but I shouldn’t have left you here unknowing for such a long time. That wasn’t fair of me,” he begins. It’s easier, apologizing for leaving, rather than mentioning the very reason it. Hurts less. He's not normally one to run away from what he does not want to face, because they tend to catch up anyway. But this, this he would put in a chest and bury ten feet into the ground if he could, gone and forgotten and never to be seen again.

After the wedding, when everything seemed so bleak, unknowing and unintended they had coaxed each other out of the numbness and indifference to the evils of the world, learned to see the flowers and feel the sun again together. If wanting to suppress any knowledge of David's death and go back to that for just a moment was cowardice then a coward he would be, even if he knows it is an impossible dream.

He tries to catch Jamie’s eyes, but they keep averting his own, looking anywhere and everywhere but Gary’s face.

“S’all right, I knew you’d be back soon enough,”Jamie says.

“You did ?”

“Part of the treaty, no? Our marriage is vital for keeping the peace. Your sense of duty is too strong to leave, no matter the circumstances” He says it like it’s practised, like it’s a reasoning he’s been telling himself ever since Gary rode out, a cold truth no one could argue with.

For all the laughter, all the smiles and jokes and joy. For all the happiness they, against the odds, have shared since their wedding day, Jamie had stripped it all back, to the baseline of it all, to the one reason they are set to be companions for the rest of their lives. Commitment to a cause, not a person. Honouring a treaty, not a holy institution.

Duty, not love.

Jamie heaves a sigh and keeps going.

“I am sorry you ended up here, Gary. You could’ve been happy, hadn’t it been for me.”

Gary doesn’t know what to say. It's not the way he up and left with no word that has made Jamie miserable. Apologising for it's not what's going to make it better. He thinks about the ten obelisks out on the moor by the mountains that separate their kingdoms, the names carved into the stone in memory of the soldiers who gave their lives to the war. How many of those names are there because Gary shot an arrow through their hearts or commanded his troops to fire. How many children in the villages died of famine because the grain went to feed his men. How many had become widowers, orphans and alone because of him and his decisions.

He hadn’t been the one to deliver the killing blow to Jamie’s Stevie. But he had sent arrows through a number of throats non-the-less. Red and black-feathered, gold heads dipped in Devil’s Venom. There were those out there who mourned lives he had taken.

“I killed people in the war too,” he says, eventually.

There are other words he can say, words that could make it better, make Jamie see it’s not only about duty anymore, but he doesn’t have them. Not yet. Not for a while. They are there, somewhere inside him. Floating around in his heart and his head and his stomach and bones. But he doesn’t know how to piece them together and speak them into existence.

His grip is firm around Jamie’s hands, the only kind of comfort he can manage, and he can feel Jamie gripping tightly back. He looks at them, sees the hands that killed David, sees the hands that hold him through his nightmares. Wants to be angry at him for giving him so much pain, while he knows Jamie is the only one now who can help him chase that pain away. Wishes he could run away but knows he’d only want to return back as soon as he’s past the gates.

He tries to remember what his mother had told him when he was little and came home with scraped elbows and tears in his eyes. It will heal, my lad. Her smile was always as warm as the sun. Give it time and it will heal.

In the years since, he’d learn that it sometimes takes more than time, and sometimes that’s not enough either. But he lets his mother’s words wash over him as he did as a small lad, wills them to be true like they used to always be.

We will heal, he decides and pretends it’s that easy. He looks at Jamie, his hunched shoulders and empty eyes, knows they can fight their way through this as well.

Give us time, and we will heal.

#carraville #royalty au #raisin anon #fic rec #ahhhh this is bittersweet and gorgeous ♥

13 notes · View notes

headoverjojo · 3 years

Note

hhhhhnnggg how about vet au with jotaro where joot's goldfish he's had since a teen is isnt eating properly/looks pale/sick and he goes to the local vet (reader) romance ensues aaaaaaaaaa tnx hun

Hi there, darling! Ahhhhh what a lovely request :,) Of course sure thing! I hope you’ll like it :3 and the extremely indulgent trivias about Jotaro’s godlfish(es) nvjvnsnvs

Veterinary AU: Jotaro Kujo brings his sick goldfish to vet

(Under the cut for length!)

Jotaro Kujo, renowned marine biologist, felt really uncomfortable sitting on a little chair in the nearest veterinary office, with a small glass bowl in his hands. Inside the bowl, there was one of his precious goldfishes, named Noriaki. Its scales were the same red as Kakyoin’s hair… at least, they usually were. They had been paler for a few days, by now, and it wasn’t eating properly, unlike its friends, Iggy and Avdol. Jotaro had even tried to change its food, but nothing changed. Noriaki looked weaker and weaker, and he was really starting to feel he was going to lose it. Yes, it was a goldfish, but… Noriaki and the others were so important to him. They had been with him for years, since he had come back from Egypt, and losing even just one of them seemed unbearable. He wanted to do everything he could to help them to live as much as they could.

Who knew about his fishes had asked him why he couldn’t treat them himself, and he had to patiently explain that he was a biologist, not a vet. He wanted an expert to take care of his goldfish, if this was possible. And so here he was, in Dr. Y/S’s office, waiting for his turn, fearing to lose his little goldfish. What a nice morning.

“Mr. Kujo? Please, come in.” Jotaro got up, holding the glass bowl, and entered the studio. The doctor looked at him, and then at the little fish that was lazily swimming in the clear water. Jotaro was ready to hear some snarky comment about the “emergency”, but the young veterinary doctor didn't say something like that.

“Oh dear, poor little goldfish… what happened to you, uh? Let’s check it out, ok? I’ll make you feel better, I promise.” they said, almost cooing, taking the bowl from Jotaro’s hand and gently putting it on the table. Jotaro was amazed by their words. They were the first person who hadn’t mocked him for his weird attachment to a goldfish…

“What’s its name?” they asked, while checking the little fish. Jotaro focused again on his surroundings, blinking.

“Noriaki.” he said, low. They nodded, quietly, without tearing their eyes from their little patient.

“That’s a cute name… tell me, has Noriaki tried to brush itself on the walls of the bowl, during the past days?” Jotaro blinked, surprised. Yes, Noriaki had acted exactly like that…

“Yes… he did it for a day, more or less. Then, he stopped to eat almost completely. It’s like that since yesterday.” he explained, while they were nodding, pondering. They looked up at him, with a little frown.

“It’s a bacterial infection. Pretty common in goldfishes, but it’s not something to underestimate. I’ll prescribe some meds, and, at home, you’ll have to give them to Noriaki every morning and evening. You also have to lower the water temperature and to adjust the water PH to 7.5. Oh, of course, if you have other goldfishes, keep them separated from Noriaki, and check them to see if they got the infection too. If you follow these instructions, Noriaki will be fine in a few days, I promise.” they said, smiling, picking a paper and writing down their instructions. Then, they picked a small med tube, handing it to Jotaro.

“The instructions and the med. You seem to care really a lot about Noriaki, so… I know it’ll be in good hands. Oh, and I’d also like to know how it feels, so please, come whenever you want to tell me how it’s going, ok? Have a good day!” Jotaro nodded, mumbling his goodbye, and then exited the doctor’s office, feeling way more relieved than just a few minutes before. Noriaki was going to feel good… and it was all thanks to that doctor.

He had never met someone like them. Even the vets at the aquarium where he worked at weren’t so… zealous and openly caring. It was their job, yes, but sometimes they tried to slack off; this vet, however, didn’t seem the type of person who would have done it. Jotaro already liked them: they surely were a force of nature.

Well… he had one more chance to talk to them, in just a few days. He felt… happy, about it. He was sure it would have been fun. And, maybe, it wouldn’t have been their last talk. - Jotaro followed strictly Y/N’s instructions and, almost miraculously, Noriaki rapidly got healthy again. Its scales went back to a vibrant red, and it started to eat again, as nothing had happened. Every time Jotaro saw Noriaki swimming happily in its quarantine bowl, he couldn’t help but to smile, remembering how sweetly the vet had taken care of it, that day. If Noriaki was now safe and healthy, it was thanks to them.

As promised, he came back to their office to update them on Noriaki’s health. He arrived right when they were ending their daily shift; when they saw him, they smiled, welcoming him.

“Ah, Mr. Kujo! How’s Noriaki? Is it fine?” Jotaro hinted a smile, pleasantly surprised. They remembered him and Noriaki… he was almost sure that, with so many patients and owners, they would have forgotten about him in a day, but it didn’t happen. He felt… happy, about it.

“Noriaki’s fine. It has completely recovered, thanks to your advice and meds.” he answered, calmly. They sighed in relief, as another smile made its way on their face. Jotaro found himself charmed by their smile. It was so bright…

“Oh, thank goodness! I’m very happy to hear it.” Jotaro nodded at their words, resisting the urge to hide his face in his hat, as he always did when he was starting to feel overwhelmed. Usually, however, it was an unpleasant feeling: maybe it was too noisy, or he was feeling uncomfortable due to something else… but this time, he was feeling something good in his chest. It was overwhelming, but it was so warm and comforting…

“Hm… would you like to see it? I keep it in my office, at the aquarium.” he suggested, in an unusual openness. He just… wanted to share more time with them, and he had the feeling that they would have loved the aquarium. And, with relief, he was right: their eyes shone at their words.

“You work at the aquarium? It’s incredible! Yes, I’d like to see Noriaki, thank you!” they accepted, finally closing their studio and trotting near him. Jotaro smiled a little again, leading the way, trying to calm his nerves down. It was nothing, he was being nice to a talented vet and, maybe… maybe making a friend. A real one, like the ones he had lost.

“You’re welcome… call me Jotaro. Please.” he said, low, opening himself up again. Their smile reassured him, and they nodded, at his request.

“Fine… Jotaro. But you have to call me Y/N, then.” they replied, and Jotaro nodded, hiding another little smile. Y/N… it was a pretty name.

He quietly listened to their chattings, while they were heading to the aquarium, nodding and, sometimes, commenting. He was usually bothered by people who spoke a lot, but this time it was different. Maybe it was because they were talking about animals, or maybe because it was them.

“Here we are. Noriaki’s still in quarantine.” Jotaro said, entering his office and leading them to Noriaki’s bowl. Y/N’s instinct immediately took on them, and they quickly checked the little fish, carefully.

“What a beautiful red… you’re so handsome, do you know it, Noriaki? A handsome little goldfish.” they whispered at the fish, as Jotaro was turning a little his head, to hide another smile. It was cute when they behaved like that…

“And these are my other goldfishes. The Fantail’s name is Avdol, and the Black Moor’s Iggy.” they immediately went to greet them too, giggling when the goldfishes came near, as to greet them back.

“They’re so cute, Jotaro… you’re really taking good care of them all.” they said, with a satisfied sigh. Jotaro nodded, smiling a little, taking a deep breath. He wanted so bad to stay a little more with them… but was it too bold of him? Well, he had to try…

“Hm… listen, Y/N… would you like to take a coffee? With me?” they blinked, surprised, and Jotaro immediately averted his eyes. It was too much, maybe… he had screwed up, he knew it. Still, his face didn’t show anything of the turmoil in his chest.

“I’d really love it, Jotaro.” his eyes widened a little, hearing their answer. He turned at them, surprised, meeting their smile. It seemed… sweeter, and even warmer. He was feeling his cheeks on fire, and so he teared his gaze away from them again, before the warmth could redden his cheeks. Well, it wasn’t too bold, in the end…

“Fine… let’s go.” he muttered, embarrassed, leading the way, missing their red cheeks and smile. Well, that wasn’t a date… or was it? Jotaro couldn’t tell, but he wouldn’t have minded if they considered it as such. Not at all…

It would surely have been the beginning of something. Jotaro didn’t know exactly of what, but… it would have been beautiful. He felt it.

#jjba #diamond is unbreakable #beautiful duwang #jotaro kujo #jotaro's goldfish #marine biologist jotaro #neutral s/o #vet!reader #veterinary au #scenario #prompt scenario #sfw #anon ask

27 notes · View notes

anaclarachavez · 3 years

Text

Things I did when I was a child

I keep thinking about my childhood lately. Some of the work I do in therapy requires me to go back to those days and really pay attention. I feel like Murnau's Faust (a much less darker version, of course): hovering over my old schools, trying to listen to my childhood conversations with friends, amazed at how light and cheery I remember life being. Would it be safe to say that I won't ever be as unafraid as I was when I was a child? I think it would. And I'm ok with that. But every once in a while –when I'm not sure who I am– "I wish I were a girl again, half savage and hardy, and free", as did Catherine Earnshaw when she yearned for the untamable spirit of the Yorkshire moors.

***

I thought it best to put these adventures and amazements in words, in case my memory once fails and I truly don't remember who I am: - I loved Maleficent. One Halloween I dressed up as her for a school show. I didn't have time to change my shoes, so I very proudly sported my black outfit and make up with white girly shoes. I was LIVING. Whenever I see the photo I feel my true nature shining through.

- I used very weird words for a small human. Like the time I called my kindergarten classmates "abúlicos". To this day, I’m not even sure I know what that means.

- My mom had a go-to fruit lady near our house. And whenever I made an appearance, she would give a guayaba (guava is not a good word). This went on for many years. Some time ago, I went back there for... reasons... and the lady recognized me and, true to form, gave me said fruit. It felt like a gift to the Anaclara of the past.

- I used to do cartwheels anywhere and everywhere large enough to fit an over enthusiastic seven year old.

- I had this beautiful Russian friend named Polina, and we lived nearby so I hung out at her place sometimes. We made up a dance to “I Want to Hold Your Hand” by The Beatles. I thought we were so cool, but for some reason, maybe her Russian demeanor, she didn’t seem like a very happy kid to me. Never saw her again.

- I adored drawing. The joy of drawing felt like very few.

- I thought about having a career as a bird-watcher. - When I moved to England we sometimes took a shortcut to my mother's University. And it was muddy. Real muddy. Unaccustomed to the realities of British weather, I thought such mess to be the funnest time of all. Sometimes I would wear some plastic bags over my boots to avoid childish disasters, and I was even more amused by this. - My dear, dear mom let me dress up however I saw (un)fit. So I wore a spice girls crop-top, some glittery hairbands, a cow print vest and, of course, black mini-skirts over trousers. - I danced. I danced every minute of every day. - My lovely teacher Mrs. Thompson thought I was very creative but "too chatty." An accurate assessment if I’ve ever heard one. - I used to play a hand clapping game with my friends. We once made up some lyrics and choreography. It started like so: "I met a girl in Sweden, called eye-shoe-Shalyla. All the boys in the football field said 'I love eye-shoe-Shylyla’" - I earned a badge for winning three chess games in a row in our junior school chess club. Anya Taylor... who? - Music classes were the best. We sang "Morning Has Broken" by Cat Stevens. And a song about socks: "Black socks, they never get dirty, the longer you wear them the stronger they get..." - I got a kick out of beating boys at running fast. But I never had very close friends who were boys. They didn’t seem as appealing and fun as the girls. - I had a purple bike that made some sort of odd sound when it rolled too fast. I thought it was unique and my parents could always tell when I was arriving home because of it. I rode it to see my friends. I made so many friends and so easily. No self-consciousness, no weird insecurities, just pure eagerness. - I loved to sun bathe. I very frequently over did it and suffered the burning consequences of feeling invincible. But those tans though. - Bonfires. Bonfires were magical.

- I vividly remember where I was the first time I saw a mobile phone in action: it was 1999 and I was in a double decker in London. One person suddenly “rang”...and a few seconds later we could hear the other guy chatting with him downstairs. It was equal parts ridiculous and amazing. - Me and my mom would walk down to a market near my house and buy some cheese empanadas that I have since idealized as the perfect empanada.

- I had a bright orange goldfish who I named “mi amigo.” How cute is that? I also had a pair of ducklings who followed me everywhere. - I was constantly braiding the girls' hair in class. I found it relaxing and wasn't really aware I was shamelessly turning the classroom into a hair salon. - One of my first childish grudges was against the man who drove the ice-cream truck: I once gathered my pennies and asked for some very specific sweets. The small paper bag of these gummies cost fifty pence, and I when I got back in the house and opened it, they were not the sweets I had asked for. Such betrayal. It felt infuriating. I didn’t buy anything for weeks, until my mom convinced me to forgive the poor distracted man.

- Whenever my family and I travelled to a foreign place, I was mesmerized by my father’s ability to know where we were going, how to pay, where to stay, how to find the way if we got lost. This, I think, gave me the confidence to be alone anywhere in the world and (try to) find a way.

- Arriving to Antwerp remains one of my favorite memories in life. I couldn’t (can’t) get over how magical it was. I was tired, so tired, because we walked for what seemed like forever, but I still couldn’t sleep that night because I was so excited to be in a city that felt like a fairytale. Who knew what we were going to encounter the next day? (tourists, mainly).

- I spent my 9th birthday in Barcelona but against everyone’s wishes I decided to stay in my cousin’s house and play The Sims all day.

- My aunt lived in a very large house with doors everywhere. One door led to a small room, a corridor almost, which was preserved as such because it had beautiful original wood framing. My aunt collected witches and they all lived in there. One of them had a sensor that made her laugh whenever someone walked by. I was terrified of walking through that dark room, sometimes I even crawled so the witch “didn’t see me.” And now I love witches.

- I once decided lamps were very boring and that I was going to decorate random lamps and make them fun. And I did. A couple of them are still lying around, looking worse than they ever did in the first place.

- The best part of dancing in the Nutcracker as a little girl, was that we got to buy new dolls for the show. And styled our hairs with shiny voluminous Shirley Temple curls.

- During Nutcracker season my friends and I used to tell horror stories backstage. A popular one was that the human sized nativity figures which were stored in the theatre’s warehouse were in fact haunted. Legend had it, a girl once went in there and saw their eyes move from one side to another.

***

It is hard to pinpoint when you cease to be a girl. The best I can come up with is this: my joyful childhood was over when I started looking at these as memories rather than possibilities.

I don’t feel like a child anymore (at least not everyday) but I definitely don’t feel like a grown-up either. Most of the time I feel like a strange kind of grown up, but I find so much charm and peace in honoring my child self. I know that my Maleficent-costumed-persona is very proud of this lack of staidness, and whatever I do, I’m always secretly hoping I don’t betray her.

#childhood #maleficent #growing up #joy #memories #inner child

5 notes · View notes

candoia-aspera · 6 years

Text

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!

#goldfish #fancy goldfish #fishblr #fishcourse

493 notes · View notes